Drop The Phototransistor

Arduino Midi Controller Turntable

The concept here is a turntable that uses light to play music, replacing the classical record player needle with a phototransistor and the vinyl record with a high-contrast translucent disc illuminated from below. This idea explores the sound of images.

The prototyping project was an exploration of the Arduino starter kit's capabilities. I created a simple circuit that used a phototransistor to send data to the computer based on the amount of light it received. With some basic programming, the machine translated that data into sound.

Using components from the Arduino starter kit, I built the phototransistor circuit. Once this was functioning, I designed and created the housing. I laser-cut white acrylic for the turntable's surfaces and used black filament to 3D print the legs, arm, and center knob. The disc was made with translucent filament to allow light to pass through, and a black vinyl stencil of the Linkin Park Hybrid Theory album was added for high contrast. This image altered the amount of light reaching the phototransistor, creating a unique soundscape.