CNC music factory Still Alive

posted Apr 3rd 2009 8:56am by Caleb Kraft
filed under: cnc hacks, tool hacks

With some careful programming and probably tedious testing, [Tim] was able to get his CNC router to play [Jonathan Coulton's] “Still Alive”. He didn’t just tell the motors to spin at the correct speeds directly though. He computed the 3d vectors necessary to produce the notes. The router thinks it is just doing its job. We would love to see those vectors rendered out in 3d space. Imagine having a physical sculpture of “Still Alive” as seen by a CNC machine. This reminds us of the Obsolete Technology Band.

[via Skullydazed's twitter]

Comments [32]

tagged: cnc, jonathan coulton, mill, portal, router, still alive

Reader Comments

that is SO COOL!

Posted at 9:20 am on Apr 3rd, 2009 by beStill

Reminds me of ending up modifying various hardware and running cables all through the building to solve a software problem with a 2 minute fix.

It’s the satisfaction of perfection…

Posted at 9:32 am on Apr 3rd, 2009 by ziarkaen

And I was expecting the song “Everybody Dance Now.” Still very cool project.

Posted at 9:37 am on Apr 3rd, 2009 by jamiem

Hah, yeah i’ve been wanting to do a 3D song thing for a while with our CNC, but i have no idea where to even start. It would most likely just dull a good tool from the varying RPM’s. I’m sure i could find a bad tool with mostly good edges, but still, anyone have any ideas on how to start?

Also, WTF is actually happening in the video? i can’t even see any cutting going on.
-Taylor

Posted at 9:51 am on Apr 3rd, 2009 by Taylor Alexander

The thought of manufacturing machines singing this song to themselves while working is nothing less than chilling.

_NICE!_

Posted at 9:58 am on Apr 3rd, 2009 by strider_mt2k

Sounds like a pump organ with a hole in it at some parts. :) Seriously though, what a task to accomplish. Incredible and well done.

Posted at 9:58 am on Apr 3rd, 2009 by spudw

Taylor> It’s not cutting at all, it’s the stepper motors stepping at different speeds which is generating the tones. It’s using X and Y as two different voices. I didn’t see if the router was going up and down so there might have a 3rd Z voice.

Posted at 10:31 am on Apr 3rd, 2009 by Sean

IIRC at least one model of HP ScanJet understood SCSI command that would play arbitrary notes with the scan head drive motor. There was some tune that it would play out of ROM if you held on the scan button while powering it on as well.

Posted at 10:35 am on Apr 3rd, 2009 by pokey

i love the idea of machines singing away to themselves at night, when nobody is around. they could have an orchestra!

Posted at 10:56 am on Apr 3rd, 2009 by dan

Cool. However, if someone were to give me a cnc mill, or if I ever finish the one I’ve been working on I can think of much better uses than this. Oh, well, who am I to judge someone’s muse?

Posted at 11:11 am on Apr 3rd, 2009 by jpc

I like how he used rubber tube and pipe clamps to attatch the motor shafts to the ball-screw. I’ve been trying to figure out a cheap way to do that for a while now for my own mill.

Posted at 11:38 am on Apr 3rd, 2009 by allen

Very impressive!

Posted at 11:40 am on Apr 3rd, 2009 by AridTag

Making a note….

Huge Success!

Posted at 12:55 pm on Apr 3rd, 2009 by Cabe

“The thought of manufacturing machines singing this song to themselves while working is nothing less than chilling.”

I thought exactly the same !

Posted at 1:05 pm on Apr 3rd, 2009 by sban

Will it also give me a lobotomy?

Posted at 2:44 pm on Apr 3rd, 2009 by BigD145

This was a triumph.

Posted at 2:48 pm on Apr 3rd, 2009 by kyle007

I was just thinking of that day we all quoted that song in the comments I though it was funny and I cant seem to find it…

Posted at 2:52 pm on Apr 3rd, 2009 by kyle007

Pure genius.

Posted at 6:28 pm on Apr 3rd, 2009 by John

thats awesome!

Posted at 8:24 pm on Apr 3rd, 2009 by bababooey

I’ve always wanted a CNC mill. Now I want one even more.

Posted at 12:23 am on Apr 4th, 2009 by FIRESTORM_v1

EMC:

http://media.adamziegler.net/cnc/use/20070830/videos.html

Posted at 6:49 am on Apr 4th, 2009 by Adam Ziegler

you airdtag are someone speacial never forget that but you must let the world know who you are from the experiences and dreams you fullfill

Posted at 3:02 pm on Apr 4th, 2009 by curtis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JPBdBIFGNQ#t=0m55s

F1 car playing some music

Posted at 3:25 am on Apr 5th, 2009 by Kevin

@sean: The song is mostly 2-note, but there are a few places where it busts into a full 3-note harmony. Still Alive was a very good first test since it never has more than 3 notes on at any given time. I’d like to play ‘Don’t Fear The Reaper’, but it’s too complex to sound good on a 3-axis machine :)

Posted at 9:33 pm on Apr 5th, 2009 by Tim

Well, the song is nice, but the cake is still a lie!

Posted at 7:59 am on Apr 6th, 2009 by IC BS

@ Ic bs
Ugh.
Someone just had to do it.

Posted at 7:51 am on Apr 11th, 2009 by maxspam

GlaDOS would be proud of her minions

Posted at 10:34 pm on Apr 18th, 2009 by weasel

not as good as that one, not even hackish, but I’m proud of it:

http://www.rawrstudios.com/labs/tribute/GLaDOS/

I did it some time ago

Posted at 1:47 am on Apr 22nd, 2009 by Bool

Bohemian Rhapsody played with an Atari 800XL, a hard drive, floppy drive and several scanners.

Posted at 9:46 am on May 1st, 2009 by Javier

The resulting 3D model would presumable resemble a cake (as mentioned in a comment on youtube). ;)

Posted at 10:03 am on May 1st, 2009 by bloodyalbatross

Dude that glados site is so cool
Really loving it !!!

another very well made one (now with horrible comments plastered over the top of it :()

Posted at 6:59 am on Jun 23rd, 2009 by lionel baden

Great post man (or woman!)… Love your writing! Can’t wait to see more. Is there a subscribe feature here?

Posted at 9:50 am on Jun 23rd, 2009 by Josh Grobly

CNC music factory Still Alive

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