baselashraf81.github.io
Show HN: Eigendrum - Draw any shape and hear what it sounds like as a drum
Hi HN, I built Eigendrum, a web tool that solves the 2D wave equation for arbitrary shapes so you can hear what they sound like as drums. How it works: * Solves -∇²u = λu using finite element analysis (Kφ = λMφ) on a triangle mesh. * Validated to <0.1% error against closed-form solutions for circles (Bessel zeros) and rectangles. * Sound model factors in strike location, Rayleigh damping, and mallet width. * Includes Kac drums I & II to demonstrate identical sound spectra from different geometries. * No frameworks, build steps, or dependencies. Repo and tests: https://github.com/BaselAshraf81/eigendrum Happy to answer any questions about the FEM solver or Web Audio setup! https://eigendrum.com/#p=circle
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“Everything’s a Drum!” https://eigendrum.com/#s=__Ap66fz1em9-NXp7_6a6-0AJu1AAiTv6gK...
This is so dang cool. I’m sorry that all people can do is complain!
This is brilliant! I wish I had seen this a few years back! Q: Generating higher quality sounds with a specified duration (e.g. within a 300ms margin) -- is it possible with your approach, is it hard, how would you go about that? I'm asking because a few years back I had an idea for a breathwork/meditation app that would allow you to connect / control the breath duration using a gong sound. Example pattern: 4s in, 4s wait, 8-10s out. Next: use a feedback loop with the real user breathing pattern, slowly extend towards the goal. Ended up with scaling it down to a "dot to stare at" + basic gong, because I realised how ridiculously chromatically complex the sound is. (my approach was to synthesise an envelope with a shape determined by time -- pity the fool who thought it was easy or even made sense!) https://untested.sonnet.io/notes/projects-and-apps-i-built-f... I got +100k people visiting it and still a couple dozen daily users running a 5+ min session, so I'm happy with it. But, the itch is still there, so I'd love to revisit my old nemesis so to speak :) Also, if you want to chat about this, hit me up sonnet.io/posts/hi !
Separate to the concerns about privacy others have, I found some ear-splitting pitch errors with making very narrow asterisk-shaped drums with a number of spokes not divisible by 2 or 3. Good thing my volume was low.
This is very fun to play with and design different drums. I was able to make one that had 4 connected but distinct regions giving different pitches, then within each of those regions (which look like 4 lobes of different sizes) where you tap on that region will further change the sound! Then I realized I basically just made a hand pan.