ABERDEEN SHANG
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Nocturne
​Houdini Expression Animation
​

Thrid Place GridMarkets Scholarship 2018
click here go to the Gridmarkets Scholarship 2018  Website.
Average Render Time: 0:48:38
Resolution: 1280*720
Samples:6*6
​Light Source: Environment Light
​
​This project is to use expression to make a procedural animation. To build this grand piano keyboard, and to make sure each key can move individually, I divide the whole process into two parts.
BREAKDOWN
Part I
– Relative Movements on One Single Key
​Image “Reference” is the reference I am using to make the expressions animation on one key. There are 8 different parts on one key. And they all have different triangle relationships from one to each other. 

​So, basically, I use one Null Node as an overcontrol; and each part makes different rotations or translations base on that final output number from the overcontrol.
As the image Node Tree for building one key shows;
The node on the left bottom in that red circle is the Null Node I use to control the whole animation for one key.

Reference
Reference
Picture
Node Tree for building one key
Part II
– Animation for The Whole Keyboard to Match a Piano Music
I want to make my piano play a music base on a real score. But there’s no plug-ins I can use to transfer the information from a score to Houdini to make that happen. So:
• First, I found the score from one of my favorite Chopin’s work - Nocturne No.2 in E Flat, Op.9 No.2. Then I found a version music file played by Nelson Freire. I used the score to mark the notes in frames.
• Then, I add this expression in my overcontrol Null Node.
Picture
Score
Picture
Expression for the Main Animation
Other Process
Putting 4 Different Shapes of Keys in Different Positions​
​
​Because piano’s keys have different shapes. So, I use a simple switch node to make them line in order.
Picture
Expression inside Switch Node
Extra Animation to Show My Object More Fully
To show my object much better, I decide to at first just show one key then the numbers of keys grows.
Because I am using my animation to match the music. The single key I want to show at the first frames must be the first note in the music. Which means I cannot just key frame the Copy Number.
So, I also use a switch node with a Null Node for that animation. 
Picture
How It Connect
Picture
Expression Inside Switch Node
  • REEL
  • Houdini / Maya
  • UE4
  • Other VFX PROJECT
  • Blogs
    • Mentor Project
    • MatchtoLive
    • VSFX 755 Class Blog >
      • C: debris procedural primitive
      • C++: side-mask pattern node
      • OSL: renderman moom shading
  • Other Art Works
  • About
  • Award