Turning Plants Into Music
How Bolney Primary School, ABCOM and Scion brought STEM learning to life using plants, sensors, Ableton Live and a Launchpad.
This started as a simple idea: could we take signals from a living plant and turn them into something children could hear, play with and understand?
Part One: The Audio Journey
ABCOM had the pleasure of supporting Mid Sussex Science Week with Bolney Primary School as a STEM Ambassador. The project explored how living plants can be transformed into music using a mix of sensors, software and hands-on creativity.
We connected a range of plants, including a fern, cactus and rubber plant, to a Scion sensor. The Scion detects tiny electrical changes within the plant and converts those signals into MIDI data. That MIDI data was then fed into Ableton Live, where it controlled instruments, ambient soundscapes and effects.
To make it more interactive, we added a Novation Launchpad. This allowed the children to trigger sounds such as birds, water, weather, drums and ambience while the plant continued generating its own musical patterns. The result was less of a normal science display and more of a small live performance controlled by nature and technology together.
Why it captured attention
The children were fascinated by the idea that data from a living plant could become something they could hear and interact with. It opened up conversations around biology, electronics, coding, MIDI, music technology and digital creativity.
It also showed that STEM is not just about screens, worksheets or abstract theory. It can be creative, practical and collaborative. A plant, a sensor, a laptop and a Launchpad became a working system that pupils could explore for themselves.
Part Two: Mapping sound to visuals
The next phase is to extend the project so the plant-generated sounds also map to real-time visuals. The aim is for pupils to both hear and see plant-generated data, with projected colours, shapes and animations reacting to the same signals that drive the music.
We plan to stay in touch with the school and help the project become something pupils can keep developing. Longer term, the idea is for older pupils to explain the system to younger pupils, turning it into a reusable STEM activity within the school.
How does a plant become part of a musical performance?
The setup used plant sonification: biological activity from the plant was captured as data, converted into MIDI and then used to control music software.
Living plant
A fern, cactus, rubber plant or flowering plant is connected to sensors.
Scion sensor
The sensor detects small electrical changes in the plant.
MIDI data
The Scion system converts activity into MIDI messages.
Ableton Live
Ableton turns the MIDI into instruments and soundscapes.
Launchpad
Pupils trigger birds, water, weather, drums and ambience.
Visuals next
The next phase maps sound and data to projected visuals.
Technical breakdown
Scion
Captured plant activity and converted it into MIDI data that Ableton could use.
Ableton Live
Handled instruments, sound banks, effects, birds, weather, drums and ambience.
Launchpad
Gave pupils a colourful controller for triggering sounds and building a soundscape.
Bolney Primary School
The project will continue with the donation of a Scion device from ABCOM and BHBPA.
What we built in Ableton
The Ableton project became a small plant orchestra. Different MIDI channels from the Scion were mapped to different instruments and textures, while the Launchpad triggered extra layers.
Photo gallery
Photos from the setup and event, including the Scion sensors, Ableton Live session, Launchpad and pupils interacting with the plant music system.
Frequently asked questions
Can plants really make music?
Plants do not make music in the traditional sense. Sensors detect small electrical changes in the plant and convert those signals into MIDI data that can control music software.
What is plant sonification?
Plant sonification is the process of converting biological data from plants into sound. It helps pupils understand how data from the natural world can be interpreted using technology.
What did Scion do?
The Scion sensor and controller captured activity from the plants and converted it into MIDI information that Ableton Live could use to trigger instruments and effects.
How did Ableton Live connect to the project?
Ableton Live received MIDI data from Scion and used it to control instruments, pads, ambience, drums, birds, water and weather sounds.
What did the Launchpad add?
The Novation Launchpad gave the children a simple, colourful way to interact with the system by triggering extra sounds and effects while the plant continued generating musical patterns.
Does the project involve AI?
Yes, in a supporting role. The core of the project is sensors, MIDI and music software, but we used AI to help capture and create some of the sounds, such as the birds, water, weather and ambient textures that pupils triggered on the Launchpad. It also helps pupils see the building blocks behind modern technology, including data, automation, creative computing and AI.
What is planned for Part Two?
The next stage is to map the plant-generated music to real-time visuals, so pupils can see projected animations and effects responding to the same signals that create the sound.
From a science fair demo to a reusable STEM resource
The aim is to keep developing this with Bolney Primary School, giving pupils an ongoing way to explore sensors, music, data and visual technology. With ABCOM and BHBPA donating a Scion device, the project can continue beyond the event itself.
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