tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77599484195030528582024-02-19T17:07:04.412+01:00Synth experimentsA collection of stuff that I or other people have done in the audio world that I find interesting.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-3920350651989587232014-03-03T08:41:00.001+01:002014-03-03T08:41:27.516+01:00Making generative sound and music with Ableton Live<p>I did a talk the other day at work on generative sound and music in <a href="https://www.ableton.com/en/live/">Ableton Live</a>. I didn't make any slides but some people asked if I had any so I thought it might be nice to instead make a quick blog post out of the topics I presented.</p>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Patchwork</em>, by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurie_Spiegel">Laurie Spiegel</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>The Wild Bull (Part 1)</em>, by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morton_Subotnick">Morton Subotnick</a></td></tr>
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<p>This is the kind of music I want to make. I have no idea how the above examples were produced, but I suspect each note and sound was not played or even programmed, considering the complexity of each piece. I also don't know how you come up with such complex sounds or patterns other than by discovering them by experimentation. So how can I use Live as a tool to generate sonic patterns and control sound in a way that better lets me explore it, rather than express an existing idea?</p>
<h4>Sequencing and generating MIDI</h4>
<p>Here's a simple sequencer implementation using Live's built-in MIDI effects:</p>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHDBxyOa-AxAxp58gMpxWdODhXvbmlwf6crIK5CtTcFv7A6Sv-3b_CNxKwuuTE1EjxDA2f3zbz7rH3603mCm52DWat9BIqOegYsSKiQe-RVYQJOjZZTda4ktClA_2FBo5FQO6O7vI1Pa0/s1600/sequencer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHDBxyOa-AxAxp58gMpxWdODhXvbmlwf6crIK5CtTcFv7A6Sv-3b_CNxKwuuTE1EjxDA2f3zbz7rH3603mCm52DWat9BIqOegYsSKiQe-RVYQJOjZZTda4ktClA_2FBo5FQO6O7vI1Pa0/s400/sequencer.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sequencer using Live's built-in MIDI effects</td></tr>
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<p>Here's how it works:</p>
<ol>
<li>Arpeggiator: used at trigger source; <em>Rate</em> controls rate of the sequence; <em>Gate</em> controls length of triggers
<li>Random: <em>Mode</em> determines whether or not the sequence will be played in order or randomly; <em>Choices</em> determines the length of the sequence; <em>Chance</em> determines likelihood of the next step being triggered or not</li>
<li>Scale: notes will be quantized to the notes in the 2x2 grid</li>
</ol>
<h4>Sequencing values</h4>
<p>Notes and velocity are the only available control inputs when using only Live, i. e. no external controllers or applications. You can route MIDI to different instruments or effects using the velocity and note filters of MIDI effect rack chains. Incoming velocity can be random or played, determining which chain will process MIDI.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqv9SVeKcgtxLwmcuuVougG3DT4REXgrBc9bTpsWnbxgCf0qqHr7xa5KmRAp37uqYUIQoOs3LpXewRNCSoAMBp0kf3z3FcKxGer0mVQlTH27VtL4FrZDoFMV84_hqLWwOemTUQ5hI_pOJ9/s1600/chains.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqv9SVeKcgtxLwmcuuVougG3DT4REXgrBc9bTpsWnbxgCf0qqHr7xa5KmRAp37uqYUIQoOs3LpXewRNCSoAMBp0kf3z3FcKxGer0mVQlTH27VtL4FrZDoFMV84_hqLWwOemTUQ5hI_pOJ9/s400/chains.png" /></a>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Processing MIDI notes differently depending on their respective velocity</td></tr>
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<h4>Audio feedback as a source of sound</h4>
<p>Return channels can be fed back into themselves to provide sources of feedback—careful when doing this, you may hurt your ears or damage your speakers if you're not careful. I like sticking a Glue compressor at the end of each feedback channel to keep things under control. Feedback works best with effects that change over time, for example a frequency shifter followed by a simple delay effect:<p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQL-rPvKEe-oXLKIAV2g39uR720i673G-EbdKFXJyuAZykWXr0R9G-o9yLzIcU0OvdUNbhjdPNpR3rqPAK9_MpLsJCLa55rs-qlM8igr_NL7MI6PKRthwljW4VQ-1gJPag_8RIPL-g5EcY/s1600/delay.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQL-rPvKEe-oXLKIAV2g39uR720i673G-EbdKFXJyuAZykWXr0R9G-o9yLzIcU0OvdUNbhjdPNpR3rqPAK9_MpLsJCLa55rs-qlM8igr_NL7MI6PKRthwljW4VQ-1gJPag_8RIPL-g5EcY/s1600/delay.png" /></a>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delay effect with dynamic pitch</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-76835509820965469322013-02-18T21:32:00.002+01:002013-02-18T21:32:32.927+01:00Back to MaxI seem to have a love/hate relationship with Max. Every time I have an idea that for a Max patch the same thing happens: 1) bang out a rough working first iteration; 2) fix the obvious issues; 3) iterate, and get even more enthused about the project as things start sounding better. That's usually when the patch just stops working as expected or even at all. Turns out there are a few non-obvious things about Max that you need to be mindful of. For example, the position of elements in your patch will have an effect on the order in which events are processed. At first this seemed insane but I think I'm coming to see this as a useful feature (or maybe it's just a bad idea?) Another thing that I recently discovered is that the <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">send</span> and <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">receive</span> objects used for passing data around without cables makes that data available in the global scope, which is just asking for trouble. Then there's the naming of the objects in Max. Seriously, who the hell thought <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">zl</span> would be an appropriate name for an object that does list processing? And <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">uzi</span> for sending out a series of events in quick succession (I guess this was Cycling's idea of a joke?) This weird naming scheme (if you can call it that) makes finding the right object for the job incredibly frustrating at times, though the documentation seems to have improved. While these quirks do cause occasional frustration I'm finding that working with Max is getting easier. I've also realized that a key factor in keeping one's sanity while developing and especially for maintaining a patch over time is to keep things as clean as possible. There's nothing worse than trying to untangle a knot of a patch when fixing a bug. That said, I'm giving Max another chance. Let's see how long the relationship lasts this time.<br />
<br />
Oh and as my first foray into the world of Max this year was to revisit an old <a href="http://www.maxforlive.com/library/device/114">Max for Live patch</a> I started a few years ago. As expected, the patch was a total mess, in fact it didn't even work. So I re-started it and now it works again (for now). The inspiration for the patch came from reading about <a href="http://hardsync.blogspot.de/2009/03/brief-history-of-analog-shift-registers.html">analogue</a> <a href="http://www.ear-group.net/model_23.html">shift</a> <a href="http://www.cgs.synth.net/modules/cgs34_asr.html">registers</a>, devices which were occasionally found in modular systems. Basically such devices allow you to route identical voltage (or MIDI) values to multiple sources in sequence. The concept is relatively generic so you can achieve all sorts of effects using it. In Live routing is done with velocity since I haven't found a way to take advantage of MIDI channel data. I recently uploaded a <a href="https://soundcloud.com/matt-patey/shift-register-demo">demonstration</a> of what it can sound like, but I suggest just downloading it and trying it out for yourself to see what happens. Basically all you need is a Live set that consists of a single MIDI channel with: 1) the effect followed by 2) an instrument rack with chains configured to receive single velocity values between 1 and 8. Play some MIDI into the channel and you should hear the effect immediately. It can be subtle or profound depending on the input so be sure to try different sequences and note lengths.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-11966695389725327632013-01-09T22:23:00.002+01:002013-01-09T22:23:27.528+01:00Experimenting with custom delays in Ableton Live<div>
I always find myself wanting to create new sounds in Live using the instruments and effects included with it. Since I started using it I've found that there are many, many ways of using the routing and effects in ways that one might normally look for a specific plug-in to achieve. Since I find most plug-ins distracting (and usually overpriced) I found that the effects Live comes bundled with are more than capable of creating the kinds of sounds I'm looking for. One effect I use all the time and that has a lot of potential for taking in new directions is a delay based on feedback using Live's auxiliary busses. I thought others might find this interesting so here's my slipshod article on how I like to do it.</div>
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<b>The basics: creating an infinitely (boring, but useful) delay</b></div>
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1. Start a new empty Live set and create one audio channel called 'Delay loopback' and a return track called 'Delay'</div>
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2. Add a 'Simple delay' to the 'Delay' channel and set Feedback to 0% and Dry/Wet to 100%</div>
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3. Set 'Audio To' for the 'Delay' channel to 'Delay loopback' and enable 'Monitor -> In' on the 'Delay loopback' channel<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8H6DA36Y-16J1gcYE9ViTYgxQKkY4eSAxu3g6yzq86pDYwBy2HkkuTgCM5SCq6Y95UgWR9QJv4eGvCT358NxoZz9zoI039TKkRVK0CmCL5OMdV7Xl-U1zIC3n-n9BH94Kyf4w5oM2847c/s1600/Step+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8H6DA36Y-16J1gcYE9ViTYgxQKkY4eSAxu3g6yzq86pDYwBy2HkkuTgCM5SCq6Y95UgWR9QJv4eGvCT358NxoZz9zoI039TKkRVK0CmCL5OMdV7Xl-U1zIC3n-n9BH94Kyf4w5oM2847c/s400/Step+1.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Delay using Live's auxiliary busses</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Now you can send audio via the auxiuliary sends on any audio playing channel and you'll get a delayed sound, but with no feedback. In this configuration you can turn up the auxiliary send on 'Delay loopback' to send 'A' in order to create feedback. Setting the send to 0.0dB (100%) will create an infinite delay.</div>
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<b>Giving the delay a little more character</b></div>
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Add an 'Auto Filter' in low pass mode right before the delay effect in the Delay channel and set its frequency and Q value to 7kHz and 0.2, respectively. This will make the delay a bit nicer sounding while other sounds are playing over it since it doesn't interfere with the entire spectrum of the incoming sound. Of course the nature of the incoming sound makes a difference so you can try using different filtering modes and frequencies.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTQcEx2YxWcAB5XjR43hNiJmSodAnQKtFmovvLPj4cr-AdIro1Pjwt3earfThRoxyNnbCQeCETy1jPWIRKwkCMhONU96yHJ1g8wA2WVpoTF0vVj8yKUsH4eoeVE3SxJVtao-RZ8I3UPvs/s1600/Step+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnTQcEx2YxWcAB5XjR43hNiJmSodAnQKtFmovvLPj4cr-AdIro1Pjwt3earfThRoxyNnbCQeCETy1jPWIRKwkCMhONU96yHJ1g8wA2WVpoTF0vVj8yKUsH4eoeVE3SxJVtao-RZ8I3UPvs/s400/Step+3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Filtering delay to soften the effect</i></td></tr>
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Now if you set the auxiliary sends from your audio source and the delay loopback to maximum the delay effect will eventually clip (in a bad way).</div>
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<div>
Clipping can be avoided while having maxed out sends in a variety of ways. As long as the energy in the effect chain never grows you'll be safe. The trick is to find something that keeps the level below clipping in a way that doesn't compromise the quality of the sound. Personally I like using the Glue (for those of you with Live 9 beta) but the built-in compressor effect will work, too. Just make sure whatever you use does something to reduce the energy of sound passing through the effect. The settings and effects you use will usually vary depending on the nature of the incoming sound.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXHfbbNiC4FBrPiU5nPFXmL-stSiCwMhztDNMYm0bTgz5bFpK9OC6X70eauuZMmeEtfbkIPVaDxaJ2SxOobqsp_ifts1TFcD-vXWalEzr8ia1NOWX8ueueI4onpqf_65gfZiKM7LQ2d0j/s1600/Step+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXHfbbNiC4FBrPiU5nPFXmL-stSiCwMhztDNMYm0bTgz5bFpK9OC6X70eauuZMmeEtfbkIPVaDxaJ2SxOobqsp_ifts1TFcD-vXWalEzr8ia1NOWX8ueueI4onpqf_65gfZiKM7LQ2d0j/s400/Step+4.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Control feedback with a volume-attenuating effect, such as a compressor</i></td></tr>
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Try experimenting with the Q value on the Auto Filter. At some point the echo will go into self-oscillation but, depending on the settings of the device(s) in the effect chain you can keep this from sounding nasty. Again, different sounds and settings will give very different results so you'll just need to experiment. Pay attention in particular to gain and timing settings (e. g. attack and release of a compressor) as these will have pronounced effects on the sound. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Also try setting the delay type (by Ctrl-clicking the delay effect's title) to Repitch and to Time instead of Sync. This will allow you to make portamento like sounds from the delay, much like the sound you get on an analogue tape echo when changing the delay time.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Another thing to try is to add a Frequency Shifter to the beginning of the effect chain. Set it to Shift mode, 100% wet, LFO/S&H to random, rate to something on the very slow side, and width to 0%. This will add some detuning to the feedback, which gives it a sort of enhances the tape echo effect sound.</div>
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<br />
Finally, you probably would be best to group the whole effect into an Effect Rack and assign the various controls to macros with intuitive names. Not only does it make using the effect easier but you can also then re-use the effect in other Live sets.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpfEa_PHe210rJUgsBGGIHEdsyEOkG0pwYPzHb9cSGOwfqlJTPLj839T86JC0rAGqn_E3OkGVbqfcww_enCkYpntTTyYuj79zhyphenhyphenEOjVWUJIBPIqrTFVQ_NL21VyZ1D0t9aelZh0ZzKYTj/s1600/Step+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target=""><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpfEa_PHe210rJUgsBGGIHEdsyEOkG0pwYPzHb9cSGOwfqlJTPLj839T86JC0rAGqn_E3OkGVbqfcww_enCkYpntTTyYuj79zhyphenhyphenEOjVWUJIBPIqrTFVQ_NL21VyZ1D0t9aelZh0ZzKYTj/s400/Step+6.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Grouping/mapping effects in an Effect Rack</i></td></tr>
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</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-33573160661169563842012-01-15T15:00:00.000+01:002012-01-15T15:00:36.552+01:00F.C. JuddDiscovered a new (old) pioneer of early electronic music: F.C. Judd.
<ul><li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Judd" title="">Wikipedia</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.discogs.com/artist/Frederick+Judd" title="">Discogs</a></li>
<li>Electronic Music and Musique Concrète—hard to find book written by Judd. No idea about its exact contents.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.ianhelliwell.co.uk/practical_electronica.htm" title="">Practical Electronica</a>—2011 documentary made of found footage from Judd's studio.</li></ul>
<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F29718887&auto_play=false&show_artwork=false&color=ff009b"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-15136539371950509672011-12-26T08:33:00.001+01:002011-12-27T06:52:37.447+01:00Polyrhythmic sequencer<p>I've been spending some more time with my sequencer idea for the Novation <a href="http://novationmusic.com/products/midi_controller/launchpad">Launchpad</a> using only the built-in MIDI functionality included in <a href="http://www.ableton.com/live">Live</a>. The latest version makes it possible to play the sequence from step 1 to 8 while at the same time playing the same sequence but from steps 1 to n, where n is <= 8. In other words, it's possible to make a canon out of a sequence.</p>
<p>Besides this, each step's on/off, pitch, octave up/down, octave up every 3rd bar, random velocity, high velocity and short/long note length are programmable. Steps on the grid are arranged horizontally, that is, step 1 is represented by the first column, step 2 by the second, and so on. The sequences to play are determined by the last column of buttons on the Launchpad (normally used to play scenes in Live), where the top button plays a 1 step long sequence, and the last 8 steps. And the buttons on the top of the Launchpad are used to repeat the last step of the active sequence(s), which can be useful for hearing changes to steps.</p>
<p>Here's a short video of me messing around with the sequencer. It includes basic instructions on how the sequencer works:</p>
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FTbyFSy1HAA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>To use the sequencer, <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/40559119/Polyrhythmic%20sequencer.als.zip">download</a> the Live set and place it in the Templates folder of your Live library. This way you can create new Live sets with the set without overwriting the original. You can also <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/40559119/Demo%20Project.zip">download a Live project</a> that works like the one in the video above to try it for yourself. You'll need a Launchpad and Live's included MIDI plug-ins to use the sequencer.</p>
<p>Please send any comments or feedback to me via Twitter @mattpatey. Enjoy!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-80464991846635566902011-07-16T12:28:00.003+02:002011-07-16T12:28:16.890+02:00Four-operator FM synthesizer in SuperColliderSo a while back I decided to learn <a href="http://supercollider.sourceforge.net/">SuperCollider</a> for fun. I thought the best way to start would be by creating something I was already familiar with so I could focus on learning SuperCollider and let my experience guide the thing I was building. I like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FM_synthesis">FM synthesis</a> and have some knowledge of how it works, so I thought this would be a good topic to use to explore SuperCollider. The result thus far is a headless (i.e. no graphics), monophonic, four-operator FM synthesizer that can be controlled via MIDI (it even responds to velocity!) Up next I think I'll be working on implementing polyphony or a GUI to control individual operators. In the meantime, feel free to <a href="https://github.com/mattpatey/FM-Synth">get a copy of the source code</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comUnknown location.52.543633652690637 13.35697174072265652.541219652690636 13.352036240722656 52.546047652690639 13.361907240722656tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-52237891377317882612011-05-29T00:21:00.007+02:002011-07-16T12:13:48.699+02:008-step sequencer for Live + LaunchpadI've just uploaded an 8-step sequencer for Live that uses only Live effects and it doesn't require Max for Live. I owe some credit to Aurex's <a href="http://www.aurexmusic.com/8-step-v2">8-Step V2 sequencer</a>, which inspired me to make a sequencer using the Launchpad. My implementation is simpler and, in my opinion, easier to use. I also find that in being more limited my take on the sequencer encourages more experimentation with your patches rather than going for a shotgun approach of letting your sequencer do everything for you. Go ahead and <a href="https://github.com/mattpatey/Live-Sequencer/wiki">try it</a> and tell me what you think.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-4475670578600929102011-04-27T23:07:00.002+02:002011-07-16T12:28:27.760+02:00Back to SuperColliderAfter a friend and I got frustrated with Max/MSP I decided to follow his lead on looking into SuperCollider. As a programmer SuperCollider makes much more sense to me and the results so far have been completely satisfying. The syntax can be a bit odd, and honestly, the documentation at times seems out of date (or incorrect?) and is a bit lacking in places, but I'm already starting to think of the many (feasible!) possibilities I would like to try.<br />
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I've started hacking together a four-operator FM synth, which so far just generates random sounds, but I think it shouldn't be too long until I get the full idea implemented.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-41986860855768966562010-11-20T23:30:00.000+01:002010-11-20T23:30:45.458+01:00Reading up on feedback...Interesting short article on feedback: http://valhalladsp.wordpress.com/2010/05/13/feedback-anti-feedback-and-complexity-in-time-varying-systems/Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-12998027899101094312010-10-03T19:00:00.000+02:002010-10-03T19:00:26.642+02:00On The Edge: Improvisation In MusicInteresting television show on improvisation in music. Free to view online via http://www.ubu.com/film/bailey.htmlUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-26016194318229124542010-09-26T13:47:00.003+02:002010-10-01T15:40:32.681+02:00A template for feedback funI thought it might be useful to create a template for working with feedback in Live. My first attempt includes two channels setup for feedback, each with final output processors outside of the feedback loop and a catalyst channel, i.e. noise burst via big button, to initiate feedback.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibnTXvImGYneyYZUAbsxPpTTy8iCBruNnnmkng4GpT1PwQyjcysd5cVQYtxKBs1HW5WSyShtwbYo_9LUL7MshLGoUawpN17H0LwzSX0OBZqLhU7uolMNn8Vs0aCKIfbW5G0ROPVG9VJd5/s1600/Screen+shot+2010-09-26+at+13.45.24.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibnTXvImGYneyYZUAbsxPpTTy8iCBruNnnmkng4GpT1PwQyjcysd5cVQYtxKBs1HW5WSyShtwbYo_9LUL7MshLGoUawpN17H0LwzSX0OBZqLhU7uolMNn8Vs0aCKIfbW5G0ROPVG9VJd5/s320/Screen+shot+2010-09-26+at+13.45.24.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Here are some of the nicer sounds I got while messing around with this patch:<br />
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<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F5724050%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-dz75Q&secret_url=false"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F5724050%3Fsecret_token%3Ds-dz75Q&secret_url=false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href="http://soundcloud.com/matt-patey/fb-playground-showcase">Fb playground showcase</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/matt-patey">moiré</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-7190303291660244782010-09-01T09:14:00.001+02:002010-09-01T09:16:16.701+02:00Experimenting with feedback in LiveI've said it somewhere before that I don't like piano rolls or writing patterns of notes. Maybe I'm lazy, or I'm afraid that what comes out of my musical intentions will always be the same. I guess what I find so attractive to working with sound this way is the continuous feedback process of sound influencing my decisions, and vice versa. I think I would be hypocritical in believing that the frequencies I hear were the result of random events—I do, after all, choose to intentionally accentuate different parts of the sounds I hear—but there is a large degree of unpredictability when it comes to which frequencies will be present in the first place. It's also a matter of timbre. Creating complex feedback loops is a great way to get some amazing textures. I love programming synths but I sometimes get tired of being limited by synth architecture.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-26105618535028937132010-06-19T13:27:00.002+02:002010-06-19T13:27:50.031+02:00SuperCollider!!!...the programming language, that is...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-31547617687130635262010-06-18T14:59:00.000+02:002010-06-18T14:59:08.691+02:00Starting with Max/MSPWhile I wait for the guy to come and read the numbers off of my water and heater counters (as usual, they don't make an appointment for a specific time so I may be waiting for three hours) I thought I would start to read the Max/MSP documentation. RTFM as they say is always good advice. Already I've discovered that spatial orientation of Max objects determines the order in which they are processed. Interesting...Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-7479201001962949882010-06-05T14:36:00.003+02:002010-06-05T14:46:53.817+02:00Sampler and glissand synthesisI was reading some more granular theory today and was inspired to try and implement another form of particle synthesis known as glisson synthesis. "In glisson synthesis, each particle or glisson has an independent frequency trajectory—an ascending or descending glissando."<sup><a name="#roads">1</a></sup><br />
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While not totally compliant to the theory I found that my attempt to implement it really opened up the palette of sounds I had been hearing in previous attempts. I found Sampler's pitch envelope and FM/AM oscillator/envelope invaluable in getting both bell-like and noisy washes. Here's a long example of how expressive the technique can sound. No effects were used and I basically used the same setup as in my previous <a href="http://synthexperiments.blogspot.com/2010/05/mangling-with-sampler.html">post</a> on granular synthesis.<br />
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<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fmatt-patey%2Fglissand"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fmatt-patey%2Fglissand" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href="http://soundcloud.com/matt-patey/glissand">Glissand</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/matt-patey">matt.patey</a></span><br />
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<a name="#roads"><small>Curtis Roads, Microsound. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 2001.</small></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-18780846133826481442010-05-30T23:28:00.002+02:002010-05-30T23:52:41.900+02:00Operating OperatorI don't play keyboards. Not because I don't like them but simply because I can't play them. I also don't like piano rolls. Thinking about the next note and seeing the music laid out as it will sound irritates me for some reason. I prefer creating rules and relationships between things that result in sound, sometimes musical while other times not so musical. Live makes this easy to implement. One of my favourite things to do is to take Operator and control it with a single note. The velocity of the note is mapped to several of Operator's parameters. Time, operator volume, pitch, and LFO can all be affected by velocity and can make for very complex sounds. Adding a random factor to this can lead to an almost endless variety of sonic textures. It's a great way to get sounds that you wouldn't think of since the mapping to a random source makes for a somewhat unpredictable set of sounds. I tried this using three instances of Operator and a single note. The note was sent to each Operator in a fixed sequence over a period of 64 bars. Some dynamics and spring reverb added for fun.<br />
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<object height="81" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fmatt-patey%2Fblending-effects-with-nice-fm"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="81" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fmatt-patey%2Fblending-effects-with-nice-fm" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href="http://soundcloud.com/matt-patey/blending-effects-with-nice-fm">Operating Operator</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/matt-patey">matt.patey</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7759948419503052858.post-47847689743347753052010-05-30T15:42:00.000+02:002010-05-30T16:25:55.895+02:00Mangling with SamplerSo I've been reading <a href="http://books.google.de/books?id=YxnqcAR7xjkC&dq=microsound&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=jWsCTM-mH6CWOISXzdYE&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CCUQ6AEwBA">Microsound</a> to get a better understanding of granular synthesis. While the general idea of granular synthesis is straightforward there are a lot of interesting theories about what granular synthesis can do. <br />
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Inspired by what I've been reading thus far, I decided to see how I might use Live to make grains. Here's the idea: take one instance of Sampler, drop in a sample and set the amplitude envelope so that it operates as an AD envelope and set its shape to a smooth triangle that lasts anywhere from 10-60ms. Drop an instance of the arpeggiator running at top speed (10hz) and a velocity plugin set to full random in front of Sampler. Group the arpeggiator and the velocity plug-ins and then create 9 chains of the devices. Offset the speed of each arpeggiator so that there is a 1hz gap between each one (e.g. first = 10hz, second = 11hz). This will give a nice smearing effect when you trigger the arpeggiators. From here on there are endless possibilities to get interesting sounds. Some things worth trying include: mapping velocity to the sample start time and the time parameters; using LFOs to generate panorama effects; varying the time and modes of the arpeggiators; changing the time and shape of the amplitude envelope.<br />
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Here are a few examples of what I came up with:<br />
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<object height="145" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fmatt-patey%2Fsets%2Fgranular-synthesis-using-sampler"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed allowscriptaccess="always" height="145" src="http://player.soundcloud.com/player.swf?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fmatt-patey%2Fsets%2Fgranular-synthesis-using-sampler" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="100%"></embed> </object> <span><a href="http://soundcloud.com/matt-patey/sets/granular-synthesis-using-sampler">Granular synthesis using Sampler</a> by <a href="http://soundcloud.com/matt-patey">matt.patey</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com