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1
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2
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- History
- Language and GUI
- Algorithmic, Interactive, and Realtime Tools
- Hardware Interfacing
- Recent projects
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3
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- Textual programming language – procedural, interpreted,
multi-tasking, graphics, object-oriented
- Specialized for MIDI algorithmic and realtime manipulation, first-class
“phrase” data type, realtime scheduling
- Multi-window graphical user interface, pull-off menus and buttons, tools
include multi-track editor, drum pattern editor
- Entire user interface and all tools written in the language and provided
as source code in library, easily customized and extended
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4
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- Hacking - fun, programming, normal music composition, algorithmic music
- Learning - OS’s, device drivers, graphics, user interface design,
OO
- Personal and programmer-centric, not commercial, although it is usable
enough for non-programmers
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5
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- 1.0 - BASIC-like
- 2.0 - realtime
- 3.0 - grammer, rewrite, fast enough to avoid built-ins
- 4.0 - graphics
- 5.0 - first multi-window attempts, multi-tasking, fifos, tools using
tasks/fifos
- 6.0 - object-oriented, multi-window interface completely rewritten,
pull-off menus/buttons
- 7.0 – support for multiple MIDI ports
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6
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- Atari ST, PC (286), UNIX (386, X11),
Windows NT, Win95/98/XP
- Ported at various times to: Atari ST, DOS, UNIX PC, Mac, Amiga, SVR3,
SVR4, SunOS, NeXT, X Windows, SGI, Amdahl, VAX, 5620, Plan 9, Windows
3.1/NT/95/98/XP
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7
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- Time-ordered list of MIDI “notes” - can be
system-exclusives, isolated note-on, isolated note-off, or full note
with duration
- Constant value syntax
ph = ‘c e g’
# ph is a c major triad
ph = ‘dc2,e,f’
# ph is an arpeggio, channel 2
- Structure-like manipulation of attributes :
ph.dur = 1b # all note durations = 1
beat
ph.pitch += 12 #
transposed up an octave
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8
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- pitch (0-127)
- vol(0-127)
- chan (1-16)
- dur (in clicks)
- time (in clicks, relative to beginning of phrase)
- type (NOTE, NOTEON, NOTEOFF, MIDIBYTES, PROGRAM, PRESSURE, etc.)
- length (of phrase, independent of notes in it)
- attrib (string, arbitrary meaning)
- flags (integer, arbitrary meaning, bit 1 == picked)
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9
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- Serial concatenation
ph = ph1 + ph2
- Parallel merging
ph = ph1 | ph2
- Removing notes
ph = ph1 - ph2
- Matching notes
ph = ph1 & ph2
- Nth note
ph = ph1 % n
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10
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- ph = ph1 { ??.pitch > 60 }
- ph = ph1 { ??.dur > 1b }
- ph = ph1 { isonbeat(??,4b) }
- ph = ph1 { ??.number < 4 }
- ph = ph1 { rand(3)==0 }
- ph = ph1 { isinscale(??,scale) }
- ph = ph - ph { ??.type == MIDIBYTES }
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11
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- Inspired by awk (a Unix scripting language)
- Variables need not be declared
- Semicolons not required
- #define, #include
- The usual control structures and expressions (although no switch)
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12
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- # randomize volume of each note and
- # construct a new phrase with the result
- r = ‘‘
- for ( nt in ph ) {
- nt.vol += rand(10)
- r = r | nt # or r |= nt
- }
- # randomize volume of each note, in-place
- for ( n=0; n<sizeof(ph); n++ )
- ph%n.vol += rand(10)
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13
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- function major(k) {
- return(k|transpose(k,4)|transpose(k,7));
- }
- function minor(k) {
- return(k|transpose(k,3)|transpose(k,7));
- }
- function randchordtype() {
- if ( rand(2) == 0 )
- return(major)
- else
- return(minor)
- }
- f = randchordtype() #
value of f is a function
- f(‘c’)
- randchordtype()(‘c’)
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14
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- Variable arguments - … , nargs(), argv(), varg()
- Fifos and locking
- Objects
- Graphics - primitive elements are:
lines, rectangles, text, windows,
phrase windows, menus
- Machine-dependent hook – mdep() – used to add/expose
non-portable features
- TCP/IP hooks available for Windows and Linux, network interaction
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15
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- function calleither(f1,f2,...){
- if (rand(2) == 0) {
- f1(...)
- } else {
- f2(...)
- }
- P = calleither(flip,reverse,p)
- P = calleither(scadjust,scafilt,p,scale1)
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16
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- All tasks are time-shared evenly, interleaved at the interpreted
instruction level
- Scheduled MIDI output events are tasks as well, but performance
can’t be degraded by other tasks
- MIDI input is always being recorded, available in a global variable for
easy and immediate processing
- MIDI, mouse, and console input events can be read from special fifos
- Reading a fifo (with no data waiting) blocks a task
- lock() and unlock() used for exclusion and synchronization
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17
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- Completely implemented with Keykit code, even pull-off menus, dragging
of windows, window-manager-like operations, etc.
- Each tool is independent, with consistent methods for resizing and
inter-tool communication
- Consistent saving/restoring mechanism of individual tools is highly
leveraged, used for:
- Copying between like tools
- Copy/paste of entire tools
- Moving tools between “pages”
- Manipulating of tools within tools
- Broadcasting of a tool and its contents across a network
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18
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- Why so many?
- Improvisational interactive programming
- Ball Maze, Bang, Blocks, Boomix, Bounce, Chords, Console, Controller,
Echo, Expresso, FourPlay, Fractal, Gene Pool, Ginsu, Grab Bag, Grind,
Group, Kboom, Konnect, Loopy, Markov Maker, Monitor, Mouse Matrix,
Mousey, Parameters, Party, Peer, Picture This, Prog Change, Quix,
Remapper, Riff, RiffRaff, Roller, Sectionalize, Techno, Tempo, Video
Decay, Volume, Woolls Bargen, and others
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19
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20
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21
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- Phrase (as opposed to note) manipulation supported directly by the
language syntax
- Interpreted language makes iterative development a breeze - immediate
feedback
- Robust - syntax and execution errors do not bring the system (or even
other tasks) down
- Associative arrays - simple but powerful
- Finely-grained multi-tasking gives graceful sharing of CPU, no
degradation in realtime scheduling
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22
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- Textual language allows concise expression of:
- Reusable parameterized utility functions
- Time-ordered layout of composition
- Data-driven algorithms
- Independent algorithms running in parallel
- GUI framework encourages “tool-oriented” approach
- Same language used to implement GUI and all tools, no need to escape to
(or learn) C
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23
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- Freely available, with complete source code
- Win95/98/NT/XP and Linux executables
- Mac port exists, but needs lots of polishing
- Download site:
- Documentation
- Tutorial, tools reference, language reference, hacking guide
- Mailing list
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24
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- Mailing list has 3000 people, not much visible activity, but evidence of
lots of experimentation
- Burton Beerman – composition with BodySynth
- Tim Perkis’ performance instrument
- David Wooll’s “Bargen” tools
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25
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- By Stephane Rollandin, well documented:
http://www.zogotounga.net/GM/paper1.html
- Chosen (along with KeyKit) in recent Art.Bit collection in Japan: http://www.art-bit.jp
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26
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- Algorithmic - Expresso
- Interactive - Gene Pool, Picture This
- Realtime – Typo, Hoops
- Network - Konnect
- Hardware interfaces
- Playstation controllers (dance pads, wireless joysticks)
- QWERTY
- Relays
- Webcam
- iGesture
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27
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- L-systems fractal generation
- Driven from file of expression transformations
- Starting expression is “X”
- After 10-20 generations, expression is huge
- Substituting note or small phrase for X produces wide variety of results
- Used interactively for Woodstockhausen 2000
- Basis of several Tune Toys on nosuch.com
- Algorithmic Shorts 2001 – “23 Shots of Expresso”
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28
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- # This is a set of transformations for expresso
- A = A+A
- A = A|A
- A = transpose(A,4)
- A = transpose(A,-5)
- A = transpose(A,-7)
- A = A+transpose(A,12)
- A = A+transpose(A,7)
- A = A+transpose(A,4)+transpose(A,7)
- A = echo(A,4,6)
- A = step(A,12)
- A = arpeggio(A)
- A = shuffle(A)
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29
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30
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31
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32
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- Project of microsound mailing list
- Completely algorithm-based, using digits of PI (3.14…)
- Algorithm and data choices modified as part of composition process
- Two compositions:
- Irrational tonal
version
mixed to emphasize tonality
- Irrational Too atonal version, algorithm-chosen
Access Virus patches
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33
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- Uses small instruction set of musical opcodes
- Each opcode does one thing:
- Adjust pitch (or time, velocity, duration) of current note
- Set pitch (or time, velocity, duration) of current note
- Trigger note (i.e. add current note to the generated result)
- Any phrase can be disassembled into a sequence of musical opcodes that
generates it
- Mating of these sequences produces new generations
- Take half of one, half of the other
- Shuffle them
- Etc.
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34
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35
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- Use RGB
values of an
image in
various ways
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36
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- QWERTY keyboard used as controller
- Based on ability to receive QWERTY
up/down events (Windows-specific)
- Most keys used to play notes; holding down control key used to access
other functions
- Holding down shift key causes notes to be recorded and looped
- Number keys 0-9 control “sections” – each section
retains sound choices and looped notes
- “Oops, I Made a Typo” - Woodstockhausen 2001
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37
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38
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- Collaboration with Herb Heinz
- Extension and simplification of Typo
- No quantized loop length, tempo tapped after first loop
- All control through MIDI (no QWERTY)
- Control buttons: REC, UNDO, CHAN, TAP, QUANT, TRANS, NUDGE, MUTE, BEAT,
COPY
- Some controls are chorded with notes to provide values:
- CHAN+’D’ sets channel to 3
- TRANS+’E’ transposes current channel by 4
- Holding down ‘C’ applies it to all channels
- TRANS+’C’+’E’ transposes all channels by 4
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39
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- Uses Linux and Windows-specific hooks
- Broadcast of MIDI data in realtime
- Simple text-chat
- Two-way resynchronization with 4-beat delay
- Each side continuously transmits and receives
- Received data is resynchronized to local timing
- What you hear during a given 4 beats is what the other side played in
response to the 4 beats you just finished several beats ago.
- Linux server runs KeyKit process that serves as proxy/broadcaster, >2
clients can connect and jam simultaneously
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40
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- PS2-to-USB interfaces, not all created equal
- EMS USB 2-port interface works well
(available at www.levelsix.com
or www.gocybershop.net)
- Windows driver makes dance pad look like buttons on a joystick, works
with standard multimedia API
- Able to connect 4 interfaces (8 pads) simultaneously
- Pads and interfaces have been surprisingly reliable
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41
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- It’s a generic joystick interface – anything with a Windows
driver that looks like a joystick will work
- Windows events (and/or polling) generate keykit events
- Looks like a fifo in the KeyKit language, just like
mouse/console/midi/network inputs
- Good responsiveness
- Order of devices is non-deterministic, need to establish order
interactively, if order is important
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42
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- Anything that looks like a joystick becomes a music controller
- Logitech wireless joysticks for the Playstation work well (with EMS USB2
interface), and have natural layout of buttons for performance
- 10 buttons + 4-button joypad + 4 axis of analog joystick control
- Both button-down and button-up events can be used
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43
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- Windows-specific feature, uses DirectShow API
- Grabs samples of video, provides averaged low-res (adjustable) grid of
RGB values
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44
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45
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46
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- Performance at Woodstockhausen 2002
- Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” provides
notes
- Music broken into snippets by time or attacks
- Snippets assigned across all 4 dance pads, in sets
- Advancing through sets is controlled by select button
- 4 sections in performance
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47
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- 8 main buttons play notes or snippets
- Select and Start buttons, followed by a main button, perform control
functions
- Pressing Select or Start multiple times (2 or 4) is used to perform
less-common functions
- Each of 4 pads is independent and usually identical, some functions
affect one pad, some affect all pads
- People try the Select and Start buttons without knowing what they do
– need to “hide” functions more
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48
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49
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50
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51
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52
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53
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54
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55
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- NoSuch Music at 26Mix,
San Francisco dorkbot, and
San Jose Works Gallery
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56
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- Burning Man 2004
- Antique radio with computer inside
- Python-based VST host
- Randomized VST parameters
- Controlled by Big Silver Knob (Griffin Technologies)
- Audio-controlled
laser display
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57
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- www.fingerworks.com
- Inexpensive multi-touch pad
- Excellent responsiveness
- KeyKit interface to event stream
- Event data: x, y, proximity, eccentricity, orientation, contacts,
device, finger, hand, xvelocity, yvelocity
- Multiple pads can be used simultaneously
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58
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- Python used for OpenGL support
- KeyKit is interface to input devices (MIDI, iGesture)
- Messages sent over TCP/IP to Python process
- MIDI sliders and buttons control graphics parameters
- MIDI from drummer triggers graphics
- Text typed interactively is used as graphics
- Words typed interactively can immediately search
clip-art database whose images are then used as graphics
- Used in dud (improvised art ensemble) - www.dudland.com
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59
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- Simple OSC (Open Sound Control) support
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60
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- Freely available, with complete source code
- Win95/98/NT/XP and Linux executables
- Mac port exists, but needs polishing
- Documentation
- Tutorial, tools reference, language reference, hacking guide
- Mailing list
- Download site: http://nosuch.com/keykit
- Questions: tjt@nosuch.com
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Notes
