Workshop: Listening to Images

This workshop is limited to 12 participants. Please sign up by emailing: fwinkler@purdue.edu

Saturday, May 17th, 10am – 1pm in Stewart Center B31

Instructor: Daniel Sauter

‘Listening to Images’ is a 3-part workshop that aims at developing an interactive sound synthesis application using the popular open-source programming environments Processing and SuperCollider. The first part is dedicated to introducing SuperColllider, a programming language for real time audio synthesis and algorithmic composition. During the past decade, SC has established itself a a powerful tool for musicians, scientists, and artists working with sound.

In the second part, participants create screen-based interfaces for the manipulation of visual scores in real-time using Processing. The workshop introduces simple ways to create graphical “scores” by manipulating static and moving images.

The third part is aimed at combining both sound synthesis and visual scores. The p5_sc library allows the manipulation of SuperCollider Synth Definitions from within Processing, implementing many core elements of SuperCollider’s client-side language. The combination of both tools promises to increase the possibilities for sound artists and musicians: a powerful tool for audio synthesis combined with a simple programming language that allows to create custom screen-based applications, and communication with physical devices.

Requirements

The workshop requires basic scripting/programming skills, and basic familiarity with the Processing environment. If you prefer to use your own laptop, please install the following tools prior to the workshop.

SuperCollider: http://supercollider.sourceforge.net/
Processing 0135 Beta or later: http://processing.org/download/index.html
p5_sc SuperCollider Library for Processing: http://www.erase.net/projects/p5_sc/
OSC Library for Processing: http://www.sojamo.de/libraries/oscP5/

Both SuperCollider and Processing are open-source and cross-platform environments. Examples will be optimized for OS X.

Outline

Part 1: Sound Synthesis

  • Introduction to SuperCollider
  • Installation
  • Server Client
  • Programming Environment
  • Basic Synth Definitions and Unit Generators
  • Using Help
  • Shaping Sounds
  • Aspects of performing in real-time

Part 2: Creating a Score

  • Creating Processing Applet to create and manipulate a visual “score”
  • Loading and processing images
  • Pixel manipulation
  • Creating a set of variables to manipulate SC Synth

Part 3: Listening to Images

  • Passing variables to SuperCollider
  • Adjusting and matching ranges of values
  • Manipulating and performing

optional:

  • replacing static images with moving images ans/or webcam
  • connecting physical interfaces via Arduino

download workshop here