2007 ATMI National Conference
Salt Lake City, CA
Return to: Reginald Bain | ATMI
November 16, 2007
Reginald
Bain
School
of Music
University of South Carolina
813 Assembly St.B
Columbia, SC 29208 USA
rbain@mozart.sc.edu
SuperCollider 3 (SC3) is a real-time audio synthesis programming language and environment for algorithmic composition by James McCartney. A former Mac-only commercial product, it is now being developed by the open source community under a GNU General Public License for Mac OS X, Linux, and Windows. This paper presentation will introduce the SC3 application using code examples that demonstrate how to create simple tuning theory applications. The applications are distributed as Rich Text Format (.rtf) files that, when loaded into SC3, merge formatted explanatory text, image, and audio synthesis code. Highlight the code, press the ‘enter’ key, and SC3 renders the audio, which may be manipulated in real-time by the user.
SuperCollider 3 (SC3) is an interpreted, object-oriented programming language for audio synthesis and algorithmic composition that is based on Smalltalk. Its unique client-server architecture and OpenSound Control (OSC) implementation make it an ideal tool for interactive real-time composition and performance. SC3’s amazingly efficient and elegant (C-programming language style) syntax makes the design of complex audio signal networks and algorithmic compositional processes a breeze. Its built in signal display, mouse, keyboard, MIDI and audio interaction objects make it an ideal tool for the investigation of the basic properties of sound. A powerful synthesis engine with over 250 built-in unit generators, it can be used to implement nearly any type of synthesis including additive, subtractive, AM, FM, wave-table, and physical modeling. SC3 has an integrated text editor that provides convenient access to interactive help documents and source code. Code is edited and stored in Rich Text Format (.rtf) files. Highlight the code, press the ‘enter’ key, and SC3 renders the audio, which may also manipulated in real-time by the user.
Bain, Reginald. Designing Computer-Assisted Instruction Software for Music Theory with Max/MSP. ATMI 2004 national conference, paper presentation, San Francisco, CA.
____________. A Web-based Multimedia Approach to the Harmonic Series. ATMI 2002 national conference, paper presentation, Kansas City, MO.
Collins, Nick. Workshop Materials for G6002 Computational Music 1 at the University of Sussex. Available online at: <http://www.informatics.sussex.ac.uk/users/nc81/courses/cm1/workshop.html>.
Cottle, David Michael. Computer Music with Examples in SuperCollider 3. Available from the author.
Pierce, John R. The Science of Musical Sound, Revised Edition. New York: Scientific American Books, 1992.
McCartney’s SuperCollider Web site - http://www.audiosynth.com
Download SuperCollider - http://supercollider.sourceforge.net
Updated: November 19, 2007
Copyright
© 2007 Reginald Bain
All rights reserved