Granular Synthesis with Cmix and Max
Granular Synthesis with Cmix and Max
Mara Helmuth
Columbia University
Music Department
New York, NY 10027
Texas A & M University
Music Department
College Station, TX 77843
mara@woof.music.columbia.edu, mara@silvertone.princeton.edu
Abstract:
Several granular synthesis programs on the NeXT will be shown. StochGran is an Interface Builder Objective C interface to several Cmix instruments. In this new version, sampling granular synthesis, more graphical features, and in-phase correlation of grains have been added. The second part of the demonstration features a granular sampling MAX patches running in real time on the IRCAM Signal Processing Workstation. Excerpts from a composition by the author for eight instruments and ISPW, Evolutions, which was created with both StochGran and Max, will be discussed.
1 Introduction
Construction of complex sound from grains, or
small units of sound is known as granular
synthesis. Probability equations are often used
to contol the large amount of parameter data for
the grains. This technique was first described by
Iannis Xenakis [1971] in his discussion of
stochastic music. Barry Truax [1988] and Curtis
Roads [1988] have both explored these
techniques. StochGran is a NeXTstep interface
to a Cmix implementation of granular synthesis
instruments. The current version of StochGran
incorporates new graphical features for more
spontaneous control over sound creation, and the
granulation of sampled sound. Real time
granular synthesis is possible with the IRCAM
workstation. The MAX graphical programming
language has been used to create stochastic
granular sampling patches for composition and
improvisation. The computer part of Evolutions,
a piece for eight live instruments and computer
is created by MAX patches both playing Cmix-
created sound files, and performing granular
sampling in real time on sampled acoustic
instrument sounds.
2 Cmix under NeXTstep
Implementation: StochGran
StochGran allowed the composer to control a
large number of grain parameters stochastically
and independently. In the original version the
parameters were typed in manually for each of
the thirty-six fields. A Cmix score or data file
was written out, the sgran stochastic granular
synthesis instrument was run with these
parameters, and a sound file was written to the
disk. The sound file could be played within the
program. The details are described in Helmuth
[1991]. Because the program was non-real time,
an unlimited number of grains could be layered,
the grains could be any duration, and control
functions could be as complex as necessary.
Several features have been added to aid
composition, including sampling sound files and
graphical editing of control functions.
2.1 Granular Sampling
StochGran has been modified to read sound
files, as well as synthesizing from waveforms.
Using sampled sound as the basic unit of
construction has been termed granular sampling
[Lippe, 1992]. The amount of time to skip into
the file, and rate at which to proceed through the
file while writing out processed grains was
specifiable. As in the synthesis version, the
probabilities of various pitches, rates and
durations to occur at each point in the event were
all controllable. In this case, grain frequency
was a result of a transposition. Because the
phase of the grain affects how the timbre of the
resulting sound will be perceived (adjacent
grains with widely varying phases can
sometimes produce a noisy sound), control over
phase was important. An algorithm to line up
the phases of overlapping grains described by
Jones et al., [1988] has been implemented in the
new version.
2.2 Graphical Function Editing
Control functions determine the shape of change
of grain parameters over the course of an event.
In Cmix, one types the function parameters into
a line of data. Previously StochGran allowed
one to select linear or exponential shapes. To
create complex functions one had to return to
line editing. All four control functions have
been made editable graphically. This feature
was easily implemented due to Fernando
Lezcano's program, EnvelopeEd, which
provided the EnvelopeView graphical object.
While the previous version of StochGran was a
vast improvement over tedious data file editing,
with the graphical function editor the composer
has been able to think more clearly and
specifically about the shape of parameter
changes in phrases and musical gestures.
3 MAX/ISPW Implementation
MAX patches have been constructed to do
granular sampling on the IRCAM Workstation
(ISPW) in real time. The music programming
language MAX allows the user to connect signal
processing object graphically, [Puckette, et al.,
1990]. The goal was to create the sames types of
sounds as with StochGran, but in real time. This
would allow improvisation, and facilitate
performance with instrumentalists. While I had
attempted improvisation with my PieceNow
interface, alternately digitizing live acoustic
performers and then processing the sounds and
playing them, and even before that with a set of
shell scripts, the results depended more on the
live component than the labored computer part.
To improvise with granular synthesis sounds
required the ISPW, and a set of controls with
which one could manipulate a number of
parameters simultaneously. The possibility of
having instrumental and computer parts interact
freely in time was attractive. Several important
issues came up in the translation of the Cmix
programs to MAX. It was necessary to change
the method of grain calculation to create the
stochastic sounds in real time. The
compositional process was somewhat different,
and choices about how to trigger events in
performance had to be made.
3.1 Description of the Patches
Space does not allow a detailed description of
the Max patches. The algorithm is similar to the
one described for the Cmix StochGran sgran
instrument, with exceptions made for the real
time aspects discussed below. A simple
probability table representing a quasi-normal
distribution was used instead of the equation in
sgran. Grain parameters were sent in either with
beginning and ending event settings to move
between over a particular time, or ending
settings to move toward. The settings were sent
either from specific buttons designed for a
certain sound, or manipulated individually with
sliders and sent when desired in the testparams
patch. The parameters were received by a patch
which applied the event amplitude envelope and
the voice volume. This patch in turn sent the
data to a subpatch which calculated the
incremental change in parameters throughout the
event. This patch sent the information to the
lowest level patch, which read the sample table
at the appropriate rate, duration and
transposition, and applied the grain envelope.
The highest level patch had the user controls for
reading sound files from the disk, master
volume, reverb amplitude and time, and buttons
to initiate events in various sections of a piece.
3.2 Differences in Musical Strategy
using a Real-Time Platform
The most obvious difference between real time
and non-real time systems was in performance.
A strategy was needed for making the computer
events happen, either under human or program
control, or some combination of the two. How
were the computer and live performers to
interact? The design of this aspect had profound
consequences for a composition.
Another important difference is the limitation on
processor power. While the ISPW is extremely
powerful, layering thousands of simultaneous
grains with several different types of room
simulation, as I have done in Cmix, was beyond
even the capabilities of the ISPW. To make
efficient use of resources, different patches were
set up for different situations which emphasize
the techniques currently needed, rather than
relying upon one or two multipurpose programs.
Phase correlation was not used; a low pass filter
removed noise. Four to eight or more "voices"
were created, and each calculated grains linearly,
without overlaps, rather than allowing
stochastically-made decisions to generate grains
in a more random order. The start times were
delayed stochastically, and the musical effects of
the sounds were similar to many of the Cmix-
created files. Metronomes for each voice
triggered the sending of new grain parameters on
the millisecond level, so that complex changing
arrangements of grains were possible. Where
extremely dense layerings were needed, sound
files were written to the disk and read back.
A third contrast in working with a real time
system was the compositional process. When
composing with Cmix (after the instrument was
created), a pattern of waiting for the sound to be
created, playing, and editing the data was
established. Because it took from a few seconds
to hours for a dense mass of grains with long
durations, a thoughtful approach was
encouraged. There was a definite joy to being
able to design the processing effect of a button
on a sound, and test it out immediately in MAX.
With MAX, however, the delay was in the
programming, not the realization of sound.
Complex programs were more time consuming
to write in MAX than in C, as the handling of
strings and messages was difficult.
4 A Compositional Example:
Evolutions
Evolutions, for flute, clarinet, alto saxaphone,
two percussion, ISPW, harp, violin and cello,
was written to make use of a wide variety of the
granular synthesis sounds, using instrumental
sounds as the source, to produce timbral
evolutions and gestures.
4.1 Timbral Evolution
Granular synthesis allows one precise control
over a very wide range of timbres. In this
composition the source sounds were sampled
instrumental sounds. Sound files were read onto
the hard disk and read into tables as needed.
Sampling the instruments live would have
required more rehearsal time than was feasible.
There were about two hundred three-second
files, including a hundred percussion sounds.
Each instrument was sampled at pitch intervals
of a second or third, and some were sampled at
different tone colors such as violin played sul
ponticello, or clarinet played very softly. Any of
these files could be read into any of the voice
tables stored in memory on the processor, at any
time. Since events of changing parameters are
created independently on any of the voices, the
timbral and textural variety was large, and the
ability to move from any tone color to another
was unlimited, at any rate or shape of change.
Parameters such as pitch depended on the
interaction of several parameters, sound file
frequency and grain rate, which allowed for
interesting variations as the rate and frequency
could change independently.
4.2 Musical Gesture
With the changing parameters one can specify
contrasting and similar movements throughout
an event. An internal timbral counterpoint can
be described as a musical gesture. This term is
appropriate because it refers to an unity of
conception of the sound. A physical gesture
made by a living organism may seem one
connected movement, although it involves the
individual movements of many muscles.
Similarly, the timbral gesture may be composed
of many gradual parameter changes in grain rate,
duration and transposition, but still heard as one
unique musical unit.
5 Summary
Two different implementations of granular
synthesis techniques on the NeXT have been
constructed. StochGran, a NeXT interface to a
Cmix instrument, is available for anonymous ftp
at the Princeton.edu archive site. The MAX
patches performed granular sampling in real time
using the IRCAM Signal Processing
Workstation. The composition Evolutions
illustrated the use of both techniques in a
composition for instruments and real time signal
processing. The MAX patches are available if a
request is sent to the email address above.
References
[Helmuth, 1991] Helmuth, Mara. Patchmix
And StochGran. Proceedings of the
International Computer Music Conference.
Montreal: McGill University. 1991.
[Jones, et al., 1988] Jones, D. and Parks, T.
Generation and Combination of Grains
for Music Synthesis. Computer Music
Journal 12(2):27 - 34, 1988.
[Lansky, 1990] Lansky, Paul. The Architecture
and Musical Logic of Cmix.
Proceedings of the International
Computer Music Conference. Glasgow:
ICMC Glasgow 1990, 1990.
[Lippe, 1993] Lippe, Cort. A Musical
Application Using the IRCAM Signal
Processing Workstation. Talk given at the
1993 Science and Music Conference.
London.
[Puckette, 1988] Puckette, Miller. Combining
Event and Signal Processing in the
MAX Graphical Programming
Environment. Computer Music Journal
15(3):68 - 77, 1988. Cambridge, MA:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
[Roads, 1988] Roads, Curtis. Introduction to
Granular Synthesis. Computer Music
Journal, 12(2), 1988. Cambridge, MA:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
[Truax, 1988] Truax, Barry. Real-Time
Granular Synthesis with a Digital Signal
Processor. Computer Music Journal,
12(2), 1988. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.
[Xenakis, 1971] Xenakis, Iannis. 1971.
Formalized Music. Bloomington, IN:
Indiana University Press.