CDPstws3.

doc - CDP Sound Transformation Explorations - Worksheet 3

Prepared by A. Endrich

LENGTHEN/SHORTEN, ROUGHENING THE SURFACE

The locations of the processing functions are shown under the program name.
SS = the Soundshaper GUI
SL = the Sound Loom GUI

Copy flex.wav to your working directory (All filenames start with 'flex' to show they belong together.) Also
wcc.dat, flexgrains.grn and the breakpoint files: flexdens.brk, flexgsize.brk, flexpchlo.brk, flexpchhi.brk,
flextxplo.brk and flextxphi.brk.

A. DISTORT REPEAT - distort and lengthen

(SS: Soundfiles > Distort cycles > Repeat)
(SL: DISTORT > repeat)

ST1. Least effect

repeat (groups) = 2, cycles (in a group) = 2 outfile: flexdr2-2.wav

ST2. Highly distorted and considerably longer

repeat (groups) = 4, cycles (in a group) = 5 outfile: flexdr4-5.wav

B. EXTEND LOOP - extend with separated or overlapping same-size segments

(SS: Soundfiles > Extend > Loop)
(SL: EXTEND > loop > loop advances to end)

ST3. Create overlaps, longish segments (works/phrases repeat)

loop_length = 300ms (i.e., 0.3 sec)
step = 100ms (i.e., 0.1 sec)
(step moves 1/3 along the previous segment, then cuts out another 300ms, thus the overlap)
outfile: flexloops.wav

ST4. Create overlaps, shorter segments, with more overlap (more textured)
segment_length = 100
step = 20
outfile: flextexture.wav

C. EXTEND SCRAMBLE - randomised segmentation and jumbling

(SS: Soundfiles > Extend > Scramble > randomised)
(SL: EXTEND > scramble > completely random)

ST5. Mild, possibly funny result

Mode 1 (Random chunks)
shortest segment = 0.1
longest segment = 0.3
output duration = 10
outfile: flexscram1a.wav

ST6. Output is more erratic

Mode 1 (Random chunks)
shortest segment = 0.06
longest segment = 0.2
output duration = 10
outfile: flexscram1b.wav

ST7. Really mince it up (Mode 2 also rearranges the segments)

 Mode 2 (Segment s'file)
shortest segment = 0.1
scatter = 3
output duration = 10
outfile: flexscram2.wav

D. MODIFY BRASSAGE - granular manipulations ('brassage' = 'mashing' [Fr.])

(SS: Soundfiles > Grain > Brassage)
(SL: BRASSAGE)

ST8. Mode 2- Granulation with time-stretch (Sound Loom says 'timeshrink': values less than 1
stretch because this slows the speed through the infile)
Mode 2 (SS: time-stretch / SL: timeshrink)
Timestretch ('velocity') = 0.25 (4 x as long - an inverse number: 1 divided by 4 = 0.25)
outfile: flexgrnstr.wav

ST9. Mode 2- Granulation with time-varying time-stretch

Mode 2 (SS: time-stretch / SL: timeshrink)
flex.wav is 6.6 seconds long
Click on 'TV' and enter the filename (or open): flexgrnstrtv.brk, then put in
0 0.25
3 1.0
6 0.1
and SAVE and RUN
outfile: flexgrnstrtv.wav
Run this again with capm.wav (timings in flexgrnstrtv.brk are close enough to stay the same)

ST10. Mode 4 - Scramble (variable grainsize)

Mode 4 (Scramble)
Click on 'TV' and enter the filename (or open): flextvgrains.brk
0 25 [shortest grainsize = 25ms (i.e., 0.025 sec)]
6 200 [longest grainsize = 200ms (i.e., 0.2 sec)]
outfile: flextvgrains.wav
(This function currently has a bug -- it was realised using min (25ms) & max (200ms) values
via the Command Line, a diagnostic option available in CDP.)
outfile: flextvgrains.wav

ST11. Mode 5 - Granulate the sound

Mode 5
density = 0.75 (creates little gaps to roughen the surface)
outfile: flexgrainy.wav

Try using flexgrainy.wav with Mode 2, time-varying time-stretch

Click in the time-stretch parameter box to activate it, then load grnstr.brk
Look at the length of flexgrainy.wav and re-do flexgrnstrtv.brk to scale the file to the new length.
Outfile: flexgrainystrtv.wav

ST12. Mode 7 - Full granulation parameter set - Mode 7 ('Whole-grain')

SS: Load wcc.dat Preset collection (File - Load (Global) Preset collection),
then open flex.wav and go to Soundfiles - Grain - 'Wholegrain' and use the Preset flexbrassage
SL: Ensure that flex.wav is in Chosen Files, and that the breakpoint files listed below are on the
Workspace (they should be there already as a result of Opening and grabbing the files from the
directory in which you've placed the files for this Worksheet). Go to the BRASSAGE > full monty.
Then LOAD the flexbrassage patch.

All of the following data should now be in place -- it was made earlier and saved as a Preset / Patch.
velocity (lo & hi) = 0.25 (i.e., 4 x timestretch). In BRASSAGE the pitch shift parameter is transposition
in semitones.
Density = flexdens.brk Grainsize = flexgsize.brk Pitchshift = flexpchlo.brk Pitchshifthi = flexpchhi.brk
0.0 75 0.0 30 0.0 -7 0.0 7
 1.0 2 1.0 100 1.0 -1 1.0 1
6.0 100 6.0 60 6.0 -11 6.0 11
amp = 0.5 amphi = 1 space = 0.5 spacehi = 1
all splices = 10ms
Give the output file the name: flexbrassage.wav

ST13. Re-open flex.wav and run again in TEXTURE SIMPLE using the Preset / Patch flextexture.
Note that in TEXTURE, pitch shift is given as MIDI Pitch Values relative to the reference pitch in
the note data file. Thus the pitchshifting (transposition) uses flextxplo.brk and flextxphi.brk.

Output duration = 30 sec., ndf60.txt just contains '60', packing uses flexpack.brk, scatter is 0.02,
sounds 1 and 1, velocity 64 and 84, dur 0.75 and 1.3, 'Use whole soundfile' is NOT ticked.
Packing = flexpack.brk Pitchshift = flextxplo.brk Pitchshifthi = flextxphi.brk
0.0 0.05 0.0 53 0.0 67
1.5 0.1 1.5 58 1.5 62
6.0 0.025 6.0 36 6.0 84
The output file name: flextxsimple.wav

E. GRAINMILL version of the granulation software

(SAVE HISTORY in Soundshaper, Exit and Open GrainMill)

ST14. Granular manipulation with similar settings. Open GrainMill and, under OPTIONS, Set Working Directory
to the directory in which you have the files for this Worksheet. Open soundfile flex.wav and then close the
Dialogue Box without doing anything yet, because you're going to use a Preset).

Load the Preset (File - Load settings) flexgrains.grn. The dialogue box now reappears, filled in with
the stored data: flexdens.brk, flexgsize.brk, flexpchlo.brk and flexpchhi.brk.
Click on Make it and you will see the grains appear on the screen as they are made. The different
colours relate to variations in amplitude.

When finished, you can PLAY the result from the Toolbar at the top of the screen. GrainMill makes
a temporary file, so you can return to the dialogue box, alter the settings and run it again when working
on a sound. When finished, go to File - Save soundfile and name it flexgrainmill.wav.

Worksheet 3 - LENGTHEN, SHORTEN & ROUGHEN - SUMMARY AND PLAYLIST

flex.wav The input soundfile for all of the following, unless otherwise specified.

Distortion
flex2-2.wav DISTORT REPEAT, repeating 2 groups, with 2 cycles in a group
flex4-5.wav DISTORT REPEAT, repeating 4 groups, with 5 cycles in a group (much longer)

Looping
flexloops.wav EXTEND LOOP, with 1/3 overlap of the loop_lengths (len 300, step 100)
flextexture.wav EXTEND LOOP, more textured because of 4/5 overlap of the loop_lengths (len 100 step 20)

Scramble segments
flexscram1a.wav EXTEND SCRAMBLE, random chunks somewhere between 0.1 and 0.3 sec in length
flexscram1b.wav EXTEND SCRAMBLE, random chunks between 0.06 and 0.2 sec in length
flexscram2.wav EXTEND SCRAMBLE, Mode 2 to rearrange segments, with scatter = 3

Brassage ('mash')
flexgrnstr.wav MODIFY BRASSAGE, Mode 2 with 4 x timestretch (0.25 divided into 1 = 4)
flexgrnstrtv.wav MODIFY BRASSAGE, Mode 2, with time-varying timestretch flexgrnstr.brk
flextvgrains.wav MODIFY BRASSAGE, Mode 4, with time-varying grainsize (start at 25 and -> 200 ms)
flextvgrains.brk
flexgrainy.wav MODIFY BRASSAGE, Mode 5, granulate the sound, with tiny gaps (0.75)
flexbrassage.wav Using flexgrainy.wav as the input - MODIFY BRASSAGE, Mode 7, multi-parameter
 time-varying brassage, using Preset flexbrassage, stored in the Preset collection
wcc.dat with flexdens.brk flexgsize.brk flexpchlo.brk and flexpchhi.brk
or as a Sound Loom Patch.. Note how Brassage (and GrainMill) work their way through the
whole sound.

Texture
flextxsimple.wav TEXTURE SIMPLE, Mode 5 ('None') for a different approach (always starts from the
beginning of the sound). The segments are between 0.75 and 1.3 sec. long, so we repeatedly
hear a small part of the beginning of the sound, unless 'Use whole sound' is ticked.
Uses the Preset flextexture from the Preset collection wcc.dat, with flexpack.brk,
flextxplo.brk and flextxphi.brk.

flexgrainmill.wav GRAINMILL - virtually the same settings as Brassage, but the pitch range expands more.
This process also works its way through the whole sound. Preset: flexgrains.grn from the
Preset collection wcc.dat, with flexdens.brk, flexgsize.brk, flexpchlo.brk and
flexpchhi.brk.