191 lines
6.1 KiB
Markdown
191 lines
6.1 KiB
Markdown
# Scheme SuperCollider, a Tutorial
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## Prerequisites
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Scheme SuperCollider
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([rsc3](http://rohandrape.net/?t=rsc3))
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requires that both the
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[SuperCollider](http://www.audiosynth.com/),
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synthesiser and a scheme interpreter
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(either
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[Ikarus](https://launchpad.net/ikarus/)
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or
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[Chez](https://www.scheme.com/)
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or
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[Guile](https://www.gnu.org/software/guile/))
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are all installed and working properly.
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The interaction environment is ordinarily
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[Emacs](http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/).
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## Setting up Scheme SuperCollider
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Scheme SuperCollider is currently only available as a set of
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[darcs](http://darcs.net/)
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repositories, the basic system is called `rsc3` and
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requires the rhs and sosc libraries. A simple build utility is also
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required.
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$ darcs get http://rohandrape.net/sw/mk-r6rs
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$ darcs get http://rohandrape.net/sw/rhs
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$ darcs get http://rohandrape.net/sw/sosc
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$ darcs get http://rohandrape.net/sw/rsc3
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To build ensure that the `mk-r6rs` library is on the scheme library
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path and run the below in each project.
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$ (cd mk; make prefix=~/opt)
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This installs the r6rs libraries to `~/opt/lib/r6rs`.
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<!--
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If using `PLT` scheme the following steps are also required:
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$ plt-r6rs --install ~/opt/lib/r6rs/rhs.sls
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$ plt-r6rs --install ~/opt/lib/r6rs/sosc.mzscheme.sls
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$ plt-r6rs --install ~/opt/lib/r6rs/rsc3.mzscheme.sls
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-->
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## Setting up the Scheme SuperCollider Emacs mode
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Add an appropriately modified variant of the following to `~/.emacs`
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(push "/home/rohan/sw/rsc3/emacs" load-path)
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(setq rsc3-help-directory "/home/rohan/sw/rsc3/help/")
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(setq rsc3-interpreter (list "ikarus" "/home/rohan/.rsc3"))
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(require 'rsc3)
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The rsc3 emacs mode associates itself with files having the extensions
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`.scm` and `.lisp`. When the `rsc3` emacs mode is active there
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is a `Scheme SuperCollider` menu available.
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Ordinarily the `~/.rsc3` file will load a standard set of modules.
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~~~~
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(import (rhs core)) ; rhs
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(import (sosc core)) ; sosc
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(import (rsc3 core) (rsc3 server) (rsc3 ugen)) ; rsc3
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(import (rsc3 arf) (rsc3 dot) (rsc3 lang)) ; rsc3-arf rsc3-dot rsc3-lang
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~~~~
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## Documentation
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The documentation for Scheme SuperCollider, including this tutorial,
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is written in plain text as ordinary scheme source files.
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Unlike ordinary programs the Scheme SuperCollider help files cannot be
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compiled to executables. Each help file contains multiple independant
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examples that can be evaluated using editor commands, either by
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selecting from the `Scheme SuperCollider` menu or using the associated
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keybinding.
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## Interpreter Interaction
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To start the scheme interpreter use `C-cC->` (Scheme SuperCollider →
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Scheme → See scheme).
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Starting the interpreter splits the current window into two windows.
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If the scheme output window becomes obscured during a session you can
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see it again by typing `C-cC-s` again.
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To stop scheme type `C-cC-q` (Scheme SuperCollider → Scheme
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→ Quit scheme).
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## Starting the SuperCollider server
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The SuperCollider server can be started from the command
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line. The help files assume that scsynth is listening for
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UDP connections at the standard port on the local machine.
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$ scsynth -u 57110
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## Basic SuperCollider Interaction
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The SuperCollider server manages a graph of nodes with
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integer identifiers. The root node has ID zero. By
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convention ordinary graph nodes are placed in a group with
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identifier 1, however this node is not created when scsynth
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starts.
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To create this node we need to send an OSC message to the
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server, the expression to do this is written below. To
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evaluate an expression move the cursor to the closing
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parenthesis and type `C-cC-e` (Scheme SuperCollider →
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Expression → Evaluate).
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(withSc3 (lambda (fd) (sendMessage fd (g_new1 1 addToTail 0))))
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We can then audition a quiet sine oscillator at A440 by typing
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`C-cC-a` (Scheme SuperCollider → Expression → Play).
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(Mul (SinOsc 440 0) 0.1)
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To stop the sound we can delete the group it is a part of,
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the audition function places the synthesis node into the
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group node with ID 1, the expression below deletes that
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group.
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(withSc3 (lambda (fd) (sendMessage fd (n_free1 1))))
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In order to audition another graph we need to re-create a group with
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ID 1. rsc3 includes a function `reset` that sequences these two
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actions, first deleting the group node, then re-creating a new empty
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group.
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(withSc3 reset)
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Using this command is so common there is a keybinding for it, `C-cC-k`
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(Scheme SuperCollider → SCSynth → Reset scsynth). After a reset we
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can audition a new graph.
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(Mul (SinOsc 220 0) 0.1)
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To see the server status type `C-cC-p` (Scheme SuperCollider → SCSynth
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→ Status), which sends:
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(withSc3 displayServerStatus)
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This prints a table indicating server activity to the scheme output
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window.
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***** SuperCollider Server Status *****
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# Ugens 0
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# Synths 0
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# Groups 2
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# Instruments 0
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% CPU (Average) 1.2261821031570435
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% CPU (Peak) 1.2635631561279297
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Sample Rate (Nominal) 44100.0
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Sample Rate (Actual) 44098.31557093504
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## Multiple line expressions
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Multiple line expressions are evaluated using the same mechanism as
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single line expressions, so `C-cC-a` will play the expression below:
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(let* ((f1 (XLine 1 1000 9 removeSynth))
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(f2 (MulAdd (SinOsc f1 0) 200 800)))
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(Mul (SinOsc f2 0) 0.1))
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## Help Files
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To find help on a Ugen or on a SuperCollider server command place the
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cursor over the identifier and type `C-cC-h` (Scheme SuperCollider →
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Help → Scheme SuperCollider help). This opens the help file, which
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ought to have working examples in it, the above graph is in the
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`SinOsc` help file.
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There is also a collection of Ugen graphs,
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for instance `help/graph/jmcc-analog-bubbles.lisp`.
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## Monitoring incoming server messages
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To monitor what OSC messages scsynth is receiving use the `dumpOSC`
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server command to request that scsynth print text traces of incoming
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messages to its standard output.
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(withSc3 (lambda (fd) (sendMessage fd (dumpOSC 1))))
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To end printing send:
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(withSc3 (lambda (fd) (sendMessage fd (dumpOSC 0))))
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