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wiki:composition [2017/01/13 12:40] – [The composer's toolbox] kristopolouswiki:composition [2021/08/20 16:38] (current) gootz
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 ====== The composer's toolbox ====== ====== The composer's toolbox ======
  
-This article attempts to discuss the optimal toolset and workflow for composition.  Unlike with many commercial packages on Windows or macOS, going from idea to finished audio file isn't necessarily serviced best by a variety of 1-stop-shop players (although a few do exist).+Unlike with many commercial packages on Windows or macOS, going from idea to finished audio file isn't necessarily serviced best by 1-stop-shop software in Linux (although a few do exist).  This approach may be counterintuitive to those who have used software such as Propellerhead Reason or Ableton Live to essentially be responsible for all the tasks associated with the production of music.
  
 Instead, Linux music production can be envisioned as an assembly line where each "worker" (in this  case, program) is tasked with a different duty. Instead, Linux music production can be envisioned as an assembly line where each "worker" (in this  case, program) is tasked with a different duty.
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 This integration can be done two ways This integration can be done two ways
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   * Horizontally   * Horizontally
   * Vertically   * Vertically
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 In a Vertical integration, independently written software communicates with each other through plugins. This allows one to use say, a general sequencer, take [[apps:all:zynaddsubfx|zynaddsubfx]] for example, with a number of composition programs, such as [[apps:all:lmms|lmms]]. In a Vertical integration, independently written software communicates with each other through plugins. This allows one to use say, a general sequencer, take [[apps:all:zynaddsubfx|zynaddsubfx]] for example, with a number of composition programs, such as [[apps:all:lmms|lmms]].
  
-In a Horizontal integration, you use essentially the equivalent to the UNIX pipe ( '|' ) for music.  Pretend you had a midi keyboard.  You can route the MIDI codes to an [[apps:categories:arpeggiators|arpeggiator]] and have that software output MIDI codes which can then route to a [[apps:categories:sequencers|sequencer]] which outputs not MIDI, but audio to a [[apps:categories:mixers|mixer]] which then muxes the audio together to a [[apps:daw_apps|daw]].+In a Horizontal integration, you use essentially the equivalent to the UNIX pipe ( '|' ) for music.  Pretend you had a midi keyboard.  You can route the MIDI codes to an [[apps:categories:arpeggiators|arpeggiator]] and have that software output MIDI codes which can then route to a [[apps:categories:sequencers|sequencer]] which outputs not MIDI, but audio to a [[apps:categories:mixers|mixer]] which then mixes the audio together to a [[apps:daw_apps|daw]].
  
-These two approaches can be used together and additional or fewer pieces can be placed between striking a key on a keyboard and hearing a sound from a speaker.+These two approaches can be used together and additional or fewer pieces can be placed between striking a key on a keyboard and hearing a sound from a speaker such as automation engines or effects plugins.
  
  
-There is also an entirely different paradigm that includes musical programming languages.   Under this paradigm, a composer authors a computer program in a specialized audio language and then the computer compiles it and produces the audio output.  Some of these, such as [[apps:all:supercollider|supercollider]] and [[apps:categories:puredata|pure data]] introduce novel paradigms that permit real-time feedback. +There is also an entirely different paradigm for creating music that includes musical programming languages.   Under this paradigm, a composer authors a computer program in a specialized audio language and then the computer compiles it and produces the audio output.  Some of these, such as [[apps:all:supercollider|supercollider]] and [[apps:categories:puredata|pure data]] introduce novel paradigms that permit real-time feedback. A decent article that shows this approach in practice can be found in [[http://www.csounds.com/cascone/|Recontextualizing Ambient Music in Csound]] by Kim Cascone.  The author uses the freely available [[apps:all:csound|csound]] to construct the ambient music.
  
 Finally, to really make things interesting, the two paradigms can work together.  There are bridges that permit both Vertical and Horizontal integration between the two ways of doing things.  This can allow one to have immense control over the finest details of a composition. Finally, to really make things interesting, the two paradigms can work together.  There are bridges that permit both Vertical and Horizontal integration between the two ways of doing things.  This can allow one to have immense control over the finest details of a composition.
wiki/composition.1484307650.txt.gz · Last modified: 2017/01/13 12:40 by kristopolous