Python, OpenSound Control and Open Sound World

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Python, OpenSound Control and Open Sound World

• Amar Chaudhary, PhD

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Outline

• Overview of Open Sound World
• Relationship of OSW and OSC
• Current Status and Additional Info

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Open Sound World (OSW)?

• Language for expressive control of sound
  synthesis
• Multiple levels
• Graphical patching
• Scripting
• C
• Incremental development
• Transforms are connected to form patches
• Modern type system
• Nested patches
• Hierarchical name space
• Extensible set of transforms and data types

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OSW Transforms

• Every executable object in OSW is a transform
• Inlets
• Outlets
• State Variables
• Activation Expressions
• All execution is processing in transforms or
  exchange of data between transforms
• Patches are compound transforms
• Nested patches
• Hierarchical namespace

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Transforms

• Over 250 transforms in distribution
• Arithmetic and mathematical functions
• Signal processing
• Sound-description management/manipulation
• MIDI
• Music/Score processing
• Lists
• Associative Arrays (blobs)?
• OpenSound Control
• Advanced synthesis
• Additive Synthesis (sinusoidal modeling)?
• Resonance modeling
• Spectral modeling
• Audio FX

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OSW and OSC

• OSW hierarchical namespace is a natural OSC
  address space
• Unique address for every transform and
  inlet/outlet/state variable
• Every element in OSW is OSC addressable
• Every data type in OSW can be used in OSC
  messages
• Support for arbitrary addresses (a la Max/MSP)
  via OSCRoute

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OSC Implementation

• Bidirectional
• Client
• Server
• Return messages

• Type Tags are mandatory
• Extended types for signals (float, int16, int32),
  complex
• Arbitrary OSW types via blobs, lists, strings
• Query system Schmeder, 2003
• Names, types, documentation/help, etc.

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OSW as OSC Server

• Manipulate OSW system and transform hierarchy
  remotely via OSC
• Exploration of OSW patches
• Inspect/modify state variables (inlets, outlets)?
• Add/remove/connect transforms
• osw-cli Schmeder, 2003
• Control multiple instances of OSW over a network
  from a Python-based command-line interface

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OSC Sever Implementation

• OSC sever is an OSW patch

• Incoming messages converted to lists

• Messages dispatched to objects (transforms,
  variables) by address.

• Results converted back to OSC messages and sent

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Scripting and Python

• Python front-end to OSW
• OSW objects are reflected as Python objects
• Communication between Python and server via OSC

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Uses of Python/OSC with OSW

• Distributed Applications
• Networked performance and installations
• Web-based interfaces
• Parallel DSP on distributed systems
• Automation / Scripting
• Custom / Alternate User Interfaces

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Python Web Server -gt OSC

• Bouncy Ball Sound Synthesis

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Graphics Percussion Demo
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OSW Info and Status

• OSW is available as an Open Source project
• http//osw.sourceforge.net
• OSWPython interface available
• New UI development in progress

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Finis