the blind watchmaker
<f> NOTE: I'm writing this in 2023 after noticing that I didn't write down anything about this, so forgive me if I forget anything important. </f>
Throughout creating the recital, I was also focused on this project for Sound Synthesis, where the big assignment was a performance of an electronic piece of music utilising some way of network communication. Obviously there are ways of sending messages and so forth from electrical sources, but I took a more holistic approach, and my flow of thoughts lead me to Twitch.tv and their chat function, which allows the masses to send messages to the streamer. I thought I was being smart, but the course does dictate that I need to do some fancy technology stuff.
What I was supposed to do was to do some serious code. Using a client to take messages from Twitch and move them to my little Javascript block. These messages were formatted in the way of typical commands in Twitch (i.e. !pog or !fart1, which would allow people in chat to control whatever the function "pog" or "fart1" mean), which would hypothetically connect to a WebAudio client, and that sound made by the Web Audio would be streamed. Novel concept.
What ended up happening with that was that I (for starters) was using a debugging version of Twitchjs, and then my plan on the WebAudio was heavily reliant on an oscillator... a feature not available on Firefox. This was a lot to learn, and I finally conceptualised it... a week off from the assignment due date. So I had to get creative.
I made The Blind Watchmaker, which is about me not knowing what my thing sounds like, but the chat DOES. With this power dynamic, the chatters and observers can alter it by using a list of commands. This was supposed to be cool. It didn't really work. I listed the values instead of being more holistic, allowing people to type in vibes, it was in a DAW that isn't well known, the screen was barely visible due to Australian Internet, it was just problem after problem, and it sounded garbage.
Throughout creating the recital, I was also focused on this project for Sound Synthesis, where the big assignment was a performance of an electronic piece of music utilising some way of network communication. Obviously there are ways of sending messages and so forth from electrical sources, but I took a more holistic approach, and my flow of thoughts lead me to Twitch.tv and their chat function, which allows the masses to send messages to the streamer. I thought I was being smart, but the course does dictate that I need to do some fancy technology stuff.
What I was supposed to do was to do some serious code. Using a client to take messages from Twitch and move them to my little Javascript block. These messages were formatted in the way of typical commands in Twitch (i.e. !pog or !fart1, which would allow people in chat to control whatever the function "pog" or "fart1" mean), which would hypothetically connect to a WebAudio client, and that sound made by the Web Audio would be streamed. Novel concept.
What ended up happening with that was that I (for starters) was using a debugging version of Twitchjs, and then my plan on the WebAudio was heavily reliant on an oscillator... a feature not available on Firefox. This was a lot to learn, and I finally conceptualised it... a week off from the assignment due date. So I had to get creative.
I made The Blind Watchmaker, which is about me not knowing what my thing sounds like, but the chat DOES. With this power dynamic, the chatters and observers can alter it by using a list of commands. This was supposed to be cool. It didn't really work. I listed the values instead of being more holistic, allowing people to type in vibes, it was in a DAW that isn't well known, the screen was barely visible due to Australian Internet, it was just problem after problem, and it sounded garbage.
THE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE BLIND WATCHMAKER
instructions
Throughout the piece, you are emplored to message the chat as much as you can, changing as many parameters as you want, in order to create an interesting and complex piece. Try and work together (or go against each other) in the chat. If you feel like the piece should end, spam STOP in the chat. if you can convince two other users to join you in spamming STOP, the piece stops. if it is apparent that you're the only one spamming, self-moderate, stop, and play fair. remember, the format is [module-parameter-number] (ie osc1-soften-0.69) glossary - transport
(syntax=[module-subeffect-parameter-number]) biquad
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premise
This is a piece of live, improvised music, controlled by YOU! By typing into chat with the format [module-parameter-number] (ie osc1-soften-0.69), the session will change to fit your command, all the while I have my headphones off and cannot hear it. What fun! What chaos! What could go wrong? glossary - scale
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glossary - seq1&seq2
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