ESTimeline
The distant goal is that anything you can do in SuperCollider could be sequenced on a visual and editable timeline...
Note that this is a work in progress and all is subject to revision.
Out of date screenshots
Out of date video demo: Timelines inside of timelines with optionally separate play clocks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jcxcfvS_08
Features, hypothetical features, and issues
## Features - **Non-prescriptive:** no server architecture is forced on you, possible to disable timeline-specific clock and environment so as to interact with the timeline as part of a larger project; the basic goal is only to "execute this code at this particular time" - **DAW-like GUI** for editing and playback (see below for mouse and key commands lists) - Snap to grid optional - Gray playhead is "scheduling playhead" and black playhead is "sounding playhead" -- to take into account server latency. Routines can be played with additional latency so non-sounding events line up with the sounding playhead. The goal is an accurate visual representation of what you are hearing / when the code is executed. - **Non-linear:** "goto" command to jump to a clip or a point in time enabling complex and real-time behaviors (looping, conditional branching...) - **Tracks** can contain all clip types, and can be muted/soloed - **Synth, Pattern, Routine, and Env** clip types - Bulk editing selected clip parameters - Env clips can manage their own bus - Clips can reference other clips in the same timeline, to e.g. apply an Env to a Synth parameter - Pattern, Routine, Env, and Timeline clips can "fast forward" to start playing in the middle - (there is no way to fast forward a Synth, that I know of....) - Pattern and Routine clips can be seeded so random number generation is deterministic - Most fields can take a Function, so params can be generated on the fly - **Timeline Clip** -- embed one timeline in another! - Each timeline clip can optionally use its own TempoClock, and optionally use its own Environment - Each timeline (and timeline clip) has an init / free hook for e.g. allocating and freeing resources - **Undo and redo** at each timeline level - **Save and recall** Easy to export timeline to IDE as plain text, save as .scd, and load it back again ## Hypothetical features - Time features - Indeterminacy: probability for clips not to play? - Clock follow: e.g. sync up with an Ableton timeline or midi show control - Track/clips - More clip types (e.g. OSCdef, loop, audio file) - Set default params per track (e.g. pan: -1) - Reference clips to create clones that all change together - Envelopes - Ability to draw freehand with mouse - More live interaction - e.g. map a controller to a bus and record its movements to an envelope - Higher dimensional envelopes - e.g. movement through x/y space - Timeline tempo envelopes (this is already possible but kind of annoying, using an Env clip and a Routine clip) - Playback and record audio files - easily access this Buffer for further manipulation - More types of sequencing - Piano roll with flexible scale and steps per octave - ...which could be midi-capable.... - Drum machine type step sequencer with multiple lanes for different instruments - Library integration - ddwPlug -- simplify bus routing for modulation - jitlib -- ditto - clothesline -- put whole .scd files on the timeline - VSTPlugin, somehow..... this could be a can of worms ## Issues 1. Although I've tried to make it pleasant, the GUI based code editing environment does not syntax highlight, autocomplete, etc -- for this reason I've added "Open in IDE" / "Copy from IDE" buttons as necessary. - Solution would be to someday add a Qt code view to core SC 2. When there are lots of quick zig-zags, high-resolution envelope drawing makes the GUI freeze up - to avoid this I have extremely pixelated the envelope drawing when zoomed in. Still looking for a good solution for this. 3. There is a limit to the complexity of a timeline created using SCLang (i.e. by evaluating `ESTimeline([ESTrack([....`) -- it may only contain max 256 functions. - to avoid this I have created a light custom file format that compiles complex timeline structures from the inside outGetting started: installing and tutorial
## Installing Download or clone this repository into your SuperCollider Extensions directory. To see where this is, go to `File > Open user support directory` and find the `Extensions` directory, or evaluate: ``` Platform.userExtensionDir ``` ## Tutorial: basic workflow examples ``` ( ~timeline = ESTimeline(); ~window = ESTimelineWindow(timeline: ~timeline); ) ``` - by default, this boots the default server. You can make it not do this by going into "Prep / Cleanup funcs" and unchecking `bootOnPrep`. ### SynthDefs: - put your SynthDef in the timeline's prep function (click the "edit prep/cleanup funcs" button) e.g. ``` SynthDef(\sin, { |out, freq = 100, gate = 1, amp = 0.1, preamp = 1.5, attack = 0.001, release = 0.01, pan, verbbus, verbamt, vibrato = 0.2| var env, sig; var lfo = XLine.ar(0.01, vibrato, ExpRand(0.5, 2.0)) * SinOsc.ar(5.4 + (LFDNoise3.kr(0.1) * 0.5)); gate = gate + Impulse.kr(0); env = Env.adsr(attack, 0.1, 0.4, release).ar(2, gate); sig = SinOsc.ar(freq * lfo.midiratio) * env; sig = (sig * preamp).tanh; sig = Pan2.ar(sig, pan, amp); Out.ar(out, sig); Out.ar(verbbus, sig * verbamt); }).add; ``` - hit save when you're done to save the prepFunc and load it. ### Making tracks: - press cmd-t to add a track after the one your mouse is currently over, or shift-cmd-T to add it before the current track - cmd-delete deletes a track - each track can contain any kind of clip in any combination - mute and solo tracks using the buttons on the left panel - click and drag in the left panel to rearrange tracks ### Synth Clips: - create a bunch of Synth clips (point the mouse where you want it and press shift-S, or use right click menu) - drag them around to move them - drag their edges to resize them (a red bar appears when you are within the resize zone) - option-drag to copy a clip - check the `snapToGrid` box or press opt-s to align your edits with the tempo grid - double-click on a clip to edit it, e.g. change the frequency - double-click on the grayed out `freq` parameter to activate it, then you can set it to any valid SuperCollider expression - press save when you're done - if you play now by clicking to place the playhead and pressing space, you will hear they play the default synth - press space again to stop playback ### Bulk edit synth clips: - click in an empty area and drag to select all the Synth clips (they will be highlighted in cyan when selected) - right click, "clip actions > bulk edit synth defName" - and set them to `'sin'`. - play again and you hear they now all play your SynthDef - double-click in an empty area to remove selection ### Scrolling and zooming: - use trackpad to scroll left and right or click and drag ruler at top - cmd-scroll to zoom in and out horizontally - opt-scroll to zoom in and out vertically (when there are more than one track) ### Envelopes for Synth parameters: - right click a Synth clip, "clip actions > add env for synth argument" - pick "freq" from the list and hit OK - this will by default add a new track with an envelope clip on it that is the length of your Synth clip, with a unique name (starting from 'freq0'), and it will update the freq argument of the Synth clip to read from this envelope's bus ### Editing Envelopes: - cmd-e to enter envelope breakpoint editor mode - click and drag to move the breakpoints around or adjust curves, - shift-click to add breakpoints, - option-click to remove them - by default, these envelopes will map to the range of the parameter name .asSpec - to rescale, right click, clip actions > "set env range keeping breakpoint values" - hit cmd-e again to leave envelope breakpoint editor mode ### Bulk edit Synths -- To make this envelope affect all your Synths: - drag the edges of the envelope clip to resize it, so that it covers the entire range of your Synth clips - click and drag to select all the Synth clips - right click, "clip actions > bulk edit synth arguments" - assign the `freq` of all the clips to `\freq0` (or whatever the name of the envelope clip is) - you should see all their freqs change to `a4` -- this is the audio rate bus that the Env clip has created for you (you can override this behavior) - cmd-e to edit the breakpoints again - you should hear it is now controlling all the synths' pitches - make sure you've left breakpoint edit mode when you want to move clips around ### Bulk edit Synths -- Random panning: - Select all your Synth clips - right click > clip actions > bulk edit synth arguments - for `pan` put in `rrand(-1.0, 1.0)` and check the "hard coded" box - this will generate a random hard-coded pan per clip. (if you want it to be newly random every time you play it, uncheck the box) ### Environment variables -- adding reverb: - add to your timeline prep func: ``` SynthDef(\verb, { |out, verbbus, gate = 1, amp = 1| var in = In.ar(verbbus, 2); var env = Env.adsr(0.01, 0, 1, 1.0).ar(2, gate); var verb = NHHall.ar(in) * env; Out.ar(out, verb * amp); }).add; ~verbbus = Bus.audio(s, 2); ``` - and to the cleanup func: ``` ~verbbus.free; ``` - save the changes to load the new SynthDef and bus - this environment variable is local to this timeline (assuming `useEnvir` box is still checked) - cmd-t to make a new track - click in an empty area and drag to select the time around all your Synth clips - put the mouse over your new track and shift-S to create a new Synth clip that fills the selected time - double click on it - set defName to `'verb'` - set addAction to `'addToTail'` - click refresh icon next to args to refresh argument names - double click on grayed-out "verbbus" to activate it, put `~verbbus` - save - you should see that verbbus is now set to e.g. `a4` - click and drag to select all your Synths, bulk edit Synth arguments, and set `verbbus` to `~verbbus` - again, you should see that they all have verbbus set to the same bus number - bulk edit the same synth arguments and set `verbamt` to `1.0` - now when you play you will hear they all are affected by the reverb Synth. - you could now make an envelope to control the amplitude of this reverb, analogous to overall return level. - you could also make an envelope to control the verbamt of all of the Synths, analogous to send level. ### Pattern Clips: - make a new track and shift-P to make a pattern clip - double click to edit, e.g.: ``` Pbind( \instrument, \sin, \verbbus, ~verbbus, \verbamt, Pwhite(0.0, 1.0).linexp(0, 1, 0.1, 3.0), \degree, Pbrown(0, 7 * 3 + 1, 3), \octave, Pdup(Pwhite(1, 10), Pwhite(3, 5)), \pan, Pwhite(-1.0, 1.0), \dur, Pbrown().linexp(0, 1, 0.02, 1.0) ) ``` - you will hear this uses the same reverb synth - if you want to try a new random seed, click "re-roll" button and save - you can always undo if you don't like it - you can drag the edges to adjust start and end point without changing the timing of the notes - you can split it into two by pointing with the mouse where you want the split and pressing s - if you make a new track and a new envelope, name the envelope `pan0` and set its range from -1 to 1 - edit the panning to your liking, and update the pattern(s) with ``` \pan, ~thisTimeline[\pan0], ``` ### Timeline clips: - above the main timeline, click "Open as clip in new timeline" - Now this little system, the synths, patterns, buses and envelopes, are all encapsulated in this timeline clip, which won't interfere with e.g. another ~verbbus that you happen to use elsewhere. - (in fact you can duplicate the timeline clip by option-dragging onto a new track, and the two will play simultanously each using its own environment and bus.) - you can also resize the clips, move the mouse cursor over the clip and use the s key to split it into two separate timeline clips, etc. ### Using Routine clips: - shift-R to make a Routine clip, double click to edit - it's important to use `s.bind` for server operations inside of routines, otherwise the timing is off. ``` var syn; 10.do { |i| s.bind { syn = Synth(\default, [freq: (40 + i).midicps]) }; 0.2.wait; s.bind { syn.free }; 0.2.wait; }; ``` - You can think of Routine clips as kind of your generic "execute this code here", and if you want say OSC out to a light board to line up with the sounding events, check the `addLatency` box. - You can interact with the timeline using `~thisTimeline` which always refers to the timeline you're currently working in, or `~timeline` which refers to either this or the nearest parent timeline whose `useEnvir` box is checked - if no parent timeline is set to `useEnvir`, then `~thisTimeline` will overwrite anything you might have in your current environment. - in that case, `~timeline` might be nil unless you've set it in your current environment. - to get the current value of an envelope named `env` from within a routine: ``` loop { ~thisTimeline[\env].valueNow.postln; 1.wait; }; ``` - to jump to a clip named `next`, use ``` ~thisTimeline.goto(\next) ``` - you can use a comment clip (shift-C) for this dummy "next" clip -- the first line of the comment is its name - you can also goto a number, which will be interpreted as beat number.Keyboard and mouse actions
## Mouse interaction - drag middle of clip to move - drag edges of clip to resize - double click on clip to open editor window - right click anywhere to see action menu - Zooming - cmd-scroll zoom horizontally - opt-scroll zoom vertically - Envelope breakpoint editing (cmd-e to toggle this mode) - click and drag to move breakpoints or adjust curves - shift-click to add breakpoint - opt-click to remvove breakpoint - Selecting - click and drag to select both time and clips - hold cmd to just select clips - hold opt to just select time - hold shift to add/remove clips from existing selection - click and drag tracks to rearrange ## Key commands - space toggles play - opt-s toggles snap to grid - Navigation - enter goes to beginning of timeline - [ and ] go to next/previous clip edge on track under mouse - Editing clip - s splits clip at mouse pointer - delete deletes clip at mouse pointer - e opens edit window for clip at mouse pointer, or init/cleanup func window for a timeline clip - cmd-e toggles mouse editing of envelope breakpoints - Insert clip - C inserts comment clip at mouse - S inserts synth clip at mouse - P inserts pattern clip at mouse - R inserts routine clip at mouse - E inserts env clip at mouse - T inserts timeline clip at mouse - Tracks - cmd-t inserts new track after track at mouse - cmd-T inserts new track before track at mouse - cmd-delete deletes track at mouse - Seletion - cmd-a select all clips - cmd-i inserts selected time - shift-cmd-delete deletes selected time - cmd-z undo - cmd-Z redo
If you do try it out, I would love to know your thoughts, ideas, critiques, and if you find bugs etc please report them on the github issue page with steps to reproduce.