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MusicWonk is a MIDI program that produces MIDI music based on algorithmic rules that you interactively create by connecting modules (graphical objects that represent functions and processes) in real time, adjusting the parameters as you go, in an interactive drag and drop environment especially designed to be fast to learn, fast to use. But MusicWonk did not achieve its ease of use by dumbing it down. Quite the contrary. With a starting palette of over 200 built in modules and functions, MusicWonk is one of the most powerful algorithmic composing programs available.
MusicWonk will drive MIDI synthesizers, soft synths and sound cards directly, effectively "playing" them in real time; it will also record directly to a standard MIDI file.
MusicWonk is essentially the same program as ArtWonk, but without the animation graphics components. It is the successor to a long line of graphical, modular, and interactive algorithmic composing programs created by John Dunn that were inspired by the big analog modular synthesizers, going back to one of the first if its kind ever produced for MIDI, MusicBox, released to the public domain in 1986.
While you can easily create analog synthesizer style step sequencers with MusicWonk, it goes far beyond its sequencer roots, to give you algorithmic composing tools of all kinds. MusicWonk is essentially a program language specialized for creating music, intended to be used by musicians. It is not a text based language like Java, C, or Lisp; instead it is a visual direct manipulation language that does not require you to take weeks to months to learn. You simply select graphical modules from a pop up menu, drag and drop their connections and interactions, listening to the results in real time as you build and modify your piece.
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soft skin
soft phone
Soft Cam
analog synth
soft and supple hands
paint soft
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SoftStep is a modular MIDI step sequencer patterned after the modular analog step sequencers. The big ones, with lots of knobs and blinky lights. But SoftStep goes far beyond its step sequencer roots, to give you algorithmic composing tools of all kinds, including fractal, chaos, probability, and numerical based algorithms of virtually unlimited flexibility.
To create a MIDI composition with SoftStep you create the modules and connect them together to produce a MIDI data stream that drives any MIDI synthesizer, or sound card. It will make a standard MIDI file for your web page, to insert into your music notation sequencer, or just play with any MIDI file player.
You can begin with a simple sequence, and then repeat, modify or combine and recombine it with other sequences. Not only do you hear the changes instantly, you also see them. SoftStep modules are visually dynamic, with values changing, lights blinking, indicators flashing. This visual dynamic is what sets SoftStep apart from other modular algorithmic programs, that let you make the connections but otherwise give minimal visual feedback. With SoftStep, even large, complex patches are easy to follow because nearly every module gives an animated visual indication of its processes.
A review in Electronic Musician Magazine says: "A fascinating program from Algorithmic Arts, SoftStep responds to your playing in creative and spontaneous new ways. Play a major scale on your MIDI controller, and the software responds with an exotic microtonal cluster. Play a few more notes, and it responds with a soft, delayed version of the melody at a tempo determined by your playing Velocity. When you pause for more than a specified period, a long arpeggiated chord sounds. The harmony unfolds in response to biological information from genetic code, and a background rhythm responds to the patterns of a fractal image on the screen. Those are only some of the musical scenarios you can produce with SoftStep."
MusicWonk: http://algoart.com/download/software/muswnk30.zip
SoftStep: http://algoart.com/download/software/sofstp32.zip |
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This software will allow you to operate your sound card MIDI synthesizer by means of an average PC keyboard and a mouse. The software emulates 25-keyed MIDI keyboard with the three functional pedals: Sustain, Accent and Soft. These pedals are used to create different effects as polyphony(Sustain), strenthening(Accent) & softening(Soft). There are also 127 different musical instruments from the standard General MIDI(GM) set. All the instruments of the MIDI set are divided into groups, what makes your choice of the needed one quite simple. With this software you can play any sound of GM MIDI standard set, due to the Controller of 8 octaves. It is also possible to play Drums parties, with all sounds of GM Drums set on channel 10. With the switcher MIDI Output Device you can choose any MIDI synthesizer found in the system, such as Microsoft(R) GS Wavetable Synth or any other GM compatible synthesizer. The software user interface was designed for Windows XP(R). It is quite compact and does not take much room on your desktop. All functional keys are situated in the main window of the program, so that you can play any melody without using the main menu.
Software MIDI Keyboard Lite: http://www.midimass.com/files/software_midi_keyboard_lite_demo.exe
Mopis: http://mopis-synth.com/download/Mopis.zip
Mopis is a high-quality semi-modular software synthesizer that combines traditional subtractive synthesis with sample resynthesis. Subtractive synthesis creates the same sounds that analog synths have used for years, using basic waveforms-- sawtooth, square, triangle, and sine waves-- which are processed by filters. The filter options include a warm, non-linear, analog-style filter, so you can get your favorite analog synth sounds out of Mopis. Our sample resynthesis engine adds a new dimension to your creations. Mopis can analyze your audio sample and create an oscillator that mimics the sample's properties. You can then play the sample back and bend it to your will. Plus you can control any parameter through the modular assign table for complex, evolving sounds. Here's some of what Mopis helps you do: adjust the pitch of a sample without changing its speed; adjust the speed without changing the pitch; move freely back and forth through a sample; loop samples quickly; adjust loop points on the fly; freeze a sample and turn it into a steady-state oscillator. Other features: 128 diverse preset instruments; up to 32-voice polyphony; up to six-voice unison; sync sample playback to host tempo; two oscillators per voice; five filter types; three tempo-syncable LFOs; delay and cross delay effects; semi-modular assign table; loads WAV or AIFF samples; low CPU usage; VSTi or AU plug-in; runs under both Windows (2000/XP) and Mac OS X. |
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