Mellite

Mellite Video Tutorials

Video tutorials for version 2.10 and newer are available from diode.zone (Peertube) or the Vimeo backup.

Tutorial 1 - Getting Started

Video Link (14 min)

This is a basic introduction from scratch:

  • installing the downloaded application
  • checking dependencies
  • setting up basic preferences
  • creating a new workspace
  • creating objects in the workspace
  • defining a sound process
  • listening to sound
  • attribute map and sound synthesis controls
  • copying objects between workspaces

Tutorial 2 - Timeline and Audio Files

Video Link (19 min)

This tutorial introduces the timeline object and shows how to arrange sound file regions:

  • importing an audio file
  • artifact base locations
  • using the audio file player
  • creating a timeline object
  • dragging audio file regions
  • “global processes” in a timeline
  • routing from an audio region to a global process
  • predefined controls for gain, fade, mute
  • creating a programmed filtering process on the timeline
  • process outputs
  • using the mute state to control filter bypass
  • bouncing to disk

Tutorial 3 - freesound.org

Video Link (16 min)

This tutorial introduces the freesound.org sound file retrieval object:

  • creating a retrieval object
  • specifying query terms and search filter
  • reviewing the search results and previewing sounds
  • authorizing the application to download sounds
  • downloading sounds and using them within Mellite

Tutorial 4 - Wolkenpumpe

Video Link (33 min)

This tutorial introduces the Wolkenpumpe live interface object:

  • creating a new Wolkenpumpe object
  • components and signal flow: generators > filters > collectors
  • populating with default sound processes; generator channels and audio file players
  • opening the Live view, transport
  • inserting generators and collectors
  • changing parameters with rotary controls
  • inserting filters
  • modulating signals with other signals
  • deleting connections and modules
  • pinning object positions
  • parameter keyboard control, multi-channel parameters
  • inspecting the resulting timeline
  • defining your own sound processes
  • ScanIn, ScanOut and output objects for creating patchable processes
  • Param UGen for parameters, parameter specs
  • clearing the timeline
  • modulator signal range 0 to 1 vs. audio signal range -1 to 1
  • defining a custom filter
  • copying an empty template setup

Tutorial 5 - Patterns

Video Link (16 min)

This tutorial introduces the Pattern abstraction:

  • creating a new Pattern object
  • writing and evaluating a pattern expression in the editor
  • naming differences and operational differences between SuperCollider and Scala
  • looking up the API docs
  • type parameters of patterns
  • constant patterns and a pattern of given elements, looping patterns
  • collection-like operations such as ++, drop, take, sorted
  • feeding a pattern into the attribute map of a proc to control a sound parameter
  • future plans

Tutorial 6 - Widgets

Video Link (21 min)

This tutorial introduces Widget programs:

  • creating a Widget object
  • creating a static text Label
  • creating a Slider with label and custom value ranges
  • composing expressions and assigning them to a label text
  • API documentation
  • widget graph programs vs. proc (UGen graph) programs
  • linking widget model to an attribute map
  • bidirectional mapping (persisting models)
  • DoubleField as alternative to Slider
  • Runner control to play a proc from the widget program
  • Button component, triggers (Trig) and actions (Act)

Tutorial 7 - Patterns II

Video Link (18 min)

This tutorial continues with patterns, introducing a way to play them as main objects, specifying auxiliary sound producing functions.

  • recall how patterns can provide a parameter input to a signal proc object
  • reverse dependency of pattern and proc: proc becomes input to the pattern
  • using Bind to create fully specified event patterns
  • "play" pointing to an object to play, arbitrary keys to feed patterns into that object
  • timing: delta, legato, sustain keys
  • embedding a pattern in a timeline
  • a pattern to play the audio files within a folder in a random order
  • creating a pattern from the pattern object’s attribute map
  • auto-run an object when launching Mellite

Tutorial 8 – CLI and Grapheme Editor

Video Link (16 min)

This tutorial is more casual and introduces a new command line interface for creating objects, as well as the grapheme (break-point function) editor.

  • opening the CLI with control-1 in the folder window
  • showing usage help for an object, and listing available objects
  • creating a zigzag break-point function
  • writing a proc whose frequency parameter is patched to the grapheme
  • using the CLI to create entries in an attribute map
  • editing individual EnvSegment break-points (magnitude and curvature)
  • a look at a recording session: a grapheme to control reverb-gain
  • using FadeInOut.ar as another straight forward way to control filters

Tutorial 9 – Built-in API docs, and new code editor

Video Link (15 min)

This tutorial introduces the new Dotterweide editor used for the embedded Scala snippets.

  • Cache and API documentation
  • new Dotterweide embedded Scala editor
  • play { } idiom in a Proc graph
  • Error diagnostics and code completion
  • API look-up
  • look-up from FScape
  • Show usage of a symbol, go to definition
  • Editor keyboard shortcuts

Tutorial 10 – Widgets and receiving OSC

Video Link (21 min)

This tutorial introduces the Widget object, using as example the communication from Processing to Mellite via Open Sound Control messages.

  • Creating a new Widget program
  • Label and FlowPanel
  • OscUdpNode to create an OSC socket
  • the Bang component
  • Connecting a trigger to an action
  • Processing and its oscP5 library
  • Sending mouse coordinate from Processing to Mellite
  • Matching on particular OSC messages
  • Displaying an OSC argument
  • Runner control for a Proc object
  • References through the attribute map
  • Sequential actions
  • Nested attribute references
  • Arithmetic composition of expressions

Tutorial 11 – Negatum genetic programming

Video Link (39 min)

This tutorial introduces the Negatum object, a process for generating sound synthesis structure through automated genetic programming.

  • Introduction to Genetic Algorithms and Genetic Programming
  • Creating a Negatum object, selecting an input (target) sound
  • Walk through the algorithm’s parameters (generation, evaluation, breeding)
  • Starting and stopping iterations
  • Examining individual sound results; auto-generated sound code
  • Copying and optimising selected sound programs
  • Drawing a UGen graph diagram of a sound program
  • Experimenting with the results: Adding multichannel expansion and named controls
  • Future outlook
  • Examining the Mix set of tree leaves

Tutorial 12 – Measuring impulse responses

Video Link (28 min)

This uses a workspace available in the Mellite downloads, which provides a widget for the entire measurement process (behind the scenes FScape and Proc are combined, but this is not shown in detail). The video starts with a general introduction how IR measurement with sine sweeps works.

  • What is the impulse response of an unknown (black box) linear system
  • Finite impulse response filters (frequency filters, reverberation, …)
  • Principles of digitally measuring an impulse response
  • Sine sweeps
  • Deconvolution and a trick to use “normal” convolution
  • Walk through the parameters of the IR measuring tool
  • Applying the measured IR to a “dry” sound

Tutorial 13 – Stream object, Oscilloscope

Video Link (21 min)

This tutorial shows the new Stream object - streams are “expanded” patterns that persist their internal state. Towards the end, the new Oscilloscope view is demonstrated.

  • Recap: a Pattern to produce Brownian movement; playing a Bind Pattern.
  • State of a Pattern
  • The Brownian movement as a Stream instead
  • A memorised counter Stream
  • An Action to take and print the next stream value
  • Options and default values for Action attributes
  • State is preserved even quitting Mellite
  • Resetting a Stream
  • Swapping the Stream back to a Pattern
  • the Oscilloscope view

Tutorial 14 – Raspberry Pi GPIO support, and system (shell) processes

Video Link (37 min)

This tutorial shows the basic GPIO support - accessing the digital input and output pins on a Raspberry Pi, the example being a button box and using a relay to route a sound signal to different speakers. Towards the end, showing how to start and parse system or shell processes, and passing key/value properties to Mellite and using it within a control program.

  • Wiring push buttons to the Raspberry Pi
  • Using the GPIO.DigitalIn object in a widget program
  • Specifying pull-up or pull-down resistors, inverting a signal
  • Attaching a mechanical relay to route an input sound signal to two alternative outputs
  • Using a Logic-Level Converter to lift the 3.3V GPIO output to 5V
  • Using the GPIO.DigitalOut object in a widget program
  • Combining input and output in a control program
  • Running shell commands with Sys.Process
  • Obtaining properties passed to Mellite with Sys.Property

Tutorial 15 – What’s new in version 3.2? Timeline editing

Video Link (16 min)

  • Timeline: resize tool allows track height adjustment
  • Keyboard shortcuts: timeline tools, cue transport
  • Timeline catch (scroll with transport)
  • Headphones monitor
  • Timeline cue and selection
  • Edit audio file processes to include filters
  • Copying attributes such as color
  • Exporting selections from audio cues

Tutorial 16 – Running workspaces in the browser

Video Link (52 min)

  • Server-side vs client-side browser code; WebAssembly
  • Cloning the template project
  • A workspace with a widget that will be rendered in the browser
  • Exporting a binary workspace
  • Running a local web server for testing
  • Another workspace with sound and control program; audio settings
  • A third workspace with more UI elements for sound control
  • Uploading the project to your web-space
  • Internals of the launcher code; combining with other Scala or JS code
  • Using FScape for real-time sound

If you are interested in the confluent versioning workspace, there is a quite old video (see 17’15" into the video). I’m planning to cover this topic in updated tutorials.

Next: Mellite Text Tutorials