radiant-voices 0.4.0.dev2

Overview of Radiant Voices
==========================



Part of the Metrasynth_ project.

.. _Metrasynth: https://metrasynth.github.io/

Radiant Voices provides tools to
**create, read, modify, and write SunVox files**.
This includes project files ending in ``.sunvox``,
and module/synth files ending in ``.sunsynth``.



SunVox data structures and APIs
-------------------------------

Radiant Voices has nearly 100% coverage of
all data structures used by SunVox files,
exposing a "Pythonic" API for creating and manipulating
those structures.

Using the API, you can do things not possible
with the standard SunVox interface or the SunVox DLL, such as:

- `algorithmic composition`_
- parametric synth/module design
- structure and complexity analysis
- automatic `graph layout`_ of modules
- and more...

Our collective imagination is the limit!

.. _algorithmic composition:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithmic_composition

.. _graph layout:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graph_drawing


Interaction with the SunVox DLL
-------------------------------

By combining Radiant Voices with sunvox-dll-python_,
one can also create alternative editing and performance tools
to use alongside, or instead of, the official SunVox app.

The two packages work together to provide convenient high-level
APIs for loading project and module objects directly into
playback slots managed by the SunVox DLL.

Some possibilities might include:

- alternative project editors
- generative_ sound design using `genetic algorithms`_
- network-enabled performance tools

What can *you* come up with?

.. _sunvox-dll-python:
https://sunvox-dll-python.readthedocs.io/

.. _generative:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generative_Design

.. _genetic algorithms:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_algorithm


SunVox file format documentation
--------------------------------

Radiant Voices intends to serve as a *de facto* source of documentation
about the format, as there is currently `no official documentation for the
SunVox file format <http://www.warmplace.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1943#p5562>`__.

The interpretation of SunVox file formats is based on a mix of "clean room"
style inspection of what SunVox writes to disk when a file is edited
a specific way, as well as the `most recent BSD-licensed source code
for the SunVox audio engine <https://github.com/warmplace/sunvox_sources>`__.


Requirements
------------

- Python 3.6

- OS supported by `sunvox-dll-python`_, if working with SunVox DLL.


Quick start
-----------

The "hello world" example will construct a SunVox project in memory
containing a FM module connected to the Output module.
It will then load it into the SunVox DLL and send a single note-on command
to the FM module::

$ pip install radiant-voices
$ git clone https://github.com/metrasynth/radiant-voices
$ cd radiant-voices/examples
$ python helloworld.py


About SunVox
------------

From the `SunVox home page`_:

SunVox is a small, fast and powerful modular synthesizer with pattern-based sequencer (tracker).
It is a tool for those people who like to compose music wherever they are, whenever they wish.
On any device. SunVox is available for Windows, OS X, Linux, Maemo, Meego, Raspberry Pi,
Windows Mobile (WindowsCE), PalmOS, iOS and Android.

.. _SunVox home page: http://www.warmplace.ru/soft/sunvox/

Changelog
=========


0.4 series
----------

The major themes of this release are:

- Support for SunVox 1.9.3.

- Improved compatibility with the SunVox file format.

- Full documentation of the SunVox file format.


0.4.0.dev2 (under development)
------------------------------

Fixes
.....

- Correct a packaging error that included unnecessary cache data from
documentation builds.


0.4.0.dev1 (2018-03-11)
-----------------------

Additions
.........

- Add documentation about the SunVox file format.

- Add equality checking to ``Range``.

- Add ``Module.midi_in_always`` attribute, defaulting to ``False``.
When ``True``, the module will respond to MIDI events regardless of
whether it's selected in the SunVox UI.

- Add ``Module.midi_in_channel`` attribute, defaulting to ``0`` (all channels).
Set to 1-16 to make the module respond to only a specific MIDI channel.

- Add ``Project.time_grid2`` attribute.

- Add ``MultiSynth.curve2_influence`` controller.

- Add ``MetaModule.event_output`` option (default: ``True``).

- Add ``MultiSynth.trigger`` option (default: ``False``).

- Add ``ModuleFlags`` and ``VisibleModuleFlags`` enums for reading/writing
``Module.flags``.

- Add ``PatternFlags`` and ``PatternAppearanceFlags`` enums for reading/writing
``Pattern.flags`` and ``Pattern.appearance_flags``.

- Add ``Visualization``, ``LevelMode``, ``Orientation``, and ``OscilloscopeMode``
for reading/writing the ``Module.visualization`` structure.

- Add ``Project.selected_generator`` attribute.

- Add ``Lfo.Waveform.triangle`` constant.

- Add ``Lfo.generator`` controller.

- Add ``Reverb.random_seed`` controller.

- Add ``Sampler.pitch_envelope`` and ``Sampler.effect_control_envelopes[]``
containing new envelopes from SunVox 1.9.3.

- Add ``Sampler.effect`` to contain an optional ``SunSynth`` instance
which in turn contains the effect being modulated by the
effect control envelopes.

- Add ``Sampler.Sample.loop_sustain`` flag.

- Add ``Sampler.ignore_velocity_for_volume`` option.

- Add ``Container.clone()`` method.

- Add ``Project.pattern_lines()`` method, which iterates over a range of project lines
and yields information about the active pattern lines for each project line.

- Add ``Pattern.source_method()`` and ``PatternClone.source_method()``,
to determine the source pattern for any given pattern or pattern clone.

Changes
.......

- Python 3.6 is now required.

- While writing files, ``CHFF`` and ``CHFR`` chunks will not be written
if they always have a value of ``0``.

- ``AnalogGenerator.unsmooth_frequency_change`` option is now inverted to
``.smooth_frequency_change``.

- Update ``Sampler`` and ``Sampler.Envelope`` to support SunVox 1.9.3 format.
When a pre-1.9.3 formatted Sampler is loaded, it will be upgraded to 1.9.3 format.

- More detailed exception message when attempting to set an out-of-range value
to a controller.

- Ignore chunk types no longer used by modern SunVox versions:
``PSYN``, ``PCTL``, and ``PAMD``.

- Ignore value of ``CHNK`` when reading module-specific chunks.

- Do not write the optional -1 to the end of ``SLNK`` chunks.

- Use the value mapping curve when converting a ``MultiCtl.value``
to downstream controllers.

- Update ``MetaModule.play_patterns``, which is now of type
``MetaModule.PlayPatterns`` instead of ``bool``.
This introduces support for the new
``MetaModule.PlayPatterns.on_no_repeat`` value.

- Use the Fruchterman-Reingold layout algorithm from NetworkX
for auto-layout of modules, not PyGraphviz neato algorithm.
This affects the arguments accepted by ``Project.layout()``.

- Improvements to variable names generated from MetaModule
user defined controller labels.

Fixes
.....

- ``SMIN`` (module MIDI output device name) is now correctly read and written.

- ``SMII`` and ``SMIC`` chunks are now encoded as unsigned int32
(was previously signed).

- Strings now use UTF-8 encoding.

- All module types now have a correct default ``.flags`` attribute.

- After ``MetaModule.update_user_defined_controllers()`` is called,
user defined controllers will have correct ``value_type`` set.
(This avoids errors such as 44100 being out of the 0..32768 range.)

- In ``MetaModule``, when a user defined controller mapping points to
a non-existent module, the mapping will be ignored.
(Was throwing an ``AttributeError``)

- When ``Module`` options are loaded from older projects,
assume ``0`` as a default value if there are not enough bytes.
(Was throwing an ``IndexError``)

- Range validation for ``Lfo.freq`` and ``Vibrato.freq``
now depends on the value of the ``frequency_unit`` controller.
Some modules created in earlier versions of SunVox have out-of-range values.
These are only warned about using ``logging``,
instead of the standard behavior of raising an exception.

- Write correct value of ``CHNK`` when writing module-specific chunks.

- Default to signed 8-bit int when a ``CHFF`` value was 0.


0.3.0 (2017-04-18)
------------------

Additions
.........

- Add ``propagate`` argument to ``MultiCtl.reflect()``.
Defaults to ``True`` which causes the new ``MultiCtl.value`` to
immediately propagate to all mapped controllers,
including the one that was just reflected.

Set to ``False`` if you only want to set ``MultiCtl.value``
without propagating to mapped controllers.

- Pass a value for ``initial`` when calling ``MultiCtl.macro()`` to
set and propagate an initial value. Default behavior is to not set a value.

Changes
.......

- The ``repr`` of a ``CompactRange`` instance now shows that class name,
instead of ``Range``.

Fixes
.....

- Fix algorithm for propagating ``MultiCtl.value`` changes to
mapped controllers.

- Fix algorithm for reflecting mapped controllers back to ``MultiCtl.value``.


0.2.0 (2017-04-02)
------------------

Additions
.........

- Add ``Controller.pattern_value()`` instance method, to map a controller's
value to a pattern value in the range of 0x0000-0x8000.

- Add ``ALL_NOTES`` constant to see if a ``NOTECMD`` is a note or a command.
(Example: ``if some_note in ALL_NOTES: ...``)

- Add ``tabular_repr()`` instance methods to ``Note`` and ``Pattern``,
returning a tabular representation suitable for inclusion in text documents.

- Add ``behaviors`` attribute to all module classes, describing the
types of information each module can send and receive.

- Add package-specific exception base classes to ``rv.errors``.

- Add support for reading, writing, and modifying controller MIDI mappings.

- Add a ``MultiCtl.macro()`` static method, for quickly creating a
``MultiCtl`` that controls several similar controllers on connected modules.

- Add a ``MultiCtl.reflect()`` instance method, for setting a ``MultiCtl``'s
value based on the destination controller mapped at a given index.

- Add ``# TODO: ...`` notes to indicate unimplemented features.

- Allow property-style access to user-defined controllers on ``MetaModule``s
using a ``u_`` prefix. For example, if there's a user-defined controller
named "Attack", it will be accessible via the ``.u_attack`` property.

- Add ``ArrayChunk.set_via_fn()`` method, for setting various curves using
the output of a function.

- Add ``DRUMNOTE``, ``BDNOTE``, ``HHNOTE``, and ``SDNOTE`` enumerations to
``DrumSynth`` class, providing note aliases for easier programming of
drum sequences.

- Add ``Pattern.set_via_fn()`` and ``.set_via_gen()`` instance methods,
for altering a pattern based on the output of a function or generator.

Changes
.......

- Rename ``Output`` module's module group to ``"Output"``.

- When using ``Project.layout()``, default to using ``dot`` layout engine.

- Use a direct port of SunVox's algorithm for mapping ``MultiCtl`` values
to destination controllers.

- Use 1.9.2.0 as SunVox version number when writing projects to files.

- Allow using separate x/y offsets and factors during ``Project.layout()``

Fixes
.....

- Use same sharp note notation as used by SunVox (lowercase indicates sharp).

- Honor ``prog`` keyword arg when passed into ``Project.layout()`` method.

- Do not require pattern ``x`` or ``y`` to be divisible by 4.

- Assign correct controller number to user-defined controllers on
``MetaModule``s.

- Correct the max value allowed in a ``MultiSynth`` velocity/velocity curve.

- Move ``pygraphviz`` from ``requirements/base.txt`` to ``.../tools.txt``
to be more Windows-friendly.


0.1.1 (2016-11-09)
------------------

- Fix upload to PyPI.


0.1.0 (2016-11-09)
------------------

- Initial release.