Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Sonic Pi – The Live Coding Music Synth for Everyone

sonic-pi.net

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 65 posts

Re: Sonic Pi – The Live Coding Music Synth for Everyone

#52

Post by nvrspyx »

discardedrefuse wrote: post #46
djaychela wrote: post #4

I've spent some time trying to work with Sonic Pi, but I've really struggled with the syntax, finding it difficult to work with. I'm fluent in Python but find the use of colons is the real sticking point. If anyone's got any suggestions, or can point to a python version of the same (I spent a fair bit of time working with FoxDot which does use python so it made more sense to me) it'd be appreciated - this is somethin…

FoxDot is probably what you're looking for. https://foxdot.org/

They actually mentioned FoxDot in their comment, so they're already familiar. Plus, FoxDot is no longer being actively developed.

Re: Sonic Pi – The Live Coding Music Synth for Everyone

#53

Post by q-base »

taink wrote: post #32

First learned of Sonic Pi in Dylan Beattie's "The Art of Code" NDC London conference[1]. Overall a very interesting watch; the particular segment mentioning Sonic Pi had really piqued my interest towards this wonderful piece of software. [1] https://yewtu.be/watch?v=6avJHaC3C2U

Thanks for sharing. It is by no means new and I have seen it before. But that is such an incredible presentation!

Re: Sonic Pi – The Live Coding Music Synth for Everyone

#54

Post by opminion »

d--b wrote: post #31

Live coding music is nice, but the interface is awful. Having someone type at a laptop is so boring to watch, it totally kills the mood. I'd rather have them manipulate lego like bricks on a physical screen or even write on a chalkboard... Something has to be better than this

The interface is designed so that a 10-12 year old can write music-making code with little guidance. I have anecdotal evidence that it's quite good for that purpose.

Re: Sonic Pi – The Live Coding Music Synth for Everyone

#55

Post by jameal »

I downloaded Sonic Pi years ago but haven't given it a proper try. I'm really looking forward to playing around with it again. Playing around with music can be such a fun creative outlet!

This is only slightly related but since others are sharing their live coding resources, I've had a lot of fun playing around with this one in the past: https://livecodingyoutube.github.io

Re: Sonic Pi – The Live Coding Music Synth for Everyone

#57

Post by ThomasMidgley »

jhbadger wrote: post #50
d--b wrote: post #31

Live coding music is nice, but the interface is awful. Having someone type at a laptop is so boring to watch, it totally kills the mood. I'd rather have them manipulate lego like bricks on a physical screen or even write on a chalkboard... Something has to be better than this

I don't think "live coding" music means that musicians would actually write code in front of an audience live -- it's not like musicians compose music in real time even without computers. In either case there is a lot of trial and error in getting things right that you wouldn't want an audience to see (or hear). I think "live coding" is just a fancy way of saying a programming experience with immediate feedback -- li…

There are many musicians who "build" music in live concerts with modular synthesizers (in newer times mostly with Eurorack modules). Since many decades! Without computers. With some experience they know how to handle their tools. And with some experience a good live coder can do the same with his computer too.

Re: Sonic Pi – The Live Coding Music Synth for Everyone

#58

Post by MivLives »

d--b wrote: post #31

Live coding music is nice, but the interface is awful. Having someone type at a laptop is so boring to watch, it totally kills the mood. I'd rather have them manipulate lego like bricks on a physical screen or even write on a chalkboard... Something has to be better than this

I used to have this complaint until I saw someone do it well. The key is that can't be all their doing. One guy I saw was doing it at audience level while also being in the pit and moshing. Not sure I'll ever see anything like that again.

Re: Sonic Pi – The Live Coding Music Synth for Everyone

#59

Post by MivLives »

ThomasMidgley wrote: post #57
jhbadger wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think "live coding" music means that musicians would actually write code in front of an audience live -- it's not like musicians compose music in real time even without computers. In either case there is a lot of trial and error in getting things right that you wouldn't want an audience to see (or hear). I think "live coding" is just a fancy way of saying a programming experience with immediate feedback -- li…

There are many musicians who "build" music in live concerts with modular synthesizers (in newer times mostly with Eurorack modules). Since many decades! Without computers. With some experience they know how to handle their tools. And with some experience a good live coder can do the same with his computer too.

I've seen performances where the live coding is just them building those same modular synths just digital. They start with a patch, and know what patch they need to end in. Everything between is up to them. Wish I had a better look at what they were doing.
Post reply on HN