overtone VS Rack

Overtone is the state of the art if you like Lisp https://github.com/overtone/overtone

https://clojure.org/guides/threading_macros

Incidentally, for making music with Clojure there's Overtone: https://github.com/overtone/overtone

> Midi being an “artist” tool places it more as a medium like paint.

I’ve used MIDI “as paint”.

Written music using code to MIDI(1), and wrote “cross instrument” music, ie using my keyboard as drum machine.

But these days MIDI is chiefly an archival method for me.

Every time I touch my keyboard is recorded, is much smaller than a comparable audio recording, by design “forced fidelity” in the recording, and I am able to pipe the MIDI format through transcription software (which would be near impossible from an audio recording today).

(1) http://overtone.github.io/

I've never actually used it myself. I've preferred systems that talk to SuperCollider, like overtone, because it's already rock solid and has lots of good DSP built in.

Thanks. I don't know to what extend its "better-because-of-clojure" but I also found overtone https://github.com/overtone/overtone which should be good fun (though the underlying synthesizer is supercollider/C++).

You might want to look at Overtone, which is a clojure environment built on top of overtone, and which integrates with processing and a few other similar things.

https://overtone.github.io/

If you want to understand (Subtractive) synthesis. The best way is to get copy of VCV rack and follow a few tutorials. If you patch one subtractive mono synth voice once, you understand 80% of all subtractive synth architecture moving forward.

https://vcvrack.com (open source and wonderful)

I wonder whether someone already has build away to create modular synthesizer using block with knobs on the table. A line on the top of the knob would signal its position. (In the video I saw some shots that looked like sequencers.) You would also need some mechanism to connect the modules together. I played around with VCV Rack [1], but adjusting knobs with a mouse feels very different than using your hands to turn a physical knob. Also, I would like to have more freedom in arranging modules more freely as you could do on a table, instead of using patch cables that go into all kinds of directions. Especially for newbies, it would be an interesting way to see if they want to go into real modular synths based on Eurorack [2], AE Modular [3] or microrack [4].

[1] https://vcvrack.com/

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurorack

[3] https://www.tangiblewaves.com/

[4] https://microrack.org/

I have a couple of these to add as well:

VCVRack - simply one of the most mind-expanding things a synthesizer-nerd can play with. (https://vcvrack.com/)

ZynthianOS - another example of a simple software solution to a problem nobody realized existed, opening the door to an absolutely astonishing array of Audio processing tools (https://zynthian.org/)

VCV Rack - Modular Synth

> It’s haven’t bought any Modular’s yet but I’m really looking forward to getting into other on the new year.

http://cardinal.kx.studio

https://vcvrack.com/

The former is libre and gratis, runs as a standalone or plugin and in the browser!! and is based on the latter.

Ther former has a libre and gratis standalone version, the plugin version is non-gratis.

A music synthesizer. It's a pathway to learning electronics, music, and the nature of sound. There are cheap kits, cheap synths, lots of kinds of synths, and there are much more complicated and expensive systems you can grow into. You can get software synths also, VCV Rack is a free though complex one:

https://vcvrack.com/

However I'd recommend an inexpensive hardware one with real knobs you can turn, like one of the Korg Volca series:

https://www.korg-volca.com/en/

Recording the sounds can lead into exploring all the concepts and gear involved in recording and mixing music. It's not mutually exclusive with doing other things also, you can play with both synths and computers and being involved with something artistic can add dimensions to and an escape from the nature of classwork/work.

Some other suggestions: gardening, high voltage electronics (with lots of supervision), electronics, photography, movie making, ham radio (gnu radio), show lighting systems (there's more than disco lights, robotics is involved), robotics, acoustic instruments (guitar, piano, flute, drums), sensors (you don't necessarily have to know electronics, get a data logger with built in sensors), weather monitoring/forecasting, hydraulic systems (with supervision), wood working, metal working, 3D printing, bird watching, painting, minibikes/small engines.