Music programming language

[fmr]

It seems indeed possible to add pseudorandom notes via a function, or a lot of templates and choosing from them without enganging in the music or so, but it's not my goal. E.g. I find it only easier to write a loop than dragging the bottom-right corner to the right in Bitwig or Reaper, because I have physical problems using the mouse like this for more than an hour.

I don't know exactly about Bitwig and Reaper (although I have Reaper) but in Digital Performer, for example, you can select a region, and choose an option in the menu to make it loop "x" number of times. Maybe there is somethinbg in Reaper for this, and if there isn't you can always create script to do that - it doesn't seem really difficult, and certainly, it isn't exactly what someone would think when talking about a "Music programming language".

I am not sure because I am not into loops, anyway, so, the very few times I want something to be repeated, I just drag, because the number of repetitions I want is small enough to make it easier that way.

[Max M.]

E.g. I find it only easier to write a loop than dragging the bottom-right corner to the right in Bitwig or Reaper, because I have physical problems using the mouse like this for more than an hour.

Mmm... All proper DAWs have (or let you setup) keyboard shortcuts for every function. So technically one can do a complete session from start to end w/o ever touching the mouse at all (not counting things that require mouse by design - e.g. tweaking knobs of most of plugins - one can still setup them indirectly via automation/MIDI but that's usually pretty tedious).
For instance setting wave loop in Cubase (classical versions) was just:
Ctrl+K > Tab > Count > Tab > Enter.

[Klinke]

One more solution: Earsketch (https://earsketch.gatech.edu/earsketch2/)

I tried only the first version which was implemented against the Reaper API, which was really nice (but I'm not sure if this version is still available).

[deastman]

Rather than a programming language, it seems like what you want is a text-based sample sequencer. You want to sequence you composition using text rather than a visual interface. Is that a fair description?

It seems like something like CSound should meet your needs. Alternatively, you could work with a MIDI library in the language of your choice and send that to an existing sampler or synth. Then you could easily develop whatever musical bar-centric routines you want.

[nerd]

Ok, to whomever whose nerves I might have stretched, I'd like to add this. I did install generator (reaktor), max/dsp and quite a few. I know it's up to me to learn quite a lot (though I'be never liked the mixture of editing+scripting). But if there was an appealing option that seemingly supports live _and_ linear and production, also with freezing and optimization like this, and last but not least would support accoustic genres (not too many synthesis-only options), sampling and mastering, that would be a super cool tool, if it was working all out-of-the-box. A Bitwig replacement for me. I guess, some wouldn't compare Bitwig and the "live coding setup" I speak of. But for the sake of explaning what I have in mind, I did it now.

What about this then? Live coding in MAX/MSP and/or Ableton Live, so gives you the linear production thing too.

https://cycling74.com/articles/content- ... ibberwocky

It looks interesting, but I'm actually not looking for interaction, visualization and live-options. Instead I'd like the "programming" (I've maybe chosen the wrong term) language as descriptive as what HTML is for websites or maybe what Csound is for sounds. Mostly a static description of a song, roughly the song starts at the top of the script and ends at the bottom. One may think of how music was written down 100 years ago, that is - ignoring some features I mentioned - actually a more precise description of my whish than live coding.

[nerd]

Rather than a programming language, it seems like what you want is a text-based sample sequencer. You want to sequence you composition using text rather than a visual interface. Is that a fair description?

Yes, this is very much what I'm thinking of. If there was no possible programming/markup language fitting my needs, I'd indeed use a text based sample sequencer very likely.

It seems like something like CSound should meet your needs. Alternatively, you could work with a MIDI library in the language of your choice and send that to an existing sampler or synth. Then you could easily develop whatever musical bar-centric routines you want.

Admittedly I have to retry Csound. Some time ago, what I achived with it was not more than a sound experiment.

[fmr]

It seems like something like CSound should meet your needs. Alternatively, you could work with a MIDI library in the language of your choice and send that to an existing sampler or synth. Then you could easily develop whatever musical bar-centric routines you want.

Admittedly I have to retry Csound. Some time ago, what I achived with it was not more than a sound experiment.

In Csound you have two dimensions: The instruments (the "orchestra") AND the score.

I think deastman is referring to the score, not the instruments. Many people approach Csound almost exclusively as a way to create new sounds, and the score part is basically seen as just a way to make them sound. But the score, especially if you use some of the third party extensions created to help with it, can also be a very powerful tool.