- Overview of the project
- What
is CSound?
- Why
CSound and Houdini?
- Project phases
- CHOP DSO/DLL
CSound score generator (current)
- Full HDK integration
of CSound libraries/opcodes and utilities (current)
- CSound instrument
editor (VOPs) (under consideration ...)
- Interface
tour
- Source
code documentation
- CSound resources
Overview of
the project
This project emerged from a
need to export data from Houdini into CSound score files,
without the need for external parsers. The initial idea was
to simply write the channels to disk mapping the channel data
to the CSound score p-fields. This was sufficient for simple
compositions but when there's a requirement for more complicated
sound design and instrumental arrangements and scores, there
was a need for a more elaborate scheme. With the introduction
of VEX operators in Houdini, VOPs, afforded an easy method
to "prototype" the individual CSound operators and
the modeling of the "plugins" which will be developed
with the HDK (Houdini Development Kit), much as one would
use a formal software modeling language like UML (the Unified
Modeling Language-www.uml.org)
to design and test a application.
VOP operators have also provided a method to build a visual
CSound instrument editor. Ultimately, there will be a few
hundred new operators available in Houdini for sound designers
to build complex synthesizers within Houdini and use any channel
data available to control the synthesis. There's also the
potential benefit of using CSound operators for channel data
operations.
- NOTE: The CHOP CSound score generator extension creates
CSound score files which then are used by csound to create
the actual audio file. The next phase of the project will
have the CSound operators built-in to Houdini in such a
fashion to allow audio generation without using CSound "externally"
from Houdini.
What is CSound?
From the CSound book edited
by Richard Boulanger:
“CSound is an incredibly
powerful and versatile software synthesis program. Drawing
from a toolkit of over 450 signal processing modules, one
can use CSound to model virtually any commercial synthesizer
or multi-effects processor. CSound literally transforms a
personal computer into a high-end digital audio workstation
— an environment in which the worlds of sound-design, acoustic
research, digital audio production and computer music composition
all join together in the ultimate expressive instrument. However,
as with every musical instrument, true virtuosity is literally
the product of both talent and dedication. You will soon discover
that CSound is the ultimate musical instrument. But you must
practice! In return, it will reward your commitment by producing
some of the richest textures and uniquely beautiful timbres
you have ever heard. In the audio world of CSound, knowledge
and experience are the key... and your imagination the only
limitation.”
Why
CSound and Houdini?
While Houdini is one of
the most versatile and powerful 3D applications available,
it lacks the ability to design complex audio and signal processing
networks that are common to contemporary musical synthesizers
and composition systems. CSound is much like Houdini in that
it is composed of a number of operators (functions) that are
connected together in networks, passing data between them
to create and/or modify an audio signal. So it seemed a natural
"synthesis" to incorporate the CSound operators
into the Houdini procedural environment and using the Houdini
interface to design CSound instruments and integrate these
instruments into Houdini animation.
|
