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Getting Started

Starting sc3nb

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import sc3nb as scn

To startup sc3nb (sclang, scsynth, and a python OSC server) use startup which will return a SC instance which is the central SuperCollider Interface

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sc = scn.startup()  # see Configuration of sc3nb startup below for more details

You can produce a test sound with blip, which should relax any tensions whether the server is up and running. This sound should be played by the default server start.

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sc.server.blip()

sc provides you the interfaces for

  • scsynth via sc.server

  • sclang via sc.lang

Configuration of sc3nb startup:

  • Specifying the excutable location

  • We try to find the sclang and scsynth executables in the $PATH environment variable and also in the default installation directories

    • On macOS they reside in /Applications/SuperCollider.app/Contents in the folders MacOS and Resources. To add these paths to your $PATH, simply add to your ~/.profile, e.g. (please adapt to your installation): PATH=$PATH:/Applications/SuperCollider.app/Contents/MacOS:/Applications/SuperCollider.app/Contents/Resources

    • On Windows they reside in your Installation folder f.e C:\Program Files\SuperCollider-3.x.x

  • If the executables are not found, you can specify them with sclang_path / scsynth_path e.g. sclang_path="/path/to/sclang-containing-dir/sclang"

  • You could also only use scsynth only and don’t start sclang with start_sclang=False

  • See help(scn.startup) for all options

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# help(scn.startup)

Basic examples

Use Python implementations to control the SuperCollider audio server

Create and control SuperCollider Synths

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syn = scn.Synth("s2")
syn

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syn.freq = 800
syn

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syn.free()  # or use the ctrl-. (cmd-.) shortcut in Jupyter notebooks
syn

Send SynthDefs with python code injection

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synth_dur = 0.5  # you can use python variables in SynthDefs by prepending ^
synth_def = scn.SynthDef('random', """{ |out|
    var line;
    line = Line.kr(1, 0, ^synth_dur, doneAction: Done.freeSelf);
    Out.ar(out, SinOsc.ar(Rand(400, 800), 0, 0.2) * line);
}""")
synth_def.add()
synth_def  # Note that the representation has synth_dur already injected

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scn.Synth("random")

Load a file as Buffer and play it

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buf = scn.Buffer().read("./media/blip.wav")
buf

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buf.play()

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buffer_data = buf.to_array()
print(buffer_data.shape)
buffer_data

More examples about the above used SuperCollider objects can be found in the respective User Guide sections * Nodes (Synths and Groups) * SynthDef * Buffer

Use OSC to control the SuperCollider audio server

Send OSC Messages with SuperCollider Commands and receive replies

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sc.server.msg("/status")  # waits for reply message and returns it

We offer also high level versions for the commands.

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sc.server.status()

Create OSC Bundles using SuperCollider Commands directly

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with sc.server.bundler() as bundler:
    bundler.add(0.2, "/s_new", ["s1", -1, 0, 0])
    bundler.add(0.5, "/s_new", ["s1", -1, 0, 0, "freq", 800, "dur", 0.1])
bundler.messages()

or create OSC Bundles with the high level Python implementations

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with sc.server.bundler() as bundler:
    bundler.wait(0.2)
    scn.Synth("s1")
    bundler.wait(0.3)
    scn.Synth("s1", {"freq": 800, "dur": 0.1})
bundler.messages()

More OSC communication examples

Use the SuperCollider Language from Python

Execute SuperCollider Language Code

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breakfast = "eggs"
sc.lang.cmd('^breakfast.scramble;')

or via the %sc IPython magic

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%sc ^breakfast.scramble

Get results from SuperCollider Language in python with cmdg or %scg

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x = 5
value = %scg (1..^x)
print(f"received {value} with type {type(value)}")

More sclang in sc3nb examples

Stoping the synthesis

There are multiple options to stop the playing audio synthesis

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%sc x = Synth.new("default")  // starting a Synth with sclang

  • to stop all playing synths either use CMD-. (in Jupyter Command mode).

  • It is a shortcut for the ´free_all´ method of the default server

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sc.server.free_all()

  • or you could also use sclang

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%sc s.freeAll

Combined usage

It is also possible to mix the different interaction styles.

  • create a Synth with sclang and get the nodeid of the Synth via the %scg IPython magic

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nodeid = %scg x = Synth("default"); x.nodeID;

  • create the corresponding Python Synth instance

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synth = scn.Synth("default", nodeid=nodeid, new=False)
synth

  • Inspect and control the Synth from Python

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synth.synth_desc

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synth.freq

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synth.freq *= 2
synth.freq

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synth

  • send a OSC Message to free the Synth

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sc.server.msg("/n_free", nodeid)

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synth

Exiting sc3nb

To shut down the server and sclang subprocesses

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sc.exit()

Further information and advanced examples

For more details on the specific parts please refer to the corresponding sections of the User Guide.

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