Audio synthesis / processing in JavaScript

by quinnirill • 15 years ago

32 14 15 years ago

This is interesting, but it seems like they are processing/producing a single sample at a time (though some effects seem to be buffer-based.) While convenient, it is a very, very inefficient way of doing things.

quinnirill6• 15 years ago

Actually, the API allows for both, whichever suits your needs. When doing buffer based processing, you can even add advanced automation, etc.

aaronblohowiak4• 15 years ago

I've looked at all of the examples in the src/generators, and the amplitude processor and I don't see the buffer-based generate() -- maybe I am just missing something?

rsiqueira• 15 years ago

I wrote an interactive demo to create sound waves (FM Synthesis) using JavaScript. Now I will try this audiolibjs to make it better and add effects. I was creating effects from the scratch (using rand to produce white noise, etc): http://js.do/sound-waves-with-javascript/ (Click each "Interesting Sound and Waves" to see each effect. Graphics/waves are created using Processing.JS)

quinnirill6• 15 years ago

Wow, that's very cool! I think you could make a great learning resource for FM synthesis from there, especially if you'd explain how each of those examples are put together!

bprater• 15 years ago

Ooh. This might be the beginning of JS/web-based synths. I'm curious what kinds of cool synths musicians might dream up and how the having synths on the web could make it different than anything before. Are browser-makers considering an API that allows me to plug my MIDI keyboard into a webpage?

quinnirill6• 15 years ago

One of the earlier demos (about a year old and unfinished) : http://niiden.com/orbisyn/ :) has a virtual MIDI keyboard, to which you can connect a MIDI synth if you have Java. It isn't exactly native support, and it's very unpredictable, but it's something that can be used meanwhile.

However, the Device API should allow access to external inputs, such as microphones and MIDI controllers, so it's coming along!

paulnasca2• 15 years ago

Does it support large (256k samples) array FFTs? I could use it for PADsynth algorithm ( http://zynaddsubfx.sourceforge.net/doc/PADsynth/PADsynth.htm ).

Also, from the API, it seems that I could implement Paulstretch algorithm ( http://hypermammut.sourceforge.net/paulstretch/ ) easily. When I'll have some free time, I'll try it. EDIT: I looked a bit closer on interface EFFECT and Paulstretch cannot be implemented as an effect, but as a generator. Needs to be studied more :)

quinnirill6• 15 years ago

fft.js supports as large buffers as JS can handle, that depends a bit on the browser, but 256k samples will probably work, you might have some trouble in Chrome, if you have too much other stuff in memory as well. Would be cool to see a demo of PADsynth on the web, especially with audiolib.js!!!

Paulstretch would be a perfect addition to the library, it would open whole new doors for example for samplers (whoa, the sample is sustained forever!), of course with some limitations in regards of real time. Send me a message on GitHub, if you decide to take up on the task, I'd be glad to give you a hand with it! :)

paulnasca2• 15 years ago

Unfortunately, in this period of time I am quite busy porting Paulstretch to Android. I have rewritten a (C++) fixed point implementation of Paulstretch and now I have to write the GUI for Android. After I will release it, I hope that I will have some time to port it to JS. Anyway, feel free to add the task for me (my user is 'paulnasca').

If you want to look at the algorithm of Paulstretch you can have a look to a simple Python implementation: https://github.com/paulnasca/paulstretch_python/blob/master/... The algorithm is pretty fast, the most time consuming operations are the FFTs and IFFTs. That's why I think that it might work on real-time JS.

Audio synthesis / processing in JavaScript

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