Radio National's PM on Tau

Includes an excerpt of Tau Dub by yours truly. Listen and read the transcript here: http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2011/s3255854.htm

Tau Dub: What and How

Tau (2 π) is a suggested replacement for Pi. I wrote Tau Dub as part of the Tau Day gig / filming at RiAUS yesterday. You can see Tau Dub at the 11:26 mark in the video below.




Tau Dub uses Max/MSP for data generation and Ableton Live for sound generation. The first 614 digits of Tau are used, as follows:

6 2 8 3 1 8 5 3 0 7 1 7 9 5 8 6 4 7 6 9 2 5 2 8 6 7 6 6 5 5 9 0 0 5 7 6 8 3 9 4 3 3 8 7 9 8 7 5 0 2 1 1 6 4 1 9 4 9 8 9 1 8 4 6 1 5 6 3 2 8 1 2 5 7 2 4 1 7 9 9 7 2 5 6 0 6 9 6 5 0 6 8 4 2 3 4 1 3 5 9 6 4 2 9 6 1 7 3 0 2 6 5 6 4 6 1 3 2 9 4 1 8 7 6 8 9 2 1 9 1 0 1 1 6 4 4 6 3 4 5 0 7 1 8 8 1 6 2 5 6 9 6 2 2 3 4 9 0 0 5 6 8 2 0 5 4 0 3 8 7 7 0 4 2 2 1 1 1 1 9 2 8 9 2 4 5 8 9 7 9 0 9 8 6 0 7 6 3 9 2 8 8 5 7 6 2 1 9 5 1 3 3 1 8 6 6 8 9 2 2 5 6 9 5 1 2 9 6 4 6 7 5 7 3 5 6 6 3 3 0 5 4 2 4 0 3 8 1 8 2 9 1 2 9 7 1 3 3 8 4 6 9 2 0 6 9 7 2 2 0 9 0 8 6 5 3 2 9 6 4 2 6 7 8 7 2 1 4 5 2 0 4 9 8 2 8 2 5 4 7 4 4 9 1 7 4 0 1 3 2 1 2 6 3 1 1 7 6 3 4 9 7 6 3 0 4 1 8 4 1 9 2 5 6 5 8 5 0 8 1 8 3 4 3 0 7 2 8 7 3 5 7 8 5 1 8 0 7 2 0 0 2 2 6 6 1 0 6 1 0 9 7 6 4 0 9 3 3 0 4 2 7 6 8 2 9 3 9 0 3 8 8 3 0 2 3 2 1 8 8 6 6 1 1 4 5 4 0 7 3 1 5 1 9 1 8 3 9 0 6 1 8 4 3 7 2 2 3 4 7 6 3 8 6 5 2 2 3 5 8 6 2 1 0 2 3 7 0 9 6 1 4 8 9 2 4 7 5 9 9 2 5 4 9 9 1 3 4 7 0 3 7 7 1 5 0 5 4 4 9 7 8 2 4 5 5 8 7 6 3 6 6 0 2 3 8 9 8 2 5 9 6 6 7 3 4 6 7 2 4 8 8 1 3 1 3 2 8 6 1 7 2 0 4 2 7 8 9 8 9 2 7 9 0 4 4 9 4 7 4 3 8 1 4 0 4 3 5 9 7 2 1 8 8 7 4 0 5 5 4 1 0 7 8 4 3 4 3 5 2 5 8 6 3 5 3 5 0 4 7 6 9 3 4 9 6 3 6 9 3 5 3 3 8 8 1 0 2 6 4 0 0 1 1 3 6 2 5 4 2 9 0 5 3


All sonic material has been derived from the first 614 digits of Tau, converted as amplitude points to a continuous audio waveform. This waveform has then been processed to yield percussive material as well as pitched material.

Tau Waveform

Manipulating the Tau Waveform

Rhythm is generated from working with sets of eight digits from Tau (6.28...). Four digits are combined and then represented as a set of sixteen bits. These two groups of sixteen bit values are then compared with each other and processed using logic gates, which can be chosen by the user. The possible logic gates include the usual (and, or, nand, nor, not etc). A total of eight percussive sounds are mapped from eight possibilities of these logic gate combinations. Each logic gate combination represents a rhythm in a linear phrase, where a set bit represents a triggered percussive event. The timing of each percussive phrase is set by a global tempo / transport function as well as a phrase-by-phrase division of this global tempo (from 1/4 notes and 1/6 notes to 1/32 and 1/24 notes).

Rhythm Generation

Percussive Sounds

Control data, used for effect automation, is generated by creating sum and difference waves of the logic gate results, and then routing these to a range of effects.

Sum, Difference and Average Control Waves

Routing Data to Effects Automation

Pitch-based data is generated by looping a predefined length Tau, scaling each digit and playing this as a note whilst snapping the pitch to a major scale degree. The duration and timing of each note is set by a global tempo / transport function as well as a phrase-by-phrase division of this global tempo (1/4, 1/8 or 1/2).

Generating Pitches

Tau Waveform Synths

Tau Waveform Synth Chain

Tau Percussion Sample Pack

I made a small set of percussion samples using a waveform generated from the first 614 digits of 2π. Download it here: http://milkcrate.com.au/_other/downloads/sample_sets/Tau_Kit.zip

Tau Day Gig

I have been asked to write a piece and perform at the Tau Day gig, which will be held at RiAUS on the 28th June from 12:30 onwards.

Trophies For Everyone (SEGA Master System Track)

Listen here: https://8bc.org/music/little-scale/Trophies+For+Everyone+%28SEGA+Master+System%29/

No Input Mixing: Behringer Xenyx 502 + Reverb Pedal + Delay Pedal

CD/Tape output L --> Mic / Line 1;
CD/Tape output R --> Line 2/3;
Main Output L --> Digital reverb pedal input;
Digital reverb pedal output --> Digital delay pedal input;
Digital delay pedal output --> Line 4/5;
Phones out --> Speakers

Australian Chiptune Directory Has Been Updated

Finally. The Australian Chiptune Directory has been updated with the following:


Artists:
TimoKles
TmTgr
Abortifacient
Xandox
Sky Crawlers
Triforce
Slato
Drycell
Rubijaq
CasioNova
Talkshow Boy

Releases:
MKE OR BRK by Ten Thousand Free Men & Their Families
ANOTHER by Ten Thousand Free Men & Their Families
World War Whale by godinpants
Whalecore Manifesto by godinpants



Submit now if you want your stuff added.

Harajuku Bells

Cheapshot Live at Blip Festival Tokyo 2010 Afterparty

Dot.AY Live at Blip Festival Tokyo 2010 Afterparty

Pi to 10,000,000 Decimal Places in a Text File

Not sure if anyone will find this useful, but if you are looking for the first 10,000,000 decimal places of Pi, then you've come to the right place. Download here.

No Input Mixing: Behringer Xenyx 502 + Reverb Pedal

CD/Tape output L --> Mic / Line 1;
CD/Tape output R --> Line 2/3;
Main Output L --> Digital reverb pedal input;
Digital reverb pedal output --> Line 4/5;
Phones out --> Speakers

No Input Mixing: Behringer Xenyx 502

CD/Tape output L --> Mic / Line 1;
CD/Tape output R --> Line 2/3;
Main Output L --> Line 4/5;
Phones out --> Speakers;

little-scale Footage From Retrospekt 2.0 Launch

Alberto Velasco / XXIIRII: 'Carcass' Video