A mareal is a collection of tides
Many moons ago I was really into live-coding, the practice of creating electronic music in real time with a programming language. I never performed, but I played extensively with many live-coding tools: Csound, SuperCollider and my favourite, Tidal Cycles (aka Tidal).
Tidal Cycles is a Haskell library that can be used in a text editor or a REPL to create musical patterns that are then rendered to audio with SuperCollider. I was struck by the beauty of it: leveraging functional programming to create music while composing functions.
I have to tell you the truth, setting up Tidal Cycles was half a nightmare: it had many moving parts (Haskell, Cabal, SuperCollider, Quarks…) and they are all one update away from no longer working together. Today we have it easy, strudel.cc is Tidal Cycles reimagined for Javascript and the modern web, so it is always online and always available. But Javascript is not Haskell, and I miss the pure geometry of its original abstractions.
While playing with Tidal Cycles in the summer of 2019 I published a collection of code/music snippets that I called maree (marea is tide in Italian). They are small fragments of noise, abstract electronic snapshots, little musical footnotes. I pushed the code to a github repo, and made for each of them a screenshot+audio for instagram.
This post is a collection and recollection of that body of work.
Marea n.1
published on: 2019-06-18 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
My first marea, and the one I’m most fond of. I remember the wonder I felt after writing it, not expecting this result at all. The syncopated vocal cut-up technique always has a strong emotional effect on me.
d1 $ jux (chop 2 . (# cut 2))
$ sound "bev*<2 4 6 8>"
# cut 1
# begin (slow 16 $
range 0 0.5 rand)
Marea n.2
published on: 2019-06-19 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
The inspiration for this piece came from the chiptune genre and the video game soundtracks of my childhood. It makes me think of a level in an action game, with a horde of enemies closing in.
d1 $ stack [
sound "[~ bd:3]*3 [bd:3 bd:2 bd:1]",
fast 1.5 $ jux (rev . (# room 0.1)
. (# sz 0.5) . (|+ n "<4 6 7>"))
$ n (run 32)
|+| sound "sid(<7 5 13>,16)" # cut 1,
fast "<3 4 3 0.75>" $ arp "down"
$ n "<c'min'4 f'min'3>"
# s "supersaw"
# cutoff (fast 8 $ range 300 10000 rand)
+| crush "1 2*2 [3 2] 1" # gain 0.7
]
Marea n.3
published on: 2019-06-20 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
I can hear the influences of ambient music and the X-Files soundtrack. I particularly like the grittiness introduced by the audio glitch in the delay effect’s feedback.
d1 $ off 0.5 (
(fast 2)
. (# note "[-12 -7]")
. (# cutoff
(slow 4 $ range 400 5000 saw))
. (# pan sine))
$ every 4 (# speed 0.5) $ slow 3
$ note "[0 <3 5> ~, 7 ~ 5 ~ -4]"
# sound "feelfx"
# shape 0.8 # delay 0.7 # delayfb 0.5
# delayt "<0.3 0.5>/2" # gain 0.6
Marea n.4
published on: 2019-06-21 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
Industrial sounds in an alien forest. Nine Inch Nails meeting an alien abduction.
d1 $ every 8 (juxBy 0.3 (rev)) $ stack [
struct "t [[~ t] ~] [[t t] ~] [[~ t] ~]"
$ sound "dr:5" # speed 0.75
# shape 0.7 # gain 0.72,
sound "hh:3(7,16,1)" # pan 0.6,
sound "[~ mute]/2" # n "[0 0 0 3]/8"
# speed 0.3 # gain 0.9,
sound "ab:2(<9!3 5>,16)"
# slow 4 (cutoff (range 400 800 sine))
# pan 0.3,
every 4 (# speed 0.5) $ degrade $ chop 24
$ note "-3" # sound "em2:2"
# gain 0.7 # pan (slow 3 sine)
]
Marea n.5
published on: 2019-06-23 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
I remember I was driving my car. The road followed the outer walls of my city, and the light of the sunset filtered through the treetops. “Such Great Heights” by The Postal Service was playing on the radio.
d1 $ stack [
whenmod 6 4 (# silence)
$ stut 5 0.3 "[0.25 0.1 0.5]/3"
$ arp "[thumbup thumbdown]/2"
$ note "[a'min'5 c'maj'5 f'maj'5 g'maj'5]/<8 4>"
# s "made:4" # end 0.3 # gain 0.85,
sound "~ sd:2 ~ sd:2" # speed "<1 0.7 1.3 0.7>"
# pan (slow 4 saw) # gain 0.9,
every 4 (>| sound
"[[techno:1 techno:7] 808mt]*4")
$ sound "[techno:7 808mt]*4" # gain 1.2
] # cps 0.7
Marea n.6
published on: 2019-06-26 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
This is how the sea would sound if it had a forest, and if that forest had an undergrowth.
d1 $stack [
every 8 ((# speed 2) . (# pan sine))
$ slow 4
$ superimpose ((0.666 ~>) . (# note (-4)))
$ superimpose ((0.333 ~>) . (# note (-7)))
$ striateBy "[12 24 7]/3" (1/6)
$ sound "wind sd:3 moog" # gain "1 0.7 0.9"
# speed "[0.5!4 0.3]/5"
# lpf 700 # room 0.5 # sz 0.7,
slow 6 $ (0.2 ~>) $ striateBy 24 (1/6)
$ note "[0!3 3]/4" # sound "sundance:1"
# speed "0.3" # shape 0.7 # gain 0.6
# bpf 500
]
Marea n.7
published on: 2019-06-27 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
This is the toy music box that played while Richard D. James was growing up.
d1 $ every 7 (trunc 0.75) $ stack [
struct "t [~ t] [t t] [t ~ t]"
$ n (run 6) # sound "ades2" # gain 1.1,
fast 2 $ sound "[casio*<4 2 3>] oc" # pan 0.7
# n "<0 1> <0 1 2 3>",
sound "bassfoo:2(7,16)" # end 0.1 # pan 0.4,
sound "[rm*3]*4" # gain "0.8 0.6 0.8",
every 8
(>| note
"[c4(9,16), c5(9,16,1), c6(9,16,2)]")
$ stut 4 0.5 "[0.2 0.1 0.5]/3"
$ sound "superfork [~ superfork]"
# note "[c <e [e e]> <[g g] g> d]/4"
# shape 0.7
] # cps (90/60/4)
Marea n.8
published on: 2019-06-28 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
Disco club of leaves.
d1 $ every 16 brak $ stack [
swing (slow 16 (run 4)+6) $
every 5 ((scramble 5) . (# speed 0.7))
$ every 7 rev
$ every 3 (trunc 0.8)
$ n (run 10) # s "ul" # gain 0.9,
sound "linnhats:1(9,16)"
# gain 0.7 # pan "[0.7 0.4]*4",
sound "kicklinn(5,16)" # shape 0.6,
sound "[[~ sn:2] [~ [sn:2*4]]\
\[~ sn:2] [~ [sn:2*8]]]/4"
# shape 0.3 # pan 0.6,
sound "808cy/4" # speed 0.3
# cutoff 700 # pan 0.4,
whenmod 4 3
(# sound "[trump ~ sid ~]/16")
$ sound "hoover:4 hoover:4*2"
# speed 0.25 # note "[0!7 3]/2"
# cut 1 # crush 4
# cutoff 700 # pan saw
] # cps (160/60/4)
Marea n.9
published on: 2019-07-01 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
Distressing and oppressive, like a hospital visit.
d1 $ every 8 (stutWith 4 0.5
(# vowel "a a e a"))
$ stack [
palindrome $ n "0 [1 2 [4 3]]"
# s "808hc"
# shape "[0.3 0.6 0.45]/3",
sound "[less less:1 less:3]/2",
note "[0 -3]/6" # sound "sax"
# cut 1 # gain 0.8
# slow 7 (pan saw),
slow 10 $ n (run 20)
# sound "<bass bleep>" # cut 2
# pan rand # gain 0.7
] # room 0.5 # sz 0.9
Marea n.10
published on: 2019-07-02 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
Walking among the cabinets of an interdimensional arcade.
d1 $ stack [
sometimes ((# sound "superpiano")
. (trunc (range 0.3 1 rand)))
$ stut "<2 0 4>" 0.3 "<0.1 0.2 0.3 0.5>"
$ note (arp "[[downup diverge] pinkyup converge]/4"
"[c2'7sus4'24 a1'minor7'18]/<2 2 4>")
# sound "casio:1" # gain
(slow 4 $ range 0.7 0.9 tri),
struct "t!3 <[~ t] t*4>" $ sound "casio:2"
# shape 0.3 # crush 3 # gain 0.8,
every 8 (jux (rev . (shuffle 3)))
$ every 3 (|- note 4)
$ sound "[bass*4, [~ jazz:4]*2]"
# room 0.3 # sz 0.3
# gain 0.95,
striate "[6 32]*2" $ sound "[erk]/8"
# cutoff 800
# gain 0.8 # shape 0.4
# begin "[0.25 0.75]/16" # end "[0.5 1]/16"
# room 0.7 # sz 0.7
] # cutoff (range 10000 50 (slow 8 saw))
Marea n.11
published on: 2019-07-03 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
I like the trip-hop feel of this piece. You can tell I’m a child of the ’90s.
d1 $ whenmod 8 3 (stutWith 3 (1/4)
((|* speed 0.75)
. (# shape 0.5)
. (|* gain 0.75)))
$ every 4 ((scramble 4) . (chop 2))
$ every 5 (jux (slow 2))
$ stack [
sound "sine:2*4",
stut 7 0.3 0.15 $ sound "~ ~ ravemono/3"
# cutoff 300 # end 0.1 # shape 0.6,
sound "~ <bin [bin*2 ~]>"
# slow 5 (n (run 5)) # cutoff 800,
n "0 [1 2] 3 [4 5]" # sound "mouth"
# cutoff 2400,
sound "<gabba [gabba*2 ~ ~]>"
# cutoff 100 # gain 0.9
# room 0.3 # size 0.6
] # cps 0.45
Marea n.12
published on: 2019-07-04 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
It has the pace of a march, accompanied by a sense of nausea about the destination.
d1 $ stack [
slow 3 $ rarely ((# sound "superfork"))
$ note "<a3 cs4> f3/2" # sound "metal"
# room 0.5 # sz 0.7 |- note 12
# gain 0.8 # orbit 1 # pan "[1 0]/2",
sound "auto:4*4" # gain 1.2,
degrade $ chop 12 $ sound "em2:2"
# speed 0.25 # cutoff 700
# hcutoff 500,
sound "808bd:9*2 [~ 808sd:4] \
\808bd:9*4 [~ 808sd:3]"
# gain 1.1,
struct "[t t t [~ t]]*2"
$ note "<a4 cs5>/4"
# sound "pluck" # crush "<6 4>"
] # cps (140/60/4)
Marea n.13
published on: 2019-07-05 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
The theme of discotheques populated by strange beings seems to recur often. Just like in real-world discotheques.
p "marea13" $ every 4
(superimpose ((fast 3)
. (|+ note "<0 7 -5>")
. (|* gain 0.7)
. (# sound "dist")
. (# cut 2)))
$ stack [
every 4 (jux ((0.25 ~>)))
$ stutWith 4 0.5
(|* speed
(slow 13
$ choose [0.8, 0.7, 0.6, 0.5]))
$ euclid "<13 12 11>" 16
$ sound "hh27" # pan sine,
sound "[hardcore:5,\
\<808bd:4 808bd:5>]*4"
# gain "1.3 1.2 1.3 1.2"
# room 0.6 # sz 0.6 # orbit 1,
chop "<2 5 1 3>" $ sound "cosmicg"
# gain 0.9 # cutoff 330
# cut 1 # note 5,
sound "<808lt:2 [~ 808lt:3]>*8"
# gain 1.1
] # leslie 0.5
Marea n.14
published on: 2019-07-06 tidalcycles version: 1.0.13
A rave party in an abandoned factory. A factory in an abandoned rave party.
p "marea14" $ jux (striate "2 0 3")
$ stack [
interlace "hh:5(6,8)"
$ spin "<2 [3 4] 2 [4 3]>"
$ sound "[lt lt ~] [mt mt ~] \
\[lt lt ~] [ht ht ~]"
# gain 0.8,
every 8 (|+ note 7)
$ sound "gab:2*4"
# note "<-3 0>"
# cutoff 1000 # gain 1.1,
spin 2 $ spread
($) [density 2, rev,
slow 2, striate 3,
(# speed "1.25")]
$ sound "jungle:7*16"
# gain (range 0.7 1.1 rand),
ghost "~ sn"
]
Marea n.15
published on: 2019-07-07 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
Strange birds are nesting outside my window. Their mating call blends with my prayers.
p "marea15" $ stack [
sound "<ab:1 ab:2>*2" # loop "<4 3 2 6 9>"
# coarse "<4 8 16 24>" # room 0.5
# cutoff (slow 4 (range 100 1000 saw))
# pan rand # delay 1
# delayt (slow 4 sine)
# orbit 1 # gain 0.8,
every 4 (stut 2 0.9 0.2)
$ sound "moan(3, 8)" # speed "<1 1 2>"
# gain 0.6 # cutoff 300 # pan 0.3,
sound "moog(<3 4 2>, 8)"
# note "<c c c gf4>"
# end 0.15 # cut 1
# gain 0.7 # pan 0.7,
sound "[dr2!3 dr2:1]"
# room 0.2 # gain 0.8
] # cps (1/6)
Marea n.16
published on: 2019-07-08 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
This is probably the least inspired marea. Listening to it again today, it brings back no memories and stirs no emotions.
p "marea16" $ stack [
every 4 (scramble 3)
$ stutWith 4 (1/3)
((|* speed 0.1)
. (# shape 0.7)
. (# end 0.3)
. (# cutoff 600)
. (# gain 0.9))
$ n (run "<4 5 8 3>")
# sound "<procshort dr55 ades4>*8",
every 3 (jux rev $)
$ sound "juno:0(<5 4 7>,8)"
# cutoff (slow 4 (range 400 1000 sine))
# n "<0 1>/3" # gain 1.3,
sound "[~ [clak,[~ e]]]*4"
# n "<0 1 2 3>" # pan sine # gain 1.3
]
Marea n.17
published on: 2019-07-09 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
Things are strange. Things can get stranger.
p "marea17" $ every 7 (jux rev)
$ stack [
every 8 ((|- note 7)
. (arp "diverge"))
$ superimpose ((# sound "juno:2")
. (# cut 2) . (0.2 <~))
$ arp "down"
$ note "<e'min'5 g4'maj'5>*3"
# sound "juno:3" # cut 1
# shape (slow 5 (range 0.3 0.1 sine))
# cutoff (slow 5 (range 100 3000 sine)),
sound "909*4"
# gain (range 0.8 1.1 sine)
# shape 0.6
# cutoff 1000,
sound "~ 808sd:3/2" # hpf 1000
] # room 0.3 # sz 0.3
Marea n.18
published on: 2019-07-10 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
Listening to it after so long, it feels like floating. Drifting high above things, tiny and far below.
p "marea18" $ stack [
stutWith 4 0.3 (|* speed (-1))
$ note "<[0 2]*8 [0 3]*8>"
# sound "short"
# speed 0.1 # cutoff
(slow 4 (range 300 1000 sine))
# gain (slow 4
(range 1.1 0.85 tri)),
sound "gretsch(3,8)"
# n (slow 4 (choose [1,0]))
# speed (-1) # room 0.5
# orbit 1 # gain 0.9,
(stut 6 0.1 0.1 $ sound "haw/3"
# n (irand 6))
# pan (range 0.3 0.7 rand)
# cutoff 4000,
whenmod 4 2 (# n 2)
$ sound "bass3(<3!3 5>,8)"
]
Marea n.19
published on: 2019-07-11 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
In Inception there is a chase scene in Mombasa.
p "marea19" $ every 7 (jux rev) $ stack [
every 3 (within (1/3,2/3) (# speed 0.333))
$ whenmod 6 2 (rev)
$ wedge 0.4 (sound "dr2*8"
# n (slow 3 $ run 6))
$ sound "bd*8" # n (slow 6 $ run 24),
sound "~ ~ ~ [print print:1 print:3]*2"
# cutoff 1500,
whenmod 8 6 (# note (-3)) $
sound "sitar:1" # end 0.3 # speed 0.4
] # room 0.4 # sz 0.3 # leslie 0.9
Marea n.20
published on: 2019-07-12 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
Ok this is cool.
p "marea20" $ every 8 (#sound "tabla2")
$ stack [
arp "down"
$ sound "supersquare(10,12)"
# note "<gs5'dim7'4 e4'min'4>"
# legato 0.7
# voice (slow 8 (range 0.2 0.8 sine))
# crush 4 # gain 0.8,
note "e3 [e3, <d4 g4 e4>]"
# s "supersquare"
# leslie 0.5 # gain 0.9,
sound "[bd bd?] sn:1" # shape 0.5
]
Marea n.21
published on: 2019-07-13 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
Come out of your hiding place and do not be afraid. We know what to do.
p "marea21" $ stack [
note "[a3 c4 e4 <f4 d4>]/4"
# sound "moog:1" # cut 1,
scramble 7 $ chop 7
$ sound "fm/3" # cut 2
# cutoff 400 # speed 0.7,
sound "~ reverbkick/4",
sound "~ ~ ifdrums/3"
# n (irand 3),
sound "ravemono/2"
# end 0.33 # note "a2"
# cutoff 200 # gain 0.9,
(stut 12 0.1 0.1
$ sound "supergong/4"
# note "c4" # legato 0.3
# gain 0.8) # pan rand,
sound "dork2*4" # cut 3,
sound "[~ v ~ v]/2"
# pan "[~ 0.8 ~ 0.2]/2"
# gain 0.7
] # room 0.4
# cps (80/60/4)
Marea n.22
published on: 2019-07-14 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
Repetitive and lacking in dynamics. Not one of my favourites.
p "marea22" $ stack [
superimpose ((# s "xmas")
. (# speed 2)
. (slow 4 $)
. (|- note 24)
. (# cut 2)
. (# cutoff 500)
. (# pan sine)
. (# gain 0.9))
$ sometimes
(trunc (range 0.5 0.75 rand))
$ fast 2 $ note "[0 3 4 7 11 12]"
# s "bassfoo:2" # cut 1
# delay (slow 4 saw),
jux (# speed (-2)) $ slow 2
$ n (run 8) # s "dr2"
]
Marea n.23
published on: 2019-07-15 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
Clear inspiration from Year Zero. When I grow up I want to be Trent Reznor.
p "marea23"
$ iter 4
$ juxBy 0.5 (rev . overlay (s "wobble"))
$ every 3 (overlay (s "electro1"))
$ every 2 (overlay (s "~ rm:2"))
$ every 7 (overlay (s "tink*6" # pan sine))
$ every 4 (overlay (s "sn:4(5,8)" # crush 4))
$ s "bd:3(6,8)"
# shape 0.3
# leslie 0.6
Marea n.24
published on: 2019-07-16 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
I like the hypnotic feel of the drums, here the repetitiveness works well.
p "marea24" $ every 8
(overlay ((0.75 ~>)
$ s "numbers:7"
# speed 0.8 # gain 0.8
# crush 4 # cutoff 800)
. trunc 0.75 . rev
. (stut 4 0.1 0.1)) $ stack [
note "0!3 <-3 -3!2 -4>"
# s "uxay:2" # speed "0.5",
s "uxay*8"
# note "[0 0 0 <-4 -3>]/4"
# shape 0.3 # room 0.3
# orbit 1,
struct "t [t t] t [~ t]"
$ s "uxay:1" # cutoff
(slow 3 (range 2000 200 saw)),
s "ul:1(<14 12 8>,16)"
# hpf 5000 # gain 0.6
# pan (range 0.3 0.7 sine)
]
Marea n.25
published on: 2019-07-17 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
Smilla’s metallic sense of game over.
p "marea25" $ stack [
fast 2 $ striate "[32 16 8 4 2]/10"
$ s "[blip 808mc blip:1 808mc:1]*3",
sound "[jazz*4, [~ <jazz:2 jazz:3>]*4]",
sound "~ ~ control? ~" # note (-31)
# begin (range 0 0.5 rand) # cut 1
# shape 0.3 # gain 0.9
# room 0.9 # orbit 1 # pan sine,
struct "~ <t ~ t(5,8) ~>" $ s "hit"
# n 0 # speed (-1) # end 0.5
# pan "[0.4 0.7]/4" # cutoff 1200
]
Marea n.26
published on: 2019-07-18 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
House music for when your house is a Super Mario Bros. 2 level on the NES.
p "marea26"
$ every 6 (trunc 0.75)
$ every 3 (within (0.25, 0.5) (shuffle 4))
$ every 5 (within (0, 0.25) (fast 1.5))
$ every 4 rev
$ overlay (s "drum:2(6,8,1)"
# pan (range 0.3 0.7 rand)
# gain 0.9)
$ s "[house*4, \
\ house:2(7,8),\
\ house:5(<4 6>,8,<0 1 2>),\
\ house:7(2,4,1)]"
# shape 0.2
Marea n.27
published on: 2019-07-19 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
“Crescendo”, I would never have guessed.
p "marea27" $ stack [
every 4 (chop 3 . rev)
$ note "0 0 0 4" # sound "sf"
# speed 0.333 # begin
(slow 10 (range 0 0.5 sine))
# cut 1,
s "cr:2(<2 3 3 4 6>,8)"
# hpf 6000 # gain 0.5,
s "[~ [~ psr]]*2"
|+| n (run "<5 7 6 3 2>")
# gain 0.7 # shape 0.3
# cutoff 1000
]
Marea n.28
published on: 2019-07-21 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
Panning so badly done it hurts your ears.
p "marea28" $ every 4
(jux (rev . (# gain 0.7))) $
stack [
every 2 (# up 4)
$ spin "<2 3 4>" $ sound "less",
spin "<3 4 6>" $ s "less:1",
every 3 ((# shape 0.3) . (# cutoff 800))
$ spin "<3 4 [3 4]>" $ s "less:3",
every 2 (chop $ choose [2, 4, 3])
$ spin "2 4 6" $ s "less:2"
]
Marea n.29
published on: 2019-07-23 tidalcycles version: 1.0.14
I like how scattered and ethereal it is, proof that even a spastic movement can be alienating.
p "marea29" $ scramble "<3 2 4>"
$ trunc "<1 0.5 0.75 0.8 1 0.9>" $ stack [
s "bin(<3 5 4 3> ,8)",
slow 3 $ s "subroc3d"
# speed "[-0.4 0.1 0.2]/3" # cut 1,
every 3 (>| s "hh27*6") $ s "hh27*12",
struct "t <t [~ [t t]]> t t*3"
$ s "909" # speed "1 0.8 0.7 1",
n (run "<10 19 12 22 17>")
# s "industrial"
# cutoff "3000 2000 400 2500"
] # cps ("<60 80>"/60/4)
# room "<0 0.2 0.1>"