Senders
Senders are required building blocks used in all ways of making sound with Sardine.
d('bd') is a Sender. It is a special function that sends messages to musical applications and audio tools. It also provides an interface to the pattern languages (Sardine, Ziffers). Basically, senders provide a gate outside of Sardine.
Default Senders
The Case signifies whether the sender is used in a Player (lower), or @swim function (UPPER). See Player vs @swim. Using the Ziffers pattern language requires different senders.
| Player | @swim | Purpose and description |
|---|---|---|
| Sardine | Senders | senders used with Sardine patterns |
| d( ) | D( ) | SuperDirt - samples and synthesizers |
| n( ) | N( ) | MIDI notes |
| cc( ) | CC( ) | MIDI control messages |
| pc( ) | PC( ) | MIDI program changes |
| sy( ) | SY( ) | MIDI sysex message |
| Ziffers | Senders | senders used with Ziffers patterns |
| zd( ) | ZD() | Ziffers SuperDirt - samples /synths with Ziffers patterns |
| zn( ) | ZN() | Ziffers MIDI notes with Ziffers patterns |
There is also a standalone zplay() sender associated with Ziffers documented in the Ziffers section.
Arguments and syntax
Senders require arguments and keyword arguments. These provide the values that represent notes, samples, patterns, parameters, etc. Here are the syntax rules:
- Patterns are given as strings with double or single quote. No comma is tolerated in the pattern.
- Using
d('bd, cp')will error. There are some exceptions to the comma rule, covered in the Pattern Language section.
- Using
- Patterns use a distinct syntax from Python. Learn about it in the Pattern Languages section.
- Keyword parameters are regular keyword arguments:
parameter=value. Arguments are separated with commas!
Sender example with arguments
## Sender syntax: This statement evaluates correctly but will not produce any sound.
d('bd cp', speed='1 2', shape=0.5, p='0.5!4 0.25!2') # sender syntax
## It needs to be called from a Player:
Pa * d('bd cp', speed='1 2', shape=0.5, p='0.5!4 0.25!2')
'bd cp': initial argument to SuperDirt. Specifies the pattern of samples and synthesizers.speed='1 2': speed is a SuperDirt sampling parameter, set here with a pattern that alternates between 1 and 2 (doubles speed = raise pitch an octave).shape=0.5: shape is an effects parameter from SuperDirt, single value.p='0.5!4 0.25!2': the letter "p" is shorthand for "period". It is set to a more complex pattern that controls the playback rhythm.
More sender examples
Here are some additional patterns using the Sardine senders. If your patterns are getting longer, you can indent them on multiple lines. This is just normal Python code after all!
Pa * n('C5 E5 G5', p=0.25) # playing a chord, one note every 1/4 of a beat.
Pb * cc(ctrl=20, chan=0, value='rand*127') # sending a random MIDI control on ctrl 20, channel 0
Pc * d('tabla tabla:2') # Playing audio samples of an indian tabla