set up a periodic random-number generator for control purposes, using a pfield-handle connection to an Instrument parameter
pfield-handle = makerandom(“type”, frequency, min, max[, seed])
Parameters inside the [brackets] are optional.
makerandom returns a pfield-handle that will deliver data periodically from an internal RTcmix random-number generator. The period is determined by the frequency argument, and the random numbers will lie within the range set by the min and max arguments. The random-numbers will be generated according the the random-number distribution specified in the “type” string argument. These distributions are identical to the ones decribed in the maketable “random” table construction command. The optional seed argument allows the user to specify a particular seed value for the psuedorandom algorithm used by the random-number generator. The active control rate (set via control_rate) must be the same for makerandom and the instrument that uses the makerandom pfield-handle.
Many of the arguments for makerandom may themselves also be pfield-handles.
type
This string value (i.e. enclosed in “double quotes” in the scorefile) determines the type of random-number distribution to use in generating the periodic values. The different types currently supported are: “even”/”linear” — randomly select numbers between min and max.
“low” — randomly select numbers between min and max, but with a higher probability of choosing numbers nearer the min value.
“high” — randomly select numbers between min and max, but with a higher probability of choosing numbers nearer the max value.
“triangle” — randomly select numbers between min and max, but with the probability of choosing a value determined by a triangular curve with the apex at the midpoint between the min and max values. In other words, numbers near either min or max will have a very low probability of being generated, but numbers half-way between will have a high probability of being chosen.
“gaussian” — randomly select numbers between min and max, but with the probability of choosing a value determined using a Gaussian (“normal”; “bell curve”) probability distribution with the apex at the midpoint between the min and max values. Similar to how the “triangle” specifier operates.
“cauchy” — randomly select numbers between min and max, but with the probability of choosing a value determined using a Cauchy function with the apex at the midpoint between the min and max values. Similar to how the “triangle” and “gaussian” specifiers operate.
“prob” — Mara Helmuth’s configurable probability distribution. This has a slightly different syntax:
makerandom("prob", frequency, min, max, mid, tight[, seed])
min and max set the range within which the random numbers fall, as before. mid sets the mid-point of the range, which is used when tight is not 1. tight governs the degree to which the random numbers adhere either to the mid-point set by mid or to the extremes of the range set by min and max:
| tight | effect |
|---|---|
| 0 | only min and max appear |
| 1 | even distribution |
| >1 | numbers cluster ever more tightly around mid |
| 100 | almost all numbers are equal to mid |
frequency
The frequency (in Hz) determines the rate at which random values will be generetated through the pfield-handle This should be less than the reset rate.
min
max
These two arguments define the range of random values that will be produced by the random-number generator through the pfield-handle. min will set the minimum value of the range, and max will set the upper bound.
seed
This optional argument sets the seed (or initial value) for the pseudorandom number algorithm used by RTcmix. Each seed value will generate a unique sequence of “random” numbers. If the seed argument is 0, then the seed for the psuedorandom number algorithm comes from the microsecond system clock, otherwise the value of seed is used as the seed. If no seed argument is present, the seed used is 0 (i.e., the seed will come from the system clock).
pitch1 = makerandom("low", 10, 8.00, 8.11)
pitch2 = makerandom("high", 15, 8.00, 8.11)
wave = maketable("wave", 1000, 1.0, 0.2, 0.1)
WAVETABLE(0, 4.9, 15000, pitch1, 0.0, wave)
WAVETABLE(0, 4.9, 15000, pitch2, 1.0, wave)
This scorefile uses two random-number PField generators, one operating at 10 Hz (10 values/second) and the other at 15 Hz (15 values/second) to control the pitch of two WAVETABLE notes, one in the left channel and one in the right. The pitch (in octave.pitch-class notation) is coming directly from the random-number pfield-handles, pitch1 and pitch2. The range of these random-number generators is set to produce values within the octave 8.00 to 8.11 (middle “C” to the “B” above middle “C”).
maketable, makeconnection, makeLFO, makefilter, makeconverter, makemonitor, irand, srand, trand, random, rand, pickrand, pickwrand, spray_init, get_spray,