Computational Arts by Matthew Brown

I decided to experiment a bit more with the patches I had been using for my responsive particles to try making some audio responsive lines.

The lines turned out to be a bit harder to work with than the particles since there are quite a few more things to control, but they did produce an interesting result.

The Quartz Composer file, responsive_lines.qtz is available online here.

Note that this one involves a lot more flashing than the other’s, so if you are epileptic or just don’t handle rapid flashing colours very well, you are looking at it at your own risk.

I have changed a few more things in my audio responsive particles again.

One of these changes is the way that the colours are generated. Now there is much more colour variation and a lot more of the smaller particles are coloured as well instead of just being grey. For the best colour variation, music with a large audio spectrum is much more rewarding than music with a small spectrum.

I have also changed the math for the size controls for the particles. The changes allow them to be bigger than they could be previously. The audio volume is multiplied by 2 and then divided by 4. Previously it was divided by 8.

This time around I have also named most of the patches so that they are more easily recognised as well as grouping the related patches and encompassing them with a note about what the group does, so as to make it easier to figure out what relates to what.

The responsive_particles_3.qtz file is available here.

It requires input via the built in mic in Macbook’s or iMac’s. It can of course be changed to accept audio input from the microphone-in, or line-in on Mac Pro’s or Mac Mini’s. With the right plug-in, it can also accept input from iTunes.

The most ideal is via line-in or microphone in as this gives the most control over what exactly the graphics are being synchronised with. However, using the built-in microphone means that no extra accessories are required.

Note that this was done using  Quartz Composer in Leopard.

Modifying my earlier audio responsive particles, I have now modified the colour control slightly, changed the behaviour of the root particle. Rather than staying predominately off screen, it is now in the centre of the screen and moves around based on the audio volume through the Audio Input patch.

I have also changed the way the particles are generated. Now rather than there being a constant amount generated that move based on audio input, the quantity of particles generated is based on the audio input as well, so when there is no noise, there are no particles. When there is a small amount of noise there may be only a couple of particles and the main particle in the centre will start to become visible, the more noise, the more particles and the more visible and active the centre particle. The Quartz Composer file, responsive_particles_2.qtz is available here.

Building on my previous Quartz Composer audio responsive sphere’s, I’ve changed the sphere’s to particles that float from the bottom to the top of the screen. The particles pulse to noise that is picked up from the microphone with the Audio Input patch. You can have a look at responsive_particles.qtz here.

I have also added a colour control so that the colours of the particles are controlled by the audio spectrum.

Using Quartz Composer and the Audio Input patch, I’ve created a series of spheres that respond to audio input through the microphone.

In the file responsive_spheres.qtz I have two set’s of spheres. One of which, the set of sphere’s is always visible and they get bigger with audio input. The other set of sphere’s vanish in silence, and as the volume of audio increases, the amount of spheres and their size increases.