r.wooller at qut.edu.au
jMusic, Reason, CoolEdit, and MidiShare
LEMu is a software application written in JAVA using jMusic and MidiShare. Designed and implemented by electronic musicians, it aims to assist in both the production and performance of electronic music. LEMu operates in realtime, is loop based and uses MIDI. It could be thought of as a “realtime” MIDI sequencer, as it triggers an external synthesiser to generate sounds. Most of the functionality in LEMu is an extension of two main concepts: automatic pattern generation and realtime pattern manipulation. Generative algorithms create patterns that are looped. Once a pattern has been created, it can be manipulated in many different ways by functions that operate in realtime. The tonality of the phase can be set using a wide range of unique modes. The pitch range can be expanded or limited using a slider. Other functions include rate of play, capture/repeat, phase offset, transposition, volume and velocity. All slider functions can be automated and automation can be drawn graphically and recorded. LEMu can record a session and save it as a MIDI file. The patterns and automations can also be saved and restored. LEMu can recieve MIDI messages to control any parameter.
License: Creative Commons: Attribution-Sharealike
piratesOfOrion is a piece I made using LEMu, reason and cooledit. I captured a whole heap of found sounds, mostly percusive and imported them into the reason drum machines. I used some vocals of my two little cousins making up fairy tales. I made a techno track using LEMu to drive Reason via MIDI. I then used a feature of Reason to convert the session into an audio files, but the feature didn’t work properly. The music started and stopped in a strange jerky fashion, probably due to the memory problems associated with rendering audio on the fly. I though it sounded pretty cool anyway, so did a few takes, rearranged them carefully in cool edit, applied some stereo effects and called it electroacoustic music.