Sonic Pi code (Ruby) for piece entitled 'Transmission' based around MIDI note tuned resonators

transmission.rb

## Transmission - Origin Unknown -Tuned Resonators in C minor
## Random Seed Version: 746742
## Coded by Nanomancer - Distributed under Creative Commons Non-Commercial Attribution license - :)
## 26.03.2016
## Watch a video produced with screen grabs of the code and Nebulae:
## https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fwGHAdoaXA&feature=youtu.be

#######################

max_t = 8 # Adjust the run time of the piece

load_samples [:ambi_drone, :ambi_haunted_hum, :ambi_lunar_land]
$global_clock = 0
use_bpm 60
set_volume! 5
set_sched_ahead_time! 2
use_cue_logging false
# SEED = 471646
# SEED = 32625
# SEED = 489370
SEED = 746742 
# SEED = Time.now.usec # uncomment this to get a different run every time
# puts "Epoch seed: #{SEED}"
use_random_seed SEED


#### Sync for video ####
#sleep 2
#sample :elec_blip, amp: 0.2
#puts "SYNC"
#sleep 8


################ FUNCTIONS ########################

define :stopwatch do |int, max, fade|
  ## interval in seconds (display for log timer),
  ## max in mins, fade in secs
  count = 0
  set_mixer_control! amp: 1, amp_slide: 0.1
  with_bpm 60 do
    ctrl = true
    while count / 60.0 <= max
      if count % int == 0
        puts "Time: #{count / 60.0} Minutes"
      end
      count += 1
      sleep 1
      $global_clock = count / 60.0
      if count >= (max*60) - fade && ctrl == true
        set_mixer_control! amp: 0.01, amp_slide: fade
        puts "Stopping - #{fade} sec fadeout"
        ctrl = false # stops this block from running more than once
      end
    end
  end
end

define :autocue do |id, time|
# send a cue after a specified time in decimal minutes, id must be a key
# call in the loop you're syncing to
  return cue id if $global_clock >= time
end

define :autostop do |time|
# same as :autocue but for stopping - call in the loop you want to stop
  return stop if $global_clock >= time
end

define :mk_rand_scale do |scale, len = 8|
# random scale that may contain the same note more than once
  rand_s = []
  len.times do
    rand_s << scale.choose
  end
  return rand_s.ring
end


#############  CLOCK  #####################

in_thread do
  stopwatch(30, max_t, max_t*60*0.1)
end


##############  BASS  #########################

live_loop :pulsar, sync: :pulse, auto_cue: false do

  use_synth :growl
  autostop(rrand max_t*0.75, max_t)
  puts "Pulsar"
  notes = (knit :c3, 2, :ds3, 1, :c3, 1)

  with_fx :reverb, mix: 0.3, room: 0.3, amp: 1 do
    notes.size.times do
      cut = range(55, 90, step: 5).mirror.ring.tick(:cut) # filter sweeps up & down
      play notes.tick, amp: 0.25, attack: 1.125,
        sustain: 1.25, release: 3, cutoff: cut, res: 0.2
      sleep 8
    end
  end
  if one_in 3 then sleep [8, 16, 24].choose end
end


############## TUNED RESONATED DRONE  #########################

live_loop :drone, auto_cue: false do

  autostop(max_t)
  autocue(:prb, (rrand 0, max_t*0.3)) # cues up all the other loops, within specified time range
  autocue(:pulse, (rrand 0, max_t*0.4))
  autocue(:stc, (rrand 0, max_t*0.3))
  autocue(:trans, (rrand max_t*0.2, max_t*0.5))
  scl = scale(:c5, :harmonic_minor, num_octaves: 1)[0..4]
  notes = mk_rand_scale(scl, 4)

  puts "Drone sequence: #{notes}"
  notes.size.times do
    frq = midi_to_hz(notes.tick) # converts scale to frequency for resonator effect
    del = 1.0 / frq # plug this into SP's echo...
    # use echo to produced tuned resonance - avoid setting decay too high!
    with_fx :echo, amp: 1, mix: 1, phase: del, decay: 2 do
      sample :ambi_drone, attack: 0.6,
        pan: 0, amp: 1, rate: 0.5, cutoff: 117.5
      sleep 8
    end
  end
end


##############  TUNED RESONATED HUM  #########################

live_loop :probe, sync: :prb, auto_cue: false do

  autostop(rrand max_t*0.7, max_t)
  notes = (ring 63, 65, 68, 71, 72).shuffle
  vol = 1

  puts "Probe sequence: #{notes}"

  4.times do
    phase = [0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2].choose
    with_fx :lpf, res: 0.1, cutoff: rrand(70, 85) do
      with_fx :compressor, threshold:  0.4 do
        with_fx :slicer, mix: rrand(0.25, 0.75),
        smooth_up: phase * 0.5, smooth_down: phase * 0.125, phase: phase do
          with_fx :reverb, mix: rrand(0.6, 0.8), room: [0.6, 0.7, 0.8].choose do

            2.times do
              frq = midi_to_hz(notes.tick)
              puts "Probe freq: #{frq.round(2)} | Mod: #{phase}"
              with_fx :echo, amp: 0.8, mix: 0.85, phase: 1.0 / frq, decay: 2.5 do
                sample :ambi_haunted_hum,
                  beat_stretch: 4,
                  pan: [0.75, -0.75].ring.look,
                  amp: vol,
                  rate: (ring 0.25, -0.25).tick(:ambi) # play forward, then reverse
              end
              sleep 16
            end
          end
          sleep [12, 16, 24, 32].choose
        end
      end
    end
  end
end

##############  TUNED RINGMOD / SYNTH  #########################


scales_arr = []
2.times do
  scl = scale([:c5, :c6].choose, :harmonic_minor, num_octaves: 2)
  scales_arr << mk_rand_scale(scl, 3)
end

live_loop :transmission, sync: :trans, auto_cue: false do

  use_synth :blade
  autostop(rrand max_t*0.8, max_t) # (rrand_i 5, 7)
  chd = chord(:c1, :minor, num_octaves: 2).shuffle
  notes = scales_arr.choose

  slp = [[3,3,2], [4,4,2], [6,6,3], [8,8,4]].choose.ring
  puts "Transmission pattern: #{slp}"

  (slp.size * 2).times do
    att, sus, rel = slp.tick * 0.3, slp.look * 0.2, slp.look * 0.5
    phase = [0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1].choose
    mod_frq = rdist(0.0125, 0.5) * midi_to_hz(chd.tick(:chd))
    with_fx :echo, mix: 0.25, phase: 1.5, decay: 4 do
      with_fx :ring_mod, freq: mod_frq do
        with_fx :slicer, mix: rrand(0.125, 0.75),
        smooth_up: phase * 0.5, smooth_down: phase * 0.125, phase: phase do
          play notes.look, amp: 0.09, attack: att,
            sustain: sus, release: rel, cutoff: 85
          sleep slp.look
        end
      end
    end
  end
  sleep [4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 32].choose
end


##############  Filtered noise with Filter LFO(ish)  #########################

live_loop :static, sync: :stc, auto_cue: false do

  use_synth :bnoise
  autostop(rrand max_t*0.6, max_t)
  scl = scale(:c2, :harmonic_minor, num_octaves: 2).choose
  mod_frq = midi_to_hz(scl)
  phs = [0.125, 0.5, 0.25, 0.75, 1].choose
  len = [8, 10, 12, 16, 24, 32].choose

  puts "Static - AM: #{phs} | Len: #{len}"

  with_fx :hpf, cutoff: 60 do
    with_fx :ring_mod, freq: mod_frq do
      with_fx :slicer, smooth_up: phs*0.25,
      mix: rrand(0.3,0.9), phase: phs do
        with_fx :reverb, mix: 0.5, room: 0.6 do

          cut = rrand(70, 120) # set initial cutoff freq
          amt = rrand(70, 120) # set secondary cutoff freq
          s = play :c4, amp: 0.0375, attack: len*0.5,
            release: len*0.5, cutoff: cut,
            cutoff_slide: len*0.5, res: (rrand 0.01, 0.6)
          control s, cutoff: amt # slide to secondary
          sleep len*0.5
          control s, cutoff: cut # slide back to initial
          sleep len*0.5
        end
      end
    end
  end
  if len <= 6 then sleep(2)
  else sleep [10, 16, 20, 24].choose end
end