Or even better, how to get the size of the amplitude or the volume of the wave sound every certain time.
In fact I need the two ways, the full waveform and measure it each time. the first one for have a view of the song wave and the second one for visual effects.
this is for Android (NDK) systems.
come on people, I don't ask for the full code answer, I just want you to tell me some advices or something that can help me. You can simply say that the question is hard or makes no sense. but say something.
Whatever, I researched a little bit and I didn't find the answer for the question, but I did find a better solution for the problem, and is a free library named "superpowered", simple, fast, cross-platform, and has all the functions for analize sounds.
hope this help people new to this world of sound programming
I'm looking for a program that is able to recognize individual audio samples from my computer and reroute them to trigger WAV files from a library. In my project, it would need to be realtime as the latency would not be a desired result. I tried using dictation software that would recognize words to trigger opening a file and that's the direction where I want to go, but instead of words I want it to be sounds and it would happen in realtime. I'm not sure where to go and am just looking for some guidance. Does anyone have any suggestions of what I should do?
That's a fairly broad question, but I can tell you how I would do it. (Hardly the only way, but where I would start.)
If you're looking for real time input, the Java Sound library (excellent tutorial here) allows for that. (Just note that microphone input from a web page is difficult on anything, due to major security concerns, so this would be a desktop application.)
If it needs to be real time, the first thing I would suggest is stream and multithread the hell out of it. I would suggest the Java 8 Stream API, but since you're looking for subsamples that match a specific pattern, then each data point will have to be aware of the state of its neighbors, and that isn't easy with streams.
You will probably want to know if a sound roughly resembles an audio profile, so for that, I would pick a tolerance on just how close you want it to be for a match (remembering that samples may not line up 100% anyway, so "exact" is not an option), and then look up Hidden Markov Models. I suggest these because they're what voice recognition software typically uses, and while your sounds may not be voices, it will give you an idea of what has already been done.
You'll also want to maintain a limited list of audio samples in memory. Specifically, you will likely need the most recent data, because an audio signal is a time-variant signal, and you can't get a match from just one point. I wouldn't make it much longer than the longest sample you're looking to recognize, as audio takes up a boatload of memory.
Lastly (for audio), I would recommend picking a standard format for comparison. Make it as good as gets you decent results, and start high. You will want to convert everything to that format before you compare it.
Once you recognize a specific sound, it's basically a Command Pattern. Specific sounds can be mapped, even with a java.util.HashMap, to specific files, which (if there are few enough) you might even have pre-loaded.
Lastly, it's worth looking at the Java Speech API. It's not part of the JDK and it's quite dated, but you might get some good advice from its implementation.
This is of course the advice of a Java-preferring programmer, but I imagine that there might be some decent libraries in Python and Ruby to help you as well; and of course there's something in C somewhere. This may sound like a lot, but most of the material is already implemented and ready-to-go.
Hopefully this helps, let's look forward to other answers.
I'm struggling to choose between a vast number of audio programming languages and APIs. I'm very (totally) new to audio programming so please bear with me.
Software
I need to be able to:
Alter volume of different sounds before outputting them to anything (these sounds can have a variety of different origins, for example mp3s and microphone input)
phase shift sounds
superimpose sounds that I have tweaked (as per items 1 and 2)
control the output to each of 8 channels independently of one another
make this all happen on Windows7
These capabilities need be abstracted by a graphical frontend I will probably make myself. What I want to be able to do is create 'sound sources' and move them around a 3D environment along either pre-defined trajectories and/or in relation to the movement of whoever is inside the rig. The reason I want to do pitch bending is so I can mess with red-shift stuff.
I don't want to have to construct full tracks before-hand and just play them. I want the sound that is played to depend on external input from sensors as well as what I am doing on the frontend.
As far as I know this means I cant use any existing full audio making app.
The Question
I've been looking around for for the API or language I should use and I have not turned up a blank, quite the opposite actually. I'm struggling to narrow down my search. A lot of my problem stems from the fact that I have no experience in audio programming.
So, does anyone know off-hand of an API or language that meets my criteria?
Hardware stuff and goals
(I left this until last because I'm not sure how relevant it is)
My goal is to make three rings of speakers at different heights and to have enough control over them to be able to simulate any number of 'sound sources' within the array. The idea is to have someone stand in the middle of the rig and be able to make it sound like there are lots of things moving around them. To get this working I'm planning on doing a little trig and using 8 channels of audio from my PC. The maths is pretty straight forward, it just the rest that I need to worry about
What I want to do next is attach a bunch of cameras to the thing and do some simple image recognition stuff to be able to 'attach sound sources' to different objects. Eg. If someone is standing in the right place it can be made to seem as though all red balls quack like a duck, and all orange ones moan hauntingly.
This is not to detract from Richard Small's answer, but to comment on some of the other options out there:
If you are looking for something higher-level with which you can prototype and develop this faster, you want max/msp or it's open source competitor puredata. These are designed for musicians who are technically minded, but not so much for programmers. As a result, you can build this sort of thing quickly and efficiently.
You also have some lower level options: PortAudio can handle your audio I/O, you would have to do the sound generation and effects and so on on your own or with other libraries. Cinder and OpenFramewoks both provide interfaces for audio, cameras, and other stuff for "creative programming". I'm afraid I don't know if they meet your full requirements, but they are powerful and popular for this sort of thing so I encorage you to look at them.
The two major ones these days tend to be
WWise
WWise Download Link
FMOD
FMOD Download Link
These two engines may even in fact be overkill for what you need, but I can almost guarantee that they will be capable of anything you require.
I've tried looking up how I might go about this for a while now, and maybe I am using the wrong terminology in my searches or it's way too advanced for me. I basically want to be able to analyze audio files in real-time. I know hardly anything about audio processing so I should probably start small and work my way up. Eventually I'd like to be able to display a power (or frequency?) spectrum correlating to audio playing in real time. Basically like the WinAmp spectogram (terminology?)
Any online tutorials with perhaps an API suggestion or two would be greatly appreciated. I've found some vague explanations (mostly dealing with calculating FFT's then converting them to something...) Like I said, I know little of audio processing, so knowing where to start would be great.
Language of choice: C++
You could look into VST plugins as a starting point for the theory behind audio processing. There's a blog with some tutorials in c++ here.
You can also check out other SO questions on VST plugins for more info.
I believe audacity can run VST plugins, I'll look at that.
EDIT: Audacity doesn't support them out of the box, but you can enable it. You could download a trial of something like ableton live too.
I'd recommend using a graphical tool to begin with to prototype some ideas. Try Puredata or something similar.
http://puredata.info/
Juce is a fantastic way to get to grips with C++ with an Audio slant.
http://www.rawmaterialsoftware.com/juce.php
I've also stumbled across UGen which might help you get up and running without having to understand too much of the sample-by-sample processing theory. I've not looked at this much yet but it looks interesting at the outset.
http://code.google.com/p/ugen/
The KVR forums are full of knowledgable people who will help and direct newcomers to audio and plugin development.
http://www.kvraudio.com/
If you're feeling brave the dive in to a good book. I've heard a lot of good things about the following:
http://www.amazon.com/DAFX-Digital-Udo-246-lzer/dp/0471490784
Good luck! This is not an easy area to get going in!
(PS, the blog linked in the above answer is mine -> it's out of date and wont help you actually do any signal processing)
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I've always felt that my graphic design skills have lacked, but I do have a desire to improve them. Even though I'm not the worlds worst artist, it's discouraging to see the results from a professional designer, who can do an amazing mockup from a simple spec in just a few hours. I always wonder how they came up with their design and more importantly, how they executed it so quickly.
I'd like to think that all good artists aren't naturally gifted. I'm guessing that a lot of skill/talent comes from just putting in the time.
Is there a recommended path to right brain nirvana for someone starting from scratch, a little later in life? I'd be interested in book recommendations, personal theories, or anything else that may shed some light on the best path to take. I have questions like should I read books about color theory, should I draw any chance I have, should I analyze shapes like an architect, etc...
As far as my current skills go, I can make my way around Photoshop enough where I can do simple image manipulation...
Thanks for any advice
Most of artistic talent comes from putting in the time. However, as in most skills, practicing bad habits doesn't help you progress.
You need to learn basic drawing skills (form, mainly) and practice doing them well and right (which means slowly). As you practice correctly, you'll improve much faster.
This is the kind of thing that changes you from a person who says, "It doesn't look right, but I can't tell why - it's just 'off' somehow" to a person who says, "Oops, the arm is a bit long. If I shorten the elbow end it'll change the piece in this way, if I shorten the hand end it'll change the piece this way..."
So you've got to study the forms you intend to draw, and recognize their internally related parts (the body height is generally X times the size of the head, the arms and legs are related in size but vary from the torso, etc). Same thing with buildings, physical objects, etc.
Another thing that will really help you is understanding light and shadow - humans pick up on shape relationships based on outlines and based on shadows.
Color theory is something that will make your designs attractive, or evoke certain responses and emotions, but until you get the form and lighting right the colors are not something you should stress. One reason why art books and classes focus so much on monochrome drawings.
There are books and classes out there for these subjects - I could recommend some, but what you really need is to look at them yourself and pick the ones that appeal to you. You won't want to learn if you don't like drawing fruit bowls, and that's all your book does. Though you shouldn't avoid what you don't like, given that you're going the self taught route you should make it easy in the beginning, and then force yourself to draw the uninteresting and bland once you've got a bit of confidence and speed so you can go through those barriers more quickly.
Good luck!
-Adam
That's a difficult thing. Usually people think "artistic skills" come from your genes but actually they do not.
The bests graphic designer I know have some sort of education in arts. Of course, photoshop knowledge will allow you to do things but being interested in art (painting specially) will improve your sensitivity and your "good taste".
Painting is a pleasure, both doing it and seeing it. Learning to both understand and enjoy it will help and the better way to do it is by going to museums. I try to go to as much expositions as I can, as well as read what I can on authors and styles (Piccaso, Monet, Dali, Magritte, Expresionism, Impresionism, Cubism, etc) that will give you a general overview that WILL help.
On the other side... you are a programmer so you shouldn't be in charge of actually drawing the icons or designing the enterprise logo. You should however be familiarized with user interface design, specially with ease of use, and terms as goal oriented design.
Of course, in a sufficiently large company you won't be in charge of the UI design either, but it will help anyway. I'd recommend the book About Face, which centers in goal oriented design as well as going through some user interface methapores and giving some historic background for the matter.
I'm no artist and I'm colorblind, but I have been able to do fairly well with track creation for Motocross Madness and other games of that type (http://twisteddirt.com & http://dirttwister.com).
Besides being familiar with the toolset I believe it helps to bring out your inner artist.
I found that the book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" was an amazing eye opening experience for me.
One of the tricks that it uses is for you to draw a fairly complicated picture while looking at the picture upside down. If I had drawn it while looking at it right side up it would have looked horrible. I impressed myself with what I was able to draw while copying it while it was upside down.
I did this many years ago. I just looked at their website and I think I will order the updated book and check out their DVD.
I have a BFA in Graphic Design, although I don't use it much lately. Here's my $.02.
Get a copy of "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" and go through it. You will become a better artist/drawer as a result and I'm a firm believer that if you can't do it with pencil/paper you won't be successful on the computer. Also go to the bookstore and pick up a copy of How or one of the other publications. I maintain a subscription to How just for inspiration.
I'll see if I can dig up some web links tonight for resources (although I'm sure others will provide some).
most importantly, carry a sketch book and use it. Draw. Draw. Draw.
Drawing is probably what I'd recommend the most. Whenever you have a chance, just start drawing. Keep in mind that what you draw doesn't have to be original; it's a perfectly natural learning tool to try and duplicate someone else's work. You'll learn a lot. If you look at all the great masters, they had understudies who actually did part of their masters' works, so fight that "it must be original" instinct that school's instilled in you, and get duplicating. (Just make sure you either destroy or properly label these attempts as copies--you don't want to accidentally use them later and then be accused of plagiarism..)
I have a couple of friends in the animation sector, and one of them told me that while she was going through college, the way she was taught to draw the human body was to go through each body part, and draw it 100 times, each in a completely different pose. This gets you comfortable with the make-up of the object, and helps you get intimately knowledgeable about how it'll look from various positions.
(That may not apply directly to what you're doing, but it should give you an indicator as to the amount of discipline that may be involved in getting to the point you seek.)
Definitely put together a library of stuff that you can look to for inspiration. Value physical media that you can flip through over websites; it's much quicker to flip through a picture book than it is to search your bookmarks online. When it comes to getting your imagination fired up, having to meticulously click and wait repeatedly is going to be counter-productive.
Inspiration is probably your biggest asset. Like creative writing, and even programming, looking at what people have done and how they have done will give you tools to put in your toolbox.
But in the sense of graphic design (photoshop, illustrator, etc), just like programmers don't enjoy reinventing the wheel, I don't think artwork is any different. Search the web for 'pieces' that you can manipulate (vector graphics: example). Run through tutorials that can easily give you some tricks. Sketch out a very rough idea, and look through web images to find something that has already created.
It's like anything else that you wish to master, or become proficient in. If you want it, you've got to practice it over, and over, and over.
I, too was not born with a strong design skillset, in fact quite the opposite. When I started out, my philosophy was that if the page or form just works then my job was done!
Over the years though, I've improved. Although I believe I'll never be as good as someone who was born with the skills, sites like CSS Zen Garden among others have helped me a lot.
Read into usability too, as I think usability and design for computer applications are inextricably entwined. Books such as Don Norman's "The Design of Everyday Things" to Steve Krug's "Don't Make Me Think", have all helped improve my 'design skills'... slightly! ;-)
Good luck with it.
As I mentioned in a thread yesterday, I have found working through tutorials for Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and After Effects to be very helpful. I use Adobe's Kuler site for help with colors. I think that designers spend a lot of time looking at other's designs. Some of the books out there on web site design might help, even for designing applications. Adobe TV has a lot of short videos on graphic design in general, as well as achieving particular results in one of their tools. I find these videos quite helpful.