Toronto-based producer Memorecks aka James Peck, who you might know from the excellent MRX90 tape effect and VHS Audio Degradation Suite for Reaktor 6, has collaborated with New York developer boomNinjaVanish to create a synthesizer that streams to Twitch 24/7 and responds to user’s commands via the chat.
TPTS began as a project by boomNinjaVanish, a developer from New York. Initially he had it hooked up to his modular rig and was translating the chat commands to CV. About a month after he released the project, I had a similar idea over here and Toronto and decided to contact him. We then started to collaborate on a more user-friendly and permanent version of the project. The project uses Reaktor, Ableton, Max4Live and Javascript. The synth is now live 24/7 on Twitch and we’ve been running for almost a month now.
The setup uses a Reaktor synth that is controlled in Ableton Live by mapping it to custom Max for Live device. Connected to a chat bot through a standalone Max app, Twitch users can enter commands in the chat to control and automate synth parameters such as filter cutoff, and enter melodies on a 2-track sequencer.
Users can enter melodies for the sequencer using a syntax of relative semitones: !m1 0(1) 2(1) 2(1). This command would produce a melody of C3, D3, E3, each with a duration of 1 quarter note. This melody would loop until a new melody command is entered. There are 2 tracks for the sequencer, and the loop lengths can be different.
There is a scale/mode lock MIDI effect that can lock the notes into a certain key. There are also randomizers for the sequencer that will affect the notes entered. This leads to some very interesting musical and non-musical sequences that change over time!
If you’d like to give it a try, you can check out the project at Twitch, where you will also find a link to a manual.