Visual feedback

A visual is a method on a voice that draws it while the program plays. It never changes the sound: the voice plays exactly as it would without it. Visuals draw on TuttiCode (tuttidaw.com/code) only; a Pattern Clip in the studio plays the same program and draws nothing.

Each visual has two forms:

• with an underscore, ._pianoroll(), it draws in the code: a strip under the line where the call ends. Several can show at once, each next to its voice.
• without one, .pianoroll(), it draws faintly behind the editor, so the code stays readable on top.

What the notes do: pianoroll and punchcard

._pianoroll() scrolls the voice's notes past a playhead: time runs left to right, higher notes sit higher, and the note that sounds now is outlined at the playhead.

note("c3 [e3 g3] a3 <f3 b3>").s("triangle")._pianoroll()

Options go in one object. cycles is how many cycles fit across (4), playhead where the playhead sits (0 left .. 1 right, 0.5), vertical: 1 turns the roll so time runs downwards. The roll under a line spans the notes it shows; give minMidi / maxMidi for a fixed range.

n("0 2 4 <6 7>").scale("C:minor").s("sawtooth").lpf(1200)
  ._pianoroll({cycles: 2, playhead: 0.25})

._punchcard() draws the same notes as rounded cells, without a playhead line: good for drum patterns.

s("bd*2, ~ sd, hh*8")._punchcard()

What the sound does: scope and spectrum

._scope() is an oscilloscope: the voice's waveform as it plays. It shows that voice's own output, after its effects and its fader, not the whole mix. Options: color, thickness (3), scale (0.25), pos (0 top .. 1 bottom), align and trigger.

note("c2 c2 eb2 g1").s("sawtooth").lpf(600)._scope()

._spectrum() draws the voice's frequencies as one line, low on the left, high on the right. Options: color, thickness, min and max (in dB, -80 and 0).

note("<[c3,eb3,g3] [ab2,c3,eb3]>").s("sawtooth").lpf(2000)._spectrum()

See the filter move

A slider changes the program while it plays; a scope on the same voice shows what it does. Drag the cutoff down and the saw's corners round off into a sine-like wave:

note("a1*8").s("sawtooth").lpf(slider(2000, 100, 6000))._scope()

The same with ._spectrum() shows the highs falling away.

Behind the editor

The plain forms draw one view behind the whole editor; it does not catch clicks, so you can keep typing.

bass: note("c2*4").s("sawtooth").lpf(400).pianoroll()
hats: s("hh*8").gain(0.5)

Limits

• spiral / _spiral are accepted and draw nothing yet.
• A scope or spectrum shows one voice (the one that carries the call). To see two voices, call it on each.
• Some options are accepted and not drawn yet: the pianoroll's labels, smear, fill and stroke switches, and the spectrum's speed.