AudioMulch

AudioMulch
Developer	Ross Bencina
Initial release	24 March 1998 (1998-03-24)
Stable release	2.2.5 / 29 March 2016 (2016-03-29)
Written in	C++
Operating system	Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X
Type	Digital audio editor
Website	www.audiomulch.com

AudioMulch is a modular audio software for making music and processing sound. The software can be used to synthesize sound and process live and pre-recorded sound in real time.

AudioMulch has a patcher-style graphical user interface, in which modules called contraptions can be connected together to route audio and process sounds. Included are modules used in electronic dance music such as a bassline-style synthesizer and a drum machine, other modules such as a delay-line granulator and stereo spatializer, and effects like ring modulation, flanging, reverb and delays. ^[1] In addition to these internal contraptions, AudioMulch supports VST and VSTi plugins.

History

Origins

AudioMulch was developed by musician Ross Bencina based on his performance practice in the mid-1990s. At this time, live computer-based sound processing systems were often expensive and restricted to use within research institutions. By 1995, however, the processing capabilities of the personal computer were sufficient that Bencina was able to create OverSYTE, a real-time performance granulator. Bencina used OverSYTE to process sound in his live performances with vocalists and instrumental musicians. AudioMulch grew out of the limitations of OverSYTE, which could process only one sound at a time. In contrast, AudioMulch can process multiple sounds sources at once. ^[2]

Development

AudioMulch has been in development since 1997. The first release made available for download on the Internet was beta version 0.7b1, in March 1998. There were 36 beta releases prior to Version 1.0 of the software, which was released in February 2006. ^[3] AudioMulch 1.0 was developed for Microsoft Windows in the C++ programming language, using the Borland C++ Builder development environment. ^[4]

Version 2.0

AudioMulch 2.0 was released on 5 June 2009. According to the website, this version is available for both Windows and Macintosh computers. ^[5]

Version 2.1

Version 2.1 was released on 4 August 2010. Version 2.1 supports custom time signatures, Audio Unit plugin support on Mac OS X, dynamic processing contraptions, and an alternate light gray color scheme. ^[6]

Features

AudioMulch 1.0 features

• An interactive user-interface with three main panes:

1. a patcher for routing audio between contraptions
2. a pane containing control panels for each contraption
3. an automation timeline supporting automation of contraption parameters

• Support for real-time sound-processing and performance.
• 24 channels of real-time input/output.
• Multi-channel recording and playback of multiple sound files.
• Contraptions including signal generators, effects, filters and mixers.
• Input sound can be taken from sound files or real-time audio input.
• Output is heard in real-time and can be simultaneously recorded to a sound file.
• Any processing parameter in AudioMulch can be controlled by MIDI. This includes the use of external hardware such as knob boxes, gaming controllers, virtual reality gloves and custom control devices. ^[7]

AudioMulch 2.0 features

• A new Patcher with advanced drag-and-drop patching and MIDI routing
• MIDI and automation control for Clock transport (tempo, stop, start) and Metasurface interpolation.
• Enhanced Drums contraption with 8 channels and a new pattern editor supporting arbitrary length high-resolution patterns
• Expanded multichannel audio I/O capability to support up to 256 channels in each direction and improved compatibility with consumer multichannel audio interfaces using DirectSound and Windows Multimedia drivers.

Future

As outlined in AudioMulch's road map, planned features for future updates include new sound mangling, filtering and resonating contraptions, an overhauled undo system, third-party host integration and performance modulation. Further enhancements to existing sound and keyboard controls are also planned.^{[ citation needed ]}

As of April 2024, no 64-bit compatible version of AudioMulch has been released, despite anecdotes documented in the application's website forums from encounters with Ross that indicate Audiomulch remains under development. The website remains fully active, and the application has garnered a sizeable global user base.

Musicians that use or have used AudioMulch

• Nine Inch Nails
• Girl Talk
• Four Tet
• Lackluster
• Erdem Helvacioglu
• Shitmat
• Pimmon
• Tim Hecker

The discography on the AudioMulch website has a list of other artists that have used AudioMulch in commercial releases. ^[8]

See also

• Granular synthesis
• Modular synthesizer
• Computer music

Notes

1. Bencina, R. (1998), "Oasis Rose the Composition - Real-Time DSP with AudioMulch," Proceedings of the Australasian Computer Music Conference, ANU Canberra, pp. 85-92.
2. Bencina, R. (2006) "Creative Software Development: Reflections on AudioMulch Practice." In Digital Creativity, Routledge, Vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 12-13
3. AudioMulch website - resources page. Retrieved on 2009-01-28
4. "Clatterbox. Retrieved on 2009-01-28". Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
5. AudioMulch website – homepage. Retrieved on 2009-11-20 Archived 1 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
6. AudioMulch website – news. Retrieved on 2011-12-31 ^{[ permanent dead link ]}
7. AudioMulch website – info page. Retrieved on 2009-01-28
8. AudioMulch website – discography Retrieved on 2009-01-28

Bibliography

• AudioMulch website – info page. Retrieved on 2009-01-28
• AudioMulch website – discography. Retrieved on 2009-01-28
• Clatterbox website. Retrieved on 2009-01-28
• Dugan, S. (2006), "Girl Talk". In Remix Magazine, 1 December 2006. Retrieved on 2009-01-28
• (2008) "Girl Talk/Gregg Gillis on New Album/Music Industry". In The Washington Post, 29 July 2008. Retrieved on 2009-01-28
• Inglis, S. (2003), "FourTet – Kieran Hebden: Recording Rounds". In Sound on Sound, July 2003. Retrieved on 2009-01-28
• Hsieh, C. (2005), "Audio Anarchy". In Remix Magazine, 1 June 2005. Retrieved on 2009-01-28
• Interview with the Nine Inch Nails by Greg Rule, Keyboard Magazine, February 2000. Retrieved on 2009-01-28
• Gallagher, M. (2004), "Between the Lines." In Electronic Musician Magazine, 1 February 2004.
• Bencina, R. (2006) "Creative Software Development: Reflections on AudioMulch Practice." In Digital Creativity, Routledge, Vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 11 – 24.
• Bencina, R. (1998), "Oasis Rose the Composition - Real-Time DSP with AudioMulch," Proceedings of the Australasian Computer Music Conference, ANU Canberra, pp. 85–92.
• Cleveland, B. (2007), "Erdem Helvacioglu". In Guitar Player, September 2007, pp. 32–33.
• Frere-Jones, S. (2008), "Re-Start: Laptops go Live". In The New Yorker, 15 September 2008, pp. 94–95.

External links

• Official website