CLOUD OF UNKNOWING for CsoundAV (2003) Arthur B. Hunkins From the Cloud of Unknowing: For at the first time when thou dost it, thou findest but a darkness; and as it were a cloud of unknowing, thou knowest not what, saving that thou feelest in thy will a naked intent unto God. This darkness and this cloud is, howsoever thou dost, betwixt thee and thy God, and letteth thee that thou mayest neither see Him clearly by light of understanding in thy reason, nor feel Him in sweetness of love in thine affection. (Chapter 3) Love may reach to God in this life, but not knowing. (Chapter 8) Then will He sometimes peradventure send out a beam of ghostly light, piercing this cloud of unknowing that is betwixt thee and Him; and shew thee some of His privity, the which man may not, nor cannot speak. Then shalt thou feel thine affection inflamed with the fire of His love, far more than I can tell thee. (Chapter 26) It was that Saint Denis said, "The most goodly knowing of God is that, the which is known by unknowing." (Chapter 70) To those who find the courage to let go in love, and thus enter the Mystery. GENERAL CLOUD OF UNKNOWING is a meditative solo performance piece for Windows-based computer running CsoundAV. It exists in three basic monaural versions - all indicated by "cloud" in their file name and differing only in their performance method: "cloud.csd" requires no MIDI hardware; "cloudm.csd" requires an external MIDI bank of eight sliders or rotary knobs; "cloudma.csd" adds a ninth "Noise Volume" controller, substituting for an on-screen button to begin and end the performance. There are stereo variants for each of these: "stcloud.csd," "stacloudm.csd" and "stcloudma.csd." They contribute a modest, slow-random pan to the noise cloud, as well as stereo location to the bell-tone "light beams." Otherwise they are identical to their monaural counterparts. All versions use a bank of sliders or rotary pots to create a slowly changing noise cloud, which varies in coloration and clarity of delineation, primarily through manipulating filter settings. In addition, several slider/ pot settings *may* trigger up to two bell-like "light beams" during performance. The computer must be running a version of Windows - 95B or higher. (With Windows 95 you must be sure that OpenGL has been installed.) The program that executes the selected .csd file is Gabriel Maldonado's CsoundAV, v0.043 or higher. Prior to performance, be sure to close as many programs running in your Windows taskbar as possible. This will minimize any chance of audio breakup. (Depending on your system, there is a good possibility of disaster otherwise.) The monaural versions of Cloud lend themselves well to multi-speaker sound diffusion. (In diffusion, whenever the "light beams" occur, pause the diffusion until the "beam" has completely died out. Otherwise, the diffusion should be slow-to-moderate in pace - even and constant, but unpredictable.) The stereo versions should not be diffused. Duration is a minimum of 8 minutes. SETUP The performer downloads and installs the current version of Maldonado's CsoundAV from http://www.csounds.com/csoundav . The file to download is named CsoundAV_Win.exe . Please be aware that a *graphics tablet* version of this composition, indicated by a final "G" in the filename, requires the *very latest* v0.0432 CsoundAV. (For more about "G" versions of this piece, see the end of these instructions.) This latest v0.0432 may be available *only* at the URL above. To run CsoundAV (and this composition), click on the program icon, and on the popup window that appears, type the name of the desired .csd performance file into the Orc field. Alternately, drag the .csd file onto the window. Click OK, and the performance window for the piece will appear. When you run any performance file, you will be queried (via pop-up window) to specify a Portaudio OUT Device number (-+P#), and if MIDI controllers are involved, a MIDI In Device number (-+K#). Once you determine appropriate device ID's for your setup, you may add them to your CsOptions flags (as, for example, -+K0 and -+P8). (These flags are located toward the beginning of the .csd text file. You can edit them in any text editor, including Windows' Notepad.) Doing so will thereafter happily bypass the device selection process. For any problems, please consult Maldonado's CsoundAV Manual, also downloadable at http://www.csounds.com. This HTML manual comes as a zipped archive named CsoundAV_Manual.zip. See particularly its sections entitled Special Command Line Flags and Command Line Hints. (Command line flags are the same as CsOptions flags.) DIRECTSOUND If your system software includes *DirectSound*, slider/pot response time (latency) will improve substantially. DirectSound is present by default in systems running Windows 98SE and above. You also need a DirectSound driver for your soundcard. Any recently-manufactured stereo soundcard will install DirectSound drivers; "legacy" (ISA) soundcards will not. DirectSound drivers (or multichannel ASIO drivers - see below) may be available on your system. On the Portaudio OUT Device Select popup window, you'll see any and all DirectSound and ASIO (in addition to MME) drivers listed. Specify one of the DirectSound (or ASIO) numbers; if it works, add this number to your -+P flag (as, for example, -+P5). DirectSound and ASIO are *particularly* sensitive to any programs running in the background, including those in the taskbar; be sure to close as many as possible. Please note that a native *ASIO* driver is required for quad versions. Hint: If you are still having a problem getting clean, click-free sound, run a *MIDI* version of this work (it is less demanding on system resources). Also, at the slight sacrifice of some high frequency content, you can try halving the values for sr and kr (also at the top of your .csd file) to 22050 and 2205 respectively. (You cannot use ASIO drivers at these rates.) Otherwise, you may need a faster computer. PERFORMANCE All sliders (with two possible exceptions noted below) are initially set to zero. Except for (st)cloudma.csd, performance is begun by clicking on the Start/Stop button (checkbox), after making certain initial performance choices available in the window. (The "cloud" is silenced - signalling the end of the performance - by clicking on the same button.) With (st)cloudma.csd, opening the ninth "Noise Volume" fader starts and ends the performance. The durations of these fades are set on the counters named Start and Stop Secs (1-12 seconds each). In (st)cloudma.csd, however, since the ninth slider or pot performs the noise amplitude fades, these versions do not have preset fader timings. All controls may be varied during performance. Overall amplitude is soft to moderate. Total volume is preset by an external master gain control which remains unchanged throughout. Additionally, with (st)cloudma.csd, the Noise Volume pot (#9) is opened fully at the beginning, and remains that way until it performs the closing fade. Optionally, it may be opened to a sustain level somewhat less than full - with the result that any bell-tones will sound stronger relative to the noise. The bell-like "light beams" will occur only under specific conditions, and are not predictable even then. No more than two will sound during a single performance. Their pitch, duration and stereo placement (in stereo versions) are all indeterminate, as is whether they will occur at all; half of the time when they *might* happen, they don't. The necessary conditions for a bell-tone are these: both Band-Pass BW (Band Width) and Notch BW controls must simultaneously be near or at their maximum and must so remain until the delay on the bell-tone trigger expires (or the controls must *return* there by expiration time). The delay time begins when the two controls first reach the required maximum, and lasts between 2-10 seconds. At this point, half of the time a bell-tone will start; when it does, bell-tone duration is between 10 and 16 seconds. Whenever a bell-tone appears, and as soon as it is perceived by the performer, all performance control stops, and resumes only when the tone has nearly or completely died out. A performance should proceed as though no such tones are expected. If and when they do materialize, they are a welcome "visitor" that occasions a short pause before activity is resumed. It is of course possible to plan a performance so that "light beams" are impossible (the two crucial controls are never at maximum together); or conversely, that they are *very likely* to occur (the two controls are repeatedly set to maximum, and if a bell-tone is not forthcoming, one control is carefully lowered then raised again). The bank of eight sliders/pots is configured as follows: the first two determine the basic color of the noise cloud; the third adds a random element to this basic color (along with random loudness); #'s 4 and 5 band-pass filter the cloud (controlling both Center Frequency and Band Width); 6 and 7 perform similarly, but as an independent *notch* filter; finally, #8 adds a random element to the Center Frequencies of both band-pass and notch filters (with an effect parallel to control #3). The only slider/pots not necessarily preset to zero are #'s 4 and 6 - the Center Frequency pots for the band-pass and notch filters. Since the Band Width settings (at zero) for both filters are wide open to begin with, the initial positions of 4 and 6 make no difference in the sound. They may be set to whatever Center Frequency you wish to predominate when the corresponding Band Width control is first opened (Band Width narrowed). Following the opening fadein, the performance begins by working with the first pair of pots/sliders. The Noise Color control is essentially a low-pass filter cutoff, while the Pink/White Mix varies the output between a low-frequency dominated Pink (at zero) to a brighter White (at maximum). The initial setting of both emphasizes low frequencies, and movement of either pot will brighten the sound. The next performance segment adds the band-pass filter controls (#4 and 5), and begins by opening the Band Width control (#5). Finally, the notch filter (#'s 6 and 7) joins the activity; as with the previous pair, the Band Width control (#7) is raised first. Most of the remainder of the performance consists of manipulating these two filters, predominantly their Center Frequencies - creating various, frequently crossing patterns of emphasis within the noise cloud. Sliders/pots #'s 5 and 7 will often be high, to emphasize these filter sweeps. (Note that it is thus in the *latter* portion of the performance that the bell-tone "light beams" are most likely to appear.) "Random" controls #3 (for basic color and volume) and #8 (for filter Center Frequency) are introduced at any point *following* the controls they modify - preferably *all* those they affect. Since they enhance, and somewhat diffuse the effect of the other controls, they are not changed as frequently, and their settings may remain modest (rarely used at maximum). They are typically added as the piece further develops and grows. It is not *necessary* that they be used at all - especially #8. #3 is quite useful in making the cloud more active - even "rumbling," through its randomization of volume. Pots/sliders are moved one at a time, and are in fairly constant, even-paced motion. (On external MIDI devices, pot movement may overlap modestly.) The "cloud" is meant to be amorphous, always changing (though not suddenly). It shows no particular direction, though it generally gathers richness (as more performance controls are activated). The performance concludes with a final fadeout in one of following three ways (settings): 1) After moving to a low-frequency stabilized noise cloud similar to the opening sonority. Typically this is achieved when sliders/pots 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 have returned to zero. 2) After moving to a high-frequency stabilized noise cloud. This can be obtained by turning sliders/pots 1 and 2 to maximum; and 3, 7 and 8 to zero. 3) Fairly directly after the occurrence of a bell-tone, regardless of current pot settings. In this case, performance controls are not changed following the bell-tone; the "cloud" remains motionless. Only the Stop button is pushed or the Noise Volume pot/slider is slowly turned off following the bell; the fade should be a long one here. For this option to apply, the minimum performance time requirement must have been met. With all options, a short period (minimum of 5 seconds) of no controller movement and minimal perceived activity should precede the final fade. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR (ST)CLOUDM.CSD AND (ST)CLOUDMA.CSD These versions require external MIDI controller hardware. The set of 8 (or more) sliders or rotary pots (continuous controllers) needed by these versions are found on a variety of MIDI devices, including keyboards. Most of these devices are dependent on serial MIDI interfaces, usually found on sound cards. Some more recent MIDI controllers incorporate *USB* interfaces, and so are particularly appropriate for use with laptop computers (which normally lack MIDI interfaces). (St)cloudma.csd requires one additional slider or pot on the external MIDI device - to work as a Noise Volume fader for the "cloud." This can be part of the larger bank, or a separate controller, such as a data entry, modulation or volume control. The performance file assumes that all required sliders/pots are set to function as continuous controllers, and to output values 0-127 on channel 1 - all of which is usually true by default. In some cases, nothing will have to be programmed into the MIDI device; the default configuration will work when the number of the first controller of the bank of eight is entered on the performance screen. (The performer must consult the device documentation to learn the default number of the first controller in the bank. Multiple numbering sequences are often available as "presets.") Controller numbers for banks are often consecutive, in at least some preset option. If no such configuration is available, you'll have to program the controllers manually to be consecutive. (Also be sure that they all transmit on channel 1.) All MIDI versions provide for two additional controller configurations that may be rarely encountered. 1) ALL CONTROLLERS USE THE SAME CHANNEL, BUT NOT #1: Locate the line toward the beginning of the performance file - "#define CHAN #1#", and change the channel number to the one you need (from 2-16) with any text editor, such as Notepad. (This revision is active until you change it again.) Note that the "#" characters around the channel number must remain. 2) EACH CONTROL (of a hardware bank of 8-16) USES A UNIQUE CHANNEL, BUT WITH (channel volume) CONTROLLER #7: For this situation, either the overall Amplitude Controller # box (when applicable) or the Bank 1 1st Controller box on the performance screen includes a special, coded controller number. To enable this layout: For the Amp Controller #, select 128; for Bank 1 1st Controller #, select -1. All controllers will now be on consecutive channels, starting with the Banks, then the Amp Controller, and lastly any other individual controllers. For (st)cloudma.csd, determine the number of the ninth controller from the documentation, and enter it on the performance window as well. The composition's default value is controller 1, which is the modulation wheel on MIDI keyboards. The keyboard volume control (controller 7 - which sometimes doubles as the data entry slider) or an extra slider/pot in the controller bank may also be appropriated. In the latter case, the controller number can often be determined from that of the first slider/pot in the bank. Finally, for (st)cloudm.csd, there is a second option for starting and stopping the "noise cloud." Instead of clicking the on-screen button (checkbox), one can press any available MIDI button that can send a MIDI on and off message on channel 1. (This is the equivalent of holding down any key on a MIDI keyboard - which, if desired, can substitute as a Start/Stop control.) This may be a more convenient way for the performer to control the "noise cloud," as there would then be no necessity actually to "perform" on the *computer*. (Note that the extra MIDI slider used in (st)cloudma.csd also provides for a "computer-independent" performance.) When multiple buttons are available, program one with the "Start" message, another with "Stop." Using a single button for "Start/Stop Fundamental" (Note On/Off) will require holding the button down during much of the performance, unless the button can be set to "toggle" between On and Off (which is preferable). The appropriate SysEx MIDI data string for Note On, channel one is (in hex) "90 00 01"; for Note Off, "90 (or 80) 00 00". (Buttons on the Peavey PC 1600[x] can be programmed with these MIDI messages, for example.) Otherwise, "NoteOn" event type can be selected, along with any note name or number with a positive velocity value - channel 1. (If required, "NoteOff" with same note name/number, or "NoteOn" with same note name/number *and velocity equals zero* - also channel 1 - terminates the event. "Press/release" buttons do this automatically.) SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR (ST)CLOUD.CSD The eight slider controls in (st)cloud.csd are on-screen, and operated with the mouse (one at a time) - optionally assisted by the cursor-left and -right keys. (Sliders are spaced to reflect the groupings discussed above.) Controls are selected by clicking on their handles (anywhere - the value won't change). They then can be dragged at the desired speed to a new value, or the cursor-left or -right keys can be held down to move them. There is another option as well: directly clicking the mouse on a new slider value. Upon doing this, the sonority will uniformly glide to its new setting at the rate set by the Glide Time (permitted range: 1-10 "seconds"). The Glide Time represents approximately *half* the number of seconds it takes to go from one value to the next. This rate can be changed during performance, though doing so is not particularly encouraged. (The pace of the work should remain fairly constant.) ADDENDUM: VERSIONS THAT USE A KORG KAOSS PAD AS SECOND MIDI CONTROLLER Cloud4mK and cloud4maK are two additional versions that duplicate cloudm and cloudma - except that they use a Korg KAOSS Pad to create quad movement/placement from the originally mono signal. (They thus require an ASIO driver.) Either a KAOSS Pad 1 or 2 will work (and in exactly the same way). The KAOSS Pad is a control surface that consists of two contiguous MIDI controllers, one representing the x coordinate, the other the y. The Pad's default controller numbers 12 and 13 are also default for these versions. (Be sure to configure the Pad to transmit *only* x- and y-axis touch panel messages - on channel 1.) The first controller number is preset in the on- screen window prior to performance. IMPORTANT: As part of initial setup (once the run has started), touch the pad in the *topmost center position*; this will place the initial sound front-and-center. The Pad is performed either by dragging a finger over the surface, or by simply touching the pad in different positions. In the latter case especially, the Pan Lag Factor control is crucial. This control is both preset on-screen to an initial desired value, and varied during performance. Activity on the KAOSS Pad can be intermittent; the only requirement is that perceived spatial movement not be sudden or jerky. Also, the KAOSS Pad can optionally be assigned to a second performer. Since Csound currently only permits a single MIDI input, the two MIDI outputs must be combined into one. Three methods are available: 1) The simplest method is available whenever one of the MIDI devices has a MIDI Thru or MIDI In connector that will accept input from the other device. For this to work, the receiving device must also be capable of *MIDI merge*; some devices have this capability, others don't. Unfortunately, neither of the KAOSS models do, so this feature must be offered by your *other* MIDI device. 2) This method is the most universal, and will work as long as you can get both MIDI signals into your computer. Download (http://www.midiox.com) and install both MidiOx and MidiYoke. These utilities are free, and simple to use. They combine two or more MIDI data streams and present them to Csound as a single MIDI input. (MidiOx does many other fascinating things too - for example, enabling the *computer keyboard* to generate MIDI data.) The key (in MIDI Yoke) is to specify the MIDI devices you wish to combine, as "MIDI *Inputs*," and MIDI Yoke Junction 1 as the "MIDI *Output*." Then, in Csound, select MIDI Yoke Junction 1 as your MIDI *In* device. 3) The third option applies only when both devices use 5-pin DIN (traditional MIDI) connectors and cables: a simple, self-powered MIDI Merge/ Thru box with at least two MIDI inputs and one MIDI output. A few of these diverse boxes even adapt MIDI output to USB. Finally, *any* MIDI device that comprises two continuous controllers (with successive numbers) could substitute for the KAOSS Pad in this version. In particular, a simple X/Y joystick will work well - especially if not spring- loaded. To convert joystick data to MIDI (which is required), run the handy (and free) MIDI Joystick v1.1 utility (by Hubi!) found at: http://members.magnet.at/hubwin/midi.html (MDJSTK11.ZIP). Set the X and Y axes for Channel 1 and Controllers 12 and 13 (or whatever pair of numbers you want to specify under "KAOSS 1st Cont #"). Select MIDI Yoke Junction 1 as "Out". Whatever spatial controller you use, be sure that sound starts in the front- and-center position, and moves smoothly throughout performance. KAOSS PAD SUBSTITUTES - THE "G" VERSIONS Cloud4mG and cloud4maG are basically "poor person's KAOSS Pad substitutes" that duplicate the KAOSS Pad versions described above. They should be selected only when a KAOSS Pad is unavailable and quad panning is desired. Suffice it to say that you will find the KAOSS Pad versions to be far more user-friendly and intuitive. The "G" stands for "graphics," and these versions are performable by any graphics pad, preferably in "pen mode." They will also work, however, in "mouse mode," or indeed (when pressed into service) with *any mouse or touchpad* as spatial controller. (Since none of these controllers involve MIDI, MidiOx and MidiYoke are not required.) The following recommendations/ instructions apply: 1) The "G" versions require CsoundAV v0.0432 (Feb 25 2005) or later. 2) Screen resolution must be set to 640x480 (VGA). 3) In Taskbar Properties, uncheck "Always on top" (and "Auto hide"). (Right-click on taskbar, choose "Properties.") 4) With graphics pad, "Pen mode" is recommended (and full-screen window). 5) All on-screen controls are *preset* in these versions. Only event "Start(/Stop)" boxes/buttons are clicked during actual performance. 6) When using a pen, set the tip feel/response to as firm as possible. This will help avoid unwanted clicks on the numerous controls present in the performance window. For the same reason, use a very soft touch when tapping the window (in contrast to dragging) during performance. 7) Avoid the extreme top and bottom of the performance window: a) the top title bar is inactive (watch out where you enter and leave it), and you can easily drag/reposition the window; b) the bottom edge is likewise (dangerously) draggable, so you can inadvertently either resize the window or minimize it (by clicking on what's below). Any of these occurrences can be fairly disastrous. 7) Before beginning, set the pointer at the top of screen, center (but not in the title bar!) This will produce initial sound front-and-center. 8) In performance, be careful to move only the pointing device (pen, mouse, touchpad) you intend. Remember that all these devices are simultaneously active. 9) In other respects, proceed as for the KAOSS Pad versions. 10) The KAOSS Pad and its "substitutes" *always* operate on channel one.