Tao's Synthesis Language in Detail
Tao's Synthesis Language in Detail
The Declarations Section
Overview of a Script
A Tao script, although contained within one text file, is conceptually split into three main sections: the declarations section; the init section; and the score section. The declarations section contains instructions for creating instruments, devices, pitches, arrays, parameters and access points etc. The init section contains instructions for initialising the instruments, devices, parameters and other objects. It may optionally contain instructions for applying devices to instruments, coupling instruments together, and specifying the initial locations of any access points. Finally the score section contains instructions for playing the instruments and generating output audio files during the performance. The term performance is used here to refer to the run-time execution of the synthesis scenario described in the script.The score provides a means for the user to apply time-varying excitations to the instruments and control any instrument or device attributes via the use of parameters. The score consists of nested control structures which allow events to be scheduled throughout the performance. These control structures contain either further nested control structures or statements. Statements are the mechanism by which parameters are assigned values, mathematical expressions are evaluated, instrument and device attributes are controlled etc. For a more detailed description of the statement types available see section *. Statements are also used to specify the sound samples which are to be written out to an Output device.
Tao's Synthesis Language in Detail
Tao's Synthesis Language in Detail
The Declarations Section