The audio-visualization-tool formprozessor controls the properties of predefined graphical objects with the values of an interpretation of the live sound input. The values of the sound interpretation are visualized by an equalizer with nine frequency bands. The user can define graphical objects with a draw tool and set up the scheme how their properties (position, size, transparency, rotation) are controlled by the values of the equalizer.

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At the moment formprozessor just runs under Mac OS 9.x. For future releases (also Mac OS X and PC version!) visit www.andreasmuxel.com.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Don’t run formprozessor from a CD. Copy folder copy_this to your harddisk. Otherwise there may be problems with saving data.

SELECT THE INPUT SOURCE

1. audio CD

Select the input source CD from the control panel Sound. Use AppleCD Audio Player instead of iTunes to play your audio CD, because otherwise formprozessor will get no audio signal to analyse. iTunes does not use the CD drive’s built-in capability of playing audio CDs, because it directly reads the audio disc’s digital data and plays it through the computer’s sound input capability.

2. external microphone

Select the input source external microphone from the control panel Sound. For the Mac models without microphone/line-in plugs, no sound input sources are available without the addition of a USB-based sound input system such as the Griffin iMic.

SET UP SCREEN RESOLUTION

1. single screen

1024x768 or higher

2. two screens

main screen: 1024x768 or higher
second screen: 640x480

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SET UP THE EQUALIZER

1. Equalizer

The equalizer represents the result of a FFT-analyze on the live sound input in nine frequency bands (high, mid, low). The two yellow sliders define the area in which the value of a frequency band is sampled. The left slider underneath works as a potentiometer to amplify the signal and the right one controls the horizontal position. These functions are useful to set up the equalizer, that works best, if all frequency bands are moving within the predefined yellow areas. Press the save EQ settings button to save the present settings in the active pre-set (1-9). To recall a saved pre-set just press the pre-set button (1-9). Only a good set-up of the equalizer provides a satisfied result!

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DEFINE A GRAPHICAL OBJECT

2. Tools

Select a tool to define or modify a graphical object in the Draw window. Their functions are similar to other image editor applications.

3. Draw

Draw represents the arrangement of the graphical objects on the stage (scale 1:2). Define the initial state of an object here.

4. Color

After selected an object with the cursor tool you can choose a color.

5. Transform

Transform represents the property inspector of an object. Through a numerical input on your keyboard you can change the properties. Don’t forget to press Enter to confirm your input!

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DEFINE THE CONTROL SCHEME

6. Connect

Define the scheme how the equalizer controls the properties of an graphical object. After creating an object in Draw its properties appear in a box in Connect. Press the button left from a property and hold down the mouse to draw a line to the desired frequency band of the equalizer. When the cursor becomes a plus release the mouse to define the connection. Double-click on the button left of a property to dissolve the connection. There must be at least one property of an object connected to the equalizer, because otherwise the object will not appear on the stage! To view the graphical result press the update stage button!

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ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS

7. Direction

You can define the area, in which an object’s property is controlled by the equalizer. Each property has an initial state (textbox in the middle) and a limiting value of its state (either one for a negative modification (textbox in the left) or a positive modification (textbox in the right)). To define the direction (positive or negative) activate the plus or minus button and through a numerical input on your keyboard you can change the values. Don’t forget to press Enter to confirm your input!

8. Time Smooth

Set up how fast or slow a property reacts to the values of the equalizer.

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9. SetList

Press the save button to save the arrangement and the control scheme of the objects as a textfile on your harddisk. To recall a predefined system press the open button and choose the desired file. In the SetList window you see a list of all present loaded systems. You can switch between them by pressing their names.

view movie 5

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1. formprozessor isn’t reacting to audio. What’s wrong?

Select the input source from the control panel Sound This is further complicated by Apple's change in how Audio CDs are played. Most people now use iTunes to play their CDs, which does not use the CD drive's built-in capability of playing audio CDs. Instead, it directly reads the audio disc's digital data and plays it through the computer's sound hardware, which sidesteps the system's Audio CD sound input capability. Because of this, if you wish to use audio CDs with formprozessor you must listen to them with a CD-only player such as the AppleCD Audio Player instead of iTunes or SoundJam.

2. Can formprozessor react to MP3s playing on my computer?

Not directly. But there is a workaround however, you can set your sound input to an external microphone and physically place the mic in front of one of your speakers.

Any questions?

E-mail me: info@andreasmuxel.com
Or go to: www.andreasmuxel.com

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formprozessor is based on diploma thesis formprozessor - Interpretation von Musik und Transformation in Elemente der visuellen Gestaltung developed at the Fachhochschule Vorarlberg, InterMedia
Andreas Muxel, 2003, contact