A newer version of Max is available. Click here to access the latest version of the documentation

sfrecord~

Record to audio file on disk

Description

Use the sfrecord~ object to record and save MSP output as an audio file.

Examples

Save an audio file containing 'real world' sound and/or sound created in MSP

Arguments

number-of-input-channels [int]

Optional

Sets the number of input channels, which determines the number of inlets that the sfrecord~ object will have. The maximum number of channels is 64, and the default is 1. The audio file created will have the same number of channels as this argument. Whether you can actually record the maximum number of channels is dependent on the speed of your processor and hard disk.

buffer-size [int]

Optional

An optional second argument sets the buffer size. The defult value is 20160.

Attributes

Common Box Attributes

annotation [symbol]

Sets the text that will be displayed in the Clue window when the user moves the mouse over the object.

background [int] (default: 0)

Adds or removes the object from the patcher's background layer. background 1 adds the object to the background layer, background 0 removes it. Objects in the background layer are shown behind all objects in the default foreground layer.

color [4 floats]

Sets the color for the object box outline.

fontface [int]

Sets the type style used by the object. The options are:

plain
bold
italic
bold italic

Possible values:

0 = 'regular'
1 = 'bold'
2 = 'italic'
3 = 'bold italic'

fontname [symbol]

Sets the object's font.

fontsize [float]

Sets the object's font size (in points).

Possible values:

'8'
'9'
'10'
'11'
'12'
'13'
'14'
'16'
'18'
'20'
'24'
'30'
'36'
'48'
'64'
'72'

hidden [int] (default: 0)

Toggles whether an object is hidden when the patcher is locked.

hint [symbol]

Sets the text that will be displayed in as a pop-up hint when the user moves the mouse over the object in a locked patcher.

ignoreclick [int] (default: 0)

Toggles whether an object ignores mouse clicks in a locked patcher.

patching_rect [4 floats] (default: 0. 0. 100. 0.)

Sets the position and size of the object in the patcher window.

position [2 floats]

g/s(set)

Sets the object's x and y position in both patching and presentation modes (if the object belongs to its patcher's presentation), leaving its size unchanged.

presentation [int] (default: 0)

Sets whether an object belongs to the patcher's presentation.

presentation_rect [4 floats] (default: 0. 0. 0. 0.)

Sets the x and y position and width and height of the object in the patcher's presentation, leaving its patching position unchanged.

rect [4 floats]

g/s(set)

Sets the x and y position and width and height of the object in both patching and presentation modes (if the object belongs to its patcher's presentation).

size [2 floats]

g/s(set)

Sets the object's width and height in both patching and presentation modes (if the object belongs to its patcher's presentation), leaving its position unchanged.

textcolor [4 floats]

Sets the color for the object's text in RGBA format.

textjustification [int]

Sets the justification for the object's text.

Possible values:

0 = 'left'
1 = 'center'
2 = 'right'

varname [symbol]

Sets the patcher's scripting name, which can be used to address the object by name in pattr, scripting messages to thispatcher, and the js object.

Messages

int

Arguments

recording-start/stop-flag (0 or nonzero) [int]
In left inlet: If a file has been opened with the open message, a non-zero value begins recording, and 0 stops recording and closes the file. sfrecord~ requires another open message to record again if a 0 has been sent.

Recording may also stop spontaneously if there is an error, such as running out of space on your hard disk.

format

Arguments

bit-depth [int]
A backwards-compatible message for file format. Use the samptype message for full soundfile specification.

loop

Arguments

looping-flag (0 or 1) [float]
In left inlet: If a file has been opened with the open message, the word loop, followed by a number that specifies the loop length in milliseconds, begins recording for the specified amount of time, repeating within the specified area. loop 0 turns off recording.

nchans

Arguments

number-of-channels [int]
The word nchans, followed by a number in the range 1-64, sets the number of channels for the audio file to be recorded. The default is 1.

open

Arguments

file-type [symbol]
filename [symbol]
In left inlet: Opens a file for recording. By default, the file type is AIFF, but sfrecord~ also supports NeXT/Sun, and WAV formats. The word open, without an argument, brings up a standard Save As dialog allowing you to choose a filename. The optional symbols aiff, au, raw, or wave specify the file format (which can also be set in the Save As dialog with a Format pop-up menu). If open is followed by a second symbol, it creates a file in the current default volume. An existing file with the same name will be overwritten. The format symbol (e.g., aiff) can follow the optional filename argument. If only one argument is given to the open message, which is a filename, the file type is determined from the file extension (e.g., "open test.wav" sets the file type to wave).

print

Outputs cryptic status information about the progress of the recording.

record

Arguments

recording-time [float]
In left inlet: If a file has been opened with the open message, the word record, followed by a time in milliseconds, begins recording for the specified amount of time. The recording can be stopped before it reaches the end by sending sfrecord~ a 0 in its left init.

resample

Arguments

sampling-rate-coefficient [float]
The word resample, followed by a float, will upsample or downsample the file. Sample rates are expressed as floating-point values - 1.0 is the current sampling rate, 0.5 is half the current, 2.0 is twice the current sample rate, etc.

samptype

Arguments

sample-type [symbol]
byte-swap-flag [int]
In left inlet: The word samptype, followed by a symbol, specifies the sample type to use when recording the audio file. The following types of sample data are supported:

int8: 8-bit integer
int16: 16-bit integer
int24: 24-bit integer
int32: 32-bit integer
float32: 32-bit floating-point
float64: 64-bit floating-point
mulaw: 8-bit "mu"-law encoding
alaw: 8-bit a-law encoding
The optional second argument, a 0 or 1, specifies whether or not byte-swapping should be used, which is only useful when writing a 'raw' audio file.

signal

Each inlet of sfrecord~ accepts a signal which is recorded to a channel of an audio file when recording is turned on.

Output

signal

The time, in milliseconds, since recording of the file began. If recording has stopped, the signal value will remain at the length of the last recording until a new recording is started.

See Also

Name Description
sfplay~ Play audio file from disk
mc.sfplay~ Play audio file from disk (multi-channel)
mc.sfrecord~ Record to audio file on disk (multi-channel)
MSP Sampling Tutorial 6: Record and Play Audio Files MSP Sampling Tutorial 6: Record and Play Audio Files