mc.stutter~ Reference - Max 8 Documentation

Description

The stutter~ object keeps a history of its signal input (left inlet). Upon receiving an int (left inlet), it copies that number of the most recently received samples to another playback buffer. This buffer may be cycled through by its phase, 0-1 (right inlet). On receiving a bang (left inlet) or a trigger signal (middle inlet), the last integer number of samples are copied to the playback buffer.

Arguments

max-buffer-length [int]

Unitssamples

The maximum buffer length, in samples. This determines the memory size of the record buffer. Parts of the record buffer are copied to the playback buffer when the object is triggered.

initial-buffer-size [int]

Unitssamples

The initial buffer size, in samples, to copy from the record to the playback buffer upon receiving a trigger.

trigger-polarity [int]

The polarity to use for accepting a trigger signal in the middle inlet. If the argument is greater than 0, stutter~ accepts a positive trigger; otherwise stutter~ accepts a negative trigger.

number-of-copied-samples [int]

Unitssamples

The number of samples which are copied from the record buffer to the playback buffer each iteration of the perform loop (the signal vector size). A larger value will decrease the stutter~ object's memory requirements and increase the CPU requirements.

number-of-outputs [int]

Optional

An optional fifth argument allows you to specify multiple independent signal outputs the stutter~ object will use when playing back from the playback buffer. The default is 1, and the maximum is 30. The number of phase signal inputs to the stutter~ object is also determined by this argument.

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.

Multichannel Group Attributes

chans [int]

The chans attribute sets the number of channels and instances in the MC wrapper object. If you want a fixed number of channels regardless of what is connected to the object, you could set chans via a typed-in argument, for example typing mc.cycle~ @chans 100 would create 100 instances of a cycle~ object inside the MC wrapper. If chans is 0, the wrapper object will auto-adapt to the number of channels in its input multichannel signals (using the maximum of all connected signals). For objects without connected multichannel signals, the chans attribute will need to have a non-zero value if you want more than one instance.

If chans is changed while the audio is on, the number of instances will not updated until audio is restarted. However, if chans is reduced while the audio is on, any extra channels will no longer process audio and will output a zero signal.

values [list]

The values attribute only applies to object creation time so it must be set via typed-in argument syntax. values sets the first (and only the first) initial argument for successive instances in the MC wrapper. For example, typing mc.cycle~ @chans 4 @values 50 60 70 80 would assign an initial frequency to the cycle~ instances inside the wrapper. The first instance would be assigned a frequency of 50, the second a frequency of 60, the third 70, and the fourth 80. Note that values does not determine the actual instance count; this can be done using the chans attribute. If there are more instances than elements for the values attribute, those instances are instantiated with the default value.

If you want to set a default initial value for all instances, simply type it as an argument before any typed-in attributes. For example, modifying our example above: mc.cycle~ 100 @chans 10 @values 50 60 70 80. In this example, the first four instances are set as before, but the next six are created with a frequency argument of 100.

To change instance values or attributes after the wrapper object has been created, use the setvalue, applyvalues, or replicatevalues messages.

replicate [int]

When replicate is enabled, input single-channel or multichannel signals containing fewer channels than the number instances in the MC wrapper object are repeated to fill all input channels. For example, when replicate is enabled and you connect a two-channel multichannel signal to the input of an MC wrapper object with four instances, channel 1 of the input will be repeated to channel 3, and channel 2 of the input will be repeated to channel 4. If replicate were disabled, channels 3 and 4 of the input would be set to zero.

target [int]

The target attribute sets a voice index for targeting specific wrapper instances. Subsequent messages are directed to an individual instance instead of all instances. It is strongly recommended you use the more reliable setvalue message instead of the target attribute. The voice index of setvalue will override the current setting of target. When target is 0, incoming messages are sent to all instances. When target is -1, incoming messages do nothing.

usebusymap [int]

When usebusymap is enabled, the MC wrapper controls whether individual instances process audio using a busy map maintained by either an mc.noteallocator~ or mc.voiceallocator~ object. When a channel in the busy map is marked as "free" or "released" no audio processing occurs by any instance on the channel corresponding to the voice index. When usebusymap is disabled, instances in the MC wrapper process audio at all times. This will also be true if usebusymap is enabled and there is no local or named busy map available. (See the busymapname attribute for a description of local and named busy maps). For brevity the name @bz can also be used.

zero [int]

When the zero attribute is enabled, channels in the MC wrapper due to the use of a busy map output zero signals. To save a small amount of CPU at the risk of loud and unpleasant noises due to uncleared signal data, you can disable zero. In this case, disabled channels in the MC wrapper do nothing to their output channels. If usebusymap is disabled or there is no active local or named busy map available, the setting of the zero attribute has no effect.

Conveniently, when usebusymap is enabled in mc.mixdown~ object, disabled channels are not mixed to the output. When unused signals from wrapped objects with zero disabled feed into mc.mixdown~, they will be ignored, reducing the risk of unpleasantness getting past the mix output.

busymapname [symbol]

When the usebusymap attribute is enabled, an MC wrapper object uses the local busy map of any mc.voiceallocator~ or mc.noteallocator~ in the same patcher by default. To use a named global busy map instead, set the busymapname attribute to the desired name. For brevity the name @bzname can also be used.

Messages

bang

In left inlet: A bang causes the last buffer of recorded samples to be copied to the playback buffer. You can use a bang instead of or in conjunction with the middle inlet trigger signal.

int

Arguments

playback-buffer-size [int]

In left inlet: Specifies the size (in samples) of the playback buffer. This can be any number up to the maximum memory determined by the first argument to stutter~.

ampvar

Arguments

random-amplitude-variation [float]

The word ampvar, followed by a float, specifies a random amplitude variation in the output signal(s). The default is 0 (no variation).

clear

Clears the object's sample memory.

dropout

Arguments

drop-out-chance [float]

The word dropout, followed by a float, determines the percentage chance of a playback signal dropping out (i.e. 'gapping' or not playing). The default is 0 (no gapping).

maxsize

Arguments

max-buffer-size [int]

The word maxsize, followed by a number, sets the maximum buffer size, in samples.

polarity

Arguments

trigger-polarity [int]

The word polarity, followed by a zero or one, changes the trigger polarity of stutter~ to negative or positive, respectively.

print

The word print will cause the object to print a detailed listing of all of its parameter settings within the Max Console.

repeat

Arguments

repeat-chance [float]

The word repeat, followed by a float, determines the percentage change of the record buffer not being copied to the playback buffer so that the previous playback buffer is repeated. The default is 0 (no repeat).

setbuf

Arguments

buffer-name [symbol]
sample-offset [int]
channel-number [int]

The word setbuf, followed by arguments for a buffer name, a sample offset, and a channel, copies the specified samples to the named buffer~ object. Note: stutter~ always uses its internal buffer as the playback buffer; the copied samples can be sent to a named buffer~ object for use in some other way, if desired. The time required to move the specified amount of memory to the buffer is n/m, there n is the number of samples being copied and m is the fourth argument to the stutter~ object.

signal

In left inlet: Signals coming into the left inlet are stored in a record buffer, where they can be copied into a playback buffer and used as a playback source.

In middle inlet: Accepts a trigger signal, which can be specified to be positive or negative. When the signal changes polarity in the correct direction, samples recorded from the left inlet are copied to the playback buffer.

In right and successive inlets: A phase signal input in the range of 0-1 for each inlet controls the output speed of the playback buffer for that inlet. The number of phase inlets in a stutter~ object is set using the fifth argument; the default is a single inlet. Specifying multiple phase inlets allows you to specify multiple playback points in the sampled buffer.

Multichannel Group Messages

deviate

Arguments

range [float]
message-name [symbol]
center-value [float]

Generate a random value for each channel around a center value. If no message name is provided then a float message is used by default.

exponential

Arguments

exponent [float]
base [float]

The exponential message generates an exponential series using the second argument as a base and the first argument as an exponent.

scaledexponential

Arguments

exponent [float]
base [float]

The scaledexponential message generates an exponential series using the second argument as a base and the first argument as an exponent. Values are scaled by the instance number, so the total range of the series is independent of the number of channels.

increment

Arguments

increment-amount [float]
message-name [symbol]
start-value [float]

Generate a increasing value for each channel starting at a specified value. If no message name is provided then a float message is used by default.

harmonic

Arguments

multiplier [float]
fundamental [float]

The harmonic message generate a harmonic series using the second argument as the fundamental frequency and the first argument as a multiplier.

subharmonic

Arguments

multiplier [float]
fundamental [float]

The subharmonic message generate a subharmonic series using the second argument as the fundamental frequency and the first argument as a multiplier.