Binary Trees and Elektron Instrument Design

previewlounge · 2014-06-16T07:41:53.000Z

hi all, one for the programmers…

what kind of cool correlations do you see in the devices made by Elektron, and the computer science area of algorithm design, optimisation, binary trees and binary heap trees?

i guess it is fairly obvious i am still exploring the wonderful area of data structures + algorithms, seeing the newfound knowledge seemingly everywhere.

miketheman · 2014-06-16T10:05:29.000Z

""previewlounge"":

hi all, one for the programmers…

what kind of cool correlations do you see in the devices made by Elektron, and the computer science area of algorithm design, optimisation, binary trees and binary heap trees?

i guess it is fairly obvious i am still exploring the wonderful area of data structures + algorithms, seeing the newfound knowledge seemingly everywhere.

Not necessarily in any relation to Elektron, but ‘computer science’ overall: Orwellian.

previewlounge · 2014-06-16T22:05:18.000Z

yeah, no it was more like …

there are beautiful abstract concepts of data structures … that essentially use the nature of randomness, infused into an orderly collection of data … the data becomes superfast and super-responsive. It’s beautiful. Like an organic data creature, or series of them.

by intentionally using randomness to increase powerful interactivity of data … well, maybe there are correlations in the interface of Elektron devices …

say for example the Audio Pool … the Project with 128 static slots, 128 flex slots … and then, four Parts per bank … it is all allowing for randomness, in fact encouraging the randomness just enough to allow the user to intuitively become much more powerful in their own creative process.

miketheman · 2014-06-16T22:42:33.000Z

""previewlounge"":

yeah, no it was more like …

there are beautiful abstract concepts of data structures … that essentially use the nature of randomness, infused into an orderly collection of data … the data becomes superfast and super-responsive. It’s beautiful. Like an organic data creature, or series of them.

by intentionally using randomness to increase powerful interactivity of data … well, maybe there are correlations in the interface of Elektron devices …

say for example the Audio Pool … the Project with 128 static slots, 128 flex slots … and then, four Parts per bank … it is all allowing for randomness, in fact encouraging the randomness just enough to allow the user to intuitively become much more powerful in their own creative process.

Yeah, I get you. And you´re right, used properly it is beautiful… an art in itself.

Ugly side is of course (just like in art), when used in a sense as human beings are hostiles. If your ‘neighbour’ isn´t an enemy already, he/she might as well become one for whatever reason. Or treating you as you would be the enemy or the fault of his/hers despair. Disrespectful really.

I´m finding much beautiful “data art” of people doing magic things in/with Processing. Code turning into the most magnificent art seen. Would love to see more of that kind.

On a side note, I´m much into exploring ‘randomness’ within certain limits or structure imposed by myself. Nord Modular G2 lends you much to creations in this concept:

Random generator module => recorded (switchable On/Off at will) into a sequencer module. Its output into an NN# out module. From G2: trigging sounds via MIDI in a Alesis DM Pro drum module. From DM Pro: sounds OneShot sampled in OT, and playback trigs at certain steps, while beat continues alongside.

Funny thing is to set the randomization to go on continously while re-arming the OneShot sampling in the OT. Beat adjusts itself and (sometimes) fits nicely with both the randomization and OneShot sampling. Interesting results.

previewlounge · 2014-06-16T23:56:36.000Z

the classical theory of programming applied to create beautiful data structures leads to the house of innovation.

by pure understanding of the binary nature of computers, algorithmic access speeds are achieved. in other words, due to their binary nature, they are able to process powers of 2 in very quick time.

2 to the power of 300 is as simple as 2 plus 300 to a binary machine.

an organic understanding of this helps to work with a binary linked data structure … locating an audio particle amongst 100 particles needn’t require the binary processor to look through 100 things, it just needs to search ten items … exponential speed via organic understanding of a modern day instrument - the chip.

previewlounge · 2014-06-17T01:17:15.000Z

miketheman wrote…

Yeah, I get you. And you´re right, used properly it is beautiful… an art in itself.

Ugly side is of course (just like in art), when used in a sense as human beings are hostiles. If your ‘neighbour’ isn´t an enemy already, he/she might as well become one for whatever reason. Or treating you as you would be the enemy or the fault of his/hers despair. Disrespectful really.

I´m finding much beautiful “data art” of people doing magic things in/with Processing. Code turning into the most magnificent art seen. Would love to see more of that kind.

On a side note, I´m much into exploring ‘randomness’ within certain limits or structure imposed by myself. Nord Modular G2 lends you much to creations in this concept:

Random generator module => recorded (switchable On/Off at will) into a sequencer module. Its output into an NN# out module. From G2: trigging sounds via MIDI in a Alesis DM Pro drum module. From DM Pro: sounds OneShot sampled in OT, and playback trigs at certain steps, while beat continues alongside.

Funny thing is to set the randomization to go on continously while re-arming the OneShot sampling in the OT. Beat adjusts itself and (sometimes) fits nicely with both the randomization and OneShot sampling. Interesting results.

this all sounds amazing! total inspiration on every line.
as regards the less favourable aspects of humanity that may be reflected in certain journeys undertaken to achieve programming prowess perhaps, yes, it has the potential to have quite a de-humanising effect … perhaps disorienting …

i mean … the lecturers at the Uni where i go to … they are okay, but i feel like they are trying to force me to be depressed by force of boredom. So i don’t go to lectures. Or tutorials. This has worked really well, i found masters-of-the-void.com which helped, and then found an australian lecturer’s videos on algorithms and data structures … named Richard Buckland, he is truly inspirational and fantastic. He has passion, and always insists on teaching the “why” of algorithm design.

but yeah, the Uni’s standard learning material is so … mundane. They talk about a Linked List and relate it to some boring business database idea… “get the worker’s number and name” … oh, yeah … let’s run around in a mouse cage for some big business. Not to put commercial enterprise programming down in any way, as well done it is an artform, but … no. The learning material is so standard run of the mill, not encouraging of any fanciful thinking. That is understandable as the material to learn is so mind-blowing, maybe they think that keeping it simple is the best approach.

if only they would describe how a doubly inked list could be used to hold an audio snippet in random access memory, and then connect an iPad’s touchscreen controls to that.

Or help students to create functions that enable user-definable chorus effects, perhaps employing a Sorted Binary Heap Tree to innovate glittery rain-style effects through spritzing the audio clip’s data into a cloud of algorithmically connected particles of coolness.

analogback · 2014-06-17T01:49:48.000Z

interesting, but you sound frustrated… maybe you are studying the wrong course or at the wrong establishment? i struggled to agree with the business driven angle that some of these higher learning establishments are coming from… had the same experience at RMIT and left after a couple of years in disgust. Their reasoning is logical and gets results with some, but not all. They create a batch of GM business minded monkeys but not everybody studies for the same reason. They should realise and offer alternatives. Unfortunately the dollar is king and with the higher learning costs set to rise, I fear the teaching emphasis will be put even more on the ability to ‘succeed’ monetarily. Of course, historically we know all the biggest financial success stories come from thinking ‘outside the box’

previewlounge · 2014-06-17T02:11:24.000Z

yes, and it is fascinating to see how magnificent pioneers like Steve Wozniak innovated “inside the chip” whilst thinking “outside the box”.

as regards Uni … yes, agreed, total disgust on a number of occasions.

I only just read the Uni’s weekly lecture notes for Algorithms yesterday (the exam is in two days’ time), and really just laughed immediately, at how bland and blatantly confusing their material was.

however, it does get better further in.

and sometimes, it is good to have boundaries to rail against.

ironically enough i did think about changing Uni and going to … RMIT! haha.

but really, Uni is just … Uni. it is a tool. if a student manages to find a pathway of learning that agrees with their heart and soul there, then that is a rare thing. Personally, I do not go to the Uni grounds much at all, if ever. Left for a year and played five string bass in heavy metal bands. that was fun for eight months.

for now, learning via feeling the need to prepare for an exam at Uni … well, it ain’t perfect, but i am at least inspired to find learning materials online that support the passionate spirit of adventure … so in a way, it is a fine thing.

i just dropped all units except the Algorithms unit, and found other ways to learn how algorithms work. Because really it is a delicious and truly rewarding field of study.

Richard Buckland (the Sydney-based lecturer) makes this very clear, very enjoyable. his videos are on youtube, shared by the UNSW uni… which is great as i have high speed internet here in Tasmania.

as regards Uni’s and their focus on money, well that lecturer does not pick up on that tip. He just shares knowledge, real world brilliant knowledge (rather than just information).

In contrast, i just received an email from my Uni, telling me how awesome the new Vice Chancellor is, how he had an “exemplary” year there, and how they are reaching their goals with him there. The first goal they listed said their budget is now half a billion. Five of the seven points talked about money.

But anyway the beautiful world of binary fractal data arranging and playing, is unaffected by commercial interest … traversing fractal clouds of data with algorithms, is almost like navigating mini data vehicles; hovercrafting through fractal data flowers in a glowing universe of possibility.