These two custom synthesizers / sequencers are built using the Web Audio API, Javascript and HTML. They take in an audio sample, break it into a series of smaller pieces (slices) and disperse them into a visual sequencer for playback.
Petri-Synth is based around a Petri dish. It features a circular playback canvas, and runs a version of Conway's Game of Life under the hood to populate, evolve, and grow “cells” across the canvas. Each of these cells will play a slice of the sample audio when it becomes alive, and various audio patterns emerge while interacting with or letting the simulation run.
A series of controls such as envelopes, grain size, generation speed (lifespan) and reverb allow further customization of the output sound.
The Granular Sequencer uses the same audio-slice engine to generate smaller grains from an audio sample and assign them to a variable grid of 4, 8, 16, 32, or 64 cells. Split into columns, the sequencer can control grain playback direction (flow) as well as envelopes, grain size, bpm, and reverb.
Both of these experiments are live and available to play with:
Try Petri Synth ↗
Try Granular Sequencer ↗
