simple Media Browser that sorts by spectrum

[ferropop]

Hey all, just posting a concept that's maybe interesting and just curious what others think.

For auditioning samples/folders, a simple file browser that sorts sounds by spectrum. some basic things like "how bassy", "how midrangey", "how top-endy" would be the spectrum.

And I imagine a slider that lets you "sweep" through the sounds, where it previews a fixed-window snippet representing each sound for a second or two.

Basically sliding would act as a crossfader through every track in the current folder. In the spirit of XO by XLN, but Reaper-y, some basic sliders but super functional.


Is this kind of thing possible to script?

[alienmindarts]

Great concept.
Im sure its somehow possible to script, i just hope its doable in way that can easily integrate most, or at least some workflows.

[ferropop]

How it might work:
-you have objects for every song in the folder you're browsing
-every object is analysed for spectral energy -- is it statistically more bassy than it is anything else? tag it bassy. mostly mids? tag it. high-end? etc.
-the objects are organized according to their dominant spectral energy


I imagine, while dragging the slider :

-you hear a window of audio from some particular location in the spectrum, with some spread control that includes/excludes some % of surrounding audio files playing at the same time. It's self-looping, so you essentially get a "texture" from some location in the spectrum.

[ferropop]

It'd be like XLN XO, but for textures instead of one-shots. Easiest way to put it.

[ferropop]

Extra thoughts : determine the dominant energy (notes-wise) in the analysis, and make a reasonable guess as to the "root key" of the audio file, and then a "tuning" slider that "pulls the tuning towards the same root" for every sound. So if a sound was determined to be in G based on its spectral stats, the "tuning" slider at 100% would pitch-shift that sound down 7 semitones, to a c.

Essentially it would become a synth this way, where you design the patch by swiping around on the spectral slider. And the tuning slider would make it more or less atonal/colourful.

[dom64]

I've long wanted something like this, but basically for guitar speaker cab IRs... dunno if it would really work how I imagine it, but would be cool if someone made something like that.

[ferropop]

Originally Posted by dom64

I've long wanted something like this, but basically for guitar speaker cab IRs... dunno if it would really work how I imagine it, but would be cool if someone made something like that.

Maybe these are destined for max/msp? where all the FFT and related routines are already native to the environment.

[Subz]

Something like the browser on this?

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/algonaut-atlas-2

or this free browser

https://bedroomproducersblog.com/202...-audio-cosmos/

Subz