AudioGL presents a new vision of visual music creation, extended into space. Images courtesy the developer.
Here in flatland, ideas for musical interfaces may have become largely well-trodden. Not so in the third dimension. And so, one of the most unusual audiovisual interfaces has now hit beta, ready for you to explore. And that does mean “explore”: think navigation through spinning, animated galaxies of musical objects in this spatial modular sound environment. With the beta available, you can determine whether that´s a bold, new final frontier, or just the wheel, reinvented.
The work of Toronto-based artist and engineer Jonathan Heppner, AudioGL is a stunning vision of music creation in 3D space, with modular synths, advanced user-editable modulation, and a freely-navigable, open-ended spatial workspace.
There is a ticket for entry. While marked “beta,” the developer has admitted he needs money. And so, a trip into the space elevator will cost you US$80 for a fully-enabled license. You can try a save-disabled version for free, however, which isn’t necessarily a deal-killer for software of this nature; I’d mark this one down practically to crowd-funding for those who like the concept. (For an open-source take on graphical, spatial music sequencing, check out Iannix – and it does seem this sort of experimentalism could benefit from open licenses.) One caveat on the beta licenses: they won’t apply to the finished version. (Seems working something out there and talking about it publicly would encourage more beta users.)
This is the first beta; upcoming betas are due every 2-3 months, says the author. There’s already a lot there:
- Immersive 3D interface
- Preset instruments
- Moular synth
- Sample-accurate automation
- Envelopes
- Project-wide modulation
- MIDI support
- Sample import
- Audio export
AudioGL isn’t limited to compelling 3D ideas. Project–wide modulation means networks of transformations that work across a scene.
For fine-grained editing of user envelopes, AudioGL does offer a more conventional 2D view.
At the top of the to-do list: ReWire, VST instruments and effects, and enhanced tempo change and modulation. Further down the line, says the developer, are DAW-style features like arrangement and project management.
No new videos of this build, but an impressive previous video is available below.