semiconductor

a norns ensemble script

this script was written to support the creation of physically gathered together norns ensembles, providing players a way of “conducting” a performance in a non-hierarchical manner.

it occurred to me that a whole lot of music performance involves control. also, and conversely, there has been a lot of music concerned more with giving up control to a machine with the development of generative music and instruments inspired by chaos (blippoo box and wing pinger, for example). this script is meant to promote a somewhat different approach, where a performance is built around performers in immediate physical proximity to one another giving up control to each other as a performative strategy.

requirements

• norns

install

https://github.com/jaseknighter/semiconductor

how does it work?

using this mod, players gather together and connect their norns to the same network. then, one of the norns is selected by the players to act as a “host.” the norns in the ensemble are registered to this host. the host norns broadcasts each registration it receives with all the other devices. once registered, each norns will display the scripts the other norns have currently loaded and players can select parameters from the scripts to (semi)conduct. the parameters that appear in this mod may be controlled just as if the script was running on the norns locally.

the mod also includes macro param features that allow multiple params on multiple norns to be mapped and controlled from a single macro param. these mappings can be saved for future performances.

instructions

get started

• assemble your ensemble and connect each norns to the network (wifi or physical)
• turn on the semiconductor mod on each of the norns and restart
• select a script to run on each norns in the ensemble
• chose one norns to be the host and note the host’s ip address (note: see shortcuts below)
• enter the semiconductor mod menu and:
  • with the host norns only: set host enabled to true
  • with all norns in the ensemble:
    • enter the REGISTER > menu, select register, provide a name for your norns and then when prompted enter the ip address of the host (note: see shortcuts below)
    • enter the PLAYERS > menu and select a script to conduct

leave the ensemble

• enter the semiconductor mod menu
• enter the REGISTER > menu and select unregister

group sync

there are three params that you can sync across all registered norns from the group sync > sub-menu found in PARAMETERS>EDIT:

• output levels: change all the norns output levels
• tempos: change all the norns tempos
• clocks reset: reset all the norns clocks to sync them with one another

macros

macros allow you to change multiple parameters at once, either within a single script or across multiple scripts.

• enter the mod’s PMAP menu, select a registered norns, and set one or more of the listed params to one of the macro controls
• (optional) repeat the step above for a different registered norns to set params for multiple norns simultaneously

autosave semiconductor parameter maps

in the PARAMETERS>EDIT menu, the sc data sub-menu provides controls to save macros settings as well as the parameters of the currently loaded script.

changing the macro controls directly

• the macro controls are found in the parameters menu (PARAMETERS>EDIT) at the bottom of the list of params (i.e. following whatever params the main script loads by default)
• since these macro controls are params, they can be midi mapped (e.g. to a 16n controller)

misc notes

controlling complex scripts

some scripts have custom state handling features that will not be accessible from the semiconductor mod or, if accessible, may result in errors. proceed with caution.

running a new script after registering

after registering your norns with the semiconductor mod, if you change the script you are running locally, all the other registered norns will be notified of the change and any norns that had your script selected will have to select a new script in the PLAYERS > menu.

shortcuts to speed up registration

• for each norns in the ensemble, in the file /lib/globals.lua:
  • set the parameter norns_name to a unique name
  • set the parameter host_ip to the name of the one norns that will act as the “host” for the ensemble

using this mod with a single norns

this mod will work with just a single norns (e.g. to take advantage of the macro controls)

todo

• fix bugs and cleanup code
  • some types of params (e.g. fileselect) may appear in the mod’s PLAYERS > menu, but will not work
  • other issues not yet uncovered
• add macro control interfaces (e.g. a lorenz algorithm param controller)