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The top level distribution contains the following directories:
The src directory contains the source .cpp files for all the STK unit generator and algorithm classes.
The include directory contains the header files for all the STK unit generator and algorithm classes.
The rawwaves directory contains various raw, monophonic, 16-bit, big-endian, 22050 Hz soundfiles used with the STK classes.
The doc directory contains documentation about STK.
The projects directory contains various demo and example STK programs.
This release of STK comes with four separate "project" directories:
The demo project is used to demonstrate nearly all of the STK instruments. The stk-demo program has been written to allow a variety of control input and sound data output options. Simple graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are also provided.
The effects project demonstrates realtime duplex mode (simultaneous audio input and output) operation, when available, as well as various delay-line based effects algorithms.
The ragamatic project is just cool. Fire it up and be enlightened.
The eguitar project demonstrates how to make an electric guitar with feedback and distortion.
Windows95 and later: For specifics on creating Windows applications using Visual Studio, see README-Win.txt.
Unix (and MinGW) Systems: A GNU configure shell script is included in the distribution for unix-based systems. From the top-level distribution directory, type './configure' and the script will create Makefiles in each project directory specific to the characteristics of the host computer. Then from within any given project directory (example demo), type 'make' to compile the project. In addition, an STK library can be compiled from within the src directory.
Several options can be supplied to the configure script to customize the build behavior:
Note that it is possible to specify as many of the "--with-" options as desired to compile multi-API support. In addition, it is possible to specify the location of the STK rawwaves and the STK include path as follows:
For novice STK users, the default configuration should be adequate.
For those who wish to create their own system-specific Makefiles:
Linux: Realtime audio support is enabled with either the LINUX_ALSA, UNIX_JACK, and/or LINUX_OSS preprocessor definitions, which are used to select the underlying audio system API(s). Because the ALSA library is now integrated into the standard Linux kernel, it is the default audio/MIDI API with STK versions 4.2 and higher. The LINUX_ALSASEQ preprocessor definition must be included for MIDI support. Note that native OSS MIDI support no longer exists in RtMidi. If the LINUX_OSS preprocessor definition is specified, only OSS (version 4.0) audio support will be compiled and RtMidi will still be compiled using the ALSA API (assuming the LINUX_ALSASEQ definition is defined). For this reason, STK now requires the asound library for realtime support. Realtime programs must also link with the pthread library. In addition, the LITTLE_ENDIAN preprocessor definition is necessary if compiling on a little-endian system. See the README-Linux file for further system configuration information.
Macintosh OS X: Realtime support is enabled with the MACOSX_CORE and UNIX_JACK preprocessor definitions, which incorporate the CoreAudio audio/MIDI API and/or the JACK API. Realtime programs must also link with the pthread library and the CoreAudio, CoreMIDI, and CoreFoundation frameworks (for CoreAudio support) and/or the JACK library. See the README-MacOSX file for further system configuration information.
When developing applications with STK, it is recommended that you define the preprocessor definition STK_DEBUG when compiling (or specify the –enable-debug option to the configure script). This will enable all levels of function argument and error checking within the STK classes. Without this definition, argument checking does not occur in functions that are expected to be called frequently in an iterative manner.
All STK programs in this distribution take input control data in the form of SKINI or MIDI messages only. The Messager class unifies the various means of acquiring control data under a single, easy to use set of functions. The way that SKINI messages can be sent to the programs is dependent upon the operating system in use, as well as whether the program is running in realtime or not. In general, it is possible to:
Tcl/Tk graphical user interfaces (GUI) are provided with this distribution that can generate realtime SKINI messages. Note that the Messager class allows multiple simultaneous socket client connections, together with MIDI and/or piped input. The Md2Skini program (in the demo directory) is mostly obsolete but can be used to create SKINI scorefiles from realtime MIDI input.
The demo project demonstrates the behavior of all the distributed STK instruments. The instruments available with this release include:
See the information above with respect to compiling STK for non-realtime use.
In non-realtime mode, it is assumed that input control messages are provided from a SKINI scorefile and that audio output is written to a soundfile (.snd, .wav, .aif, .mat, .raw). A number of SKINI scorefiles are provided in the scores directory of the demo project. Assuming a successful compilation of the stk-demo program, typing:
from the demo directory will play the scorefile bookert.ski using the STK BeeThree instrument and write the resulting audio data to a WAV formatted soundfile called "myfile.wav" (note that you may need to append ./ to the program name if your default shell setup is not set to look in the current directory). Typing stk-demo without any arguments will provide a full program usage description.
STK realtime audio and MIDI input/output and realtime SKINI control input via socketing support is provided for Linux, Mac OS-X, and Windows95 and later operating systems. STK realtime SKINI control input via piping is possible under Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows2000 and later only.
Control input and audio output options are typically specified as command-line arguments to STK programs. For example, the stk-demo program is invoked as:
where instruments include those described above and flags can be any or all of:
The -ip flag must be used when piping realtime SKINI control data to an STK program. The -im flag must be used to read MIDI control input from your MIDI port. Note that you can use both input types simultaneously.
Assuming a successful compilation of the stk-demo program, typing:
from the demo directory will play the scorefile bookert.ski using the STK BeeThree instrument and stream the resulting audio data in realtime to the audio output channel of your computer. Typing stk-demo without any arguments will provide a full program usage description.
There are a number of Tcl/Tk GUIs supplied with the STK projects. These scripts require Tcl/Tk version 8.0 or later, which can be downloaded for free over the WWW. On Unix and Windows2000 and later platforms, you can run the various executable scripts (e.g. StkDemo.bat) provided with each project to start everything up (you may need to symbolically link the wishXX executable to the name wish). The Physical.bat script just implements the following command-line sequence:
On all supported realtime platforms, you can direct realtime MIDI input to the STK Clarinet by typing:
This will attempt to use the default MIDI port for input. An optional MIDI port number can be specified after the -im flag. Valid MIDI ports are numbered from 0 (default) and higher. On Linux and Macintosh OS-X systems, it is possible to open a virtual MIDI input port (that other software applications can connect to) by specifying a port identifier of -1.
The stk-demo program supports an arbitrary number of voices via the -n NUMBER command-line flag and argument. For example, you can play eight BeeThree instruments with realtime output and control them from a MIDI device by typing:
The Synthesis ToolKit in C++ (STK) |
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