2015-02 Control surface for audio processing

I've been considering a sound processing language for a while. Looked at supercollider and liked it but never really did anything with it. Tried again recently and found chuck. I had a play and liked it. Not sure why I prefer it but it's something like: less elegant but faster to code.
The missing bit was an interface so effects and apps writen in chuck could be conveniently controlled during performance or production.
Found interface.js which can use OSC to send messages to any osc aware system/program (which chuck is) and has a constrained but easy to use way to build a panel of controls. These panels are accessed as web pages served by an included server so a tablet can access it.
Presto:  The knobs, sliders and buttons are all touch sensitive on the tablet and you have a versatile touch sensitive control surface that can talk to chuck.

Details follow:

Notes on installing chuck.
I use Fedora both 20 and 21 on two different machines with the CCRMA repo (CCRMA fed21 repo here) with:

       sudo dnf install chuck
       sudo dnf install miniaudicle

The standard packages seem OK.  ( I did build from source to try to fix the windows in miniAudicle not remembering their locations between sessions: got bogged down in QT, but the build was process was reasonable )
The way I use it is to start  jack (with qjackctl) then run miniAudicle.
You'll get an IDE, a console window (shows error, information and print type debug messages) and an execution control window (called Virtual Machine). Like this:

The doc's are a bit out of date for the osc stuff but  these examples are current and will set you right.
You start the virtual machine then use the IDE to edit and run code. Lots of good examples to play with in the link above. (you don't have to use jack: there's  miniAudicle-pulse and miniAudicle-alsa if it suits you better)
Update: Nearly there. A bit stuck on the OSC stuff and chuck keeps locking the osc message stream. Nuts.

2015-01 7" record boxes

I have kept my LPs well sorted and it pays; You can find things and duplicates show up so you can keep the best LP.
But 45's have lived in stacks unsorted except of a fav's pile.
No more.
The mid shelf of LP store was always put aside for 45s but getting boxes ? I could not do this. Nothing was the right size, so I must make some.
Got some thin and strong cardboard boxes from the recycling at work, some cutting and hot glue and here they are:

I made them the same depth as the shelves and just wide enough so that 5 fit on each shelf. Much denser and more accessible too.
Freed up a bit of much needed space so now I get to move the LPs around to make room and then sort the 45's into categories I guess.

• Cut the box into sections.  1 for the front, 1 for the back and one for the bottom and sides.

• 
  

  I use a cutting mat and box cutter to make the parts. To score the bends I used the end of a median paint brush. Be careful to crush but not cut the cardboard.
• Hot glue the parts together.

Box cut into sections for parts

 

 

 

2012-05 Sauerkraut

I had a go at Sauerkraut last year.
Not too good a result. I think I used too much salt and so the fermentation didn't happen very well. Cabbages are 90 cents a head right now and I've kept my eyes out for a good vessel for 'krauting and found a candidate a month back so lets do this properly this time:

Parts:
Cabbage.
Salt.
(some call for juniper berries but I have none)

Tools:
Kraut Crock.
Good knife and chopping board.
Tea towel.

The crock I found for $1 at an op-shop. I looks like the inner bowl of a dead slow cooker. It's perfect: Parallel sides so it's easy to pack and weight down without letting light and air in and wide enough to easily pack the cabbage in. I'd like it to be taller then I could do more kraut at the same time.
I have an enamel pot that is a close fit inside and I'll fill with water for a weighted lid. That's it in the photo inside the crock.

Now chop the cabbage.

First discard and dark green outer leaves. I cut out a wedge and then finely chopped that.
You can not chop too fine but it must not be pulped or the kraut will be mush.

Put the sliced cabbage in the crock to depth of about 10cm.

Salt lightly. I used about the amount of salt I'd use salting a tray of oven roasted vege' and spuds.

Pack the layer down. Really hard. I leant down on my fist around the edges and then packed in the middle. It gets crushed and stays down if its done well.

Chop more cabbage and pack in another layer salting before packing as you go.

before packing

after packing

I just got the whole cabbage in so maybe the crock is a good size.


By the time I was finished it was starting to get damp. This is the idea: the salt draws out the cabbage juice and it ferments in it so the damp is a good thing.

Now put on the lid and press it down. You should get cabbage juice rise to the brim of the crock.


Leave this somewhere handy for the first day and each time you pass it press the weighted lid down.


After that put it somewhere cool and cover it with the tea towel. I put it on a

plate too to catch any cabbage juice overflow: The cabbage will pack down as it ferments and becomes tender and the weighted lid might push out the juice.


Check it after a week or so and remove any bloom.


In two weeks it should be done.


It does not need to be washed before cooking. I put it in a pot with sliced green apple, some bay leaves and pork spare ribs and simmer for 1 hour then eat with boiled buttered spuds.