NAME

makerandom - set up a periodic random-number generator for control purposes, using a pfield-handle connect to an Instrument parameter

SYNOPSIS

pfield-handle = makerandom("type", frequency, min, max[, seed])

DESCRIPTION

makerandom returns a pfield-handle that will deliver data periodically from an internal RTcmix random-number generator. The period is determined by the frequency argument, and the random numbers will lie within the range set by the min and max arguments. The random-numbers will be generated according the the random-number distribution specified in the "type" string argument. These distributions are identical to the ones decribed in the maketable "random" table construction command. The optional seed argument allows the user to specify a particular seed value for the psuedorandom algorithm used by the random-number generator.

Many of the arguments for makerandom may themselves also be pfield-handles.

ARGUMENTS

type

This string value (i.e. enclosed in "double quotes" in the scorefile) determines the type of random-number distribution to use in generating the periodic values. The different types currently supported are:

• "even"/"linear" -- randomly select numbers between min and max.
  
  
• "low" -- randomly select numbers between min and max, but with a higher probability of choosing numbers nearer the min value.
  
  
• "high" -- randomly select numbers between min and max, but with a higher probability of choosing numbers nearer the max value.
  
  
• "triangle" -- randomly select numbers between min and max, but with the probability of choosing a value determined by a triangular curve with the apex at the midpoint between the min and max values. In other words, numbers near either min or max will have a very low probability of being generated, but numbers half-way between will have a high probability of being chosen.
  
  
• "gaussian" -- randomly select numbers between min and max, but with the probability of choosing a value determined using a Gaussian ('normal'; 'bell curve') probability distribution with the apex at the midpoint between the min and max values. Similar to how the "triangle" specifier operates.
  
  
• "cauchy" -- randomly select numbers between min and max, but with the probability of choosing a value determined using a Cauchy function with the apex at the midpoint between the min and max values. Similar to how the "triangle" and "gaussian" specifiers operate.
  
  
• "prob" -- Mara Helmuth's configurable probability distribution. This has a slightly different syntax:

  
  makerandom("prob", frequency, min, max, mid, tight[, seed])
  

min and max set the range within which the random numbers fall, as before. mid sets the mid-point of the range, which is used when tight is not 1. tight governs the degree to which the random numbers adhere either to the mid-point set by mid or to the extremes of the range set by min and max:

tight         effect
---------------------------------------------------------------
0             only the min and max values appear
1             even distribution
> 1           numbers cluster ever more tightly around mid
100           almost all numbers are equal to mid

EXAMPLES

   pitch1 = makerandom("low", 10, 8.00, 8.11)
   pitch2 = makerandom("high", 15, 8.00, 8.11)
	wave = maketable("wave", 1000, 1.0, 0.2, 0.1)
	WAVETABLE(0, 4.9, 15000, pitch1, 0.0, wave)
	WAVETABLE(0, 4.9, 15000, pitch2, 1.0, wave)

SEE ALSO

maketable, makeconnection, makeLFO, makefilter, makeconverter, makemonitor