healing-soundscapes/public/manual.html
2025-08-27 17:15:37 +02:00

384 lines
16 KiB
HTML
Raw Permalink Blame History

This file contains ambiguous Unicode characters

This file contains Unicode characters that might be confused with other characters. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Healing Soundscapes GUI Manual</title>
<style type="text/css">
body {
font-family: sans-serif;
font-size: 90%;
margin: 8pt 8pt 8pt 8pt;
text-align: justify;
background-color: White;
}
h1 {
font-weight: bold;
text-align: left;
}
h2 {
font: 140% sans-serif;
font-weight: bold;
text-align: left;
}
h3 {
font: 120% sans-serif;
font-weight: bold;
text-align: left;
}
h4 {
font: bold 100% sans-serif;
font-weight: bold;
text-align: left;
}
h5 {
font: italic 100% sans-serif;
font-weight: bold;
text-align: left;
}
h6 {
font: small-caps 100% sans-serif;
font-weight: bold;
text-align: left;
}
code {
font-family: &quot;
Courier New&quot;
,
Courier,
mono;
}
pre {
border-top: gray 0.5pt solid;
border-right: gray 0.5pt solid;
border-left: gray 0.5pt solid;
border-bottom: gray 0.5pt solid;
padding-top: 2pt;
padding-right: 2pt;
padding-left: 2pt;
padding-bottom: 2pt;
display: block;
font-family: &quot;
courier new&quot;
,
courier,
mono;
background-color: #eeeeee;
}
a {
color: #000080;
text-decoration: none;
}
a:hover {
text-decoration: underline;
}
.reference-header {
border-top: gray 0.5pt solid;
border-right: gray 0.5pt solid;
border-left: gray 0.5pt solid;
border-bottom: gray 0.5pt solid;
padding-top: 2pt;
padding-right: 2pt;
padding-left: 2pt;
padding-bottom: 2pt;
background-color: #dedede;
}
.parameter-name {
font-style: italic;
}
.indented {
margin-left: 0.5cm;
}
a.toc1 {
margin-left: 0.0cm;
}
a.toc2 {
margin-left: 0.75cm;
}
a.toc3 {
margin-left: 1.5cm;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Table of Contents</h1>
<ul>
<li><a href="#introduction">1. Introduction</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#what-is-hss">1.1 What is Healing Soundscapes?</a></li>
<li><a href="#gui">1.2 The GUI</a></li>
<li><a href="#dependencies">1.3 Dependencies And Compatibility</a></li>
<li><a href="#acknowledgements">1.4 Acknowledgements</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="#how-to-use">2. How to use</a>
<ul>
<li><a href="#basic-mode">2.1 Basic Mode</a>
<!--ul>
<li><a href="#what-is-basic">2.1.1 What is Basic Mode?</a></li>
<li><a href="#piece">2.1.2 Piece</a></li>
<li><a href="#playing-mode">2.1.3 Playing Mode</a></li>
<li><a href="#playlist">2.1.4 How to select a Playlist</a></li>
<li><a href="#play">2.1.5 Play</a></li>
<li><a href="#tempo">2.1.6 Tempo</a></li>
<li><a href="#duration">2.1.7 Duration</a></li>
<li><a href="#silence">2.1.8 Silence</a></li>
<li><a href="#volume">2.1.9 Volume</a></li>
</ul-->
</li>
<li><a href="#expert-mode">2.2 Expert Mode</a>
<!--ul>
<li><a href="#what-is-expert">2.2.1 What is Expert Mode?</a></li>
<li><a href="#instrument">2.2.2 Instrument</a></li>
<li><a href="#scale">2.2.3 Scale</a></li>
<li><a href="#meter">2.2.4 Meter</a></li>
<li><a href="#on">2.2.5 On</a></li>
<li><a href="#sorted">2.2.6 Sorted</a></li>
<li><a href="#overlap">2.2.7 Overlap</a></li>
<li><a href="#outset-pulses">2.2.8 Outset Pulses</a></li>
<li><a href="#eventfulness">2.2.9 Eventfulness</a></li>
<li><a href="#event-length">2.2.10 Event Length</a></li>
<li><a href="#metriclarity">2.2.11 Metriclarity</a></li>
<li><a href="#harmoniclarity">2.2.12 Harmoniclarity</a></li>
<li><a href="#chordal-weight">2.2.13 Chordal Weight</a></li>
<li><a href="#melodic-cohesion">2.2.14 Melodic Cohesion</a></li>
<li><a href="#melody-scope">2.2.15 Melody Scope</a></li>
<li><a href="#tonic-pitch">2.2.16 Tonic Pitch</a></li>
<li><a href="#pitch-center">2.2.17 Pitch Center</a></li>
<li><a href="#pitch-range">2.2.18 Pitch Range</a></li>
<li><a href="#dynamics">2.2.19 Dynamics</a></li>
<li><a href="#attenuation">2.2.20 Attenuation</a></li>
</ul-->
</li>
<li><a href="#room-settings">2.3 Room Settings</a></li>
<li><a href="#system">2.4 System</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h1 id="introduction">1. Introduction</h1>
<h2 id="what-is-hss">1.1 What is Healing Soundscapes?</h2>
<p>Healing Soundscapes is a project developed by the Ligeti Center in collaboration with the University Hospital
Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). The project implements an intelligent speaker system to be used in hospital waiting
areas and operation rooms. Music therapists, composers, programmers, patients and doctors collaborate in the
development of soundscapes that ensure to improve patients well-being in waiting areas as well as help doctors
to concentrate during operations.</p>
<h2 id="gui">1.2 The GUI</h2>
<p>The Graphic User Interface (GUI) consists of tools for the control of the soundscape, both during operation hours
as well as during the development process of a composition. Hospital staff is advised not to use the expert
control menu, since this is designed for the composers and developers that know the system under-the-hood.</p>
<h2 id="dependencies">1.3 Dependencies And Compatibility</h2>
<p>The graphic user interface of the Healing Soundscapes Max patch makes use of the drawsocket package, a
Max/node.js based server/client system. It also requires the CNMAT Odot package which can be installed from the
Max package manager. The patch works in Max 8 and Max 9.</p>
<h2 id="acknowledgements">1.4 Acknowledgements</h2>
<p></p>
<p><a href="#">Back to top</a></p>
<h1 id="how-to-use">2. How to use</h1>
<p>The Graphic User Interface (GUI) consists of tools for the control of the soundscape, both during operation hours
as well as during the development process of a composition. Hospital staff is advised not to use the expert
control menu, since this is designed for the composers and developers that know the system under-the-hood.</p>
<h2 id="basic-mode">2.1 Basic Mode</h2>
<h3 id="what-is-basic">2.1.1 What is Basic Mode?</h3>
<p>Basic Mode includes the necessary parameters for controlling the soundscape on-site, such as playback and
playlist control.</p>
<h3 id="piece">2.1.2 Piece</h3>
<p>The dropdown list shows all pieces listed in the currently selected playlist. Read section 2.1.2 for an
explanation on how pieces are changed.</p>
<h3 id="playing-mode">2.1.3 Playing Mode</h3>
<p>The dropdown list for Playing Mode lists two options:<br>
1. Selected Piece: the title chosen in the Piece list (see section 2.1.1) will be played continuously.<br>
2. Playlist: the patch will play through the pieces in order of sequence.<br>
Each piece will be played for the length specified in the duration box. Between the pieces or the iteration of
the same piece there will be a silence whose length is specified in the silence box. Read section 2.1.3 to
learn how to change the selected playlist on your device.</p>
<h3 id="playlist">2.1.4 How to select a Playlist</h3>
<p>Each device can play only one playlist at a time. Playlists are organized as subfolders within:<br>
<code>/Users/user/Documents/Max 8/Library/healing-soundscapes/environments</code><br>
To select a playlist, create an empty text file named <code>blessed.txt</code> inside the desired playlist
folder.<br>
⚠️ <b>Important</b>: The system will automatically select the first folder it finds that contains a
<code>blessed.txt</code>
file.
Only one playlist folder should contain this file at any given time.<br>
When switching playlists, be sure to either move the existing <code>blessed.txt</code> file to the new folder or
delete it
before creating a new one. Having multiple <code>blessed.txt</code> files may result in unpredictable behavior.
</p>
<h3 id="play">2.1.5 Play</h3>
<p>A toggle to start or stop the soundscape.</p>
<h3 id="tempo">2.1.6 Tempo</h3>
<p>Set the tempo in beats per minute (BPM) of the soundscape. A lower number results in more sparse events, a higher
number will make the soundscape more lively.</p>
<h3 id="duration">2.1.7 Duration</h3>
<p>The length of each piece in seconds (e.g. 300 seconds = 5 minutes).</p>
<h3 id="silence">2.1.8 Silence</h3>
<p>The length of silence between each piece (or iteration of the same piece, if in selected piece playing mode) in
seconds.</p>
<h3 id="volume">2.1.9 Volume</h3>
<p>The volume of the soundscape in decibels.</p>
<p><a href="#">Back to top</a></p>
<h2 id="expert-mode">2.2 Expert Mode</h2>
<h3 id="what-is-expert">2.2.1 What is Expert Mode?</h3>
<p>Expert Mode includes all parameters for controlling each individual DJster instance. This screen is meant only
for the composers and programmers. There is a menu where each instance can be selected, called “Player 1” up
until “Player 4”.</p>
<h3 id="instrument">2.2.2 Instrument (dropdown list)</h3>
<p>Selects the playback instrument or sound source for the sampler.</p>
<h3 id="scale">2.2.3 Scale (dropdown list)</h3>
<p>Defines the tonal environment.</p>
<h3 id="meter">2.2.4 Meter (dropdown list)</h3>
<p>Sets the time signature, choosing rhythmic grouping.</p>
<h3 id="on">2.2.5 On (toggle)</h3>
<p>Activates or deactivates the DJster instance.</p>
<h3 id="sorted">2.2.6 Sorted (toggle)</h3>
<p>Determines whether the notes of each event are outputted sorted by pitch or not.</p>
<h3 id="overlap">2.2.7 Overlap (toggle)</h3>
<p>Enables overlapping of musical events, allowing simultaneous layers instead of strictly sequential playback.</p>
<h3 id="outset-pulses">2.2.8 Outset Pulses (slider 116)</h3>
<p>?</p>
<h3 id="eventfulness">2.2.9 Eventfulness (slider 0100)</h3>
<p>Controls the overall density and frequency by controlling the probability of note output.</p>
<h3 id="event-length">2.2.10 Event Length (slider 51000)</h3>
<p>Sets the average duration of events in milliseconds, from short staccato notes to sustained tones.</p>
<h3 id="metriclarity">2.2.11 Metriclarity (slider 0100)</h3>
<p>Controls how strictly the generated notes fall within the chosen meter: lower values produce freer timing, higher
values enforce clearer metric structure.</p>
<h3 id="harmoniclarity">2.2.12 Harmoniclarity (slider 0100)</h3>
<p>Controls how close the notes are to the chosen scale: lower values have more notes outside of the scale, higher
values stress tonal stability.</p>
<h3 id="chordal-weight">2.2.13 Chordal Weight (slider 15)</h3>
<p>Determines the importance of harmonic (chord-based) events relative to melodic material.</p>
<h3 id="melodic-cohesion">2.2.14 Melodic Cohesion (slider 100100)</h3>
<p>Controls the tendency for melodic continuity: negative values create disjunct leaps, positive values favor
stepwise motion.</p>
<h3 id="melody-scope">2.2.15 Melody Scope (slider 09)</h3>
<p>Sets the span of melodic exploration, defining how wide or narrow the pitch contour can be.</p>
<h3 id="tonic-pitch">2.2.16 Tonic Pitch (slider C1 C6)</h3>
<p>Assigns the tonal center note of the scale, anchoring pitch relationships to a chosen tonic.</p>
<h3 id="pitch-center">2.2.17 Pitch Center (slider C1 C6)</h3>
<p>Specifies the register around which pitches are distributed, centering the melodic activity.</p>
<h3 id="pitch-range">2.2.18 Pitch Range (slider 036)</h3>
<p>Sets the span (in semitones) above and below the pitch center notes can be generated.</p>
<h3 id="dynamics">2.2.19 Dynamics (slider 0127 = MIDI)</h3>
<p>Controls the output velocity (loudness) of events, corresponding to MIDI dynamic levels.</p>
<h3 id="attenuation">2.2.20 Attenuation (slider 0100)</h3>
<p>Applies a scaling factor to dynamics, reducing or moderating the overall loudness of output.</p>
<p><a href="#">Back to top</a></p>
<h2 id="room-settings">2.3 Room Settings</h2>
<h3>2.3.1 Level 1 (dB) (slider -706)</h3>
<p>Sets the volume of the first DJster instance in decibels.</p>
<h3>2.3.2 Level 2 (dB) (slider -706)</h3>
<p>Sets the volume of the second DJster instance in decibels.</p>
<h3>2.3.3 Level 3 (dB) (slider -706)</h3>
<p>Sets the volume of the third DJster instance in decibels.</p>
<h3>2.3.4 Level 4 (dB) (slider -706)</h3>
<p>Sets the volume of the fourth DJster instance in decibels.</p>
<h3>2.3.5 Room Size (slider 1300)</h3>
<p>Sets the virtual size of the simulated acoustic space, from small rooms to large halls.</p>
<h3>2.3.6 Rev. Time (ms) (slider 0.515)</h3>
<p>Controls the reverb decay time in milliseconds.</p>
<h3>2.3.7 Spread (slider 0100)</h3>
<p>Adjusts the stereo width of the reverb field: lower values keep it narrow, higher values create a wider spatial
impression.</p>
<h3>2.3.8 Bandwidth (slider 0100)</h3>
<p>Sets the frequency range passed into the reverb: lower values darken the sound, higher values keep it brighter.
</p>
<h3>2.3.9 Damping (slider 0100)</h3>
<p>Controls the high-frequency absorption in the room: lower values yield brighter tails, higher values make the
reverb warmer and darker.</p>
<h3>2.3.10 Early (slider 0100)</h3>
<p>Balances the level of early reflections, shaping the sense of proximity and room definition.</p>
<h3>2.3.11 Tail (slider 0100)</h3>
<p>Adjusts the level of the late reverb tail, affecting the spaciousness and depth of the acoustic.</p>
<h3>2.3.12 Dry (slider 0100)</h3>
<p>Sets the balance of the unprocessed (dry) signal relative to the reverberated (wet) signal.</p>
<p><a href="#">Back to top</a></p>
<h2 id="system">2.4 System</h2>
<h3>2.4.1 Updates</h3>
<p>Checks for a new software version and updates if new version was found.<br>
⚠️ <b>Important</b>: This requires an active internet connection.<br>
⚠️ <b>Currently not working</b></p>
<h3>2.4.2 Server IP Address</h3>
<p>Shows the IP address of the GUI, so it can be accessed on another device.</p>
<h3>2.4.3 Shut Down</h3>
<p>Shuts down the software. This will require a manual restart.</p>
<p><a href="#">Back to top</a></p>
</body>
</html>