Ziffers: Numbered musical notation for composing algorithmic and generative music using Sonic Pi

Ziffers is a numbered musical notation (aka. Ziffersystem) and live code golfing language that makes composing melodies and rhythms easier and faster in Sonic Pi.

Writing and playing melodies in any key or scale will be as simple as:

zplay "q 4 e 1 1 q 2 1 r #3 4 ", key: "f", scale: "major", synth: :piano

or playing loops:

zloop :ride, "e 3 3 2 2 1 1 2 2", key: :c, scale: :chromatic, synth: :piano

or loops with generative live rules:

z1 "e1",
rules: {
  "1"=>"3",
  "3"=>"2",
  "2"=>"4",
  "4"=>"(1,6)",
  "5"=>"1",
  "6"=>"2"
}, synth: :pretty_bell

or complex drumlines with custom sample or midi mapping:

breakbeat = "| HB H | HS (H B)   | (HB S) (HB S)   | HS (H B S)  |
             | HB H | HS (H B S) | (H H) (S r B)   | HS (H H)    |"

samples = {
  B: :bd_tek,
  S: :drum_snare_soft,
  H: {sample: :drum_cymbal_closed, amp: 0.2}
}

z1 breakbeat, use: samples, sleep: 0.25

or play infinite sequences. Easy as:

zplay pi, rhythm: "q q h q q h h q ee h q ee"

or create lists and do list operations using randomization and crazy recursive notation:

z1 "q (0 1 (3,7) 3)~<*>(4 [6,4,[5,4,2,7]] (0,(5,8)) (1,6))", synth: :kalimba

and much more ... See Ziffers wiki or download A4 cheatsheet to learn more.

Here's is a cheatsheet you can copy to Sonic Pi editor:

# Pitches: -2 -1 0 1 2
# Chords: 0 024 2 246
# Escape/eval: {10 11} {1.2 2.43} {3+1*2}
# Roman chords: i ii iii+4 iv+5 v+8 vi+10 vii+20
# Named chords: i^7 i^min i^dim i^maj7
# Note lengths: w 0 h 1 q 2 e 3 s 4
# Decimal durations: 0.25 0 1 [0.333]2 3
# Octaves: ^ 0 ^ 1 _ 2 _ 3
# Escaped octave: <2> 1 <1>1<-2>3
# Subdivision: [1 2 [3 4]]
# Randoms: % ? % ? % ?
# Random between: (-3,6)
# Random selections: [q 1 2, q 3 e 4 6]
# Repeat: [: 1 (2,6) 3 :4]
# Cycles: [: <q,e> 1  <2 3,3 5> :]
# Lists: h 1 q(0 1 2 3) 2
# List operations: (1 2 (3 4)+2)*2 ((1 2 3)+(0 9 13))-2 ((3 4 {10})*(2 9 3))%7
# List assignation: A=(0 (1,6) 3) B=(3 ? 2) B A B B A
# Random repeat: (: 1 (2,6) 3 :4)
# Conditionals: 1 {%<0.5?3} 3 4 (: 1 2 {%<0.2?3:2} :3)
# Functions: (0 1 2 3){x%3==0?x-2:x+2}
# Polynomials: (-10..10){(x**3)*(x+1)%12}

Quick start

Requirements

• Sonic Pi
• Git (if you haven't used git before see full instructions)

Install ziffers

Install Ziffers to your Sonic Pi by cloning this project into your home directory (this makes referencing easier as most of the examples use ~ shorthand to require stuff). Ziffers can then be required to your Sonic Pi project using:

require "~/ziffers/ziffers.rb" # ~ references ziffers under users home folder, works also in Windows

Stay up to date as the Ziffers is an ongoing project. Post Issues to report bugs or to ask questions.

Examples

Try out one line examples or browse trough wiki. More examples coming soon (ish), as old examples are not yet updated for Ziffers 2.

Documentation

Syntax and methods are documented in Ziffers wiki.

Help & Contributions

Post issue or fixes using merge request.