+++
title = "Space"
description = "A generative ambient music player"
date = 2023-01-28

[taxonomies]
technologies = ["JavaScript", "Vite"]
categories = ["Work in Progress"]

[extra]
repo = "https://github.com/spitlo/space"
first_commit_time = 2023-01-27
first_commit_message = "It was a pleasure to burn"
+++

Space is some kind of generative ambient music machine inspired by a bunch of tiling images I created using [ImaginAIry](https://github.com/brycedrennan/imaginAIry/). It’s available online at [spitlo.com/space/](https://spitlo.com/space/).

Space also has a sibling of sorts, [Sikwent](/code/sikwent/), available online at [spitlo.com/sikwent/](https://spitlo.com/sikwent/).

## The look

Background images are picked at random on load, from a bank of about 80. The spinning logo thing is done with [Zdog](https://github.com/metafizzy/zdog) and [Zfont](https://github.com/jaames/zfont). Colors are extracted from the current background image using [node-vibrant](https://github.com/Vibrant-Colors/node-vibrant). Random song and band names are based on [Synthgen 2000](https://github.com/tirdadc/synthwave).

## The sound

The "music" is generated with [Tone.js](https://github.com/Tonejs/Tone.js), mostly from samples created with [Dance Diffusion](https://huggingface.co/spaces/harmonai/dance-diffusion) using the `glitch-440k` model and then automatically split on transients.

The samples are organized in kits, of which there are nine at the moment. Kits one through six contain the Dance Diffusion samples, kits seven through nine contain more traditional drum sounds of the 707/808/909 variety, and some keys. Those kits are generally more pleasant to listen to, but since the kits are chosen at random on load, Space is only pleasant about every third visit.

Each sample in a kit is represented by a channel. On load, a pattern is semi-randomly set on each channel. As long as "Auto-evolve" is ticked, this pattern will change over time, creating a never*-repeating soundscape.
(* Never as in "very seldom")

If you want to create your own sequence, simply clear the playing sequence, disable auto-evolve and create your own sequence by clicking the corresponding dots.

Hitting "Save" will save the current state of your composition in the URL, copy it from the address bar to share or to keep it safe somewhere. Or bookmark it!

Channel 10 has a special role (no, it’s not a drum track, sorry MIDI heads) -- every time a note is struck on it, it either plays the sample for that track, or a short sine note. The sine note is picked randomly on each play, from an array of notes (usually a scale) picked randomly on each load. The octave is also set randomly for each note, ranging from 2 to 7. Finally, the duration is set randomly from an eighth note to a sixty-fourth note, with shorter notes being a bit more likely.

The prompt for ImaginAIry -- for anyone interested -- was "70's sci-fi landscape", the full command was:

```bash
imagine "70's sci-fi landscape" -w 1024 -h 256 -r 100 --tile
```

Then I went for a walk while that toasted my battery. From those one hundred images I picked the 78 I liked the best.

Another way to toast your battery is to leave Space running in an open browser tab :)