Ora

A set of processes for generating, transforming, and sequencing frequency arrays.

Overview

• Ora - Transform frequency arrays using serial techniques and parametric operations
• OraGen - Generate dissonant and inharmonic pitch sets
• OraPlay - Play frequency arrays with diverse textural patterns
• OraSeq - Manage and visualize sequences of transformed frequency sets
• OraRatios - Build and manipulate frequency arrays from ratio relationships
• OraSpear - Import and extract frequencies from SPEAR analysis files

Use

// Load
Ora.addSynths;

// Create
~myOra = Ora.new([200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700])
    .centroidDilation(1.3)
    .formantGap(fHole: 450, bw: 100, amount: 0.2)
    .transposition(50);

// Visualize
~myOra.plot;

// Play
~player = OraPlay.new(~myOra);
~player.cluster(0.045, 4, \drsoft);

// Cluster
~dissonant = Ora([100, 150, 200, 250, 300])
    .shatter(pieces: 3, spread: 0.08)
    .detune(cents: 20)
    .chaos(amount: 0.3);

~p = OraPlay(~dissonant);
~p.clusterGrad(ampFrom: 0.02, ampTo: 0.05, durFrom: 8, durTo: 2, ampComp: 1.0);

Ora - Transformation

Methods are chainable and return this, enabling fluent transformation pipelines.

Serial

• retrograde() - Reverse the sequence
• inversion(pivot) - Mirror around a pivot point
• retrogradeInversion(pivot) - Reverse and invert
• rotation(n) - Circular shift (rotate by n positions)
• transposition(shift) - Add a constant shift to all frequencies

Parametric

• affineLog(scale, shift) - Scale and shift in log-frequency space
• centroidDilation(r, curve) - Expand/compress around the log-centroid
• rotate(frac) - Fractional circular rotation with interpolation
• projective(a, b, c, d) - Spectral warping
• intervalFlow(scale, ph, k) - Generate frequencies from interval field
• blend(targetArray, alpha) - Linear interpolation to target frequencies
• rankPower(alpha) - Power-law distortion by frequency rank
• invert(center) - Invert frequencies around a center point
• affineIndex(m, b, mix) - Affine index mapping with interpolation
• geomeanLock(geo) - Lock geometric mean to preserve spectral centroid
• otMorph(targetArray, alpha) - Optimal transport-like morphing
• ratioSnap(base, maxNum, maxDen, amt) - Snap to simple frequency ratios
• formantGap(fHole, bw, amount) - Create formant-like spectral gaps

Spatial

• shift(hz, ratio) - Transpose by Hz offset and/or ratio multiplication
• expand(center, amount) - Spread frequencies away from center
• contract(center, amount) - Pull frequencies toward center
• stretch(power, anchor) - Non-linear expansion using power curve
• mirror(center) - Reflect frequencies around center
• pinch(center, amount) - Distance-based compression toward center
• warp(curve, center) - Non-linear frequency distribution warping
• fold(low, high) - Fold frequencies that exceed bounds
• bounce(low, high) - Fold with wrapping behavior

Arrays

• rotateSteps(steps) - Circular rotation of array by integer steps
• reverse() - Reverse array order
• scramble(seed) - Random shuffle
• splay(minGap) - Ensure minimum frequency spacing
• tilt(pivot, low, high) - Progressive scaling from low to high

Dissonant

• fluctuate(amount, seed) - Random variation per frequency
• detune(cents, seed) - Add subtle detuning in cents
• cluster(numClusters, spread, seed) - Pack into tight clusters
• shatter(pieces, spread, seed) - Break each frequency into pieces
• crunch(factor, center) - Extreme compression
• chaos(amount, seed) - Chaotic redistribution
• wobble(amount, seed) - Sinusoidal frequency drift
• inharmonic(amount, seed) - Destroy harmonic relationships
• fracture(splits, jitter, seed) - Split with microtonal jitter
• crush(bands) - Quantize to frequency bands
• drift(speed, depth, seed) - Phase-based frequency drift

Visualization

• plot() - Basic array plot
• plotStems() - Stem plot with log-scale Y axis and color-coded frequency dots
• plotSpectrum() - Log-frequency spectral view showing frequency distribution
• plotIntervals() - Dual view showing Hz intervals and ratios between sorted frequencies
• plotCompare(other, nameA, nameB) - Side-by-side comparison of two Ora objects

Generation

• cluster(base, size, spread) - Microtonal clusters
• inharmonic(fundamental, size, stretch) - Inharmonic series
• primes(base, size, factor) - Prime numbers
• random(minFreq, maxFreq, size, density) - Random sets
• tritones(base, size) - Tritone stacks
• sieve(base, moduli, size) - Sieves
• fibonacci(base, size) - Fibonacci

OraPlay

Transform Ora objects into sound using various playback strategies:

Basic

• cluster(amp, dur, synthdef, offset, ampComp) - Ascending sequence
• reverse(amp, dur, synthdef, offset, ampComp) - Descending sequence
• random(amp, dur, synthdef, offset) - Random order
• fromCenter(amp, dur, synthdef, offset) - Expanding from center

Advanced

• clusterGrad(ampFrom, ampTo, durFrom, durTo, synthdef, offsetFrom, offsetTo, ampComp) - Gradient cluster with interpolated parameters
• dense(amp, dur, synthdef, offset, ampComp) - Overlapping cloud texture
• sparse(amp, dur, synthdef, minWait, maxWait) - Irregular sparse timing
• pairs(amp, dur, synthdef, offset) - Play in pairs
• wave(amp, dur, synthdef, offset) - Ascending then descending

Amplitude

• ampCurve(amp, dur, synthdef, offset, ampCurve) - Amplitude envelope over sequence
• ampByFreq(amp, dur, synthdef, offset, minFreq, maxFreq, ampCurve) - Frequency-based amplitude mapping
• ampComp parameter (0-1) - Perceptual amplitude compensation for high frequencies

All patterns support automatic stereo panning for spatial distribution.

OraSeq

Manage collections of Ora transformations and visualize their evolution:

• add(ora) - Add an Ora to the sequence
• at(index) - Access specific Ora by index
• current() / next() / prev() / goto(index) - Navigate sequence
• plot() - Each Ora as a separate stem plot window
• plotCombined() - Single-window stacked bar view
• plotOverlay() - All Oras overlaid in one window with color-coded stems
• playSequence(method, waitTime, args) - Play through sequence
• playSequenceWithMethods(methodsArray, waitTime, argsArray) - Different method per Ora
• info() - Print sequence information
• asArrays() - Export all frequency arrays

OraRatios

Build frequency arrays from intervallic ratios for precise tuning control:

Creation / Analysis

• OraRatios.new(startFreq, ratios) - Create from starting frequency and ratios
• OraRatios.fromFreqs(freqArray) - Analyze existing frequencies to ratios
• printAnalysis() - Display ratio breakdown
• buildFreqs() - Rebuild from current ratios
• plot() - Plot of generated frequencies
• plotRatios() - Intervals and ratios visualization

Manipulation

• transpose(newStartFreq) - Change initial frequency, preserving ratios
• setRatio(index, newRatio) - Modify ratio
• scaleRatios(scalar) - Expand/compress intervals
• copy() - Create copy

Patterns

• microCluster(startFreq) - Microtonal intervals
• irrational(startFreq) - Irrational ratio
• detuned(startFreq) - Off pure intervals
• eerie(startFreq) - Dissonant
• extreme(startFreq) - Tight clusters
• harmonic(startFreq, numPartials) - Overtone series
• justIntonation(startFreq) - Pure interval ratios
• equalTemperament(startFreq, semitones) - 12-TET scales
• random(startFreq, numRatios, minRatio, maxRatio) - Random ratios

Integrate

• asOra() - Convert to Ora object
• asOraPlay(minFreq, maxFreq, numChannels) - Convert to OraPlay object

OraSpear

Import and extract representative frequencies from SPEAR spectral analysis files:

Loading & Parsing

• OraSpear.new(filepath) - Create instance with path to SPEAR .txt file
• parse() - Parse the SPEAR file and load partial data

Selection Methods

• selectPartials(n, sortBy) - Select top N partials by criteria:
  • \duration - Longest-lasting partials
  • \meanAmp - Highest average amplitude
  • \maxAmp - Highest peak amplitude
  • \meanFreq - Highest average frequency
  • \startTime - Earliest-starting partials

Frequency Extraction

• freqs(n, sortBy, method) - Extract frequencies using method:
  • \mean - Average frequency across partial's lifetime
  • \median - Median frequency
  • \min / \max - Minimum/maximum frequency
  • \start / \end - Frequency at start/end
  • \weightedMean - Amplitude-weighted average

Analysis & Info

• printInfo() - Display file statistics and frequency ranges
• partialInfo(id) - Detailed info about specific partial

Integration

• asOra(n, sortBy, method) - Convert to Ora object with extracted frequencies

Workflow

// Load and parse SPEAR analysis
~spear = OraSpear.new("path/to/analysis.txt");
~spear.parse;
~spear.printInfo;

// Extract 12 longest partials using weighted mean
~freqs = ~spear.freqs(12, \duration, \weightedMean);

// Or convert directly to Ora
~ora = ~spear.asOra(12, \duration, \weightedMean);

// Transform and play
~ora.detune(cents: 10).wobble(0.3);
~p = OraPlay(~ora);
~p.cluster(amp: 0.05, ampComp: 0.8);

SynthDefs

• drbase - Clean sine with subtle noise modulation and evolving character
• drpm - Phase modulation with amplitude tremolo
• drpmg - Phase modulation with gate control (ASR envelope)
• drpmgd - Phase modulation with ADSR envelope
• drpmvara - Phase modulation variation with higher modulation depth
• drsoft - Soft sine with gentle noise crossfade
• drgend - Gendy-based orga