bytebeasts.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
# ByteBeats - byte-level procedural music
#
# Source: Jamey at Royal Paw
# http://royal-paw.com/2012/01/bytebeats-in-c-and-python-generative-symphonies-from-extremely-small-programs/
#
# Adapted to run in a single script.
#
# run as:
# $ python bytebeats.py 0 | sox -r 8000 -b 8 -c 1 -t raw -e signed-integer - -d
#
# - choose the preset or write your own songs!
# - play with various sampling rate (sox -r).

from __future__ import print_function
import sys

def play_loop(f):
    t = 0
    while True:
        print(chr(int(f(t)) % 256), end="")
        t += 1

# function of time-step, produces a single byte value
kernels = [
    lambda t: t*((15&t>>11)%12)&55-(t>>5|t>>12)|t*(t>>10)*32,
    # blippy, epic
    lambda t: (t*((15&t>>11)%12)&55-(t>>5|t>>12)|t*(t>>10)*32)-1,
    # atmospheric, hopeful
    lambda t: t*3&(t>>10)|t*12&(t>>10)|t*10&((t>>8)*55)&128,
    # expansive rumbles
    lambda t: t*4&(t>>10)|t*4&(t*6>>8)&t|64,
    # electric, repetitive
    lambda t: t*(t+(t>>9|t>>13))%40&120,
]

if __name__ == '__main__':
    play_loop(kernels[int(sys.argv[1])])