SuperCollider tutorial by Nick Collins

SuperCollider tutorial

Also available as a downloadable zip of RTF, HTML and text files:
sctutorial.zip

Shortcuts:
1. Introduction and Overview
2. Sound Synthesis 1: Additive, Subtractive, Modulation
3. Sequencing
4. Interaction 1
5. Sound Synthesis 2: Sample-based, Granular
6. Effects
7. Interaction 2
8. Timing and Psychology of Rhythm
9. Algorithmic Composition
10. Open Sound Control, Server Messaging, Network Music
11. Sound Synthesis 3 - Physical Modelling
12. Sound Analysis
Extra exercises and SC technicalities: from arrays to classes

1. Introduction and Overview

1.1 Getting Started.html

1.2 Getting Around in SC3.html

1.3 Obtaining SC3.html

Week 1 exercise: Explore SuperCollider!

2. Sound Synthesis 1: Additive, Subtractive, Modulation

2.1 Subtractive and Additive Synthesis.html

2.2 Mul and add.html

2.3 Controlling Synths.html

2.4 Modulation Synthesis.html

2.5 More Synthesis Examples.html

Week 2 exercise: explore the materials thoroughly, looking up anything you don't understand; create additive, subtractive and modulation synthesis patches of your own

3. Sequencing

3.1 Envelopes.html

3.2 SynthDefs.html

3.3 Sequencing.html

3.4 Server-side Sequencing and Triggers.html

3.5 Nested Scheduling.html

Week 3 exercise: Practice creating some SynthDefs (which should have a doneAction:2 in them), and make simple sequences where you schedule Synths over time in an entertaining way

4.1 Interaction 1.html

4.2 Graphical User Interfaces.html

4.3 Further GUI Example.html

Week 4 exercise: Mock up a simple prototype GUI that controls some simple sound synthesis. If you're stuck for ideas, make a subtractive synthesizer with GUI controls for the filter. Or convert any of your existing sound synthesis patches for GUI control

5. Sound Synthesis 2: Sample-based, Granular

5.1 Buffers and Sound Files.html

5.2 Granular Synthesis.html

5.3 GUI+Loop Example.html

5.4 Granular Bonus Examples.html

Week 5 exercise: Explore processing sound files in SuperCollider; create a simple granular synthesizer with some GUI controls.

6. Effects

6.1 Buses.html

6.2 Control Buses.html

6.3 Nodes.html

6.4 Effects 1.html

6.5 Effects 2.html

Week 6 exercise: Build an example patch with a global effects unit (such as a reverb or distortion). You should construct the effects unit using a separate Synth; this effect should be applied to any other Synths (which might use any of the SynthDefs you've built so far on the course). Execution order is critical here and you will need to understand 6.3 to achieve this.

7. Interaction 2

7.1 Interaction 2.html

Week 7 exercise: Try out MIDI control of sound using MIDI keyboards, or audio input feature control. You might trigger new short-lived Synths based on input, or modulate parameters of an existing sustained Synth

8. Timing and Psychology of Rhythm

8.1 Precise Timing in SC.html

8.2 Some Time and Rhythm Demoes.html

Week 8 exercise: explore, and vary, the examples of psychology of rhythm. Can you also implement any more advanced compositional rhythmic structures (such as multiple simultanous tempi, or metric modulation)?

9. Algorithmic Composition

9.1 Algorithmic Strategies.html

9.2 Patterns.html

9.3 Probability Distributions (optional).html

Plan an algorithmic composition, deciding upon style, and algorithmic structuring. You might like to consider: what aspects of the work could change with each run of the program?

10. Network Music

10.1 Open Sound Control.html

10.2 Messaging Style.html

10.3 Network Music Lab.html

10.4 Mouse To Lang.html

Week 10 exercise: Try passing musical information between two computers, or two programs on one computer. You can always send information via the loopback node to the same instance of SuperCollider if you're stuck.

SC Programming Exercises.html

Patterns Exercises.html

01 Programming.html

02 Arrays.html

03 Plotting.html

04 Global Variables and Environments.html

05 Clocks and Scheduling.html

06 Routines and Tasks.html

07 Dealing with Large Projects.html

08 Writing Classes.html
You will need these two class files:
NastySynth.sc
SuperMario.sc

09 Programming (advanced).html

10 Extending SuperCollider.html

Classes exercise: Convert one of your existing programs into a class and client code; how does this neaten and clarify your work? Consider how to use classes to tidy up your portofolio- is there any reusable code you can factor into classes? After you've done this, explore third party libraries galore!

Some links to extensions:
SourceForge sc3-plugins project (including many third party library projects)
The Swiki open resource site has links to many SC extensions