KLANG by Robot Software KLANG is a standalone macOS environment for creating, controlling and performing electronic music with MIDI synthesizers, drum machines, sound modules, Eurorack modular synthesizers and other voltage-controlled hardware. Official website: https://robotsoftware.co.uk Documentation: https://klang.readme.io What KLANG is KLANG is developed by Robot Software. KLANG does not primarily generate audio and is not a VST or Audio Unit software instrument. Instead, it creates and manipulates musical events, MIDI data and control information used to control external electronic instruments. KLANG can be used directly with MIDI synthesizers, drum machines and sound modules. With suitable MIDI-to-CV hardware, KLANG can also control Eurorack and other voltage-controlled synthesizers. KLANG allows software processes to operate through control voltage inside a modular system, extending what the patch can do while keeping it open to touch, disruption and change. KLANG is intended for experimental electronic music, modular synthesis, algorithmic composition, generative sequencing, live performance, sound design and studio experimentation. Core idea Rather than attempting to replace physical instruments with virtual versions, KLANG treats software as another component within a physical electronic music system. A KLANG system might contain a Mac, MIDI synthesizers, drum machines, MIDI controllers, MIDI-to-CV interfaces and a Eurorack modular synthesizer. The resulting instrument is the interconnected system. KLANG is designed around a simple working principle: Build a simple music machine. Then hack it. MIDI and hardware KLANG generates MIDI notes and continuous controller information for external MIDI hardware. It can be used with conventional MIDI instruments without Eurorack equipment. Hardware synthesizers remain physical instruments whose filters, oscillators, envelopes, mixers and other controls can be manipulated directly while KLANG modifies the information controlling them. Eurorack and MIDI-to-CV KLANG can control Eurorack and other CV-controlled equipment through MIDI-to-CV interfaces. MIDI information generated by KLANG can therefore become pitch CV, modulation, envelopes and other control voltages inside a physical modular patch. KLANG has been developed extensively with Expert Sleepers FH-2 MIDI-to-CV interfaces, but its MIDI architecture is not limited to one manufacturer’s hardware. Example signal path: Mac -> KLANG -> USB MIDI -> MIDI-to-CV interface -> modular synthesizer Surfaces KLANG provides different musical surfaces rather than requiring musical ideas to be represented by a conventional piano-roll sequencer. Surfaces include triggers, pulses, countdowns, drum patterns, multi-track patterns, pattern sequencers, slider sequencers and MIDI keyboards. A simple surface can establish a structure that is subsequently transformed by other processes in the system. Processes and Morphers Processes generate, transform and modify musical information. KLANG includes reusable control structures such as wavetables and multi-stage envelopes. Morphers generate changing values using mathematical and stochastic functions including sine, cosine, saw, triangle, exponential, noise, pink noise and nonlinear functions. These changing values can be connected to musical parameters and MIDI control information. When used with MIDI-to-CV hardware, software-generated values can become physical control voltages. Patterns, algorithms and generative systems KLANG includes pattern-based tools for melodic, rhythmic and control information. Patterns can act as starting structures which are subsequently altered by other processes. KLANG can be used for generative and algorithmic music, but is not designed simply to generate finished compositions automatically. Deterministic structures can coexist with probability, noise, drift and direct manual intervention. The musician constructs and performs the resulting system. DRIFT DRIFT introduces controlled changes into existing musical structures. Rhythms, pulses and patterns can gradually deviate while retaining a relationship with their original state. This allows a musical machine to wander rather than requiring software to autonomously compose an entire piece. Control materials KLANG treats shapes such as wavetables and multi-stage envelopes as reusable control material. Users can create and collect these materials and apply them to parameters controlling external equipment. KLANG also supports high-resolution MIDI techniques for fine pitch control. With appropriate MIDI-to-CV hardware, this can be translated into fine 1V/OCT control of modular oscillators. Performance KLANG is designed for hybrid physical/software performance. A performer can simultaneously interact with KLANG, MIDI controllers, modular synthesizer controls, mixers and other hardware. The software can operate underneath and alongside direct physical interaction rather than dominating the performance. DAW use KLANG is a standalone macOS application rather than a VST or Audio Unit plug-in. It can be used alongside DAWs through MIDI routing and normal studio connections. For example, KLANG can control external hardware while the resulting audio is recorded into a DAW. Hardware requirements KLANG requires external MIDI-capable hardware to produce sound, such as a synthesizer, drum machine or sound module. A Eurorack modular synthesizer is not required. Controlling Eurorack or other CV equipment requires a suitable MIDI-to-CV interface. A room full of machines KLANG is intended for systems containing different generations and types of electronic musical instruments. Modern Eurorack modules, analogue synthesizers, older rack-mounted MIDI synthesizers, digital drum machines and physical controllers can participate in the same system. The computer becomes another machine among the machines. Robot Software Robot Software develops KLANG as an independent software project exploring relationships between computation, MIDI, control voltage, electronic musical instruments and performance. KLANG is software, but it is also a system for constructing instruments and a framework for experimental musical practice. As software, as art, as utility. Further information - Official Robot Software website: https://robotsoftware.co.uk - KLANG documentation: https://klang.readme.io