Transcript Musical Social Networking Using Real

Musical Social Networking Using Real-Time Audio Transport Software
Research Conducted by Justin A. Gutierrez
Advisor: Miller S. Puckette
Cal-IT2 Undergraduate Summer Research 2007
netjack
Audio Mixer or
Sound Generator
User 1
NetJack
Low Latency Network Audio
Other machine address: 123.45.678.1
Port number:
Number of channels:
Other machine will:
JACK audio server
57000
2
Connected
By IP Address
Using
Netjack
Send-Receive
Start Transmission
User 2
JACK audio server
Electric Instrument
netjack
Electric Instrument
Background
Music is an art form experienced in time. Without smooth
and constant flow, the musical artist is unable to portray his art
in its best form. If the disc skips or if the iPod becomes
unplugged, the art produced loses its appeal and its power is
aesthetically lost. Fortunately, advances in sound technology
have produced ways to ensure that music can be listened to
uninterrupted and in its best form.
But what about musical communication from artist to
artist? Though there exist many forms of audio exchange
software (Peer-to-Peer sharing), and Web 2.0 applications that
have allowed for music to be shared and distributed worldwide,
artists are still unable to produce and create music in real-time,
across the Internet, effectively and efficiently.
Even though music creation through the Net has not been
attempted on a wide scale, there exists open-source software
that allows audio data to be transferred across a generic IP
address. Through my research and a small experiment, I am
working towards making use of this software user-friendly. With
easy, efficient instructions, I have aimed to produce a small
artistic community where music can be shared, used, and made
in real-time.
Guitar Effects
Processor
Creating the musical network could be approached in two ways: First would be to study programming fervently and design
the user interface. Second, use existing software and adapt it to fit the needs of the experiment. Because of time restrictions, I
have chosen the second approach. Using an audio server named Jack, and audio transport software coupled with a simple website,
this musical network named “Mass Sound” was created.
Following the precedent of social networking websites, it seems best to use software that could be used at no cost, allowing
rapid expansion of the network. One such program is Jack, an audio connection kit. Jack acts as a server for multiple audio
applications, and is compatible with Mac OS X and Linux (a beta version for Windows however is available). It allows these
applications to interact with each other, permitting sound generators, mixers, instruments and such to work together. Jack serves
as the foundation program, holding whatever applications need be held. Jack is also open-source, meaning it was written by
freelance programmers, and is free to be updated by any other developer that is up to the task.
With, the Jack audio server in place, one is free to install any compatible applications to work through it. What is now needed
is a software application which allows for the transfer of audio data across an IP address. One, if not the only, application which
allows such a transfer is netjack. Coincidently, netjack was once coupled with Jack, but was discontinued due to performance
issues; newer versions of Jack no longer include it. However, the older version of Jack that is coupled with Jack can be used, and
netjack can also be complied separately and installed into Jack.
Instructions to install Jack and netjack would be placed on a simple website, with links to a user forum. The user forum will be
used to find artists who want to connect as well as to discuss and suggest changes to the project webpage. A web-based
community would form in this forum, with netjack as the interface for musical connection through the Net.