Module: Niki

Defined in:

lib/niki.rb,
lib/niki/part.rb,
lib/niki/riff.rb,
lib/niki/song.rb,
lib/niki/chords.rb,
lib/niki/version.rb,
lib/niki/instrument.rb

Overview

Niki

Niki is a Ruby DSL to describe and play musical pieces.

Syntax

A Niki Song is represented this way:

song = Niki::Song.new do

# +instrument+ lets you configure different instruments in different
# MIDI channels.
instrument :piano do
  channel 3
end

instrument :drums do
  channel 10

  # You can define macros for notes:
  note[:kick]  = c1 # Define a macro for the c1 note, name it :kick
  note[:snare] = d1 # And the snare will be d1
  note[:hh]    = e1 # And the hh will be e1
end

# You can define reusable riffs that you will be able to play with
# different instruments:
riff :simple_break do
  note g3, 8
  note f3, 8
  note e3, 8
  note d3, 8
end

# Define your song parts like this:
part :intro do
  # Notes are defined like this:
  #   +instrument+ +note or [array of notes]+, +duration+, +options+
  #
  # +instrument+
  #   Instrument must be one of those you defined above.
  #
  # +note or [array of notes]+
  #   Has to be a musical note like c3 or f2 or a chord like a3MAJ. It
  #   can also be an array of notes. Examples of valid musical notes:
  #
  #   c2                  - a C in the 2nd octave
  #   f4                  - an F in the 4th octave
  #   +f4                 - an F sharp in the 4th octave
  #   -d3                 - a D flat in the 3rd octave
  #   f3MAJ               - a F major chord in the 3rd octave
  #   -d3MIN              - a D flat minor chord in the 3rd octave
  #   [c3, -e3, g3, -b3]  - a C min 7th chord in the 3rd octave
  #   :kick               - whatever note you defined in your instrument
  #   silence             - a silent note
  #
  # +duration+
  #   Duration can be expressed as a number representing a fraction.
  #   For example, a quarter note (4 of them fit in a single
  #   measure) is expressed with the number 4. An eighth note (8 of them
  #   fit in a single measure) is expressed with 8, and so on.
  #
  # +options+
  #   Options is an optional hash where you can specify the following
  #   per-note settings:
  #
  #   :velocity => (a number between 0 and 127)
  #   :base     => (a base note to add to some chord for example)
  #
  drums [:kick, :hh], 8
  drums :hh, 8
  drums :hh, 8

  piano f2MAJ, 4
  piano f2MAJ, 4
  piano f2MAJ, 4
  piano f2MAJ, 4
  piano a2MIN, 4, :base => f2
  piano silence, 4

  # Play the previously defined riff with the piano.
  riff :simple_break, :piano
end

# You can repeat any part!
repeat :intro

part :chorus do
  drums :from => :intro # Use the drums from the intro

  piano c2MAJ, 4
  piano c2MAJ, 4
  piano c2MAJ, 4
  piano c2MAJ, 4
  piano g2MAJ, 4
  piano silence, 4
  piano g2MAJ, 4
  piano g2MAJ, 8
  piano g2MAJ, 8
end
end

# Play the song!!!
song.play

Defined Under Namespace

Modules: Chords Classes: Instrument, Part, Riff, Song

Constant Summary

VERSION =

"0.2.2"