TidalCycles (also known as "Tidal") is a

live coding Live coding, sometimes referred to as on-the-fly programming,Wang G. & Cook P. (2004"On-the-fly Programming: Using Code as an Expressive Musical Instrument" In ''Proceedings of the 2004 International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expr ...

environment designed for musical improvisation and composition. In particular, it is a

domain-specific language A domain-specific language (DSL) is a computer language specialized to a particular application domain. This is in contrast to a general-purpose language (GPL), which is broadly applicable across domains. There are a wide variety of DSLs, ranging f ...

embedded in

Haskell Haskell () is a general-purpose, statically-typed, purely functional programming language with type inference and lazy evaluation. Designed for teaching, research and industrial applications, Haskell has pioneered a number of programming lan ...

, focused on the generation and manipulation of audible or visual patterns. It was originally designed for heavily percussive, polyrhythmic grid-based music, but now uses a flexible, functional reactive representation for patterns, using rational time. Tidal may therefore be applied to a wide range of musical styles, although its cyclic approach to time means that it affords use in repetitive styles such as

Algorave An algorave (from an algorithm and rave) is an event where people dance to music generated from algorithms, often using live coding techniques. Alex McLean of Slub and Nick Collins coined the word "algorave" in 2011, and the first event under su ...

Background

TidalCycles was created by

Alex McLean Alex McLean (born 1975) is a British musician and researcher. He is notable for his key role in developing live coding as a musical practice, including for creating TidalCycles, a live-coding environment that allows programmer musicians ...

who also coined the term

. TidalCycles is a

embedded in

, focused on the generation and manipulation of audible or visual patterns. Tidal's representation of rhythm is based on metrical cycles, inspired by Indian classical music, supporting polyrhythmic and polymetric structures using a flexible, functional reactive representation for patterns, and rational time. Tidal does not produce sound itself, but via the SuperCollider sound environment through the SuperDirt framework, or via

MIDI MIDI (; Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard that describes a communications protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, computers, and re ...

Open Sound Control Open Sound Control (OSC) is a protocol for networking sound synthesizers, computers, and other multimedia devices for purposes such as musical performance or show control. OSC's advantages include interoperability, accuracy, flexibility and enhan ...

. Tidal is also used widely in academic research, including as a representation in music AI, as a language in network music, and in electronic literature. Tidal is widely used at Algorave algorithmic dance music events, as well as being used on high profile music releases. It has been featured on

BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It replaced the BBC Third Programme in 1967 and broadcasts classical music and opera, with jazz, world music, Radio drama, drama, High culture, culture and the arts ...

's New Music Show.

Artists using TidalCycles

Richard Devine Richard Devine is an Atlanta-based electronic musician and sound designer. He is recognized for producing a layered and heavily processed sound, combining influences from glitch music to old and modern electronic music. Devine largely records for ...

Beatrice Dillon ''Workaround'' is the first full-length solo release by British electronic artist Beatrice Dillon. Released on 7 February 2020 on the record label PAN, review aggregator Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films ...

* Lil Data * Lizzie Wilson (aka Digital Selves) *MIRI KAT *Daniel M Karlsson *

65daysofstatic 65daysofstatic (often abbreviated as 65dos, 65days, or simply 65) are a post-rock band from Sheffield, England. Formed in 2001, the band is composed of instrumentalists Paul Wolinski, Joe Shrewsbury, Rob Jones and Simon Wright. The band's mus ...

Benjamin Wynn Benjamin Wynn, (Benjamin Matfield Wynn, born 1979) known also as Deru, is an American composer, sound designer and music producer mostly known for creating the sound design for the TV series ''Avatar: The Last Airbender''. He has collaborated wit ...

References

External links

Tidalcycles repositories
Digital art Computer programming Live coding Algorave Functional programming Music technology 2009 establishments {{electronic-music-stub