Mosaïque - concatenative synthesis instrument for the practicing musicians

Abstract

Corpus-based concatenative synthesis (CBCS) stands as a prominent technique in electroacoustic composition, offering a unique approach to sound manipulation and synthesis. Developed over the past two decades, CBCS involves the analysis and organization of sound samples, or corpora, based on their timbral characteristics. This technique enables composers to navigate and manipulate sound in a non-linear fashion, offering a rich palette of sonic possibilities. While CBCS has traditionally required programming expertise, recent advancements have sought to democratize access to this technique, making it more accessible to non-coding musicians. This workshop proposes to introduces Mosaïque, a software instrument aiming to address this barrier by offering a user-friendly interface and simplified workflow and enabling musicians to explore new sonic territories and experiment with AI-driven sound generation. It presents a unique interpretation of CBCS through its software design. While not the pioneer in offering 3D visualization of corpora, Mosaïque distinguishes itself by providing a comprehensive 3D environment for visualizing audio corpora, alongside MIDI, OSC, and algorithmic navigation tools. Developed with a strong emphasis on accessibility and user-friendly operation, Mosaïque simplifies the complex processes inherent in CBCS, including audio segmentation, importation, analysis, plotting, and playback. Its intuitive interface incorporates playback parameters and navigation settings, ensuring ease of use for musicians. Available as both a standalone application and a Max for Live device compatible with the Ableton Live composition environment, Mosaïque caters to users on both Windows and MacOS platforms.