Onism
Reconsidering
Onism is a software program for playing in time and out of order. It is built in Max/MSP and designed to be used with the ndial interfaces, but it can be controlled using a keyboard and mouse as well. It combines sequencing paradigms with random sample selection and can be used to make interdeterminate remixes of recordings or as a live processing tool, reordering materials played by musicians.
Onism - n. - a thought process, specifically one that takes hours on end. - Urban Dictionary
Onism - n. - the frustration of being stuck in just one body, that inhabits only one place at a time, which is like standing in front of the departures screen at an airport, flickering over with strange place names like other people’s passwords, each representing one more thing you’ll never get to see before you die—and all because, as the arrow on the map helpfully points out, you are here.
The program is named Onism, a virtual replica of the ndial with additional options that let the player change effects, import new sound worlds and set default tempos and behaviors. Started as a quick way to randomly sequence samples in Max/MSP, Onism has grown to do lots of things.
A short demo of onism played with a keyboard and mouse, song by momoko.
(ascii controls)