Getting Started with SuperCollider

sclang

sclang is the SuperCollider language. It represents the client side when working with SC. It can for example be started in a terminal by running:

$ sclang

Just as with other interpreted languages, such as Python, the terminal will then change into sclang mode. At this point, the class library is complied, making all SC classes executable. Afterwards, SC commands can be entered:

sc3>  postln("Hello World!")

ScIDE

Working with SC in the terminal is rather inconvenient. The SuperCollider IDE (ScIDE) is the environment for live coding in sclang, allowing the control of the SuperCollider language:

When booting the ScIDE, it automatically launches sclang and is then ready to interpret. Files opened in the IDE can be executed as a whole. Moreover, single blocks, respectively single lines can be evaluated, which is especially handy in live coding, when exploring possibilities or prototyping. In addition, the IDE features tools for monitoring various server properties.

Parentheses

Parentheses can help structuring SC code for live programming. Placing the cursor inside a region between parentheses and pressing Control + Enter evaluates the code inside the parentheses. This way of coding is not suited for scripts which are executed as one.

(
      post('Hello ');
      postln('World!');
)

Variable Names

Global variables are either single letters - s is preserved for the default server - or start with a tilde: ~varname). They can be declared and used anywhere in a language instance. The first letter of tilde variables must be lowercase. Local variables, used in functions or code blocks, need to be defined explicitly:

// single-letter-global variable:
x = 1.0;

// tilde-global variables:
~aValue = 1.1;

// local variable:
var foo;

(
var xValue = 1.0;

xValue.postln;

var yValue = 2.1;
)

Evaluating Selections

Some of the examples in the SC section of this class are in the repository, whereas other only exist as snippets on these pages. In general, all these examples can be explored by copy-pasting the code blocks from the pages into the ScIDE. They can then be evaluated in blocks or line-wise but can not be executed as complete files. This is caused by the problem of synchronous vs asynchronous processes, which is explained later: Synchronous vs Asynchronous

These features help to run code in the ScIDE subsequently:

• Individual sections of code can be evaluated by selecting them and pressing Control + Enter.

• Single lines of code can be evaluated by placing the cursor and pressing Shift + Enter

Functions

Functions in SC are defined inside curly brackets. Arguments can are declared in the very beginning. Once created, a function is used by calling the .value() method:

(
~poster = {

    arg a,b;

    var y = a+b;

    y.postln;

};
)

~poster.value(1,1);

Arguments can also be defined inside pipes:

~poster = {

    |a,b|

    a.postln;

};