tdb-alcorn/pysynth

A simple music synthesizer in Python

Overview

PySynth is a simple music synthesizer written in Python. The goal is not to produce many different sounds, but to have scripts that can turn ABC notation into a WAV file without too much tinkering.

There are three variants: PySynth A is faster, only depends on Python 2, and sounds like a cross between a flute and organ. PySynth B is more complex in sound and needs NumPy. It's supposed to be a little closer to a piano. PySynth S is more comparable to a guitar, banjo, or harpsichord, depending on note length and pitch. Finally, PySynth E is an FM-synthesized e-piano.

The current release of the synthesizer can only play one note at a time. (Although successive notes can overlap in PySynth B and S, but not A.) However, two output files can be mixed together to get stereo sound.

Sample usage

Read ABC file and output WAV:

python read_abc.py straw.abc

As a module from the Python interpreter:

from pysynth_b import *
make_wav(song, fn = "danube.wav", leg_stac = .7, bpm = 180)

Site

More documentation and examples at the PySynth homepage.