Python can also be "embedded" as a high-level script control language for low-level, less user-friendly, software and hardware-interface control languages.

Why use Python for Sonification?

Because it is powerful, flexible and open-ended, Python is not the quickest approach to learn for those just wanting to sonify a small amount of data using standard conceptual frameworks. At least, not if you're satisfied with the tools currently available to do this. But if you have more exacting needs, the extra time needed for you to configure a solution in Python will not only pay dividends, but allow you to do things that, realistically, can't be achieved with other approaches.

If you want to explore some of the pragmatic and practical reasons why I've chosen to go down the path of developing my sonification work in Python, there are a couple of a papers I wrote about it in 2007. ICAD2007 and ICoMC 2007.

This Workshop

This Workshop is an introduction to Python and Python-related projects that are useful when you're trying to sonify complex data or data that needs to be manipulated in unusual ways. It may be extremely multivariate, exist or need to be organised in large databases, or consist of real-time data streams for which you need to develop filters.

This workshop is not a 'quick-and-dirty', 'wizz-bang' series demos that impresses you but leaves you with unable to make use of it in your own work. While Python itself is quick-to-learn, and the number of projects using it is very large, the flexibility it affords, means it is better to start with a VERY limited subset of the options.

The aims of this workshop then, are

• To introduce you to Python and a way of thinking that some of us who have been sonifying for a while have come to, once other ways have failed us in some form or another.
• Show you an example of how to build on other people's work and take advantage of collaborative development.
• Discuss your sonification software needs and possible approaches with the aim of linking you into a community of users that you can call on when needed.

Getting Started, but not too quickly

(If you want to experience the joys of getting your hands dirty by building it yourself 'doing it yourself', jump to the Downloading Python section, below.)

Other sound-related projects that use Python

Two questions one needs to ask before deciding on which tools to use in any project, are

• How much on the bleeding-edge do I need to go to achieve a solution?
• How quickly will the tools I'm using become obsolete?

One comforting thought, is that there are a large number of sound-related projects that use python.

So, if you're concerned about any of the issues raised, above, be assured there are plenty of people working with these tools - and building new ones! So, momentum being what it is obsolescence should not be concern you in the foreseable future. Here a list of well-know sound and music related python projects.

Using Python for Science

Over the last decade or so science communities have taken to python like a duck to water. The most widely used set of generic tools are available from SciPy.org whose Introduction happens to not be on the home page, because most people going there know what the want (to download). Particularly ubiquitous are

• Numpy, an N-dimensional array package, and
• Matplotlib a comprehensive 2D Plotting library.

There is also an organisation devoted to developing software suitable for psychology research:

• PsychoPy: "an open-source application to allow the presentation of stimuli and collection of data for a wide range of neuroscience, psychology and psychophysics experiments. It’s a free, powerful alternative to Presentation™ or e-Prime™, written in Python (a free alternative to Matlab™ )."

More recently the development in science communities has been on providing Interactive Development Environments (see below) suitable for scientific enquiry.

Summary

The are a lot of (freely available) tools for scientific and technical work in Python; Graphics (eg matplotlib) and image (such as the Python Image Library (PIL) are advanced.

Work with Sound Python lags these, and to overgeneralise a bit, remains more low level. There is, though, some sophisticated tools (such as Csound's python wrappers) available. But we are getting there. More later...

Learning Python

Gentle online introductions to python (in no particular order):

• The Learn Python website uses Interactive (uses IPython (Interactive Python), a browser-based Interactive Development Environment (IDE). IPython is available for you to use for your own work. See the IPython website for more details.
• The Code Academy website is also an alternative more guided introduction, also using IPython.
• The "home" of Python, python.org, has its own tutorial.

Some (free) eBooks

• Downey, Allen B. Think Python. How to Think Like a Computer Scientist is well written and quite comprehensive. It is available in a number of different formats, including as a downloadable PDF.
• Pilgrim, Mark.Dive Into Python is available in a number of formats. More recent editions of the book concentrate on the differences between Python 3 and Python 2 (we're using 2.7 for this workshop). This site also contains links to a number of other resources, including Think Python (above).

Python Syntax and Semantics

• Tutorialspoint Python pages: When the quickest way to recall some Python syntax is to look at a simple example.
• There is a Wikipedia summary if you need a quick overview.

Getting up and running

Basic: Downloading Python

Go to the 'official' home of Python, www.python.org, and download version 2.7.5 that best fits your machine and operating system. Typically they will be:

• Python 2.7.5 Mac OS X 64-bit/32-bit x86-64/i386 Installer (for Mac OS X 10.6 and later), or
• Python 2.7.5 Windows Installer (Windows binary -- does not include source), or
• Python 2.7.5 compressed source tarball (for Linux, Unix or Mac OS X)

  Most installers will come with an IDE, see below. Python.org's installers come with IDLE, but more recently there have been some very sophisticated developments, such as the others listed below.

Interactive Development Environments

• IDLE (Integrated DeveLopment Environment). IDLE is python.org's extremely light-weight development environment - (a enhanced text editor) with Python code colourising and other features such as a smart indenting. See the IDLE website.
• Spyder
  1. The Spyder Website which includes installer downloads, documentation etc. Spyder includes such things as Scientific Python (SciPy) tools and Interactive Python IPython (see below).
  2. A YouTube talk by Carlos Córdoba, one of the Authors (for Mac)
  3. Slides from his talk.
  4. Anaconda:a "completely free enterprise-ready Python distribution for large-scale data processing, predictive analytics, and scientific computing."
  5. Enthought: "Data analysis and visualization. Python distribution with GUI. Integrated code editor and IPython console. Graphical package management. Integrated interactive training platform. Easy installation and deployment."

Making Sound with Python

PyAudio

From the PyAudio website: "PyAudio provides Python bindings for PortAudio, the cross-platform audio I/O library. With PyAudio, you can easily use Python to play and record audio on a variety of platforms. "

Typically, as for many of the tools available for Python and Audio, there are packaged versions available for installation. See

1. Create an audio file using pure Python and a data set
2. Build a basic set of synthesis tools using an external library