C::NTR::L is the name of the free software for real-time Human-Computer Interaction exploiting physical computing possibilities. Developed in PureData by Marco Donnarumma. It seeks to be a tool for audiovisual live performance improvisation. The project started in 2007 and it remains a constant work in progress, i’m always interested in new ideas and collaborations. This is the version 1.2 Beta.

C::NTR::L exploits the physical computing technologies.
It transforms your standard musical instrument – electric bass, guitar, violin, piano etc. – in an augmented instrument, an audiovideo controller without exploiting a specific external hardware.

Once you connected the instrument to the sound card of your computer, C::NTR::L  starts to recognize which notes you play. This is possible trought a complex structure of band pass/low pass/hi pass filters which automatically separate the core frequency of the incoming audio signal.
Then C::NTR::L analyzes the duration and the RMS of each single note and finally translates this data in order to control and trigger a set of audiovideo efx and modules which at this moment features:

VIDEO

• playlist
• scratch and loop points
• white/black fade
• color matrix
• blur
• delay
• strobo
• 3D efx
• saving presets
  

• real-time sound in processing
• support multiple sound input (up to as amany as you want and your machine can stand)
• granulator (original module by Matt Davey)
• bit-crusher (original module by Matt Davey)
• reverb (original module by Matt Davey)
• oscillators
• saving presets
  
  Besides i created a friendly computer digital tuner, to allow you to tune in your instrument as you would do with a normal tuner. It includes ready-to-use parameters to tune in bass guitar, guitar and piano (only two octaves by now).
  

The interface of C::NTR::L is modular (as the other well-known softwares for graphical programming as Isadora, VVVV or the same PureData) and each module has the possibility to receive and send the data flow it is processing. This allow you to connect as you prefer the different modules, giving them a specific order, connecting video values to audio efx or the opposite simply dragging a cable.
This whole data processing happens and reacts in real-time with really low latency – such as 1/2ms depending on the amplification of the incoming audio signal.

Thanks to this system the freedom of the artist is maximum. You can literally “play” with your audiovideo live acts using exclusively your musical instrument – or multiple instruments too. A single note will cause just one specific action and audiovideo efx, for istance you can create live audiovisual narration based on your musical score without listing any MIDI controls, or synchronizing any softwares.
Plug your chord instrument and “play” your videos. And if you’re a band you can process different sound inputs (drums, guitar, bass, percussion, ecc,..) and assign to each one different audiovisual efx, or videos or whatever you like most.

Technology must return to be an instrument and not anymore a status to be celebrated, this is the fundamental concept behind this tool.
Soulful thanks for sharing, supporting and inspiring goes to: Rep (PD’r and Multimedia Artist), AssoBeam (PD’r and Multimedia Artists), Husk (PD’r and Multimedia Artist), Sero (Sound Artist), Brendan Byrne (PD’r and teacher), Jorg Koch (MAX’r and sound artist), _Ser (PD’r and Multimedia Artist), G-Noma (Multimedia Artist), Matt Davey (PD’r) and the incredible community on the PD Forum (http://puredata.hurleur.com/).