A Sine By Any Other Language
To paraphrase Shakespeare, "That which we call a sine / By any other language would sound just as sweet". As a de facto "Hello, World!" of audio programming, the sine wave as implemented through various programming languages can serve as a fruitful lens through which we're able to look at the tools and technologies we use.
This talk describes a journey through implementing a sine wave using 50 different programming languages, ranging from general-purpose programming languages (such as C++, JavaScript, and Python) to audio-specific environments (such as Max/MSP, Pure Data, and SuperCollider) to, yes, even SQL. We'll use each language's built-in types and functions as well as standard libraries wherever we can, avoiding the use of external libraries as much as possible.
Along the way we'll look at some of the commonalities and differences among the languages, comparing our implementations along axes such as programming paradigms, audio abstraction, real-time vs. offline, and performance (with a grain of salt). Through this process we'll get a sense of the history, motivation, and current landscape of audio programming languages.
David Su
David Su is an audio programmer, game developer, musician, sound designer, and researcher interested in creating new musical experiences through technology. He is currently the lead audio and systems programmer at Brass Lion Entertainment, working on Wu-Tang: Rise of the Deceiver. He is also an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Southern California, teaching a course on sound design for games. Previously David did audio programming on music software at Output, Sunhouse, and Amper Music. His game credits include One Hand Clapping, NFL Endzone, Trolls Music Stars, and Evergreen Blues. David has spoken at conferences such as the Game Developers Conference, GameSoundCon, and the International Computer Music Conference, and his work has been featured in outlets such as Rolling Stone, NPR, and The Guardian. He received his MS from the MIT Media Lab and his BA from Columbia University.