Procedural Ecosystem for Algorithmic Composition
Envion is a procedural ecosystem for algorithmic composition, contemporary musique concrète, and gesture-based sound transformation. Originally developed in Pure Data as an envelope-first environment, sound is not "played" through notes but articulated through sequences of ternary envelopes (amplitude, duration, offset) that draw dynamic trajectories on audio material.
The philosophy behind Envion is rooted in two principles: de-authoring (sound as an autonomous entity rather than a personal artifact), and network-based sonic excavation, where sound is gathered procedurally from the web and the local disk as living, uncurated material.
The Max MSP Ecosystem
The Max MSP version inherits the full logic of the Pd system and introduces a richer, more integrated structure:
- EnvionSeeder – fetching and depersonalizing sound (local + web)
- Terna – ternary envelope engine
- DeepScan – deep scanning of local folders up to 5 levels
- Dynagran – procedural granular engine
- Sequoia – probabilistic sequencer
- Ambience – spatial processing module
- Multisoundscape – complex soundscape builder (powered by Granola/gen~)
Web Integration & Architecture
In Max, web integration is extended through jweb~, which acts as a local console and bridges Envion's procedural engine with a remote PHP + API token service used to query Freesound.org securely. This architecture keeps user credentials hidden, filters responses, and returns a clean depersonalized JSON stream directly into Max.
Official Playlist
Listen to compositions created with Envion's procedural ecosystem:
Available End of December
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This work was commissioned by Cycling '74
Why Envion Exists
Envion was created to offer a non-linear instrument where gesture, trajectory, and envelope are the true drivers of composition. The system separates raw material (fragments found online, web audio, dormant project residues) from its gestural articulation. This makes it possible to generate textures, forms, and sonic behaviours that do not depend on the choice of the sample, but on how Envion transforms it.
The Max version expands this approach, making the ecosystem more accessible, stable, and suitable for studio work. It integrates the Pd philosophy into a more robust workflow and introduces evolving modules such as Multisoundscape and a more advanced local/web fetching system.