SCLang Basics

Without music, life would be a mistake. – Friedrich Nietzsche

In this section, I will provide a starting point to allow readers to begin experimenting with SuperCollider. However, it’s important to understand the content of this entire chapter, as it lays the foundation for subsequent discussions. I’m assuming that readers have some experience with a programming language. If this is not the case, you can still enjoy and benefit from the text, but you may also need to consult additional resources.

By just reading the The Ecosystem and this section, you will have a solid foundation for starting your exploration of the SuperCollider platform. Together, these two chapters serve as a quick start guide.

Before delving into the details, I feel obligated to give you a warning: If you are coming from programming languages such as Java, C, or Python, you might find the syntax of sclang less than aesthetically pleasing. However, this initial impression conceals the fact that many syntactical decisions are logically sound and make more sense upon closer examination. So, don’t let your first impression deter you.