It’s time to introduce the eponymous <blam-blam> element. While LFOs change (modulate) values over time, HYPERBLAM’s own <blam-blam> element changes a value from one to another.
While this may sound quite pedestrian, it’s actually pretty powerful, for a few reasons:
- You get to choose the event at which the value changes
- You get to randomize what the new value will be
- You get to control the probability of this change in value taking place
A few artfully deployed <blam-blam> elements can turn a repetitive loop into a permutating composition. It can be the difference between basic beat making and generative sound design.
<lfo-blam prop="gain" gain="0.5" beats="0.001" type="square">
<blam-blam prop="beats" value="0.001~0.009"></blam-blam>
</lfo-blam>
In this rudimentary example, the <blam-blam> listens to its ancestor <media-blam>’s blam event, which occurs every time playback is restarted. It responds by applying a new beats value to its subject <lfo-blam>. Each time, a value between 0.001 and 0.009 is taken. These are very high values for a so-called Low Frequency Oscillator. The high frequency amplitude modulation in this range creates the curious metallic sounds you are hearing.
Following the high frequency tremolo effect is a <reverb-blam>. This takes the acoustic footprint of a large stadium as an impulse response and applies it to the incoming sound.
<reverb-blam mix="0.5">
<sample-blam src="/static/sounds/IRs/stadium.mp3"></sample-blam>
</reverb-blam>
The reverb creates a sense of space, as well as softening the edges of an otherwise rather harsh sound.
To further smoothen the sound, a <switch-blam> is provided for toggling the LFO’s type from square (“teetaateetaateeta”) to sine (“wooweewooweewoowoo”).
<switch-blam to="#hlfo" prop="type" value="sine">
<label>
smooth
<input type="checkbox">
</label>
</switch-blam>