Re: Web Audio API sequencer capabilities

Actually, on second thought I agree.

On Mon, Oct 8, 2012 at 10:33 PM, Chris Rogers <crogers@google.com> wrote:

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> On Sat, Oct 6, 2012 at 8:57 AM, Joseph Berkovitz <joe@noteflight.com>wrote:
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>> Hi Kumar,
>>
>> While I think a single-node solution to this use case would be nice,
>> overall I agree with the removal of the gain parameter from
>> AudioBufferSourceNode. I fear that it leads to a slippery slope in which
>> more and more bells and whistles get stuffed into that interface.
>>
>> If we extend the API in this direction in the future, rather than restore
>> gain to ABSN, I would rather see a new type of node with an AudioParam
>> driving its constant value. Such a node's only function is to emit a
>> parameter-driven value.  In essence it's no more than a Node wrapping an
>> AudioParam -- in fact, it could be named AudioParamSourceNode, by analogy
>> with AudioBufferSourceNode.  Such a node can serve as both a unity source,
>> a non-unity source, an envelope, or whatever.
>>
>>
> But this is so easy to create already.  I understand that it might save
> two or three lines of JS code, but that doesn't seem worth the effort to
> specify a whole new node.
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>> …j
>>
>> On Oct 6, 2012, at 12:08 AM, Srikumar Karaikudi Subramanian <
>> srikumarks@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Sorry, I messed up reading dates (the gain param was removed on 11 Apr
>> 2012), but the overall point is valid I think.
>>
>> Best,
>>  -Kumar
>>
>> On 6 Oct, 2012, at 9:33 AM, Srikumar Karaikudi Subramanian <
>> srikumarks@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> On 6 Oct, 2012, at 4:27 AM, Joe Berkovitz <joe@noteflight.com> wrote:
>>
>> Actually, I didn't ever think a GainNode would generate its own signal.
>> Rather, it did not occur to me to drive a set of AudioParams with an
>> envelope via the audio rate modulation feature, using a gain controlled
>> unity signal. It is this last idea that seems a bit tricky and unclear for
>> API novices. If there were something like a UnitySourceNode, I would feel
>> better.
>>
>> Chris R - I see that the AudioBufferSourceNode's 'gain' attribute was
>> removed from the spec in Apr '11 (
>> https://dvcs.w3.org/hg/audio/file/908b6b7b8702/webaudio/specification.html),
>> but it is present in all webkit implementations even today, including
>> Chrome Canary. In
>> http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-audio/2012AprJun/0072.html,
>> you wrote -- "We may need to re-visit the removal of these gain
>> attributes from the API, since I've found several pages out in the wild
>> using them. They're not harmful attributes, just ones I felt could be
>> cleaned up (removed) since AudioGainNode can be used instead. We may need
>> to choose a deprectation path, or simply keep them."
>>
>> With the 'gain' parameter, the AudioBufferSourceNode would offer a single
>> node solution to envelope generation. You can set a one sample buffer with
>> sample value = 1, turn on looping and work with its gain parameter. This is
>> simple enough that a special UnitySourceNode and an EnvelopeNode would be
>> superfluous. (I only just realized I've been using the ABSN this way
>> instead of the "GainNode with unity signal" approach I mentioned earlier ..
>> but was surprised to find that the ABSN.gain parameter was removed from the
>> spec.)
>>
>> AudioBuffer.gain and AudioListener.gain are likely to be superfluous, but
>> if AudioBufferSourceNode.gain is removed, a gain node seems likely to be
>> necessary most of the time anyway. Given that the ability to connect a node
>> to an AudioParam didn't exist when the ABSN.gain parameter was removed, it
>> is worth reconsidering it in the context of envelopes as well.
>>
>> Best,
>> -Kumar
>>
>>
>>
>>        ... .  .    .       Joe
>>
>> *Joe Berkovitz*
>> President
>>
>> *Noteflight LLC*
>> Boston, Mass.
>> phone: +1 978 314 6271
>>        www.noteflight.com
>>
>>
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