LiveCore: Increasing Liveness in a Low-Level Dataflow Programming Environment

Abstract

Liveness is an important factor in live coding but frequently liveness focuses on high-level, textual environments. While these environments offer manifold abstraction capabilities, users of low-level dataflow programming environments could also benefit from increased liveness. In this work we introduce LiveCore: a macro library for the low-level dataflow environment Reaktor Core enabling live coding. LiveCore manages program state at audio rates and provides a suite of modules for musical pattern generation, sequencing and synthesis. LiveCore increases liveness in Reaktor Core from an editable dataflow program, to one with continuous audio suitable for musical performance. We reflect on the design process to discuss the qualitative differences of liveness in low-level dataflow programming, compared with other forms of live coding. We suggest that live coding in a low-level dataflow environment provides a uniquely immediate experience for the performer.