Murnau - Cinematic Synthesizer

A stylish, expressive synthesizer inspired by German Expressionist cinema aesthetics, created with Faust DSP language and controlled through OSC or MIDI.

Overview

Murnau is a German Expressionist-inspired synthesizer system that combines:

• Faust DSP for high-quality, efficient audio processing
• OSC for flexible parameter control
• MIDI for playing notes and controller integration
• PyQt6 for a stylish, cinematic user interface:

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Project Structure

murnau/
├── src/                    # Source code
│   ├── murnau/            # Main package
│   │   ├── dsp/          # Faust DSP source files
│   │   ├── ui/           # User interface components
│   │   ├── synth/        # Synthesizer control modules
│   │   └── utils/        # Utility modules
│   └── lib/              # External libraries
├── scripts/               # Entry point scripts
│   ├── murnau_ui.py      # UI launcher
│   ├── melody.py         # Melody player
│   └── ramp_test.py      # Ramp tester
├── tests/                 # Test suite
├── docs/                  # Documentation
├── assets/               # Images and resources
├── config/               # Configuration files
├── build/                # Build artifacts (generated)
├── legato_synth.dsp      # Main DSP file (for compilation)
├── start_murnau.sh       # Startup script
├── Makefile              # Build automation
└── requirements.txt      # Dependencies

Components

The system consists of the following core components:

1. Synthesizer Engine: Created with Faust DSP language (legato_synth.dsp)

   • Monophonic synthesizer with legato capability
   • Four waveform types: Sine, Triangle, Sawtooth, Square
   • Full ADSR envelope control
   • Expressive playing controls

2. User Interface: A stylish PyQt6 UI inspired by German Expressionism (murnau_ui.py)

   • Direct control of all synthesizer parameters
   • Built-in virtual piano keyboard
   • Integrated MIDI device connection
   • Waveform visualization
   • German Expressionist-inspired design

3. Control Modules: Python modules for synthesizer control

   • melody.py - Play test melodies
   • ramp_test.py - Test frequency ramping

Installation

1. Clone the repository
2. Install dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Or install in development mode:

pip install -e ".[dev]"

Usage

Quick Start (Recommended)

Simply run the startup script which handles everything automatically:

./start_murnau.sh

This script will:

1. Start JACK audio server (with CoreAudio on macOS)
2. Compile and start the Faust synthesizer
3. Launch the Murnau user interface

Manual Start

1. Start JACK (if not using the script):

   jackd -d coreaudio -r48000 -p512

2. Compile and run the synthesizer:

   faust2jack -osc legato_synth.dsp
   ./legato_synth

3. Launch the UI:

   python scripts/murnau_ui.py

Test Scripts

Play a test melody:

python scripts/melody.py

Test frequency ramping:

python scripts/ramp_test.py

Or use the Makefile shortcuts:

make melody    # Play test melody
make ramp      # Test frequency ramping

Features

Synthesizer Engine

• Waveforms: Sine, Triangle, Sawtooth, Square
• Envelope: Full ADSR control for amplitude shaping
• Legato Mode: Smooth pitch transitions for connected notes
• Expression: Gain control and pitch modulation

User Interface

• Stylish Design: Inspired by German Expressionist cinema
• Real-time Control: All parameters accessible via knobs and sliders
• Virtual Keyboard: Play notes with mouse or computer keyboard
• MIDI Integration: Connect any MIDI controller
• Visual Feedback: Animated waveform display

OSC Control

The synthesizer responds to these OSC messages:

• /legato_synth/freq - Note frequency (Hz)
• /legato_synth/gate - Note on/off (0-1)
• /legato_synth/gain - Output volume (0-1)
• /legato_synth/attack - Attack time (0.001-2.0 seconds)
• /legato_synth/decay - Decay time (0.001-2.0 seconds)
• /legato_synth/sustain - Sustain level (0-1)
• /legato_synth/release - Release time (0.01-5.0 seconds)

Testing

Run the test suite:

pytest

Run with coverage report:

pytest --cov=src --cov-report=html

The project aims for at least 90% test coverage.

Design Philosophy

Murnau's design is inspired by the visual language of German Expressionist cinema:

• Stark Contrasts: Dark backgrounds with bright, angular controls
• Geometric Forms: Clean, purposeful shapes that evoke the era
• Dramatic Lighting: Gold and amber highlights against shadow
• Emotional Expression: Controls that feel alive and responsive

Requirements

• macOS, Linux, or Windows
• Python 3.8 or higher
• JACK Audio Connection Kit
• Faust compiler (for building from source)

Troubleshooting

1. No sound: Ensure JACK is running and the synthesizer is connected
2. MIDI not working: Check MIDI device permissions and connections
3. OSC timeout: Verify the synthesizer is running on port 5510

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues or pull requests.

License

[Your license here]

Credits

Created by [Your name] Inspired by the cinematic works of F.W. Murnau and the German Expressionist movement.