Currently, I’m diving deep into granular synthesis as part of a research project, with the goal of creating immersive soundscapes and textures. The project centers around the “Wandering Landscape Machine”, which is meant to generate generative music and soundscapes for an exhibition or installation. To make the experience more tactile and not just software-based, I picked up the Sonicware LIVEN Texture Lab as a ‘hardware’ device to play around.
The device comes with a range of factory samples, but I’m interested in exploring its full potential by creating my own samples for granular synthesis. I’ve been recording and collecting these samples, and I’m sharing them here for others to use freely under the Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0). All samples are normalized to -1dB.
Note: The maximum sample length for the Sonicware LIVEN Texture Lab is 6 seconds, so all the samples provided here are roughly kept within that limit. To transfer the samples, you can simply use a standard mini-jack cable and hit the play button here. You will need to set your device up for sample recording by pressing func and record simultanously.
Sample library
Sample 1, created with the VST Helm by Matt Tytel and OrilRiver by Denis Tihanov. (Using a heavily modified patch by Mikolis (CC BY 4.0))
Sample 2.
Sample 3, created by using a pure data patch of the drone synth LIRA-8 by Mike Moreno.
Sample 4, created by live playing the Arturia Microfreak
Sample 5, created by live playing the Arturia Microfreak. At the moment this sample yields the most promising results with the TeXture Lab.
Sample 6, created by live playing the Arturia Microfreak. Needs a lot of reverb to shine.
Sample 7, created by live playing the Arturia Microfreak with arpeggiator.
Sample 8, created by live playing the Arturia Microfreak
Sample 9, created by recording a Meinl kalimba (thanks Henrike!)
Update 05-03-2025: wild experiments
For an ongoing art and research project, I aimed to create a collection of more ‘organic’ sounding samples—audio snippets that capture typical sounds from nature. While it would have been possible to rely on existing sound libraries, I was more interested in capturing unique and unusual sounds from the environment. To achieve this, I purchased a midrange field recorder, the Tascam DR-40X, and set out to record sounds in natural settings.
One of the challenges of field recording is avoiding unwanted wind noise, which can easily be picked up by microphone capsules. To mitigate this, careful positioning of the field recorder is essential. Instead of directly exposing the microphone to the wind, I tried to place it strategically (at least to some degree) to capture the movement of leaves while minimizing disruptive wind noise.
Since the sounds of insects are typically very faint, the built-in electret microphones of the Tascam DR-40X were insufficient for this task. To capture these delicate sounds, I used a Rode NTG-2, a small-diaphragm condenser microphone with a better signal to noise ratio and better directional focus (i.e. super cardioid polar pattern).
By positioning the Rode NTG-2 inside a rain gutter, I was able to record an unexpectedly rich and homogeneous sound. The wind sweeping over the roof created a soothing and continuous ambient tone, which added a unique texture to the collection of natural soundscapes.
Since the Texture Lab requires a cohesive sound for generating granular synthesis textures, I decided to merge the individual recordings into a single composite soundscape. To ensure efficient fieldwork and a seamless workflow, I used the DAW Ardour, running on a current version of Fedora Linux on an old but trusty Dell XPS notebook. This setup allowed me to process the recordings in real-time while working in outdoor environments without having to worry about damaging the computer.
My workflow involved setting up a small mobile recording station, capturing sounds from the surrounding area, and gradually assembling a cohesive soundscape. I took a rather minimalistic approach to post-processing, focusing on preserving the ‘authenticity’ of the recorded material. The only digital processing applied included volume adjustments, EQ, and very subtle bus compression/normalization. I deliberately avoided additional effects such as phasers, reverb, delay, or pitch shifting, as I wanted to maintain the raw and natural characteristics of the recordings.
Below is the preliminary final result of this sound design experiment, blending various natural elements into a unified sonic composition.