Data Lab node
Sonify
Hear any Signal. Pitch: the chosen channel’s value picks a note between Min and Max Frequency (log-spaced). Amplitude: a carrier at Base Frequency whose loudness follows the value. Direct: the Signal’s own samples resampled to the audio rate — audio-rate Signals sound like themselves. The result is Audio for Audio Output, Audio FFT and Audio Spectrum, on the engine’s single clock. Range Auto follows the data (or the unit’s nominal span); Glide smooths the steps.
Inputs
| Port | Type | Default |
|---|---|---|
| EnableOff = silence (the engine element stays, so toggling never clicks). | bool | true |
| SignalAny Signal; one channel is heard. | structure | — |
| ChannelWhich channel is heard. | int | 0 |
| ModePitch: the value picks a frequency between Min and Max (log-spaced). Amplitude: a carrier at Base Frequency, loudness = the value. Direct: the Signal’s own samples resampled to the audio rate. | int | 0 |
| WaveformSine, triangle, saw or square for the Pitch and Amplitude modes. | int | 0 |
| Min FrequencyPitch mode: the note at the bottom of the range, Hz. | float | 110 |
| Max FrequencyPitch mode: the note at the top of the range, Hz. | float | 880 |
| Base FrequencyAmplitude mode: the carrier, Hz. | float | 220 |
| Range AutoValue range from the data (with hysteresis) or the unit’s nominal span (0…1, −1…1). | bool | true |
| Range MinManual value range, bottom = lowest note / silence. | float | -1 |
| Range MaxManual value range, top = highest note / full loudness. | float | 1 |
| GlideSmoothing of pitch and loudness changes, ms — the frame-rate steps become a slide. | float | 20 |
| VolumeOutput level 0…1. | float | 0.5 |
Outputs
| Port | Type |
|---|---|
| Audio | structure |
| Frequency | float |
| Level | float |
How It Works
Sonify lets you hear any Signal, in three modes.
- Pitch — the chosen channel's value picks a note between Min and Max Frequency, log-spaced so equal value steps are equal musical intervals.
- Amplitude — a carrier at Base Frequency whose loudness follows the value.
- Direct — the Signal's own samples resampled to the audio rate, so an audio-rate Signal simply sounds like itself.
The result is ordinary Audio on the engine's single clock, so it goes to Audio Output, Audio FFT and Audio Spectrum like anything else. Range Auto follows the data (or the unit's nominal span) and Glide smooths the steps so a frame-rate signal does not sound like a staircase.
Use Cases
- Hear an EEG channel — Brain rhythm as pitch, in real time.
- Monitor without looking — A sensor sonified means you can watch the room and still know what the data is doing.
- Data as music — Several Sonify nodes on several channels make a small ensemble out of a measurement.
- Audible debugging — A value that should be steady sounds wrong long before it looks wrong.
- Close the loop — Sonify into Audio Output, then a Signal Window on the audio and back into Plot.
Tips
- Glide is what makes a frame-rate signal musical rather than steppy; 20 ms is a good starting point.
- Keep the Min/Max Frequency range modest — two octaves is plenty, and five is exhausting to listen to.
- Amplitude mode is gentler for long monitoring; pitch mode conveys more detail.
- Direct mode only makes sense for an audio-rate Signal; on a 100 Hz window it will just be a rumble.
- Range Auto follows the data, which is convenient live but makes two sessions incomparable — pin the range when that matters.
Open Sonify in the interactive catalog →
Sonify is one of 381 nodes in Grafit Pro.
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