Whats kinda crazy about approaching sound design, at least from a programmers point of view - is all the concepts you have to learn about sound and then learning how other programmers decided to implement these concepts and then sort of procuring all the universal approaches in a specific area. This was my major hold up along with there being really really bad documentation for supercollider. On top of that, most of the code is insane when you try to take it apart and learn from it. I actually thought of digging into the C++ and learning it that way, but that code is pretty bad too. What other stuff are you into right now?
It's not programming, but all the stuff I'm working on right now is a kind of additive minimalism. I would say my influences on this project were Fennesz, Squarepusher, and Phillip Glass.
I play relatively simple melodic patterns, repetitively but with variations in rhythm based on additive techniques. Then, I polyrhythmically layer these patterns, add lots of knob twiddlings and effects. I like to find patterns where you can play with peoples harmonic perception by slightly altering the pattern additively. For example if you have 10 eighth notes in 5/4 that imply C major, you can add a 3/8 group that repeats the d-b-d part, and with no other change, the perception of harmony changes from an embellished C chord to an embellished G chord, and the groove changes, but the pattern stays basically the same. You can structure long pieces in various forms that way, maintaining a link to old sounds like fugue or early renaissance music (whatever the source material for the polyrhythmic lines is), and consciously manipulate form. Sometimes, I edit away most of it and just leave the few moments when the way the patterns interacts creates really interesting music. Then I drench the simple lines in electronic manipulations.
It's kinda a homebrew musical style I've been dreaming up in my spare time. I don't actually know how to play any of the instruments I am using (except keys and laptop) and I'm new to digital performer to record so I get to learn that all as I go too.
