HighC is a graphical music creation tool . It is a synthesizer, a sequencer and a mixer. Its goal is to make music composition as simple and direct as sketching. It can be downloaded here .
In HighC, users draw sounds on a continuous time-frequency diagram that looks like a musical score. They use purely graphical operations (such as move-resize, copy-paste, group…) to produce rapidly complex audio effects or full compositions.
HighC draws on 20 years of a world class user interface design experience to provide immediate usability. Complete novices and children understand its base features in a matter of minutes. For instance, novices have used it to create original and unique ringtones and fun “audio picturesâ€.
HighC is foremost a tool of choice for musicians who look for new sound effects or for an alternative approach to music composition. Its integrated interface encompasses the role of synthesizer, sequencer and mixer. The simple and unified synthesis model underpinning HighC gives access to the most common sound synthesis techniques in a graphical, intuitive and uniform framework: Additive synthesis, Waveshape, various noise-based models, but also FM synthesis, Ring modulation and granular synthesis...
This tool is inspired from Iannis Xenakis' UPIC work of the 70's-90's. As an experimental instrument designed to allow easy exploration of new music vocabularies, HighC is a vector of choice to give rise to a musical project on its own. This page is devoted to the musical explorations carried around the tool.
Last, but not least, HighC is pronounced "I see!".
