Tools

Sonification tools, organized by difficulty level and format. Descriptions and links included.

There are a wide range of data sonification tools available, each with varying levels of time investment, knowledge requirements, and output capabilities. Some tools are easy to use and do not require any coding experience. Other tools have a steeper learning curve and require some time to set up and read the documentation. There are options for everyone. 🔧

While more advanced tools may provide additional customization capability, they are not necessary for creating excellent sonification pieces. It’s best to start at your comfort level and go from there. Find methods that work best for you and stay open to experimentation. This is a creative process! 👂 Hop to a section 🐸 👇

Easy Tools

Intermediate/Advanced Tools

Audio Editing Tools

Audio Sample Resources

Sonification Tools

Click on each tool to find details and links. ⚡︎

Web Applications and Softwares (Level: Easy)

TwoTone

Difficulty Level: Easy Description: TwoTone is a web-based, no-code sonification tool. Users can adjust instrument, key, octave range, and tempo to customize their sonification output. Additional layers of music can be added, as well as narration audio. URL: https://twotone-midiout-beta.netlify.app/ Platform: Web browser Output Formats: MP3, WAV, PCM Documentation: Getting Started, Tutorials, Examples, About.

Highcharts Sonification Studio

Difficulty Level: Easy Description: The Highcharts Sonification Studio is a web-based, no-code sonification tool that generates dynamic audio-visual charts. It allows the user to customize both the visual settings of the chart, as well as a wide range of audio specifications. Settings can be modified for the chart as a whole, as well as for specific data series. Adjustable audio parameters include duration, precision, range, instrument, pitch, volume, panning, and much more. URL: https://sonification.highcharts.com/ Platform: Web browser Output Formats: Video, Audio Only, Audio as MIDI, Image, Vector Image, CSV Data, Text Description, Highcharts JS Config, HTML file Documentation: Tutorial, Community page video tutorials, YouTube channel, feedback thread.

Data Sonifyer

Difficulty Level: Easy Description: DataSonifyer is a web-based, no-code sonification app developed by Christian Basl (of SoniFriday, a sonification duo with Berit Kruse). It has an intuitive and simple user interface, with helpful documentation in the pop-out side panel. It allows the user to upload CSV data, and adjust audio parameters such as instrument, tempo, frequency, amplitude, filter, envelope, rhythm, and effect (see “add sound module” button). The user can export the sonification output by using the “record” feature in the app and downloading the resulting WAV file. URL: https://studio.datasonifyer.de/en Platform: Web browser Output Formats: WAV Documentation: Examples, Tutorials, Discover, About Note: To find help within the app, click on the musical notes 🎵 in the upper left corner for the how-to side panel to appear.

csv-to-midi

Difficulty Level: Easy Description: csv-to-midi is a simple web application created by Evan King that allows a user to upload a CSV file, adjust audio parameters, and export a MIDI file. Adjustable audio parameters include duration, musical key, musical scale, and note range. For inspiration, check out Evan King’s sonification of sea level data in a project called “Bait/Switch.” This ambient composition transforms sea level data into a digital underwater soundscape. URL: https://csv-to-midi.evanking.io/ Platform: Web browser Output Formats: MIDI Documentation: GitHub Documentation Note: Click the question mark symbol ❓ in the upper right corner of the webpage for a brief explanation of the tool.

Data Mapper

Difficulty Level: Easy Description: Data Mapper is a tool that allows users to linearly map a CSV file to a range of values that you supply. The user defines a list of musical notes in ISO (International Standards Organization) format (e.g. B3, C4, D4, etc.), and the CSV data gets mapped to the appropriate note. URL: https://observablehq.com/@duncangeere/data-mapper Platform: Web browser (Observable) Output Format: Information (list of musical notes)

StarSound

Difficulty Level: Easy Description: StarSound is a downloadable sonification application compatible with Mac OS X. It is designed as a standalone tool for sonifying multidimensional datasets. The interface includes a visualization of the uploaded data and selected variables, and an array of modules for customizing the audio output. Within a given module, users can adjust frequency, loudness, duration, instrument, and more. The application offers a range of play modes, allowing users to play, loop, or record their sonification. Developed by Jeffrey Hannam. URL: https://www.jeffreyhannam.com/starsound Platform: Downloadable software Output Formats: WAV Documentation: StarSound Tutorial

Dev Environments and Softwares (Level: Intermediate)

Sonic Pi

Difficulty Level: Easy/Intermediate Description: Sonic Pi is a free downloadable software, designed as a tool for code-based music creation and performance. It is highly flexible, allowing for audio in/out, MIDI in/out, Open Sound Control (OSC) in/out, and interaction with Ableton Live. Sounds produced from Sonic Pi are extremely customizable, offering a wide range of parameter customization, sample manipulation, instrument selection, programming structures, and effects. While the tool is geared towards “live coding,” it can be used to design and export a data-driven composition. Developed by Sam Aaron. URL: https://sonic-pi.net/ Platform: Downloadable software Output Formats: WAV, live playback Documentation: Sonic Pi Tutorial, Sonic Pi Course ($25), Sonic Pi Community, List of Resources for Learning Sonic Pi, Sam Aaron’s YouTube Channel, and many more tutorials on YouTube.

MIDITime (Python)

Difficulty Level: Intermediate Description: MIDITime is a Python package that converts any kind of time series data into pitch, velocity and duration values based on musical options adjusted by the user. Developed by Michael Corey. MIDITime was used to produce the data sonification in this episode of Reveal. URL: https://github.com/mikejcorey/miditime Platform: Python package / dev environment Output Formats: MIDI file Documentation: https://pypi.org/project/miditime/

audiolazy & midiutil (Python)

Difficulty Level: Intermediate Description: These are Python packages to help users convert data to MIDI notes, and export the notes to a MIDI file. This approach is used in Matt Russo's sonification tutorial. URL: https://pypi.org/project/audiolazy/ & https://pypi.org/project/MIDIUtil/ Platform: Python package / dev environment Output Formats: MIDI file Documentation: Convert music to data with Python

Astronify (Python)

Difficulty Level: Easy/Intermediate Description: Astronify is a Python package for sonifying astronomical data. It sonifies light curve data by representing changes in brightness as changes of pitch. Users can supply a data table containing two columns representing time and flux. Various parameters can be adjusted, and the program uses a default algorithm that converts data (an array of float values) into pitch (values in Hz). URL: https://astronify.readthedocs.io/ Platform: Python package / dev environment Output Formats: Audio files (WAV, etc.) Documentation: Installation, Documentation, API, Tutorials, GitHub, sonification examples, explanatory videos