datafall new

datafall

waterfall binary sonification for norns. load any file — code, images, PDFs, archives, anything — and hear its raw data as sound while watching its binary structure scroll across the screen.

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what it does

datafall reads any file byte-by-byte and interprets the raw binary data as audio. different file types produce radically different sounds:

• text/code — narrow frequency band, repetitive patterns, almost melodic
• JPEG/PNG — structured header followed by pseudo-random compressed data
• PDF — mixed zones of structure and chaos, text blocks create rhythm
• ZIP/compressed — dense white noise, maximum entropy
• WAV/audio — you hear the file hearing itself, warped and aliased
• executables — code sections drone, data sections crackle

the OLED screen shows a real-time binary waterfall: each pixel represents one byte, brightness maps to value. you literally see the data structure.

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requirements

• norns (shield, standard, or fates)
• any file on the norns filesystem

installation

;install https://github.com/semierendonmez-commits/datafall

restart norns after installation (SYSTEM > RESTART) to compile the engine.

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controls

FALL page — visualization + playback

control	function
E2	playback rate (0.01x – 4x)
E3	lowpass filter (when LPF is on)
K2	play / stop
K3	open file browser
K1+K3	toggle loop (default ON)

SET page — settings

control	function
E2	select setting
E3	change value
K3	APPLY — rebuild audio with new settings

setting	options	effect
bit depth	1 / 4 / 8 / 16 / 24	bits per audio sample
channels	mono / stereo	mono duplicates to both channels, stereo alternates L/R
sample rate	22050 / 44100 / 48000 Hz	playback sample rate
visual mode	normal / inverted / threshold / 1-bit	waterfall brightness mapping
lowpass	ON / OFF	toggle lowpass filter
APPLY	K3	rebuild + restart playback

file browser

control	function
E2	navigate
E3	fast scroll (5x)
K3	enter folder / load file
K2	parent folder

global

control	function
E1	page select (FALL / SET)

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bit depth guide

depth	character
1-bit	harsh, digital, square-wave energy
4-bit	retro, crunchy, 16 amplitude levels
8-bit	balanced between detail and rawness
16-bit	smoother, wider dynamic range
24-bit	maximum resolution, subtle textures

visual modes

mode	description
normal	linear: byte value → brightness
inverted	reversed: 0 = bright, 255 = dark
threshold	binary at midpoint, stark contrast
1-bit	pure black and white

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params menu extras

• focus mode — hides header/footer, waterfall fills the screen. only progress bar remains.
• lowpass on/off — bypass filter without changing freq value
• APPLY — also available as trigger in params menu

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tips

• start with a small file (a Lua script, a text file)
• lower the rate to 0.05x–0.1x for detailed listening
• LPF at 1–2kHz turns harsh data into ambient texture
• try the same file at different bit depths
• stereo on structured files creates spatial movement
• 1-bit visual mode reveals file structure most clearly
• compressed files sound like white noise — that's entropy made audible

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how it works

1. file read as raw bytes
2. bytes interpreted as PCM samples based on bit depth
3. temporary stereo WAV written (mono = same data both channels)
4. WAV loaded into SuperCollider buffer
5. played with variable rate + optional LPF
6. OLED shows byte values as pixel brightness, scrolling with playback

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credits

built by @SEMI

inspired by binary waterfall by ella jameson.