Shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
Space | Play / Stop sequencer |
H | Show / Hide HUD |
G | Generate words → reader mode |
S | Strip mode — vertical scroll |
F | Toggle fullscreen |
↑ / ↓ | BPM +/− 5 |
← / → | Density −/+ |
[ / ] | Vintage film −/+ 5 |
R | Record screen (WebRTC) |
Máquina Pignatari
A concrete video poem based on Decio Pignatari’s concrete poem Life (Vida).
Using a 5 × 3 pixel matrix, the system creates a constructed language made up of letters, phonemes, and imaginary words.
The operating principle reinterprets the teleology of the alphabet — the set of finite audio-visual patterns that, when recombined, produce infinite meanings. In each alphabetical cycle, a new phrase emerges vertically.
Originally realized in Max/MSP 5.0, 2008. Online version launched 2026, thanks to Templat Foundation CH.
Conceptual Basis
Decio Pignatari took the 5×3 trigram system — the pixel grid used to design the Coca-Cola logotype — and transformed it into the word Life. Each character in the Latin alphabet can be encoded as a pattern of on/off pixels in this matrix.
The machine maps:
- X-axis (columns) → rhythmic sequences at 160 BPM in triplet 3/4 time
- Y-axis (rows) → 5 pitches of a harmonic pentatonic series (A2–A4)
A random walk traverses the matrix, activating cells. Each activated cell triggers a sine oscillator. Each full scan of the 3 columns captures a character. Over time, characters accumulate into words — a generative concrete language.
References
- Décio Pignatari, Vida (concrete poem, 1957)
- Pignatari, D. Semiótica & Literatura. São Paulo: Cultrix, 1974.
- Original Max/MSP version: zztt, 2008