Behind The Screens: AFALFL
An interview with live coder Mamady Diarra, also known as AFALFL.
AFALFL, Mamady Diarra, is a live coder, digital artist, sounds, and code artist, former DJ and musician. In this interview, we’d like to talk about his practices and tools, as well as work in the community and his upcoming activities.
What is live coding, what does it mean to you and how has it influenced your practice of making and thinking about art?
EN: Life is weird! When I was young (I’m still young) I hated mathematics. School traumatized me learning mathematics but now I do electronic music with maths and machines.
FR: C’est marrant la vie, quand j’étais jeune ( toujours jeune) j’ai hais les maths… disons que l’école ma traumatisé avec l’étude des maths.
Could you tell us what your first encounter with live coding was and what are your sources of inspiration?
EN: The first time I heard about live coding, I was watching a video interview with French author, philosopher, and musician Vincent Cespedes talking about the software. I can’t reminder exactly but then I switched because the software seems expensive. No opence source community etc… Then I further discovered it at No School Paris during a workshop by Alex McLean teaching us his own software. It was an amazing experience, also because it all happened before the lockdown pandemic situation, mixing AR:VR party, stream…
FR: J’ai entendu pour la première fois le terme “live coding” en regardant une interview avec un auteur philosophe et musicien Français Vincent Cespedes, parlant d’un software… J’arrive pas à m’en rappeler… Apres j’ai découvert durant un workshop à Paris pars No school Nevers, un workshop mener par Alex McLean nous enseignant sont software Tidal Cycles, c’était une expérience incroyable! aussi parce que cela m’est arrivé avant la situation de la pandémie — les confinements. Du coup je mixais entre live stream, rencontre XR _VR.
Do you have any preferred platforms and/or languages, how did you come to use them and do you have a specific reason for it?
EN: I’m discovering new languages and platforms every day. These days I’m trying Bruno Bogola’s work, who I met at CTM festival, and who developed a live coding platform for sounds and visuals, based on the idea of collaborative jams. I find it very exciting, especially since I had already jammed with th4 and Alienated entity on estuary and flop. I don’t really have a favorite language, I like to transcend, try out and discover new languages. Special mention to Orca and TidalCycles and Hydra though ❤3
FR: Je découvre des langages et plateformes tout les jours. En ce moment Bruno bogola que j’ai rencontré à CTM festival, développé une plateforme live coding sounds et visuals, basé sur l’idée d’un jam collaborative. Je trouve cela excitant. Bien sur j’avais déjà auparavant jam avec th4 et Alienated entity sur estuary et flop. J’ai pas de langage favori j’aime transcender, tester, découvrir de nouveau langage. petit coeur pour Orca et TidalCycles et Hydra ❤3
Are there any platforms, tools, libraries or other extensions you
have developed yourself and if so can you elaborate on why and for
what purpose?
EN: I’m currently trying to build my own chip tune vst — for live coding purposes, mixed with a Digital Audio Workstation.
FR: En train de devolopper mes propres est — chip pour un but et dans l’optique live coding mêlant les outils classic en DAW.
Are you part of a (local) community? How do you organize and do you share works or collaborate often?
EN: Cookie collective crew Paris, we organize Algoraves, free parties, and a conference with No School, No LAB (GAITÉ lyrique).
In what forms are algorithms and randomness applied in your practice or performance? Do you try to pursue serendipity and how or why not?
EN: Glad you mentioned serendipity because yeah, actually it’s my current practice. I’m playing a lot with randomness in my live coding practice, I sometimes delete my own code and start over from scratch, even during live performances. Since people can see the code displayed on my screen, I don’t feel uncomfortable about it because I make it visible and tangible! When it comes to the actual algorithm, I’m starting from scratch with an outline in head, so this involves some preparation.
FR: Content que tu aies mentionné la sérendipité, parce que en effet c’est ce vers quoi je tend. Je joue avec beaucoup de hasard dans ma pratique live coding, parfois il m’arrive de supprimé tout mon code et recommencer à zéro et cela meme en performance live. Comme les gens peuvent voir le code afficher à l’écran cela m’est pas inconfortable parce que je rend ça visible, tangible ! Pour ce qui es de l’algorithme, je pars en tete avec un -casi set en tete, on peut dire qu’il y a un peu de preparation.
Do you have any recommendations for people who have not gotten into live/creative coding but are curious to give it a try?
EN: Game, video games, dance or musique without theory purpose but just to have a fun time, to share and discover freely. I think there is a lot of software so everyone will eventually find the right fit. In my humble opinion, music and visuals are an excellent starting point if you’re an absolute beginner with live coding. Oh, also! We have a project with Internet of Dead Things (iodt) where we find old minitels [French devices to access a now-defunct national network] and refurbish them to use them for live coding, music, games. I think this could be a lot of fun if you’re curious.
FR: Je pense qu’il existe beaucoup de software donc chacun trouvera ce pour quoi ou sera attiré par l’un ou l’autre. Mais à mon humble avis, la musique et les visuels sont une excellente porte d’entrée pour les gens qui n’ont jamais fait de live coding. Ah ça me vient, à l’Internet of Dead Things (iodt) notre but et de récupéré des minitels pour d’autre usage dont live coding, music, game. Je penses que ça peut plaire aux gens curieux.
Could you share a sneak-peek into an upcoming project or something you are currently working on and very excited about?
Iklectik and 3DSOUND system live coding. Environments also no school, operate 2022 with cookie collective, drone day 2022, and more personal future album 100% live coded.
Is there anything we did not ask about but you would really like to share with the readers?
EN: I have a new album coming soon, completely devoted to live coding, so stay tuned! Also contributing to the Oxford Handbook of Algorithmic Music Algorave in Lyon March 2022.
FR: En ce qui me concerne je compte sortir mon prochain album totalement — entièrement consacré au live coding so stay tuned, book ? algorithmic music the oxford handbook (contribution) algorave lyon mars 2022. lauch my blog…
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This article is part of the Behind The Screens series of Creative Coding Utrecht — a series of events where digital artists and live coders create a piece in ten minutes.
Watch Season 1 // Watch season 2 // More interviews
The Behind The Screens series is suppported by Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industries and Gemeente Utrecht.
