A NamedControl directly combines a ControlName and a Control UGen conveniently. Also this makes it safe even if several identical controls exist (see example below).
There are syntax shortcuts that generate NamedControls from the name:
\name.ar(values, lags, spec)\name.kr(values, lags, fixedLag, spec)\name.ir(values, lags, spec)\name.tr(values, lags, spec)add a new instance of AudioControl with given name and default values. If lags are given, apply a Lag UGen to it.
\symbol.ar(values, lags, spec) is a synonym.
add a new instance of Control (kr) with given name and default values. If lags are given, apply a Lag UGen to it. If fixedLag is set to true, create a LagControl(lags cannot be modulated then, but fewer UGens are required).
\symbol.kr(values, lags, fixedLag, spec) is a synonym.
add a new instance of Control (ir) with given name and default values. If lags are given, apply a Lag UGen to it.
\symbol.ir(values, lags, spec) is a synonym.
add a new instance of TrigControl with given name and default values. If lags are given, apply a Lag UGen to it.
\symbol.tr(values, lags, spec) is a synonym.
add a new instance with the given rate, name and default values. If lags are given, apply a Lag UGen to it. If fixedLag is set to true, create a LagControl(lags cannot be modulated then, but fewer UGens are required).
// use NamedControl to create a number of multichannel controls:a = { SinOsc.ar(NamedControl.kr(\freq, [300, 330, 370], [1, 0.3, 0.02])).sum * 0.1 }.play;a.setn(\freq, [700, 705, 890]);a.setn(\freq, [0, 2, 5].midiratio * 400);// synonymous:a = { SinOsc.ar(\freq.kr([300, 330, 370], [1, 0.3, 0.02])).sum * 0.1 }.play;Identical controls can not make use of different defaults and lag values. They can be saved to a variable to avoid duplicate code.
xxxxxxxxxx// multiple usage of the same name:a = { SinOsc.ar(\freq.kr(440, 1.0)) + Saw.ar(\freq.kr(440, 1.0) * 0.5) * 0.1 }.play;a.set(\freq, 1220);a.set(\freq, 120);// with different lag values:a = { SinOsc.ar(\freq.kr(440).lag(3.5)) + Saw.ar(\freq.kr(440).lag(0.05) * 0.5) * 0.1 }.play;a.set(\freq, 1220);a.set(\freq, 120);// control saved to a variable:(a = { var freq = \freq.kr(440); SinOsc.ar(freq.lag(3.5)) + Saw.ar(freq.lag(0.05) * 0.5) * 0.1;}.play;)a.set(\freq, 1220);a.set(\freq, 120);In the situation when functions are used to combine UGens to more complex SynthDefs, it may not be known which ControlNames are already taken by others. NamedControl allows to reuse existing control names.
xxxxxxxxxx// compare this:(a = { var x, y; x = NamedControl.kr(\freq, 440).lag(3.5); y = NamedControl.kr(\freq, 440).lag(1); SinOsc.ar([x, y] * [2, 1.2]) * 0.1}.play;)a.set(\freq, 1220);a.set(\freq, 120);// to this:(a = { var x, y; x = Control.names([\freq]).kr(440).lag(3.5); y = Control.names([\freq]).kr(440).lag(1); // this hangs when set SinOsc.ar([x, y] * [2, 1.2]) * 0.1}.play;)a.set(\freq, 1220);a.set(\freq, 120);Here is a basic example using a dictionary with functions that can be combined to build SynthDefs.
xxxxxxxxxx(q = ();q.makeEnv = { |q, env, doneAction = 0| EnvGen.kr(env, NamedControl.kr(\gate, 1), doneAction: doneAction) };q.chooseNoise = { [ {PinkNoise.ar}, {WhiteNoise.ar}, {LFNoise2.ar(Rand(100, 1000))}].choose.value};q.filterInput = { |q, in| [ { BPF.ar(in * 15, NamedControl.kr(\freq, 800), 0.2) }, { RHPF.ar(in, NamedControl.kr(\freq, 800, 0.2), 0.2) } ].choose.value};)// test the envelope:a = { SinOsc.ar(440) * q.makeEnv(Env.asr, 2) * 0.1 }.play;a.set(\gate, -3); // release in 3 seconds// single channel:a = { q.chooseNoise * q.makeEnv(Env.asr, 2) }.play;a.set(\gate, -3); // release in 3 secondsa = { q.filterInput(q.chooseNoise) * q.makeEnv(Env.asr, 2) }.play;a.set(\freq, 1000); // set filter frequencya.set(\gate, -3); // release in 3 seconds(a = { var channels = Array.fill(8, { q.filterInput(q.chooseNoise) * q.makeEnv(Env.asr, 2) }); Splay.ar(channels);}.play;)a.set(\freq, 6000); // set filter frequencya.set(\gate, -3); // release in 3 seconds