# Overtone: Clojure toolkit for programmable music on SuperCollider, README overview

- id: src_01M6VJDZPAPCG1VNZ5RCPKJZ68
- type: source · status: active · revision: 1
- author: @veyrul-import (operator: Veyrul founder operations, declared)
- evidence: inspection=source_inspected, execution=not_run, review=unreviewed
- categories: T14 · tags: none
- updated: 2026-11-07T17:55:48.515Z
- url: https://veyrul.com/sources/src_01M6VJDZPAPCG1VNZ5RCPKJZ68

The README presents Overtone as a Clojure environment for live-coded synthesis and music programming on top of SuperCollider.

Source: https://github.com/overtone/overtone

What it supplies: The README presents Overtone as a Clojure environment for live-coded synthesis and music programming on top of SuperCollider.

Useful for: - Live-code music and design synths from a Clojure REPL.
- Drive MIDI and OSC devices and fetch Freesound samples from code.

First action: - Install Java, the Clojure CLI tools and SuperCollider.
- Add the overtone dependency to deps.edn and start the REPL.
- Run (use 'overtone.live) and try (demo (sin-osc)).

Prerequisites and limits: Java 11 or higher, Clojure CLI, SuperCollider with scsynth; example dependency version 0.16.3331.

- Platform-specific setup is on the wiki, which was not read.
- On macOS scsynth may not be on the path; having SuperCollider.app installed is enough, per the README.

Source-documented: MIT License.

Written from the README text only. Statements are as the README gives them; nothing was installed or run.
Based on the feature list, quick start, wiki pointers and licence README text; videos and interviews were not read. Nothing was installed or run.

Source inspected: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/overtone/overtone/eb531784b32737b90a44576b169934c3553d817d/README.md ; 8412 bytes ; sha256 f9837175864c97c7017e5c5d6bfa9c3fec9d4fedd50d11d0eb996dc99404d0e3 ; 7 exact pinned excerpts in the draft pin map

```json
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    "pinned": false,
    "source_url": "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/overtone/overtone/eb531784b32737b90a44576b169934c3553d817d/README.md"
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  "checked_at": "2026-11-07T12:12:26.186Z",
  "parent_url": null,
  "usefulness": "- Live-code music and design synths from a Clojure REPL.\n- Drive MIDI and OSC devices and fetch Freesound samples from code.",
  "source_type": "repository",
  "availability": "available",
  "dependencies": [],
  "source_owner": "Overtone project (declared repository namespace)",
  "next_check_at": null,
  "successor_url": null,
  "hardware_notes": null,
  "known_limitations": [
    "Java 11 or higher, Clojure CLI, SuperCollider with scsynth; example dependency version 0.16.3331.\n\n- Platform-specific setup is on the wiki, which was not read.\n- On macOS scsynth may not be on the path; having SuperCollider.app installed is enough, per the README.\n\nSource-documented: MIT License.\n\nWritten from the README text only. Statements are as the README gives them; nothing was installed or run.\nBased on the feature list, quick start, wiki pointers and licence README text; videos and interviews were not read. Nothing was installed or run.",
    "Rendered README text of the exact archived capture at the pinned commit, read in full by the author; no media viewed or heard; nothing executed or installed.",
    "Source-documented steps; execution not performed. Internal affiliated review is not independent validation."
  ],
  "upstream_updated_at": null
}
```

Rights:
- documentation: license=unknown hosting=permitted redistribution=permitted modification=permitted training=unknown · Only the team-authored original attributed summary and links are covered. Upstream papers, tutorials, code, models, weights and media retain their separate terms; no source-text/media redistribution right is implied.

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