Where does the name “Topiary” come from? What does it mean?

The word topiary in english means “shrubs or trees clipped into ornamental shapes”. And yes, the topiary logo is actually not a real topiary, just the shape of a tree :). The name was inspired by the handle of a (famous) Anonymous hacker, but Topiary developers by no means endorse the crimes this person committed. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topiary_(hacktivist) ).

Is Topiary an arranger?

In short, no, but it can be configured and used pretty much like an arranger. Topiary is not an arranger in the following senses:

• Since Topiary is modular (link to that) and only generates Midi data (other link) there is no way to e.g. create a Topiary “preset” for a song like, say “Raspberry Beret” by Prince.
• Since Topiary is modular (link to that) and only generates Midi data (other link) there is no way to e.g. create a Topiary “preset” for a song like, say “Raspberry Beret” by Prince.
• You can create a Topiary Beats preset for the drum lines in that song, and another one for the bass lines, but those would be separate presets for separate Topiary modules. And you would still need to acquire the sound sources for those drum and bass lines and set both those and the Topiary modules up in your host software.
• Topiary modules are designed for live tweakability: many arranger presets tend to sound rather static.
• Some Topiary modules do not even generate note data, but generate midi data that affects live performance. Take a look at Topiary Presetz for an example of a Topiary module that does not produce note data.

That said, Topiary can produce rhythmic and melodic data, and in that sense it can be configured and used like an arranger.

Does Topiary come with presets?

Every Topiary module comes with a couple of example presets. Keep in mind that Topiary does not produce audio, so you will need your own sound sources (e.g. software synths) in order to hear what those presets do. Every preset comes with a readme file that describes ideal sound sources to use with preset. We encourage you to submit and share your own presets! See the Contribute page for details on that.

Do I have to pay for Topiary? How much does it cost?

Topiary is free and open source. You can download and use Topiary modules for free. You are allowed to pass along copies of Topiary modules.

Is Topiary Copyrighted?

Yes. It’s not because Topiary modules are available at no cost that Topiary is not copyrighted. When you launch a Topiary module the copyright message is shown in the log window.

Can I download the Topiary source code and change it?

Yes you can, be it that there are some – not many – strings attached. See the License & Support page for details.

Can I use Topiary commercially?

Yes you can. You can use it for paid live gigs. And although it’s not Topiary’s primary design use case you can even use it within a DAW to create and recorded music. If you use Topiary, commercially or other, we do appreciate you subscribe to our mailing list, and we also appreciate feedback.

Can I include some of the Topiary functionality in a commercial product?

Not by default. If you want to do this please get in touch to discuss the terms.

Topiary is cool. Can I contribute?

Great, and yes you can.  Go to the Contact page to get in touch.

I want feature XYZ. Can you build this for me?

You can always submit a feature request. Keep in mind though that the Topiary developers are not compensated for their work, so there is absolutely no obligation from our part. Features are added to Topiary at the discretion of the development team, so there is no guarantee your request will ever be granted. That said, any improvement to Topiary we can build, we probably want to build, on conditions of time and feasibility.

If you really really really must have a new feature and you are willing to pay for this, contact us to discuss terms, feasibility and timing.

Topiary does not work on a platform you do not support. Can you help?

Maybe. The Topiary development team does not have access to every host, synth, operating system and hardware in the world and since we do not get paid for developing Topiary, purchasing such hosts, synths, operating systems or hardware is out of the question. Feel free to report any issues and we’ll try and help you out, but we can offer no guarantees. See the page “contribute” on how you can help us test (and debug) Topiary on more platforms.

I think I found a bug. Will you fix it?

Maybe, and if we can, probably. Bugs found on platforms we actively support will most likely be investigated and fixed. But since the development team is not paid for Topiary, we can offer no guarantees.  Report bugs through the Contact page for now please.

What platforms and hosts does Topiary run on?

See the release notes for each Topiary module for exact details as those may differ per module. Main development for Topiary is Microsoft Visual Studio on Windows 10, and main host is Cantabile. Those are our primary targets. For other targets we rely on help. See the “Contribute” page for details.

Why is the GUI so old fashioned?

Simply put, because we value functionality over eye candy.

That said, if you are a (Juce) GUI designer and want to help prettifying Topiary, head over to the Contribute page for details.