Mercury: a live coding environment focussed on quick expression for composing, performing and communicating

In this paper the livecoding environment Mercury is introduced. An interpreted language that is designed with the focus on quick and hands-on composing, performing and communicating of live-coded music and sound. Mercury provides the performer with a highly abstracted programming language for music and sound complemented with visuals. By allowing for a higher level of abstraction, the coder does not need to write large amounts of code and the comprehension by the audience is improved. Combining the sound with visual elements adds value to this understanding. The environment incorporates generative and transformational list functions to assist in algorithmic composition processes. Mercury has been used for performances at various livecoding events and proven itself as a live-performance tool.