rhoadley.net music research software blogs
MaxMSP Tasks
The Tasks
The projects and tasks are designed to help you through the various courses and materials that you'll have to deal with, and also to provide an active and practical element to what could otherwise become a rather dry and technical exercise. Tasks are small exercises - you may be asked to complete one or two per week. Projects are larger and carry a higher percentage of the mark. We will undertake two, three, four or more projects and tasks. The final project is usually an individual choice project, and will be worth significantly more than the others in terms of percentages in your portfolio. We will usually try to set aside a time to perform the projects in a public setting.
Currently Available Tasks
MaxMSP Tasks
- MaxAlg
- breaking_glass_resources
- controllers
- Breakbeat-Cutting.php
- External-Objects.php
External objects are a fundamental part of Max/MSP. They are routines that users and developers have created to either do something new, to do something that is available in other software but not in Max, or to do something simple and that one could do otherwise in Max, but one can do it more easily and/or more quickly with a custom object.
- Fiddle-Bonk-Gate.php
Using the parameters of one sound (pitch, amplitude or envelope, etc.) to control those of another.
- Getting-Help.php
Knowing how to get help is one of the most crucial aspects of learning how to use any software, and particularly complex environments such as Max/MSP.
- Granularisation.php
A task involving the granularisation and reformation of soundfiles and buffers.
- MBrola.php
MBrola is a public-domain voice synthesiser. A version of the MBrola engine has been rendered for use in Max/MSP.
- Making-Mistakes.php
While it may sometimes appear that you are entirely at the mercy of luck as to whether something works or not in Max, there are things that you can do to help diagnose why things aren't working.
- Max-Alg01.php
Investigate algorithms and algorithmic methods in MaxMSP.
- Max-Synth01.php
Investigate some of the ways of using synthesis methods in Max.
- Munger.php
Munger~ is a Max/MSP external that granularises an input according to certain parameters. It's especially interesting to us as the external has been ported to SuperCollider and we'll spend some time comparing the two implementations and their effectiveness.
- PD.php
An introduction to Pure Data.
- Pick-Your-Own.php
Choose one of the following tasks to undertake. Be careful as you may well want to use this task as the basis for your Max/MSP Project...
- Speech.php
A look at a number of speech based synthesisers and editors.
- Voice.php
A look at a number of speech based synthesisers and editors.
- breaking_glass.php
This task involves an idea based on granular procedures.
- computer-vision.php
This task involves introducing some objects involving computer vision.
- controllers.php
This task involves introducing some objects involving controllers.
- guided_study.php
Guided study week – a chance for you to deepen your understanding of what we're doing.
- intermedia.php
This task involves investigating, analysing and imitating a particular musical approach and style.
- max-for-live.php
This task involves integrating Max patches with Ableton Live environments, as well as investigating other ways of controlling one application from another, for instance controlling a Logic synth or device with Max or Supercollider. There are some provisional examples of this here: http://rhoadley.net/courses/tech_resources/max-msp/tutorials/communicating_with_logic.zip
- pd_csound_chuck.php
SuperCollider Tasks
- Algorithmic
- Pen
- ATS.php
- Algorithmic.php
Some techniques involving Algorithms and Generative Composition.
- Algorithmic_SC_01.php
A first look at algorithms.
- Algorithmic_SC_02.php
Some techniques involving Algorithms and Generative Composition.
- Algorithmic_SC_03.php
Some techniques involving Algorithms and Generative Composition.
- BBCut.php
Using BBCut, by Nick Collins. His website with the latest code (and others) is here.
- Basic-GUI.php
Using a particular example from Supercollider, develop a basic GUI which allows control of at least one simple function through a slider.
- Controllers.php
Use a variety of controllers to operate Supercollider, including the keyboard, MIDI Controllers and a Gameboy type thingy and a Wii.
- External-Classes.php
Just as Max/MSP uses 'external objects' or 'externals' to extend its functionality (and as other types of software use 'plug-ins'), Supercollider can be (and has been) extended by the development of external 'classes'.
- Getting-Help.php
- Live-Coding.php
Manipulate buffers (samples) and synthesis live within Supercollider.
- Munger.php
NB Archived Task
- Pen.php
- Toplap.php
Live coding is the activity of writing (parts of) a program while it runs. It thus deeply connects algorithmic causality with the perceived outcome and by deconstructing the idea of the temporal dichotomy of tool and product it allows code to be brought into play as an artistic process. The nature of such running generative algorithms is that they are modified in real-time; as fast as possible compilation and execution assists the immediacy of application of this control. Whilst one might alter the data set, it is the modification of the instructions and control flow of processes themselves that contributes the most exciting action of the medium.
- UGens.php
Utilising different UGens...
- algorithms.zip