Realtime Control

Course Syllabus

Week 1

Review of MIDI

Overview of Max

Max basics
object overview
MIDI objects
math objects, logic operators, and timing objects
resources for learning more

Week 2

Modifying data (transposition, inversion, randomization, etc.)

Repurposing data (changing control data to note data, etc.)

Detecting events (select,  ==, match,  if, gate, route, etc.)

Changing timing (pipe, delay)

Generating timed actions (metro, tempo, line, etc.)

Week 3

Review of digital audio

Overview of MSP (Playing soundfiles, oscillators, and simple control functions)

Continue topics from previous week

Week 4

Algorithmic composition/improvisation

Why realtime?
What is interactivity?

Uses of randomness and probability in musical structure (random, urn, drunk, table, etc.)

Control functions in audio and music

Week 5

Mapping

MIDI to MSP and vice versa
logs and exponents
lookup tables

Detection of characteristics in data

melodic contour
histograms
beat detection
amplitude following
pitch detection

Week 6

More synthesis ideas

Waveshaping
sampling
granular
subtractive
hybrid

Considerations in instrument design

note management
velocity
envelopes

Principles of program construction

encapsulation
subroutines
routing
arguments
variables

Week 7

Composition and design considerations for interactive realtime performance

musical and performative goals
sonic/musical materials
controllers
cognition/interaction

Data structures in Max

table
coll
preset
matrices (and jit.cellblock)

Week 8

Presentation of short performances

Critique and review

Planning of final performance project

Week 9

Sound localization

Delay-based processing

Filters

Reverb and other effects

Week 10

Alternative means of control

iCube
Wacom
video tracking
audio following

 Extended concepts of music

chance
collage
ambient music
networked performance
audio installation
audience participation

Discussion of new venues for interactive music

Week 11

Integration of MIDI/audio/video/etc. for performance

Graphics in Max (lcd/Jitter)

Correlation of music/sound to art/visual aesthetics (mappings of musical parameters to spatial/visual ones)

Week 12

Max arcana (miscellaneous esoteric stuff)

grab
textedit
dialog
mtr
seq~
timeline
active
thispatcher
pcontrol
menubar
scripting
gestalt
collectives

Week 13

Presentation of performances

Critique and refinement

Week 14

Dress rehearsal and final modifications/debugging before public presentation

Week 15

Final ³exam²

Review/critique of performances

Plans for future projects