Max introductory course for DDSKS students

Introduction to working with the visual programming environment Max
2021 Autumn - Kiki, Joelle, and Rafael
Students’ are interested in knowing what Max can offer and are curious to explore the visual programming environment. Topics include sound generation, recording / sampling / resampling, multichannel audio.
Synthesis -
Multichannel systems more versatile than 5.1
Programme
Monday 9.00 - 16.00 @ DDSKS
Tuesday, work from home, formulate a project, check-in at 11.00 on Zoom
Wednesday, chiiiiil make music, LAB TIME @ from 13.00 - 17.00 (optional)
Thursday, 9.00 - 16.00 @
Friday, 9.00 - 16.00 @
Meeting ID: 304 879 0000
Passcode: megachan
Zoom recordings
The Gentle Introduction
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Patching along on the projects
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Prerequisites
1. Install Max 8.2 -
3. Fill out form for Max dreams / themes
4. Get ready!
Form Results
1
Name
Topics
Project ideas
Working Max installation
Platform
1
Rasmus Kjærbo
Multichannel audio and effect development
Create my own reverb
macOS
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Max is like an ever-morphing audio-visual instrument; it should be played and practiced with on regular basis <3
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Themes / plan
Course structure and overview
Digital Signal Processing introduction / recap
Understand the Max environment - visual programming
Connect building blocks together and work with data
Get familiar with the user interface
Integrate your equipment; Audio interface, MIDI controllers, microprocessors (Arduino, RaspberryPi etc.)
What is Max?
Max is a visual programming environment. You draw what is called a patch. It is a blank piece of virtual paper, on which you place boxes and connect them by drawing lines with your mouse. Then art appears. Cool!
What is Max good for?!
Art installations, instrument building, effect construction, live performance, you name it!
Rapid prototyping of data, audio, and video.
Realtime processing and interaction.
Creating bespoke tools for the above mentioned.
Interfacing with almost anything (Connect Anything motto).
Deeply integrated in
, , , , , Buffer Shuffler, LFO / Envelope, etc.
More available on
Examples
Destroying Chanson Pour Marcel
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Check the Help Patchers and reference, always <3
Syllabus
Working with digital audio - introduction to DSP (Digital Signal Processing)
Real-time processing vs. offline processing
Microphone, audio file, loudspeaker
Recording and playback
Latency
Digital Signal Processing
Frequency (Max Patches Vol 1 → Chapter 01 Patches → 01_01.maxpat)
Pitch, High / Low, Hz (01_02.maxpat)
Amplitude
Intensity; Forte / Piano, dBFS, dBSPL, Equal Loudness Curves
Waveform
Sine, Square, Saw, Triangle, Noise
Envelopes & Glissandi
Linear vs. logarithmic / exponential (01_08_envelopes_2.maxpat)
Interpolation vs. discrete values
Frequency & Musical Interval
Hz vs. musical tones (E flat, B sharp, - )
Interactive Examples from Cipriani & Giri (Chapter 1)

Download the (we will be working with Chapters 1 and 2 mostly)
Screenshot 2021-11-08 at 21.27.14.png
General introduction to Max - what can you do with Max & visual programming
Max, MSP, Jitter, MC, BEAP
Shake hands with the Max interface
Interface overview
Settings and Audio Setup
Input and output options
Vector size (latency)
Loading examples
Saving a patch
Objects
Help and Object References
Patch chords
Data vs. audio
Hot and cold inlets
Direction of processing (top right, right-to-left, top-to-bottom, buddy object)
Trigger object
Make a bleep (sampling)
Interface control
adc~, buffer~ (replace, info~), waveform~, record~, groove~, dac~
Patching
Attributes
Keyboard control
key, select, keyup
MIDI-control
Project work - resampling, multichannel audio
Sending and receiving audio to / from various channels
adc~, dac~, mc
MC (many channels / multichannel)
Interactive examples
Simple MC patch
Simple Oscillator - easy level
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Sample Slice Player - medium level
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FM Oscillator (with reference patcher) - medium / hard level
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Additive synth w. inharmonic series Stockhausen style - medium level
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Granular Synthesizer (series) - O.G. boss level
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Help → Examples →
Help Examples max-scaler.png


Time plan
Week 45, 8-12. November
Monday, class from 9-16
Tuesday, self-study 9-12
Thursday, class from 9-16
Friday, class from 9-16 ()
Exciting links to keep Max’ing pre / during / post class - also see
Online workshop with Phelan Kane (Wednesdays 17th, 24th Nov & 1st, 8th Dec)
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Course content for Phelan Kane workshop
Wednesdays 17th & 24th Nov & 1st & 8th Dec
Session 1: Wednesday 17th Nov
Session 2: Wednesday 24th Nov
Session 3: Wednesday 1st Dec
Session 4: Wednesday 8th Dec
Time: 10am Berlin / Copenhagen
Level: Beginners curious about programming
Get started with interactive audio and MIDI, and discover the possibilities of the Max environment. In this series of workshops, you will learn how to manipulate audio, MIDI, virtual instruments and program your own interactive canvas.
Connect together Max’s building blocks to create unexpected results, and use them in your music productions. Through a series of guided exercises you will engage in the pragmatic creation of a basic MIDI sequencer device that features a wealth of musical manipulation options.
Learn from guided examples and live interactions with teachers and other participants.
This series of online workshops aims to enable you to work with Max confidently on your own.
Sessions overview
Session 1: Understand the Max environment
Session 2: Connect building blocks together and work with data
Session 3: Master the user interface
Session 4: Work with your MIDI instruments

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