Gestural Music Making in Max/MSP

Chris Lortie
Doug McCausland

This workshop is a 5-day exploration of the art of gestural music-making through different applications of music technology. The course will include topics such as: creating interfaces, performance considerations, designing interactive systems, mapping and parsing gestural data, and more. On the more technical side, participants in the workshop will investigate and experiment with a robust array of tools including, but not limited to:

     • Motion capture with webcams
     • Max/MSP packages such as MuBu, ml.star, ICST, etc.
     • Machine learning tools including Wekinator
     • Proprietary devices such as Leap Motion
     • An introduction to Arduino, Teensy, and basic circuitry
     • Implementation of HIDs and other non-musical devices such as joysticks, videogame controllers, etc.

Aimed at musicians of all backgrounds and practices, the workshop will provide extensions to numerous avenues of music-making, such as performance, improvisation, and sound design. This practice-oriented workshop emphasizes experience first, providing ample opportunities to experiment and actively create. These activities are supplemented by a full schedule of instructor lectures, live demonstrations, theoretical/historical context, and guest lectures from other members of the CCRMA community.

The week will culminate in the creation of a final project or prototype to be presented in a public forum. Participants will have access to the state-of-the-art facilities at CCRMA, including our multichannel studios, prototyping lab, and the 23.8-channel ambisonic Listening Room. Note that this workshop will primarily be taught using Max/MSP; however, participants may opt to use their own preferred tools or languages at their discretion (the instructors cannot guarantee technical support in this case). The fee for this workshop includes a $50 lab fee to cover use of materials and tools in our prototyping lab.

Participants without previous experience with Max/MSP are encouraged to enroll in either the Max/MSP/Jitter week I or week II workshops before attending this one, or alternatively, watching up to Session 8 in Matt Wright’s free online Kadenze course (approx. 20 hours): https://www.kadenze.com/courses/programming-max-structuring-interactive-software-for-digital-arts-i/info

Diversity in Computer Music Scholarship:
A limited number of scholarships are available to promote the engagement of students from underrepresented backgrounds in the field of electronic and computer music, including women, ethnic, and gender minorities. More information, including the application form for this scholarship, can be found here.