Exploring Interactivity Through Max/Msp

Blinded by the Light

Presented by Stephanie Hummel, guest vj for Afternoon Delight Karaoke

“Blinded by the Light” is a patch of custom software made for Afternoon Delight Karaoke,an interactive performance hosted by Rebecca Dolan and Adam Trauwein.

“Blinded by the Light” was created in the program Max/MSP. This patch works interactively
with the performer using the pitch of their voice to vary the brightness of the video projected on
screen.

Here is a short clip of the patch and performance working together. Below the video is an image of the patch used during the performance.

10/4/2009

3:00 pm

The Walnut Room

The patch for this tool isn’t finished, but the explination of how it works was really intereting to me.

“

to manipulate samples in unconventional ways using alternative input methods. This audio clip, for example, was generated using a Max patch that adjusts the playback frequency and length of a sample using an x-y controller. The x-axis controls the frequency while the y-axis controls the sample length. For a controller I used an iPod Touch running TouchOSC. I’ve been using Mrmr as well, but wanted to try TouchOSC now that it has an editor to create custom layouts.

My goal is to create several pages in TouchOSC that allow you to manipulate one of five samples in several different ways. The image is a shot of my iPod Touch displaying the custom layout that I created and connected to my Max patch for creating the sound linked below.”

http://audiocookbook.org/category/one-max-patch-per-week/

“One of my recent class assignments led me to create a patch that automates the playback of a pair of microtonal tones with a frequency range of 200Hz to 1200Hz. I call it the Beep Master 9000 (press tongue firmly against cheek). The large toggles in the upper left turn on and off each of the sine waves individually. The large bangs to the right randomize the frequency when clicked. Below the bangs are a couple of smaller toggles that turn on metronomes that automate the randomization of the frequency for each cycle~ object. The number boxes allow the user to adjust how often the pitches are randomized in milliseconds. The encapsulated sub-patch (”p rightMetro” amd “p leftMetro”) multiplies the frequency of each metro by 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, or 1 randomly. This causes the beats to change by divisions (i.e. 4 times faster when multiplied by 0.25, twice as fast by 0.50, and so on). Here’s a sequence I created using the Beep Master 9000.”

http://audiocookbook.org/category/one-max-patch-per-week/

After some trouble shooting on Sunday at Afternoon Delight Karaoke, I realized my second patch needed some tweaking. This is the product after changing and adding some buttons and such to get it working more accurately.

I found this website that has combined Ableton with Max to create Max Live. This software is ideal for musicians which is what interested me.  My husband is a guitarist and is interested using this software to collaborate with his guitar performance.

http://createdigitalmusic.com/2009/01/15/cycling-74-reveals-max-for-live-make-max-patches-that-integrate-with-ableton/

Question 1:

Espen Aarseth attempts to clarify the meaning of interactivity made me question how I would define interactivity, as well as how others define interactivity: How would you define interactivity?

Question 2:

When using software to create your art, does your conception and production of the idea dictate how you execute the piece working around software or do you work the software into your conception and production of the work?

Playing around with this patch helped me to understand how the “read” button works with the fullscreen button. Changing it to just read had trouble opening a new video, it worked better when a specific video was listed.

So the patch itself is pretty basic but I found humor in the video choice.

I took parts from the “three processes” patch we went over in class and tried to apply it to some other buttons and techniques I learned and came up with this. I really enjoy the way sound changes the brightness/contrast/saturation of a video.

This patch I found on a Max Tutorial site for musicians. It is intended to teach musicians interested in incorporating Max in their music the basics of the program. I found it helpful for some of the basic bjects used in Max.