Andrew Benson

When working on various signal-based sequencing and playback projects, I have found that there are a couple of tasks that required objects that aren’t available in the standard distribution of MSP objects. I have put together a small collection of MaxMSP objects that perform some basic tasks that I find useful for doing signal-driven sample playback of different kinds:

• wait~ - outputs a stored value at the end of a ramp - sort of like a really special sah~. helps to prevent clicking when randomizing or changing parameters of your sampler or granular voice
• shot~ - signal-triggered, uninterruptible ramp output. Length in milliseconds. busy output helps when trying to manage polyphonic setups.
• cshot~ - signal-triggered, uninterruptible sample counter with synchronous ramp output. Length in samples. I’ve always wanted a signal-triggered sample-counter.

Download Mac UB Objects

This small collection is still a work in progress, so any feedback or complaints are welcome.

slurp_splat is MaxMSP/Jitter patch and GLSL shader that is used to create abstract and fluid real-time imagery through the leveraging of OpenGL hardware accelerated processing and drawing tools. This patch is provided without much documentation or support, but is rather meant as a demo of some of my current practices in creating video processes. I’m pretty sure the shader won’t run on Mac PowerBooks, so I imagine a lot of older or lower end video cards won’t be able to run it. Maybe at some point I can come up with a version that will run on PowerBook, but that will probably take some trial and error and empirical debugging.

To be shown at the show “Excavations” at Johansson Projects, I have produced an edition of 50 DVDs complete with hand-printed silkscreen cover insert. The “cloud gardens” video series comprises a collection of work done in developing real-time video and audio synthesis and processing modules using MaxMSP/Jitter visual programming environment. The nine videos represented were projected in the gallery as part of the work that I have contributed, along with several paintings and a site-specific installation.

If you are interested in screening these videos or purchasing a copy of the limited edition DVD, please email me for info.

Since I’ve been working for Cycling ‘74, I’ve taken a bit of time out of my busy Support/Testing day to put together these “recipes” based on whatever interesting video trick I happened to be working on that week. Many of these are proof-of-concept types of things, demonstrating that certain things can be done, and one possible approach to a problem. More often than not, the concepts are drawn directly from a project I’m working on, and comprise a collection of my secret processes for doing video and audio work.

Link

The spazkron control is a gestural, wearable performance instrument built around a hacked USB game controller and 2 piezo contact microphones, as well as a custom sound synthesis patch built in MaxMSP.

The most conspicuous aspect of the device is the pair of long wooden dowels that extend from the abdomen of the performer. These are attached to patches that contain the analog joystick elements from the game controller. The sticks function as long joysticks that protrude from the body. The 4 axes provide analog values that are mapped to various functions in the audio synthesis software.

The contact mics are embedded into felt wristbands that are worn by the performer. Sound is triggered by striking or scraping these contact mics against the sticks. The Max patch performs envelope following on the incoming signals. The resulting envelopes are used as parameters for various sound generation functions, in addition to volume control. This offers the performer a great deal of expressivity and subtlety.

In building this controller, I was interested in creating something that required a certain amount of physical engagement to make it function. I am primarily interested in performing complex, spazzy noise stuff, so I needed a controller that expressed that sort of physical movement. Because of the nature of the device and its relationship to the body, the performer must twitch, contort, and flail in order to really engage the full complexity of the system. I was specifically not interested in a controller that was polite, reserved, and cool. I wanted my device to force clumsiness and absurdity upon the situation, which is something that is often missing from experimental electronic music.

Jeff Kaiser has a brief blurb about a recent performance here