Master's/ Graduate Degree ideas
I just graduated from undergraduate school in the US, and I want to continue my master's education in Max/MSP M4L and Ableton Live Performance.
Okay to narrow it down
I want to become a better Max programmer (RFID especially)
I want to learn to control my DSP to operate with lights and video, essentially become educated in LED programming for performance.
I want to continue my education in Ableton Live
I want to be educated on the Monome and learn better strategies for performance practicum.
and Further more I want to continue my practice as a lighting designer
Any suggestions, looking for the US, wanting California, but open to global education ideas........
To be clear, the following is a Master's program in Music -- integrating composition, improvisation, and technology -- not just in the use of computer software and electronic devices. However, I can't pass up such a good setup to plug this program. The UCI Drama program is also topnotch, including lighting design (and sound design).
P.S. Now 25% more filling, with a great new member of the faculty!
http://music.arts.uci.edu/content/nicole-mitchell
Now, this may sound a bit negative but trust me that its not meant to be. Maybe a little, hmm... "reluctant". Keep in mind that I'm from Europe and as such I'm not familiar with your educational system. So some of my response is based on assumptions (for example; here we don't have something like an "undergratuate school").
Whatever you do I'd try to go broad instead of trying to fully focus on a single aspect, especially with programming. That is; if that's possible.
The main reason for this is that degree's often mean so much. I know plenty of companies where actual knowledge and experience are more important than the amount of degree's one has. And in this day and age its (relatively) easy to gain experience in certain aspects; take Max programming. There's a ton of information out on the open waiting for you to pick up on it. That kind of experience often counts too with many jobs.
Another reason why I'm stating "broad" is because, for example, knowing how to program in Max doesn't necessarily give you the experience to start accessing smartcards in Windows (for example; its the OS I use so that's what I refer to). For example it could be beneficial to get familiar with Java and Javascript as well.
SO I'd really try to orientate yourself on global stuff. Hard to describe but... Say you have the option to study Live and the option to study sound synthesis. Then I'd go for the sound synthesis part (no matter how dry this might be) and do the Live part yourself (outside of college). The same applies as I described above; there is so much information available already that I sincerely doubt that "studying Live" would get you better results than simply picking up Live and diving into it yourself. Heck; the latter may even teach you a whole lot more (depending on how you pick up on this of course).
Hope this comes out right :-)
It did come out
I've been an Ableton Live user for years now. However, I've never had any Ableton University education or certified teaching. I'm good, young and just getting my feet wet, but I want to have good mentors that use Ableton Live and understand tonal theory and counter point compositional techniques. Ableton has been a personal experience that has taken me across America and allowed me to play major shows.
As for Max/MSP, this is what I want to study and be forced to use Max in professional situations. I'm confused at what your trying to say about Max education. I want to become a knowledgeable music technology programmer. I see Max/MSP as the best computer music technology programming and the possibilities for Max 4 Live as endless for my career. There has got to be some schools dominant in Max/MSP education, whats that Media Laboratory Study at MIT all about? I've learned a lot on my own, built RFID midi scripts, reported on DSP, and designed M4L apps, but I need mentors (those of you who write in computer music journal). There is so much that will change in music technology in the next few years and right now Max is the greatest stepping stone of our time. I want to go to meet and work with other experienced computer musicians, travel, make tonal music, and be around the most sophisticated audio equipment known to man. My next goal is a Master's degree in music technology. I need ideas on where the best Max place may be
Christopher Dobrian
Thank you for your response, The University of Cal, I'm gonna call them. You were the first to respond and named one of my top schools of interest. My other schools I want to look into CalArts, MIT, Ga Tech. I like the idea " integrating composition, improvisation, and technology," this is what I've been studying and want to keep studying, thanks for the tip. I've been an improv jazz artist and orchestral contrabass player and it would be even more awesome
I think what shelluser is saying is that Max should be a tool in your toolbox, not the be all and end all. You talk about Max in professional situations and in reality I think it is still very much focused in the art and education world as part of something bigger. That's not to say there aren't Max opportunities (I got me one!), but they are few and far between (in the UK anyway) and at some point you'll need other technologies too. Max concepts like RFID and LED control are so well documented on line that you'd be crazy not to focus on something more wide ranging like music technology and programming in general.
RFID link for ya:
http://hcgilje.wordpress.com/resources/rfid_id12_tagreader/