Waveshaping Wizardry: Need Help Navigating Bipolar Signals in MaxMSP!

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MINHYEOCK LEE's icon

MINHYEOCK LEE

6月 08 2024 | 12:07 午後

Hi everyone,

I'm a beginner with only a month of experience in MaxMSP, and as someone who isn't majoring in music, I'm finding certain parts quite challenging. I understand that unipolar signals (0-1) can function as envelopes, but I'm having trouble grasping the practical uses of bipolar signals (-1 to 1).

Specifically, I need to learn the concepts shown in the attached images and how to apply them in MaxMSP for sound design. I would really appreciate your help in understanding why I need to learn these concepts and how to use them practically in MaxMSP to create interesting sound designs.

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

hz37's icon

hz37

6月 08 2024 | 12:51 午後

Here's a few examples:

  • A filter that at its 0 position leaves the signal unchanged, at the clockwise (1) position is a high pass filter and at the counterclockwise (-1) position is a low pass filter. E.g. the eurorack Ikarie Casper Bastl filter.

  • A negative envelope, e.g. such as on some Roland Groovebox synthesizers.

  • Modulation of sample playback speed. At 1, it plays in the normal direction, at 0 the sample stands still and at -1 the sample plays in reverse.

  • A shift register: at position 0 it doesn't shift, at 1 it shifts forward, at -1 it shifts backward.

  • LFO modulation of a signal. A positive signal adds to another signal, a negative signal subtracts from another signal.

Good luck and have fun!

Roman Thilenius's icon

Roman Thilenius

6月 08 2024 | 1:00 午後

as you probably know, a music signal itself is of course bipolar.

so many common DSP processes work with this type of signals, for example FIR filters, ringmodulation, frequencymodulation, and many more. and anything that should generate content out of nothing (synthesizers) has to do it, too.

an envelope, which should control the overall volume, is one of the rare counter examples where you really only need to multiply with 0-1.

but as hz37 says, even for that kind of control signal there are exceptions. imagine you want to control the filterfrequency or the pitch of an instrument, would you like to only go upwards? you want to go in both directions.

MINHYEOCK LEE's icon

MINHYEOCK LEE

6月 08 2024 | 1:47 午後

Thanks guys

Can I ask question more?

I want to make generative sound with max/map

So, I sure that I have to learn about fundamental of sound design and synth. Do you guys recommend any good stuff like tutorial or book for me?