uebergeek

PIGS is a software/hardware/percussive framework developed in Max/MSP/Jitter. It's designed for fluid, multi-layered, visual performance. It functions as a performable, improvisable, instrument; as a software framework for developing future instruments and performances; and as a testbed for working out performative concepts. PIGS focuses on experimentation with visuals that are not bound to traditions of rectangular frames and “movie” structures and on creating visual instruments designed as performable instruments rather than as controllable software. In its initial implementation, it enables a performer to perform visuals as they might perform a musical instrument; to be able to improvise; and to create fluid forms rather than rectangular, movie-like images.

Current PIGS performance interfaces include iPads, Leap Motion controller, and silent MIDI drums. Real-time gestures are drawn on the iPads and Leap Motion  and can then replayed with variations by striking the MIDI drums. The PIGS system allows for an assortment of variations from the original gesture in both duration and form with each drum stroke. The performer may also use this functionality to create theme and variations or looping structures. Individual drums/video layers may also be set to auto-loop, allowing the performer to improvise on the other drums/layers against the rhythms of the looping background layers.

While PIGS uses musical instruments and strategies as general models for thinking about performativity and temporal structures, care is taken not to attempt to simply translate musical approaches to visual ones: PIGS is designed from the ground up for visual performance. Rather than approaching audiovisual integration as a matter of synchronization of sound and image, the idea is to create an instrument that is performable as a part in a duet or ensemble (analogous to the way various instruments in an ensemble play different musical parts even though they are performing the same piece.) Likewise, while twentieth-century gesture and drawing-based abstract animators like Len Lye and Walter Ruttmann are progenitors, PIGS is interested in combining abstract drawing with live action, and in integrating contemporary visual influences from cell phone videos and YouTube to CGI, concert light shows and holographs.

The cultural zeitgeist is increasingly one of immediacy and unconstrained expression, while the zeitgeist of digital performance tools is often that of planning, control, and reserve. PIGS is designed for immediacy, to propose and facilitate a match between the ways we create cinema and the zeitgeist of the immediate. And although initially PIGS software is being performed traditional stage/screen concert settings, it’s intended to eventually expand into a variety of contexts.

"Rocket's Red Glare: Things Exploding on YouTube," an audiovisual improvisation by Amy Alexander (visuals (Max/Jitter), percussion) and Curt Miller (clarinet, computer audio (PD)) is the first composition developed using PIGS. 

The visual software is written entirely in Max/Jitter. There are four channels (layers) of visuals, each of which can be controlled by any of various gestural controllers. In slower parts of the performance gestures are drawn continually - in faster, more intense parts, MIDI drums are used to replay the gestures. (The gesture point data is replayed.) Each time a gesture is replayed, it is varied depending on velocity of the drum strokes, sonic spectral data, etc. The variations are spatial, temporal and textural: in other words, faster, more forceful playing might replay the gestures larger, faster, and with more opacity. The videos are both used as both textures on jit.gl.paths and as mattes behind them. A variety of video processing is performed on the videos to allow them to vary between more abstract and more recognizable: this allows us to work with the way videos are used culturally to aestheticize real-world events. Video processing is controlled both by parameters of the gesture/drum stroke and by manual adjustment (Launchpad Mini, Behringer BCR 2000, iPad/Mira.) 

PIGS software lead developer: Amy Alexander. Contributing developers: Wojciech Kosma, Curt Miller. Video Assistant: Doug Rosman.

percussive-image-gestural-system-pigs

Percussive Image Gestural System (PIGS)

sepulcky

Max was used for controlling a multi-computer setup (4 computers total) of the performance, scene managing, light control and sound synthesis.

Jamoma framework made controlling such complex patch easy. We encapsulate state of graphic software inside Jamoma module to provide easy way of scripting OpenFrameworks-based software on other computers. Jamoma also provides a flexible way manage surround speaker setup and allows the performance to be “portable” and work with different speaker configurations. We typically use 12 channels of sound for surround satellites, 1 channel for central speaker placed on the scene, 1 channel for loud portal speakers (used for some sfx) and 2 channels for subwoofers to create effects based on wave interference.

FTM and supervp from IRCAM forum were used for granular synthesis and spectral processing respectively.

neurointegrum-media-performance

Neurointegrum (media performance)

Discotrope uses projected video images of dancers to power the motion of a disco ball whose mirrors have been replaced with solar cells. The video is then reflected, fragmented, throughout the space. The video software was written in Max/Jitter. The software allows the performer to select videos on two projectors, move them, add "dance party" color effects, and add bursts of lightness and darkness in order to modulate the speed of the solar-powered disco ball. Performances also featured an audience participation segment, in which video from a Kinect was fed into the software and colorized with various two-tone effects.  The Max patch also communicated via OSC with a PD audio patch on another machine - allowing the PD patch to generate audio in realtime from the on-screen videos, and allowing the performer to have a unified set of MIDI controls for both video and audio software. 

Discotrope's video dancers are selected from the cinematic history of people dancing directly at cameras, from Edison to YouTube. It considers the exhibitionism and surveillance embedded in putting oneself candidly face to face with the viewer and dancing. 

Discotrope was conceived and developed by Amy Alexander and Annina Rüst. Audio software was developed by Cristyn Magnus.  Video assistant was Chloe Sanossian. Amy Alexander developed and performed the video software (Max patch), and Annina Rüst developed the solar-powered disco ball electronics system. 

discotrope-the-secret-nightlife-of-solar-cells

Discotrope: The Secret Nightlife of Solar Cells

sciajno

Technically I started with one of the most straightforward ways to do video sensing: performing frame-differencing with a mean filter which gives a reading of the amount of movement detected.  Recently since the Leap Motion device is available I integrated it in my system (thanks to aka.leapmotion) to have a wider and better control.  Using these techniques and tools within the Max/MSP/Jitter environment i am able to map the amount of motion in the scene where my hands are moving to specific algorithms that i conceived and keep enhancing.

sonoplastic

Sonoplastic

saxelectro

In this project I've used piezoelectric sensors up on the instruments, audio to midi converters, envelope followers, OSC sender for cross platform controlling Resolume Arena and DMX lighting by Ableton Live, various audio effects for the processed saxophone sound. The first patchers was made entirely in MAX 6. In the present version of project I've used Max4Live devices, some hand made and others from the market, which is very handy for my AudioVisual performances.

Metronomica project presented by Live Online Streaming

including in Saxelectro Live Sessions: http://saxelectro.com/live/sessions

Saxelectro Max4Live devices: http://saxelectro.com/build_software

metronomica

Metronomica

alexanderschubert

Sensate Focus is a composition for electric guitar, bass clarinet, percussion, violin, live-electronics and animated light.

The project is run in Ableton Live and uses Max-For-Live-Devices for the Processing. 

The DMX light communication is done with MAX. 

sensate-focus

Sensate Focus

animallover

The performance displays a projected generative animation of Tom imaged jumping for a ball created from motion capture data. The live granular synthesis soundscape, created using MAX is created from studio recordings of Tom’s vocals and, using “call and response” methods, is accompanied by Andreyev and members of the Vancouver Experimental Theremin Orchestra. The visuals are created using motion capture data of Tom's jump, animation techniques and live generative animation using MAX.

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