Ryan Gaston

Max/MSP was used to create a number of audio utilities for generation and manipulation of audio material in A Dream Retrieval Ritual.

Larger Max-generated programs Morphophone and Postmaster were utilized for granular manipulation and generation of audio textures used throughout the audio component of the piece.  Oceans of paper, clouds of bass clarinet key clicks, and streams of slowly evolving vocal clusters envelop the listener in a deeply immersive surround sound field.  A specialized vocoder was used to apply the spectral characteristics of the narrator's voice (and manipulated versions of her voice) to the otherwise harsh and grating textures generated from said programs.

Max was also used to create a scheme of algorithmic surround-sound panning of stereo and mono source files, taking much of the work out of the process of automating panning during the mixing process.

And finally, Max is used as the primary playback interface for the audio and video components of the piece via a computer and audio interface embedded in a found-object sculpture comprised of a mannequin, a discarded chest of drawers, and other discarded objects.  The audience interacts with the higher level "menu" screen via color-coded USB numeric keypad.  Through the right combination of answers to predicaments posed by the "menu" screen, the audience may unlock the full film and audio experience that is A Dream Retrieval Ritual proper.

a-dream-retrieval-ritual

A Dream Retrieval Ritual

F. C. Zuke

The Word That Binds Them is an interactive installation that invites viewers to interact with several famous books. As viewers open the books, voices from inside each book’s pages begin speaking. These voices belong to the books’ authors and those who hold positions of power in promoting each book’s teachings. As the voices resound from the books, they are also panned up and down five suspended speakers, traversing the vertical length of the gallery. 

When the box of fire reaches its apex, a bright amber-colored light illuminates the gallery and pages are printed in real time, raining down from above. These pages contain passages from the texts that contain both “power” and the dictionary term that was submitted by participants (via Mira). Without knowing the source to which each quotation belongs, viewers are left to consider its origin.

Max was used to read sensor data, to control a motorized winch system, to control an electrical relay switch, and to control 17 channels of audio. 

The Word That Binds Them is an interactive installation that invites viewers to interact with several famous books. As viewers open the book

the-word-that-binds-them

The Word That Binds Them

Superior Pattern Processing is an audiovisual space where visitors attempt to solve patterns. Based on their responses, the room changes to different videos and sounds. When enough patterns have been solved correctly or incorrectly, the room transforms to one of two states: "Wakefulness" or "The Delta Wave."

The work leaves viewers to question the "superior pattern processing" ability of humans while immersed in multiple projections, a computer network, and a clinical, cerebral soundscape emitting from a sound system placed around the perimeter of the room.

The networking capabilities of Max and Mira were critical in executing this project. Due to the large number of projectors, several computers were used and video timing was done with commands sent between several [UDPsend]/[UDPreceive] objects. Jitter's ability to alter loop points was extremely useful for figuring out the scrolling effect of the primary video where the patterns appear. 

Superior Pattern Processing is an audiovisual space where visitors attempt to solve patterns. Based on their responses, the room changes to 

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