Darwin Grosse

The course outline below is based on a workshop given at the Currents New Media Festival in 2013. It has been updated for Max 8; please use it in your own teaching or to learn on your own. 

It is the basis for most modular synth techniques.

It is also the basis for a lot of synth-based music.

It provides a useful way to do sound design iteratively.

BEAP modules are located inside a browser in the left toolbar. Click on the BEAP icon to reveal the browser:

On the left side of the browser is a series of categories that allow you to limit the selection of items on the right. The right side of the browser is the list of modules available for the selected category. You can also use the text filter at the top of the browser to further limit the items available for selection.

We will be using this browser extensively throughout this workshop - so get comfortable with it!

Oscillators are the way that synths make sound. They create repeated waveshapes at a set frequency.

Select the Oscillator category in the browser, then select the Oscillator option from the browser. Drag that entry onto the blank patch to create an Oscillator in the patch.

An oscillator by itself creates waveforms, but is not routed to our computer's output. For this, we need an Output Module.

Select a Stereo output module from the Output category and drag it onto your patch.

Connect the output of the Oscillator to both inputs of the Stereo module.

If the DSP is not already on, you can turn it on from the Stereo module. With DSP on, you should hear a tone.


The two most important setting of the oscillator are the tuning and the waveshape.

Change the tuning by adjusting the offset knob on the front of the Oscillator module.

Because the button is set to "SEMI" means that we are tuning in musically-useful steps.

Change the waveform by selecting a waveform image in the button matrix.

Note how the waveform changes the timbre, but not the pitch, of the oscillator.

More than one oscillator can be used at a time to create more interesting tonality.

Select another Oscillator from the browser, or copy the existing one by option/alt-dragging the one already on-screen.

Select the patchcord going to the right inlet of the Stereo module, then grab the top handle and drag it from the first to the second oscillator.

Now you will hear an oscillator in each ear of your headphones. Adjust the offset and waveform in each to verify the changes.

In order to have the two oscillators "mix" together, we need to use another module to combine them.

Add an audio mixer by selecting the Mixers category on the left side of the browser, then dragging the Audio Mixer object onto the patcher.

Connect the two oscillators to inputs 1 and 2 of the mixer, then connect the output of the mixer to the two Stereo inputs.

Turn up the volume of the mixer channels to hear a mix of the tones. You can alter the volume of each oscillator to create a nicely blended tone.

At this point, we are able to hear the oscillators, but it would be nice to change the pitch in a more interactive way.

We need a controller, and will instantiate a virtual keyboard using the Keyboard item in the Input category of the browser.

Connect the 1V/Oct output of the Keyboard to the CV1 inputs of the oscillators. The terminology used here is from the modular synthesis world...

Lock the patch and click on the keyboard keys. You should hear the pitch change to match the keyboard notes.

One of the issues with our current system is that the oscillator tones never turn off.

This is how analog oscillators work - they are never really "off", they are only muted.

We can have our keyboard mute the signal if we use another module, and the gate output of the keyboard.

The purpose of a VCA is to use incoming signal values to adjust the amplitude of a signal. In this case, we will use it to control the volume of the mixer output.

Instantiate a VCA module from the Level category, then connect it between the Mixer and the Stereo Output module. The signal will immediately turn off.

In order to turn a VCA "on", we need to send it a HIGH value whenever a key is pressed, then a LOW value when the key is released. This is done using the Gate output of the keyboard, which produces exactly those values as we play the keyboard.

Connect the Gate output of the keyboard to the CV input of the VCA, then play the keyboard - and you will now hear the sound as expected.

At this point, we've put in enough work on our patch to want to save it. You will want to create a snapshot (open the Snapshot Pane, create a new snapshot and click the dot icon to save it in the patcher).

Select Save from the File menu and save the patch. Now, close the patch and Max, restart Max and select our saved patch from the "Recent Patches" menu. There we are - back where we started!

One of the things that make synthesis more compelling is the manipulation of the raw sounds that the oscillator creates. We use a filter to do this - it can be used to change the harmonic content of the core sound, giving us a broader palette of sonic variety.

The filter we are going to use is a Low Pass Filter (generally abbreviated as LPF), which dampens high frequencies while allowing low frequencies to pass through unchanged (hence its name).

Select the LPF module from the Filters category and add it to your patch. Put it between the mixer and the VCA so that we can affect the entire sound.

There are a few important control on this module. The cutoff frequency is the "fence" of the filter: everything above that frequency gets attenuated, while everything below that frequency is left unchanged. To directly change the frequency, turn off the "SEMI" mode and select a frequency.

There is a Res control which is also important - it determines the characteristics of the filter right at the cutoff frequency. A high Resonance setting will accentuate the sound right at the cutoff point, giving the filter a bit of a "kick" right at that frequency. This makes things a little more biting, and makes the filter a more significant part of the overall tone.

Try different settings while playing the keyboard. You should hear drastic changes in the sound of your created synth.

A very high Q setting will "whistle", because you are creating a feedback circuit in the filter module.

You can completely eliminate the sound with a low enough filter cutoff setting. This is because all of the frequencies created by the oscillators are fully attenuated by the filter. Some synthesizers use filtering, rather than a VCA, to control volume.

At this point, we've got a working synthesizer complete with filtering. But it sound a little "blah". We need to spice it up, and "modulators" are the key.

Modulators are the name given to modules that control the parameters of other modules.

In some cases, you can think of them as "Automators", since they automate the parameter changes based on some other process.

In this section, we are going to look at two different modulators: the Envelope and the LFO (or Low Frequency Oscillator).

Let's start with a simple envelope - the ASR Envelope.

The characteristics of an ASR envelope is that it uses a gate signal - like we get from the keyboard device - and turns it into a contoured control signal.

The acronym ASR stands for "Attack/Sustain/Release", and describes the three active segments of this envelope: the attack "ramp-up" time, the held "sustain" time and the release "ramp-down" time.

Using an ASR envelope allows us to smooth the edges of the gate signal, giving us more musical control of the sound of the synth we are building.

Now let's use the ASR envelope to make a smoother-sounding level change in our patch.

Add an ASR module (found in the Envelope category) to your patch, then connect the gate output of the keyboard to the gate input of the ASR.

Next, connect the ASR 0-5v output to the control input of the VCA (deleting the patchcord connecting it to the gate output of the keyboard.

Now, play the keyboard, but change the attack and release times of the ASR. You will hear that a longer attack time gives us a smooth ramp-up into the sound, and a longer release time gives us a smoother release of the note. This makes the sound of the synth much more usable for ambient or pad-like sounds.


Envelopes are cool with filters, too, but we are going to try something different - using an LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) to change the filter sound.

Add a LFO module to your patch (LFO, from LFO category), then connect the Tri output to the filter's CV1 input.

An LFO is an oscillator - similar to our sound generating device - but it runs at sub-audio rate. This means it can be used for gentle changes to other modules in a cyclical way.

The LFO, like the Oscillator used earlier, runs forever - and at full output level. In order to "tame" the amount of modulation, we can use the filter's modulation attenuators (in this case, the CV1 % control) to reduce the amount of effect the LFO has on the filter cutoff.

Creating a good LFO sound requires some fiddling with the baseline cutoff frequency, the modulation amount, and the LFO waveshape. Experiment with each until you get a useful sound. Congrats - you've now created a pretty awesome synth!

beap-analog-model-curriculum-outline

BEAP Analog Model Curriculum Outline

riotchild

Ensuring students have access to specialist facilities is a significant challenge faced by many education providers, as COVID-related restrictions limit and in many cases prevent students from accessing campus-based facilities such as audio consoles. To help address this challenge, SAE has launched the SAE Audient ASP4816 Simulator, which provides SAE students with remote access to a fully-functional photorealistic simulation of the Audient ASP4816 console (of which SAE has 30+ deployed globally).

The MacOS-based software was developed in Max by Dr Mark Bassett (Director of Academic Quality Assurance for SAE's Licensed Territories), principally as a learning / teaching tool to allow students to learn the signal flow of the ASP4816 and practice using the console while off-campus. The photorealistic simulation features identical controls, routing, and (non-modelled) audio signal processing to the physical console, in addition to interactive tutorials and custom console scenarios.

Ensuring students have access to specialist facilities is a significant challenge faced by many education providers, as COVID-related restri

sae-audient-asp4816-simulator

SAE Audient ASP4816 Simulator

Gregory Taylor

The course outline below is based on a workshop originally presented by Darwin Grosse at the MediaLive Festival in 2013, and since updated for Max 7 by Gregory Taylor. Use it in your own teaching or to learn on your own. 

Max takes a different approach to programming.

You program using visible connections between objects rather than textual editing.

The basic paradigm is: create objects, then connect them with patchcords.

One way this changes things: You can run the program while editing it!

Another way it changes things: It preferences iterative (on-the-fly) programming.

One important aspect of Max is the creation of reusable systems based on existing objects.

Vizzie is a system of these "reusable modules", and is the system we will be using for our work.

Vizzie is built with Max, and uses all of the strategies of Max programming.

Vizzie has a specific purpose: to allow us to have fun manipulating visuals while learning the Max development system.

You get to Vizzie modules by clicking on the Vizzie (V) icon on the lower left-hand side of the patcher window to display the Vizzie browser

To load a Vizzie module, click on the name of a Vizzie module and drag it into an empty part of the patcher window.

We will find all the modules in the INPUT and OUTPUT sections

The names of modules are "funny" - this is an attempt to avoid naming collisions.

Load a PLAYR (from the INPUT tab of the Vizzie browser), and see how it reacts to clicks. (Editing Mode)

Lock the patcher and see how it now reacts to clicks. (Performance Mode)

Drag a movie file from your computer onto the PLAYR and see how it operates.

Run through the controls on the PLAYR, how to set them, and how to reset them.

Unlock the patch and add a PROJECTR from the OUTPUT tab of the Vizzie browser. Connect the PLAYR to the PROJECTR, lock the patch, and see how it operates.

Click on the FULL SCREEN button to see what happens, and how to return to the patch.

Save the patch, close the patch and reopen it. Discuss the state into which the patch returns.

Viewing Your Progress and Adding Visual Effects

While the PROJECTR is great for things like playing fullscreen video, there are times when we just want to monitor the current output of our patch. For that, we'll use the Vizzie VIEWR module. One advantage is that we can use as many VIEWR modules in a Vizzie patcher as we want; we can only have one PROJECTR module in a Vizzie patch.

Unlock the patch, click on the PROJECTR module, and hit the delete key to remove it

Add a VIEWR module to your patch from the OUTPUT tab of the Vizzie browser

Add a ROTATR module from the EFFECT tab of the Vizzie browser

Connect the output of the PLAYR module to the input of the ROTATR module

Connect the output of the ROTATR module to the input of the VIEWR module

Start the PLAYR, move the controls of the ROTATR to see the activity.

Click on the word ON in the green band at the top of the ROTATR module. Note the ability to disable the effect by clicking on the image

Click on the drop-down menu on the VIEWR module and try different window sizes

Add another effect - a SLIDR from the EFFECT tab of the Vizzie browser - after the ROTATR module (between the ROTATR and the VIEWR)

Note the change to the image based on rotation and SLIDR settings.

Describe the serial nature of the data flow.

Creating an effects chain is fun, but it is even more fun if we have the system generate parameter changes for us!

This is done using "Generator" modules, listed in the GENERATOR menu section of the Vizzie browser

Add a TWIDDLR to the patch from the GENERATOR tab of the Vizzie browser.

The output of the TWIDDLR can be used on non-video input to control (or modulate) the control values.

You can tell which value will be controlled by hovering over the input - the modulation parameter will be displayed.

Connect the TWIDDLR output to one of the parameters and see how it modifies the controls on-the-fly.

You can turn the output from the TWIDDLR on and off by clicking on the word ON in the orange band at the top of the TWIDDLR module, as you did earlier with the ROTATR module

There are many different Generator modules available.

Try the WANDR for creating random effects changes.

Try the STEPPR to create a stepped, sequenced set of value changes.

Create a Webcam Viewer as an alternative test system

A lot of time, it's more interesting to work with live video rather than movies.

Replace the PLAYR with a GRABBR (from the INPUT tab of the Vizzie browser) to get live video from your webcam

Connect it to the rest of your processing stream in place of your PLAYR module, then turn it on

Assuming that your system is set up correctly, you should see live video processed through your effects chain.

Making the visuals more abstract means using some new modules from the EFFECT tab of the Vizzie browser.

The SKETCHR turns your video into line drawing-like video.

Smearing the SKETCHR output with the SLIDR, ROTATR, DELAYR and other effects provides complex, but abstract, results.

We can make an even more interesting display by generating a lot of on/off changes to the effects chain.

Use a TOGGLR from the GENERATOR tab of the Vizzie browser to control the the SKETCHR. Turn the module on and off by connecting center data outlet to the video input of the SKETCHR.

Add more TOGGLR modules to other effects, and have them change at different rates to create a generative flashy output.

If you've tried to have two effects or video streams running simultaneously, you will probably have found some problems (flashing).

In order to get multiple video streams running, we need to "mix" them.

The simplest mixer is the XFADR module; it does a crossfade between any two video streams.

Add an XFADR (from the CONTROLLER tab of the Vizzie browser), then connect both a GRABBR and PLAYR. Load the PLAYR with a movie, turn on the GRABBR, then mix the two streams to see it in action.

You can create a generative mix by using a TWIDDLR to automate a fading system.

If you need to mix more than two streams, you can add another XFADR and PLAYR to make a more complex system

One of the downsides of the XFADR is that bringing up one video automatically reduces the other. What if you want to have more control?

Try a 4MIXR  (also from the CONTROLLER tab of the Vizzie browser) for more complexity and less "black out"

Each of the channels can be automated (WANDR or TWIDDLR again...) for generative results.

If you have "masked" video, you can combine them with the 4MIXR as well.

Sometimes, we will want to actually make a system where we can alternate between effects streams.

Create a new patch, and start with a single PLAYR and VIEWR

Drop in a 2ROUTR (from the CONTROLLER tab of the Vizzie browser) to create parallel effects paths.

Now, for each path, create an effects stream that contains one or more EFFECT modules.

Use the 2ROUTR to choose which stream is active, or connect a WANDR/TOGGLR to automate the switching. Make sure you use the first data input (selector) rather than the second data inlet (which sets the point at which the two input streams change).

You can also use a CLICKR (found in the CONTROLLER menu section) to make it easier to switch between the streams in the heat of a show!

Note that you can have both of the effects streams go into a single VIEWR. Why doesn't this cause flashing?

The 2ROUTR only sends video frames down one of the effects paths.

The effects that are not in the "active" path never receive video frames, so they never output anything.

vizzie-video-experiments-curriculum-outline

Vizzie Video Experiments Curriculum Outline

sine

It seems like everyone is changing the world these days.  Everyone has a story about how they are recycling, composting, going vegan, driving electric cars, reducing greenhouse gases, or sending free-range chickens to college so they can feed starving children who are building houses for the homeless.

So, if you were told that a teen center in Ann Arbor, Michigan was working hard to make a difference in kids' lives, you may be tempted to overlook its significance.

Because when you hear what the Neutral Zone is doing to shape the future of teenagers, you may molt that cynical husk.  You might even be moved.  Because the Neutral Zone is doing it right.

The idea began in 1998 when a group of Ann Arbor teens realized there was a strong need for an after-school center where young people could acquire new skills, express themselves freely, and gather to learn about each other.  From this simple premise, the Neutral Zone has grown from a handful of teens to a hub of creative activity that boasts 25,000 visits a year.

Many of those visits are by Alice Held, a high-school student that enriches the daily activities at the Neutral Zone as much as she benefits from them.  In her third year of involvement, Alice has done everything from assisting in the writing of grants to improve the music facilities at the center, to giving tours to interested patrons that visit, to contributing to her attended programs, to setting out snacks for hungry teens.

“That's what I like about the Neutral Zone so much:  there are opportunities for every person that comes in due to our diversity in program areas.”

The Orpheum Recording Studio at the Neutral Zone

The Neutral Zone offers several different programs in music, writing, and the visual arts.  Teens at the Neutral Zone learn how to hone their creative efforts in settings like the DJ Workshop and Beatmaking class; the Short Story Workshop and VOLUME Youth Poetry Project; and the NZ Visual Arts Council's multitude of workshops including painting, sculpture, and photography, to name but a few.

One such program is run by Alvin Hill.  Alvin is a cross-medium performer, composer, DJ, and educator.  Currently a Lecturer and Media Support Specialist at the University of Michigan’s Residential College and an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, Alvin’s “jit.NZ” program explores multimedia performance using Max from Cycling ’74.

Firmly nestled at the nexus of art, music, and engineering, Max is a software mainstay taught at universities including UC Berkeley (CNMAT), Columbia, and NYU.  A suite of multimedia programming tools packaged in a graphical interface, Max is used by everyone from artist/engineer Daito Manabe, to avant-electronica musicians like Autechre, to rock band Radiohead.

Max is praised for its quick customization, extensive interconnectivity, and superior adaptability.  It is no wonder it has found a home at the Neutral Zone.  Alvin thinks Max and the teen center are an obvious fit.

“Ever since I started using Max I have wanted to pair it with teenagers because they are both boundless.  Teens have boundless imagination and Max has boundless possibilities.  It is up to me to help them find the connection -- that perfect patch cord to connect the two.”

Alvin’s program, “jit.NZ”, provided live visual accompaniment for several acts at the teen center’s “Breakin’ Curfew” concerts.  Several acts performed at a 1300-seat venue called the Power Center, where a live camera feed of the performances was fed into Max during the show.  Some of the visuals were then affected and influenced by the audio from the groups performing.  The pairing of Max’s open-ended nature with the teeming imaginations of the teens at the Neutral Zone has paid off.

“The biggest advantage [of using Max] is that Max is flexible and adaptive and allowed the teens to perform visuals and create types of interactivity in realtime that no other software would,” Alvin reported.

But the Neutral Zone doesn't just foster teens' love of creative endeavors by helping them refine their skills in a particular art form.  The NZ works hard to educate teens in the ancillary areas that orbit their craft.  Classes are offered in music business, sound engineering, computer music, and promotion.  There is an onsite recording studio, a youth-operated record label, publishing house for writing, regular art shows to display the teens' work, and a full stage equipped to handle elaborate performances.  There is even mentorship in navigating the college application process, and programs that provide work opportunities.

“The Neutral Zone has a teen internship for seniors, where they work several hours a week and also volunteer.  I think it is a great opportunity for seniors to gain work and volunteer experience before they head off to college,” said Alice.

Yet, the development of self and creativity cannot thrive unless a young artist has an environment within which they feel safe to explore.  The Neutral Zone is well aware of this, and offers several different leadership programs to give teens a safe place to discuss the issues they face as artists, and as people.  There are programs like North Star, an open discussion group for young women; Riot Youth, a space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered individuals to network and socialize; and SEED, a community designed to further teens’ understanding of diversity.

“The first day I went [to the center], I immediately felt accepted and included,” Alice explained.  “The Neutral Zone provides a base for teen artists and leaders to really progress, not only as students, artists, musicians, and writers, but also to develop as young adults.  The Neutral Zone community has always helped me through my tough times, and it’s basically my second home.  A lot of teenagers feel the same way.”

Alvin agrees that the Neutral Zone’s open invitation to all who want to become involved is a major contributor to the center’s success.

“The Zone is an inclusive space.  Many organizations have to recruit to make their spaces diverse.  The Zone is diverse because it is welcoming to all,” he said.

And here's the real kicker -- a majority of the board of directors at the Neutral Zone is comprised of teens who lead the charge in how the NZ operates.  Talking about a project is fine, but it must be cleared by the youth-driven leadership before it becomes a reality.  This isn't merely an afterthought.  It's the core belief behind the Neutral Zone's operation, and it is no doubt a major reason why the NZ is so successful.

“The Neutral Zone is all youth-led and youth-run,” Alice explained, “which is very rare to find anywhere else. We have adult advisors that oversee the program meetings, but the teen facilitator is in charge and every teen in their program has a say in how to run the program.  All the teens here get a chance to share their voice on how we could improve the Neutral Zone, which is something I don't think you could find anywhere else.”

Alvin agrees that the Neutral Zone’s operating procedures are quite rare.

“I have spent many years working and volunteering at several teen centers in the Detroit area and it is clear that the character and atmosphere of the Zone would not be what it is without teen involvement at all levels,” Alvin explained.

This ability of the center’s teens to steer not only their own trajectories, but the path of the Neutral Zone itself, is a key component in the center’s overwhelming success, according to Alice.

“If we had a teen center that was developed only for specific people and we [just] had formal programs, it wouldn't be as inclusive.  We are allowed to customize our programs and make them our own.”

This customization makes the Neutral Zone’s inherent mode of operation as unique as the very people who attend its myriad programs and shape its future.
 “The Neutral Zone is not for a specific person, it is for a diverse group of people, you can customize it to make it your own individual experience,” Alice continued.

One of the reasons the Neutral Zone works so well, Alice explained, is because young people are given the respect they deserve by allowing them room to grow in their own way.

“[The staff] expects you to be honest and responsible, and when you have that trust you feel good. The staff treats us like the young adults we are, not like children.”

Those that are lucky enough to be involved at the Neutral Zone find themselves fostering a life-long affinity for the organization.  It is the type of place people do not want to leave.

Says Alvin, “As long as the teens let me, I will continue to offer this program.  The Neutral Zone teens inspire me and keep my own ideas fresh as a performer.”

And even though college is just around the corner for Alice Held, she still plans to maintain her connection to the center that gave her the structure she needed to develop, and gave her the community she loves.

“It is a great feeling to know that I participated in something that is changing so many teens' lives. When I graduate high school, I know I will be visiting to see the progression we have made.”

With education in their areas of interest, access to the means of creation, the ability to present their work to a wide audience, and the opportunity to be themselves among their peers, the Neutral Zone is everything a young creative person could hope for.  It’s the whole package.

The Neutral Zone actually is changing the world, one teen at a time.

For more information, visit http://www.neutral-zone.org.


Learn more about the Neutral Zone: http://cycling74.com/2012/11/27/teens-shape-their-future-at-the-neutral-zone/

The Jitter Project at the Neutral Zone

The Neutral Zone empowers teen creativity.

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