Composing Interactive Music: Techniques and Ideas Using Max [Paperback]

Todd Winkler (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0262731398 | ISBN-13: 978-0262731393 | Publication Date: January 26, 2001

Interactive music refers to a composition or improvisation in which software interprets live performances to produce music generated or modified by computers. In Composing Interactive Music, Todd Winkler presents both the technical and aesthetic possibilities of this increasingly popular area of computer music. His own numerous compositions have been the laboratory for the research and development that resulted in this book.The author's examples use a graphical programming language called Max. Each example in the text is accompanied by a picture of how it appears on the computer screen. The same examples are included as software on the accompanying CD-ROM, playable on a Macintosh computer with a MIDI keyboard.Although the book is aimed at those interested in writing music and software using Max, the casual reader can learn the basic concepts of interactive composition by just reading the text, without running any software. The book concludes with a discussion of recent multimedia work incorporating projected images and video playback with sound for concert performances and art installations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Beyond a clear and thorough introduction to Max programming, ToddWinkler's Composing Interactive Music presents and explains acomprehensive theoretical framework encompassing the major issues inthe field." Robert Rowe , Music Technology Program, New York University

Todd Winkler is an award-winning composer whose works for interactive technology and mixed media have been performed at major international festivals. He is Assistant Professor of Music at Brown University, where he is Director of the MacColl Studios for Electronic Music.

About the Author

Winkler presents both the technical and aesthetic possibilities of interactive music, an increasingly popular area of computer music.

Product Details

• Paperback: 364 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press (January 26, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262731398
• ISBN-13: 978-0262731393
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #570,883 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An in-depth look at MAX and its applications, March 24, 2006

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calvinnme - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Composing Interactive Music: Techniques and Ideas Using Max (Paperback)

MAX is an object-oriented graphical programming environment for creating music and multimedia used for over fifteen years by composers, performers, software designers, researchers and artists interested in creating interactive compositions. MAX reuses the patchable modular analog synthesizer metaphor. You build patches by placing modules on a graphic surface and connecting these modules together with patch cords. The connections represent paths on which values or signal streams are send between the modules. These modules are either processing units (arithmetics, timing, ...), data containers (tables, ...), system inputs or outputs (audio, MIDI, ...). MAX modules are called objects in the sense of Object-Oriented Languages. Objects can themselves be patchers, so that a patch has a hierarchical structure. Some objects have graphical interactive behavior and can be used as controllers, to change values in the patch, or as viewers, to display values computed by the patch.
In this book, Winkler mainly deals with the MIDI version of MAX running on the Macintosh platform. What makes this book so interesting is that it brings together much of the research that has been floating around various institutions and e-mail lists. It is also a fantastic introduction to both MAX and how it interfaces with both performers and computer programming. Winkler informs us that there is a growing future for the MAX environment. With the advent of increased QuickTime and Internet support, MAX is becoming one of the tools with which to enter the interactive programming world. Its strength is that one starts with simple commands and a blank sheet of paper, so to speak, not a grid or staff or piano-roll.
Readers of this book, if novices to MAX and MIDI, could find it hard going at first - but if one can work through the exercises, learning is quickly achieved. If you have already used MAX then the book ties many loose ends together and offers advice on structured programming in MAX. Winkler is careful to define his space and the terminology used. His historical introduction is thoughtful and comprehensive, citing many well-known and some less well-known composers and works. Thus, while informing us of quite pertinent details, Winkler manages to keep an informal style that presents these details in exciting ways.
Once into Chapter 3, we are programming with MAX. MAX is a fourth-generation language - its objects on the screen generate run-time code that the programmer may never see (or wish to see). Its structure is intuitive - generally time runs top-to-bottom and precedence runs right-to-left, and this facilitates informative annotation. Although the book contains tutorial information on MAX, some understanding of the fundamentals of MAX is assumed. Also, it is assumed the reader is familiar with simple musical terms and structures.
Winkler categorizes interactive music programming into three sections: computer as listener, computer as composer, and computer as performer and illustrates this with informative examples contained within the accompanying CD-ROM. Winkler explains how the computer can analyze and compare input usually in the form of someone playing a keyboard, filter this information, add to it, store it, and finally play a response. The computer may act as a very intelligent effects box by following the performer in real time and reacting, thus offering the performer something unexpected in order to facilitate a quasi "interactive process", or there may be no performer at all and the computer may generate its own performance data.
The guts of the book are devoted to good programming technique and design, analysis of musical input data, reaction to musical input data, interaction of MIDI with digitized sound, be it a computer file or a track on a CD, and the complicated process of scoring that follows. Finally, Winkler offers a taste of the future with signal processing, audio-visual development, and the possibilities of controlling MAX with non-keyboard devices. He mentions the MIDI flute, designed at IRCAM, and from this we can imagine using MIDI wind controllers, drum pads and the like to enable performers on one instrument to interact more accurately with another. In addition, there are newer controllers such as pressure-sensitive pads, simple potentiometers, light detectors, and movement sensors that can now all interface with the computer and therefore come under the control of MAX. The opportunities for interactive dance have already been explored at institutions around the world but the technology is now readily available, off the shelf, and is being used by installation artists and choreographers alike.
Mr. Winkler is an able musician who circumvents the boring details and makes programming openly accessible to users. He even offers us many programming examples from which we may build our own interactive works. This book is valuable reference material, as it details and illustrates the powerful IRCAM objects Explode and Qlist, and also objects like Borax and AIFFplay, offering a musical approach. Thus, this book is for anybody interested in bringing computers, MIDI gear, an performers into their creative grasp.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A perfect companion for Max users on all levels., May 4, 1998

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Tommy DOG ([e-mail]) (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Composing Interactive Music: Techniques and Ideas Using Max (Hardcover)

This book gives one a clear and inspiring view into the Max language and the wide scope of work being done with this Macintosh software. My only regret is that I don't own two copies, one for the studio and one to read at home.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book on max, September 10, 2009

By 

Rad Racer (California) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Composing Interactive Music: Techniques and Ideas Using Max (Paperback)

This book is one of a kind and is a great hard copy reference to Max/Msp. Though Max is in a new version 5, this book could still be very helpful. It does get a little intense towards the end with some pretty advanced projects, but I would say that's a good thing. An added benefit of this book is that it talks about the theory of interactive music throughout. I'm glad someone took the time to write this book and I will keep it in my library as a reference for years to come.