Goldsmiths - University of London

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Small Music Course Image Max Advanced Level Courses - Summer 2009

Course dates

The Max Advanced Level Courses run from 10am - 5.30pm each day (lunch break from 1 - 2pm) in the Electronic Music Studios (Room 159), Richard Hoggart Building (the main red brick building) at Goldsmiths.

Both Advanced courses are identical in content.


Max Advanced Level Course #1

Tuesday 14th - Friday 17th July 2009 inclusive

COURSE NOW FULL

Max Advanced Level Course #2
Monday 20th - Thursday 23rd July 2009 inclusive

COURSE NOW FULL


Tutor: SEBASTIAN LEXER Sebastian Lexer Music tutor
Sebastian Lexer is currently working on his PhD in the Electronic Music Studios at Goldsmiths specialising in the research & application of realtime signal processing for live performance. He is a freelance teacher and Visiting Tutor at Goldsmiths College, Thames Valley University, the University of Brighton, and Trinity College of Music in London.

Sebastian is a regular live performer, organising the 'Interlace' concert series, which features free improvisation, live electronics, and interactive composition. Sebastian has collaborated with artist Emmanuelle Waeckerle and pianist John Tilbury, amongst others, developing video instruments and interactive music systems in MaxMSP and Jitter.


Course prerequisites

The Advanced Max courses will be taught through a combination of lectures and practical work over four full days, and are limited to a maximum of 8 participants per course in order to ensure individual tutorial time.

As a prerequisite for the course, it is expected that you will be fully conversant with the following :

  • functionality of Max - i.e. bangs, objects, numbers
  • operation and creation of basic Max patches
  • playing & recording sound files
  • knowledge of MIDI & use of MIDI controllers
  • familiar with the content of the Max and MSP tutorials

Course content

  • Lists -
    sequencing, control structures, stochastic, generative approaches
  • FFT -
    the theory, audio analysis, spectral filters & effects, convolution & cross synthesis
  • Looping & Granulation -
    strategies to avoid clicks, windowing looped playback, concept of granulation, creating a granulator
  • Interfacing -
    advanced controller design, USB controllers (Game Pads, Joysticks, Track-Pads), working with sensors (including sensors in performance/installation systems - tilt, bend, pressure, distance & light sensors)
  • Introduction to Jitter -
    playing movies, basic video effects, working with matrices, matrices as data containers, building sequences in Jitter, building GUIs in Jitter
  • Brief introduction to Java coding

Course participants will have access to Apple Mac computer workstations for their use during the course running the latest Max 5 software. You are also welcome to bring their own laptop computers for use during the course if you wish, but please advise us by checking the relevant box on your application form.

A range of external audio and MIDI interface equipment will be available. Full details of studio facilities are available on the Resources page.

Tea, coffee and sandwiches are available from 'Loafers' cafe in the Main Building from 9am - 3pm. There are several local cafes, restaurants & pubs with lunchtime menus.