intro to computer music with Pd #

why computer music? #

why Pure Data (Pd)? #

reality: more than one tool #

Here’s some examples of works I’ve created using Pd and other hardware and software to make music.

music for vibraphone and computer #

music for vibraphone and computer was an improvised work I created so that I could play vibes and ableton at the same time. I had a whole bunch of percussion recordings and samples prepared in ableton and I found that with a Pd patch tracking pitch of the vibes through a microphone, I could use Pd to control ableton and layer up what I was playing on the acoustic instrument with the samples. With the addition of a lot of new (to me) audio effects in ableton and logic, I had enough material for a 10- to 15- minute piece.

I wrote up some of this as part of my coursework at ANU.

setup: vibes, computer, interface

computer setup: Pd, logic, ableton

Facetracker #

Facetracker was a fairly wild idea to use Pd to control projection mapping in a live environment. I was working with an actor, Hanna Cormick, who was deep into mask work and we had the idea of trying to project on to a blank white mask. We shot some video of Hanna performing a monologue and edited out just the face. For tracking, we attached IR LEDs to the mask and used a Nintendo Wii controller (yes, really) which could track IR lights and output a signal over bluetooth to the computer. The Wii controller connected to Osculator on the computer, which sent OSC to Pd, which translated the video file using Gem.

A video of the work is still here on vimeo

Well, the whole thing was a rather silly idea. Getting the Wii controller and projector lined up was tough and it wasn’t quite clear why we were projecting Hanna’s face back on to Hanna wearing a mask. This one didn’t go any further, but a cool example.

Nordlig Vinter #

So Nordlig Vinter was an album that I created while studying in Piteå, Sweden. It’s mostly percussion ensemble works with some computer soundtracks created in Pd.

Part of the inspiration for this album was the idea of getting the Pd soundtracks onto an iPhone or an iPad to perform without a laptop on stage. In fact, this was what my master thesis was all about. The Pd patches started out in an app called RjDJ that could play back specially packaged up Pd files, but I later created my own app just for doing these performances.

In the Nordlig Vinter app (and all my subsequent iOS work), I used the libpd distribution of just the sound engine from Pd which can be connected in with Core Audio. The app itself isn’t very interesting as it’s just for playing back different sound environments and applying effects to the sound over the microphone. I used to play some works from the album solo with my phone just balanced on the edge of the vibes and a mic underneath the instrument to pick up some sound for the effects.

Examples: Live Patching #

why not Pd? #

100 .do({{SinOsc.ar(Rand.new(35.0,2000.0), 0 ,[0.1,0.1], 0 )}.play;})

links: #