The sixth issue in December
The publisher : Shigeto Wada
[email protected]

http:// www.geocities.com/ swmusicstudio/

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Basic usage of MAX (5)
"Serial Pincermovement" ~An example of passive composition~ (5)
At the starting of  MAX i MUM
What MAX is.
The imprint

Next issue will be on 31st January.

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Moreover, if you had an opinion, a wish or a contribution, please send me a mail.

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    Well, well. Today's topic is noteouts ordered on the left hand side.
    Why there are so a lot?

    The reason why is to avoid an inconvenience happening when notein and noteout are sent in the same pitch.

    For example, when the pitch of C4 is echoed, 5 sound got the same pitch are brought about in the same time.
    It is normally impossible to doubly play the same note by piano or anything.
    MIDI is modified for reproduction of a performance, therefore a trouble is come out when the some same note are doubly played.

    Let have a look at the next diagram.
    Like this happens if a 5 seconds note are doubled by the same note after 2.5 seconds.

    The first sound and the second one should be mixed, and the second one should be there after the first one is gone.
    However, wrongly, the noteout of the first note make the second to stop early.

    And the first sound is gone when the second sound is taking part in.
    Because, only 1 parameter-set (it is composed by pitchbend or velocity etc.) is prepared for 1 note on 1 MIDI channel.
    When the second comes, the first parameter is rewritten. So, such things happen.

    If so, how the same note can be doubled.

    Then, this part becomes very useful.

    The numbers following noteout represent MIDI channel numbers of outputs.
    In a word, all sounds are individually managed by different MIDI channels.

    With this, each sounds double correctly, further, effects are also preserved.

    But unfortunately, a demerit is also brought about due to this.
    For example, if we make an echo patch which 15 sounds are returned........??

    Yes. (^_^;) If you have an instrument which can play 16 parts, all parts are occupied by only one note. A merit of using MIDI is not realized.

    However, It is attractive that we can individually control echoes as compared with external one or attached to a musical instrument. You may realize a tape echo like.

    This group of xbendouts are in the same structure.
    Each one of echoes sends to each channel.

    That is the end of echo patch explanation. But let attach a device to be useful.

    Basic idea of this patch is adding an effect to input sound, so you can get more functions by inserting another tools between them.
    For example, you can change echoed sound tone dramatically, or the played velocity appears in the last echo.

    Former idea can be adopted not only xbendout also pitch. First, pitch is changed into a numerical number (for example, C3 pitch in MIDI can convert into 60), next, this number is changed by random calculation such as addition or subtraction, then this number is re-converted into pitch. You also be able to automatically assign tone colours to each individual MIDI channel in the same way.

    Latter one is so simple. Just you reverse the order of effect addition. The first sound gets the most strong effect and effect is reduced as later one.

    Though processed sound is quite useless lovely noise, it is interesting that you can not know what's gonna happen when you play a melody.

    More, I introduce a device which may be required to use this patch in practical musical environment.
    This patch allow you to choose input source for exchanging data with other softwares or MIDI instruments.

    MAX is put on OMS (Opcode Midi System), so it can easily exchange messages with other instruments.

    OMS is developed by Opcode and a MIDI environment integration system. The name has been changed to Opcode Music System recently, then it works for not only MIDI (such as audio signal).
    If your musical instruments and softwares are registered with OMS, you can organise and control them on any softwares.

    For example, you can define where data is submitted. On an earlier occasion, you need to remember that the socket is connected with the instrument, such as MIDI port "a" means S-3000XL. I used to put a diagram on my computer display (^_^)

    Also, a list of instrument name is automatically read into computer. Instead of assigning a musical tone by numerical number (such as piano1 is No. 01), you can choose the name directly from the software. Programme names are displayed on a software. I used to push a key and the button which increase sound tone number one after another, but now I can choose it directly in no time if I remember the name.

    Of cause this is adopted on MAX. Some useful objects are already installed.
    Let us examine the next example.

    Now I explain objects.

　 omsinfo sends a list of registered instruments when it receives bang!.
    The list is received by  menu and it make the list into pop-up menu. So you can choose an item by mouse drag. An item number is transmitted from the lower left outlet in the same time of selection.

    Also the list is modified as a different type of menu by  omenu. All items are listed as a normal macintosh window does. It send an item number from the most left outlet and an item itself from the third outlet form the left.

    By connecting this with notein, noteout and xbendout, you can set input source and output device not only freely but easily.

    I have forgotten to mention that such dialogue is opened when you double click a certain object such as noteout, xbendout, midiout etc.

    It is all right to choose it here but it is easier to do it from a menu.
    Practically, noteout and xbendout should be connected to the same instrument, so you need to double click here and there.

    How can we define MIDI output channel also.
    No problem. Just you add one more menu there (^_^)

    And I rewrite the patch with using omenu in this time.
    Now you are also able to set MIDI channel.

    Then, this is the end of quite interesting and usable echo series though it slightly wastes MIDI channels.
    Don't you think the patches you study becomes practically useful now?

    Next time, it is a bit strange one, let's make a patch producing only fringe sound.
    Finally "random" is coming!

    Bye.

    So, reaction comes later.
    There is no time to feel mortification I mentioned.

    Theory is not related with compositional activity.
    Amount of books named theory of XXX are sold.
    In other word, because they are, for spreading, and attempting the use of something made in the past.
    Everybody can learn and use it.

    True originality is lost when a theory is used  "intentionally".

    The opposite word of "intentionally" is "unintentionally" or "randomly".
    ( Maybe because I am Japanese, I don't recognize "the opposite" exactly.)
    Theory is sometimes stained on our body as a unintentional sense.
    Originality is preserved when a theory is natively used without thinking.

    If this did not preserve originality, we would only be able to keep silence.

    Tools. It does not relate to compositional activity or quality.
    It strongly relates with performance.
    The important thing is, a fuzzy sense before realization by sound, before it relates with performance.
    To be faithful, even be subordinate, being slave of oneself makes real sound.

    I understand "silence" as above.
    It is a state before becoming sound.

    Not to tell a lie is a problem.
    My favourite novelist may laugh if I say "a problem socially".
    What I say is, preferably, strong psychological pressure on composer (himself) is a problem.

    He must not be saved if he was not afraid of saying truth face to face.

    Too strong mentality make his sense atrophied, then attentiveness is gone and arrogance shows its face.
    It may do not have to care to be arrogant against "society" they say.

    Ego. It is essential.
    Nevertheless, if he was arrogant to his work, it would be the evidence that he scares.

    But, It is difficult to say the truth.

    Therefore, a man invented a way for not saying the truth, also not telling a lie.
    Passive composition it is.

    And I want to deny it.
    No, much more, I want to use autonomy in composition.

    I have not shrivelled. I can not feel satisfaction by make what I want to make as a hermit.
    I finally noticed that I want to be received by composition without saying a lie.
 

    Just as I want. That's all now.
 

    I couldn't express well in English, and it is so prosaic and illogical.
    But meanings will be changed if I rewrote.
    As it is.

    Now, I think as it is.

    I don't know three days after, but.

      Thus the content includes quite basic usage of each object and description of terms, also introduces the interfaces which are provided by MAX and the optional software or hardware of it.

      Moreover, it would be really welcoming that applications of readers which agree the above purpose.

      MAX is a rare and excellent software which gives chance of making up musical works with well thought of logic and mathematics of creators, in other words, without concerned with special skills such as reading scores or playing musical instruments, to the persons who want to approach music actively.

      I do hope at the starting of MAX i MUM that a lot of readers would be interested in composition, arrangement, also sound engineering, furthermore, here would be a place that we exchange enjoyable information each other because of this magazine.
 

      " Max is a graphical music programming environment for people who have hit the limits of the usual sequencer and voicing programs for MIDI equipment."  (Miller Puckette, Max reference manual, 1988)

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Program written by Miller Puckette and David Zicarelli, �1990-1999 Opcode Systems, Inc. / IRCAM.
Opcode Systems, Inc.
365 East Middlefield Road
Mountain View, CA 94043
http://www.opcode.com

MSP(c)1997 David ZicarelliﾜAll rights reserved

based on Pd by Miller Puckette, (c)1997 The Regents of the University of California
MSP and Pd are based on ideas in Max/FTS, an advanced DSP platform (c)IRCAM. Used by permission.
Cycling '74
1186 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94103 USA
[email protected]
http://www.cycling74.com

The publisher and distributor : Shigeto Wada
The publishing office : Shigeto Wada Music Studio
e-mail address : [email protected]
Published on 12th December, 1999 as "MAX i MUM, the sixth issue in December"