“Max/MSP” is a computer app that implements an on-screen visual programming environment in which you can “wire” together components that make and process sound or logic. You could think of it as programming, but it’s unlike the old procedural programming you probably just thought of. It’s object-oriented, but more than that it includes many components that are paced by a clock. And the “programming” is carried out visually by creating and moving objects on the screen and patching (you might say “wiring”) them together. You might have a metronome beating four times a second, for example, and it could trigger sounds or actions that it’s wired to. [Read more…]
Putting music on SoundCloud
Ten years ago, maybe, MySpace was the place to put your music. There’s still a lot of stuff there.
Today, the people I’m meeting are putting their music on SoundCloud. It’s easy to upload, and the player is sweet. Nice visuals. Each to click to play. When you’re at the soundcloud site, the player minimizes down to the bottom of the window and keeps playing while you look for other things to explore. I started putting things on SoundCloud this week. A player can also be embedded in your own web site, and there are lots of shapes, visuals and functionality. [Read more…]
Technology and Applied Composition at SFCM
In January (2015) I began a zero-to-sixty transition from full-time computer scientist to composer. The next stage in the process begins in September (2015), where I have been accepted as a student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in their Technology and Applied Composition program. [Read more…]
New Music Gathering
The “New Music Gathering” — Over one hundred new music composers, performers, and supporters got together at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Center for New Music for three days of mixed conference and performance. Many topics. Many performers. People standing up and saying “My name is ___, and I am a composer.” Really inspirational.
I’ll be posting links to performance recordings as they become available. (I try to write articles only about upcoming events, but in this case I didn’t know what to expect and it was so great that I have to just post this article to anchor the upcoming info.) Surprise guest Friday night in the audience was Terry Riley.
Also upcoming on March 6-8 in San Francisco is the 20th OtherMinds festival of new music. This year, for its twentieth, a review including many composers-performers from the first 20 years, so I guess it’s a look at the old new, which is still new.