Date & Time: Thursday 7th October – 6pm UK / 7pm Berlin / 10am LA / 1pm NYC

Length: 2-hours live workshop via Zoom

Level: Beginner to intermediate

Arturia’s Pigments 3 Virtual Instrument is a highly versatile tool which is used in many professional studios, it also presents many opportunities for deep learning and creation at a beginner level.

Through this workshop that is well based in theory, but prioritizing practice, play and investigation, students will work to build new presets from scratch and learn how to manipulate existing sounds. We will utilize built-in Analog, Wavetable, Harmony, and Sample / Granular based sonic elements across Pigments 3 sound engines. We will also work with controlling synthesis settings with ADSR envelopes, using Macro’s, EQ’s and more.

Session Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session a successful student will be able to:

• Build custom presets for sound design and music
• Explore Pigments 3 creatively and independently
• Be empowered by the built-in Pigments 3 troubleshooting and tutorial tools.

Session Study Topics

• Intro – in app resources – demos
• Virtual Synthesis / Digital Signal Processing
• Granular Synthesis
• Dynamic uses of macro control
• Creative uses of EQ

Requirements:

• A computer and internet connection
• A mic (built in or external)
• Webcam (optional)
• A Zoom account
• Access to Pigments 3 (i.e. trial or full license)

About the workshop leader

Chloe Alexandra Thompson is a Cree, Canadian interdisciplinary artist and touring sound designer whose artistic works and workshops have been featured in galleries and performance spaces domestically and internationally. Using audio programming softwares, Thompson creates unique sonic environments and interactive performance tools.

She is presently based in Brooklyn, NY, USA.

Level: Beginner

Cycling 74’s Max / MSP offers a vast playground of programming opportunities to create your own sound design and multimedia applications. In this workshop you will build a patch using items from the Max tool bar such as Beap and Vizzie as well using media from your own collection, plus explore ways to open up, reverse engineer and modify existing resources within the Max.

Series Learning Outcomes

By the end of this series a successful student will be able to:

• Confidently navigate the Max environment to quickly gain access to content and learning resources.

• Deploy resources into a patch.

• Connect and explore these resources to develop ideas for sound and media design, composition and performance.

• Navigate the help file system and reverse engineer existing content in the Max application.

Session Study Topics

• The Tools available in a Max such as Beap and Vizzie modules.

• Playlists and drag and drop media.

• Bpatches, prototypes and snippets.

• The helpfile system.

Requirements

• A computer and internet connection

• Access to a copy of Max 8 (i.e. trial or full license)

About the workshop leader

Duncan Wilson (aka Ned Rush) is a musician, producer and content creator based in the UK. Whilst perhaps largely known for his Youtube channel, he has also released music independently as well developing content for Isotonik Studios.

Dates & Times: 

Session 1: Wednesday 7th April 10am LA / 1pm NYC / 6pm UK / 7pm Berlin

Session 2: Wednesday 14th April 10am LA / 1pm NYC / 6pm UK / 7pm Berlin

Session 3: Wednesday 21st April 10am LA / 1pm NYC / 6pm UK / 7pm Berlin

Session 4: Wednesday 28th April 10am LA / 1pm NYC / 6pm UK / 7pm Berlin

Level: Beginners curious about programming

Get started with interactive audio and MIDI, and discover the possibilities of the Max environment. In this series of workshops, you will learn how to manipulate audio, MIDI, virtual instruments and program your own interactive canvas.

Connect together Max’s building blocks to create unexpected results, and use them in your music productions. Through a series of guided exercises you will engage in the pragmatic creation of a basic MIDI sequencer device that features a wealth of musical manipulation options.

Learn from guided examples and live interactions with teachers and other participants.

This series of online workshops aims to enable you to work with Max confidently on your own.

Sessions overview

Session 1 – Understand the Max environment

Session 2 – Connect building blocks together and work with data

Session 3 – Master the user interface

Session 4 – Work with your MIDI instruments

Requirements

• A computer and internet connection

• A good working knowledge of computer systems

• Access to a copy of Max 8

About the workshop leader 

Phelan Kane is a Berlin & London based music producer, engineer, artist, developer and educator. For over twenty years he has been active in both the music industry and the contemporary music education sector, with a focus on electronic music and alternative bands.

He specialises in sound design and production techniques such as synthesis and sampling, alongside audio processing and plug-in development.

He is currently running the electronic music record label Meta Junction Recordings and the audio software development company Meta Function, which specialize in Max for Live devices releasing the M4L synth Wave Junction in partnership with Sonicstate.

Level: Intermediate

Ableton and Cycling 74’s Max For Live offer a vast playground of programming opportunities to create unique compositions and rich sound designs. In this workshop you will create musical and sonic ideas using abstract techniques of composition. This workshop aims to provide you with suitable skills to begin exploring generative composition and complex sound design.

Session Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session a successful student will be able to:

• Discuss the relevance of using generative processes in certain musical contexts.

• Explore how we can use these processes to create musical ideas.

• Look at ways to capture these ideas to use for future projects.

• Exploring various sound design techniques to add colour and shape.

Session Study Topics

• Deploy Ableton and Max For Live devices to generate musical content.

• Develop this content with various devices such as instruments and effects.

• Capture, edit and consolidate the content.

• • Reflect on the content we created and discuss ways to develop the project further.

Requirements

• A computer and internet connection

• A good working knowledge of computer systems

• A basic awareness of music theory and audio processing

• Good familiarity with Ableton and Max For Live

• Access to a copy of Ableton Live 10 Suite, or Ableton Live 10 with a Max For Live license.

About the workshop leader

Ned Rush aka Duncan Wilson is a musician, producer and performer. He’s most likely known best for his YouTube channel, which features a rich and vast quantity of videos including tutorials, software development, visual art, sound design, internet comedy, and of course music.

Level: Intermediate

In this workshop you will build an experimental audio FX device that utilizes buffers to create a novel delay line. Experimental processing will be added to the signal path to provide unique sound design possibilities. This workshop aims to provide you with suitable skills to begin exploring building unique, novel and experimental audio FX devices in the Max MSP environment.

Session Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session a successful student will be able to:

• Identify MSP objects for building delay FX devices
• Build delay line audio FX devices via buffer, record and groove
• Build feedback and processing networks
• Explore UI concepts and design

Requirements

• A computer and internet connection
• A good working knowledge of computer systems
• An basic awareness of audio processing
• Good familiarity with MSP
• Access to a copy of Max 8 (i.e. trial or full license)

About the workshop leader

Ned Rush aka Duncan Wilson is a musician, producer and performer. He’s known best for his YouTube channel, which features a rich and vast quantity of videos including tutorials, software development, visual art, sound design, internet comedy, and of course music.

Level: advanced

Date: 19th November 2020, 6pm GMT

In this workshop, you will explore tools and techniques to create bespoke audio FX tools in Gen via Max. Explore delay effects, circular buffers, modulation delays, LFOs, and multi-tap delays via a series of exercises. This workshop aims to enrich your musical output via the application of self-made audio FX and novel sound design techniques. Gen provides highly optimised audio processes that matches C++ and is the ideal technology for improving complex Max patches and free CPU.

Session Learning Outcomes

By the end of this session a successful student will be able to:

• Identify key Gen objects for audio FX devices

• Build delay line audio FX devices with feedback networks

• Configure Gen parameters and properties

• Add LFO networks for use in Flanger and Chorus audio FX devices

Session Study Topics

• Gen objects

• Circular buffers

• Gen variables and parameters

• LFO modulation sources

Requirements

• A computer and internet connection

• A good working knowledge of computer systems

• An basic awareness of audio processing

• Good familiarity with MSP

• Access to a copy of Max 8 (i.e. trial or full license)

About the workshop leader

Phelan Kane is a Berlin & London based music producer, engineer, artist, developer and educator. For over twenty years he has been active in both the music industry and the contemporary music education sector, with a focus on electronic music and alternative bands.

His specialism is sound design and production techniques such as synthesis and sampling, alongside audio processing and plug-in development. His credits include collaborations with Placebo, Radiohead, Fad Gadget, Depeche Mode, Moby, Snow Patrol, Mute, Sony BMG, Universal, EMI and Warner Bros. He holds an MA in Audio Technology from the London College of Music, University of West London, an MSc in Sound & Music Computing at the Center for Digital Music at Queen Mary, University of London and in 2008 became one of the world’s first wave of Ableton Certified Trainers.

He is a member of the UK’s Music Producers Guild, holds a PG Cert in Learning & Teaching, is an Affiliate of the Institute for Learning, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and until recently was Chairman of the London Committee for the British Section of the Audio Engineering Society. He is currently running the electronic music record label Meta Junction Recordings and the audio software development company Meta Function, which specialize in Max for Live devices releasing the M4L synth Wave Junction in partnership with Sonicstate.

Max is Ned’s go to environment to realise concepts for sound design and performance that are not available in other programs.

In this 2-hour workshop you will learn ways to sample and loop incoming audio from the outside world. You will create a fresh sonic palette from mutating the sound, using a variety of techniques aimed at performance and improvisation, whilst also discussing and solving problems related to improvisation set-ups and how we can meet those needs.

You will explore a variety of ways to interact with sampled sound to find which method suits you best so you can realise your vision with a unique performance sampler.

Requirements

– Max 8

– Basic knowledge of Max

About the workshop leader

Ned Rush aka Duncan Wilson is a musician, producer and performer. He’s most likely known best for his YouTube channel, which features a rich and vast quantity of videos including tutorials, software development, visual art, sound design, internet comedy, and of course music.