Atau Tanaka: Making music with muscle sensors
2020-06-11 18:30 - 20:00 (Europe/London) | Online
Prof Atau Tanaka is a well known figure in the New Interface for Musical Expression network, an international conference he helped get started in the early 2000s. Atau is both an academic (head of the Embodied AudioVisual Interaction group at Goldsmiths, university of London) and an artist who performs internationally. His artistic practice with muscle sensors spans over 3 decades and hundreds of performances.
On the 11th of June, Atau will give insights into his approach, and tips for anyone looking to create custom interfaces to control music parameters live. Live on YouTube and Facebook.

Max and Node.js: the Age of Javascript
2020-06-13 16:00 - 18:00 | Online
Difficulty level: intermediate.
Javascript is the glue of the Internet, the universal language that runs in billions of web browsers and networked systems across the world. Max’s Node support connects the Max program into the ecosystem of Node.js, a Javascript engine which can network, talk to hardware, connect to databases, run sophisticated web servers, and much more.
In the workshop we’ll look at the link between Max and Node, and how the different worlds of graphical and textual programming connect. We’ll also look at some specific Javascript coding techniques and connect them to the 3D world of Max’s Jitter and OpenGL systems. From there we will start to explore ways to attach Max to web servers, allowing Max’s data to flow into and out of dynamic web pages.
Topics:

Max
Javascript
Web technologies
Jitter and 3D Graphics

Requirements:
A good working knowledge of Max is expected, as well as an awareness of how Jitter works. Some familiarity with textual programming languages and/or web technologies would be useful, but not required.
About the workshop leader:
Dr Nick Rothwell (aka Cassiel) is a composer, performer, software architect, coder and visual artist. He has built media performance systems for projects with Ballett Frankfurt and Vienna Volksoper, composed sound scores for Aydın Teker (Istanbul) and Shobana Jeyasingh Dance, live coded in Mexico and in Berlin with sitar player Shama Rahman, written software for Studio Wayne McGregor and the Pina Bausch Foundation, and developed algorithmic visuals for large-scale outdoor installations in Poland, Estonia, Cambridge Music Festival and Lumiere (London / Durham). He also teaches at Ravensbourne University London and writes for Sound On Sound magazine.

Workshop with Ruben Dax: Live Looping with Ableton Live
2020-06-13 17:00 - 19:00 | Online
Book a ticket here
Ableton Live provides a great software environment for live looping – empowering a solo performer to bring an entire song to life in front of an audience in an engaging and relatable way. Outside of performing, live looping can also be used as a composition tool allowing you to create new music in a faster way with less distractions. Live looping using software, such as Ableton Live, affords you greater flexibility in your workflow, performance style, and mixing techniques in comparison to using traditional hardware looper devices.
In this workshop we will be diving deep into the different techniques for live looping using Ableton Live 10 as our digital audio workstation. We will progress through basic recording and layering techniques, using Ableton’s powerful ‘Looper’ device, MIDI mapping your controls, and even discovering how to craft automated (hands-free) live-looping performances.
Here’s a chance to learn the methods that for years I’ve experimented with, developed, and optimized for my own multi-instrumental live looping performances and start building your own!
Topics

Ableton Live
Ableton Live Looper device
Basis recording and layering techniques
MIDI mapping
MIDI controllers
Live looping automations

Requirements

An instrument and a way to capture sound, or a MIDI controller connected to a virtual instrument
Ableton Live 9, Live 10 or even Live Intro!
Using a MIDI controller can increase your flexibility (such as Novation Launchpad, Akai MPC, Ableton Push, ROLI Lightpad..)

About the workshop leader
Ruben Dax is a musician, multi-instrumentalist and instrument designer, who uses Ableton Live to compose songs with live loops. His YouTube channel shows a range of videos where he creates tracks with diverse sounds and instruments, aggregating them in loops to create rich, layered tracks.

SWAM: software instruments that sound real
2020-06-18 18:30 - 20:00 | YouTube and Facebook
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Sound designer and musician Stefano Lucato started creating solo string libraries in 2003, and has been on a quest ever since to create the most accurate reproduction of acoustic instrument sounds, to be available in plug-in format. He teamed up with software developer Emanuele Parravicini to build a technology that they used together to release software versions of nearly all orchestral instruments.
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Stefano and Emanuele created Audio Modeling in 2017, and run the business from a small village in Lombardy, Italy, between Milan and Lake Como. Their software instruments are used all over the world by composers and producers in the studio, as well as live.
On the 18th June, I will interview Emanuele Parravicini about Audio Modeling’s journey and projects, and we’ll hear demonstrations of the instruments live. Tune in on Facebook and YouTube.

Andrew McPherson: Augmenting Instruments
2020-06-22 18:00 | YouTube and Facebook
Dr Andrew McPherson is a Reader at Queen Mary University, where he leads the Augmented Instruments Lab. He invented the Magnetic Resonator piano, Touch keys and Bela, and is on a mission to empower anyone to build their own instruments. In this talk, Andrew will revisit his inventions and give tips to get started building your own. Join the live stream and participate to the live chat!

Audio chips, e-textiles, touch interfaces: 40 years of computer music research
2020-06-25 18:30 - 20:00 | YouTube and Facebook
Adrian Freed is the former Research Director of UC Berkeley’s CNMAT, the historical Californian research centre led for over two decades by the late David Wessel. At CNMAT, Adrian led a number of influential projects on computer music, including the widely used Open Sound Control (OSC) protocol, developed with Matt Wright.
Adrian published his first paper in 1975, at a time where computers were out of reach, and he started hacking with digital and analog chips. As technology progressed, he worked on the Fairlight CMI and powerful processors for the time, that would cost less than $10 today. He dedicated his research to the new field of computer music, and went on to build systems ranging from analog designs to e-textiles.
In this talk, we’ll hear from Adrian’s long career, and the exciting new project he is working on, the FingerPhone.

Sound synthesis with Max/MSP BEAP
2020-06-27 11:00 - 15:00 | Online
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Level: Beginners with an understanding of the fundamentals of music technology and Max
Note: the same workshop will happen twice the same day to cover a wider range of time zones. Tickets are not for both workshops
Max and Max For Live offers virtually unlimited sound synthesis possibilities. Every copy of Max and Max For Live includes BEAP, a library of modules that emulate the function and signalling of hardware modular synthesizers, developed as a pedagogical tool for the Electronic Production and Design students at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
BEAP provides a set of higher-level building blocks that can be used to develop a myriad of sound synthesis techniques. Think of it like a modular synthesizer in Max and Max For Live. Within the landscape of sound synthesis many architectures exist, such as Subtractive, Wavetable, FM and Physical Modelling. BEAP provides modules for the majority of these architectures in an easy to implement series of high-level building blocks.
Via a series of simple signal flow style patching activities, participants will develop meta cognitive knowledge of each synthesis architecture, its sonic timbre and the techniques needed to deploy them within the wider landscape of music production.
Topics include:

Architectures
Signal path routing
Oscillators
Filters
Modulation Sources
Scopes
Sequencers

Requirements:

A computer and internet connection
Max 8 (Max 7 is ok but you might not have access to all the features used in this workshop)
A good knowledge of music technology
A basic knowledge of Max/MSP

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.
See Phelan’s Ableton Certified Trainer profile
Note: the same workshop will happen twice the same day to cover a wider range of time zones. Tickets are not for both workshops

Kevin Kripper: Video synthesis with Vsynth & Max
2020-06-29 18:30 - 20:00 | YouTube and Facebook
Vsynth is a high level package of modules for Max/Jitter that together make a modular video synthesizer. Its simplicity makes it the perfect tool to introduce video synthesis and image processing. Since It can be connected to other parts of Max, other softwares and hardwares it can also become a really powerful and adaptable video tool for any kind of job.
In this live-stream, Kevin will give an overview of Vsynth with examples and practical tips to get you started or go deeper into the creation of visuals. Kevin will also host a series of 4 workshops throughout July that you can book here. We highly recommend to watch the live-stream if you’re thinking of going to the workshop!
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Vsynth is among the most popular third-party module of Max, with over 13,000 downloads.
Kevin Kripper (Buenos Aires, 1991) is a visual artist and indie software developer. He’s worked on several projects that link art, technology, education and toolmaking which has exhibited in festivals such as +CODE, Innovar, Wrong Biennale, MUTEK, among others. In 2016 he won first place at the Itaú Visual Arts Award with his work Deconstrucento. In addition, since 2012 he’s been dedicated to create digital tools that extend the creative possibilities of visual artists and musicians from all over the world. During 2017, he participated in the Toolmaker residency at Signal Culture (Owego, NY) and in 2018 received a mention in the Technology applied to Art category from the ArCiTec Award for the development of Vsynth.
https://www.instagram.com/vsynth74/
https://cycling74.com/articles/an-interview-with-kevin-kripper

Max and Node.js: Patching the Web
2020-07-11 16:00 - 18:00 | Online
Difficulty level: intermediate.
Javascript is the glue of the Internet, the universal language that runs in billions of web browsers and networked systems across the world. Max’s Node support connects the Max program into the ecosystem of Node.js, a Javascript engine which can network, talk to hardware, connect to databases, run sophisticated web servers, and much more.
In this workshop we’ll look at connecting Max to web browsers, and explore techniques for routing information and gestures back and forth between Max patchers and dynamic web pages, opening the door to networked or hybrid interfaces taking advantage of both the Max and the web world.
Topics:

Max
Javascript
Web technologies

Requirements:
A good working knowledge of Max is expected. Some familiarity with textual programming languages and web technologies (HTML, CSS) would be useful, but not required.
About the workshop leader:
Dr Nick Rothwell (aka Cassiel) is a composer, performer, software architect, coder and visual artist. He has built media performance systems for projects with Ballett Frankfurt and Vienna Volksoper, composed sound scores for Aydın Teker (Istanbul) and Shobana Jeyasingh Dance, live coded in Mexico and in Berlin with sitar player Shama Rahman, written software for Studio Wayne McGregor and the Pina Bausch Foundation, and developed algorithmic visuals for large-scale outdoor installations in Poland, Estonia, Cambridge Music Festival and Lumiere (London / Durham). He also teaches at Ravensbourne University London and writes for Sound On Sound magazine.

PA Tremblay: sandbox#n: playing the laptop, the bass, the studio
2020-07-13 18:30 - 20:00 | YouTube and Facebook
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In this talk, Pierre Alexandre unfolds how his instrumental practice has inspired creative work with live electronics and music production in the studio. He will demonstrate his work through short performances and examples, in particular with the use of his collection of Max objects built for his live electronics, sandbox.
Pierre Alexandre Tremblay (Montréal, 1975) is a composer and an improviser on bass guitar and sound processing devices, in solo and within various ensembles. He is a member of the London-based collective Loop, and his music is also released on Empreintes DIGITALes and Ora.
Pierre Alexandre is Professor in Composition and Improvisation at the University of Huddersfield (UK), where he anchored the Fluid Corpus Manipulation project. He previously worked in popular music as producer and bassist, and has a keen interest for creative coding.
He formally studied composition with Michel Tétreault, Marcelle Deschênes, and Jonty Harrison, bass guitar with Jean-Guy Larin, Sylvain Bolduc, and Michel Donato, analysis with Michel Longtin and Stéphane Roy, studio technique with Francis Dhomont, Robert Normandeau, and Jean Piché.
When not in the studio, Pierre Alexandre enjoys spending time with his family, drinking oolong tea, gazing at dictionaries, reading prose, and taking long walks.

Jérôme Noël: A journey making music software
2020-07-16 18:30 | YouTube and Facebook
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Jérôme Noël is Head of Software at Ampify, a subsidiary of Focusrite making music applications for desktop and iOS. Prior to working for Focusrite, Jérôme was co-founder and CTO of Ohm Force, the plug-ins company that also released Ohm Studio, likely the most advanced collaborative DAW.
In this live-stream, Jérôme will share his experience building music products over two decades, and in particular his thoughts on Design, UX, Collaboration and Mobile.

Marek Bereza: building hardware synths and iOS apps
2020-07-20 18:30 - 20:00 | YouTube and Facebook
Marek Bereza is one of those passionate people who can take on any challenges, as long as they pique his interest. Marek has been working on his own projects or consulting for most of his career, to the exception of a 2-year spell at Apple, where he designed prototypes with the Human Interface Devices group. He was one of the first guest of the Music Hackspace, back in 2011 (see photos of his talk here).

His main interests revolve around design, music and technology. An accomplish coder, designer and electronic engineer, he has designed guitar pedals, a guitar, and several iOS apps.

In this talk, Marek will take us on a creative journey through a few projects he’s interested in at the moment :

The Koala Sampler (iOS app)
A workflow to making a simple drum machine/rhythm box on a teensy
Live-coding with ccpsketch
Making a MIDI controller with a teensy

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Watch the live-stream on Youtube and Facebook.

Video synthesis with Vsynth for Max, with Kevin Kripper
2020-07-22 18:00 - 2020-07-29 20:00 | Online
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Level: Intermediate
In this series of 4 workshops, we’ll look at how to interconnect the different 80 modules that come with Vsynth, exploring video techniques and practices that can create aesthetics associated with the history of the electronic image but also complex patterns founded in some basic functions of nature.
Here’s what you’ll learn in each workshop:
8th July: video oscillators, mixers, colorizers.
15th July: modulations (pm, fm, pwm, hue, among others).
22nd July: filters/convolutions and video feedback techniques.
29th July: working with presets, scenes, audio and midi.
Book tickets for the series of 4 at a special price or book each individually.
Vsynth is a high level package of modules for Max/Jitter that together make a modular video synthesizer. Its simplicity made it the perfect tool to introduce yourself to video synthesis and image processing. Since It can be connected to other parts of Max, other softwares and hardwares it can also become a really powerful and adaptable video tool for any kind of job.
Requirements

Basic knowledge of Max and Jitter
Have Max 8 installed
Familiarity with audio-synthesis or computer graphics would be useful.

About the workshop leader
Kevin Kripper (Buenos Aires, 1991) is a visual artist and indie software developer. He’s worked on several projects that link art, technology, education and toolmaking which has exhibited in festivals such as +CODE, Innovar, Wrong Biennale, MUTEK, among others. In 2016 he won first place at the Itaú Visual Arts Award with his work Deconstrucento. In addition, since 2012 he’s been dedicated to create digital tools that extend the creative possibilities of visual artists and musicians from all over the world. During 2017, he participated in the Toolmaker residency at Signal Culture (Owego, NY) and in 2018 received a mention in the Technology applied to Art category from the ArCiTec Award for the development of Vsynth.
https://www.instagram.com/vsynth74/
https://cycling74.com/articles/an-interview-with-kevin-kripper

Oli Larkin: iPlug2, C++ framework to build plug-ins
2020-07-23 18:30 - 20:00 | YouTube and Facebook
iPlug is a free, open source audio plug-in framework that allows you to make professional quality, cross platform plug-ins with minimal code.
In this talk Oli will introduce the latest version iPlug2, which is a substantial rewrite that has many new exciting features.
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Oli Larkin is an audio software developer and music technologist with over 15 years of experience developing plug-ins and plug-in frameworks. He has released his own software products including VirtualCZ and Endless Series and has collaborated with companies such as Arturia, Focusrite and Ableton. For many years he worked in academia, supporting audio research and sound art projects with his programming skills. Nowadays Oli is working as a freelancer, as well as focusing on open source projects such as iPlug2.
https://iplug2.github.io | http://www.olilarkin.co.uk

Noisy pompoms! Make an e-textile musical instrument
2020-08-08 16:00 - 19:00 | Online
Difficulty level: Beginner (from age 7+)
Bookings on Eventbrite
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Important note: This workshop includes a kit that will be shipped to your address from the UK, please note that registrations will close 7 days before the workshop to allow enough time for you to receive your kit.
What’s in the kit? The kit comes with a pre-soldered printed circuit board, e-textile material, a speaker, a mixed bundle of brightly coloured yarn and one crocodile clips. Batteries not included.

What you will do in this workshop:
In this online workshop, we will craft with electronic textiles to make a new musical instrument.
The workshop will provide an introduction to working with e-textile materials and DIY craft techniques, to enable us to make a new musical instrument to play and experiment with.
In this hands-on and craft-focused workshop, we will explore ideas in e-textiles, DIY electronics and experimental music making, to learn how e-textiles can be used within an electronic circuit and how we can be creative with crafts to make a fun and playful interface to perform with.
Topics:

Electronic textiles (e-textiles)
Experimental music making
DIY electronics
Textile handcrafts

Requirements:
No prior knowledge or skills are required. This workshop is a great introduction to electronic instrument building and is suitable for any age (younger children should be supervised).
The instrument will be built from a DIY kit, which will be posted to you in advance of the workshop. The kit includes all of the materials you will need to construct the instrument.
The instrument will be made with tools found around the home. You will need:

scissors
recycled cardboard (approximately cereal box sized)
9v battery
tabletop workspace

About the workshop leader:
Sam Topley is a sound artist from Leicester, UK. She works with textiles to create handmade electronic musical instruments and interactive sound art work. Her practice explores ideas in music, technology and textile handcrafts, to make new instruments such as giant noisy pompoms, knitted or ‘yarnbombed’ loudspeakers and DIY electronic musical instruments with e-textile interfaces.
Topley shares her work internationally through workshops, exhibitions, performances and presentations. Recent projects include commissioned work by Dubai Maker Faire, TEDxLeicester, Goldsmiths University of London and the University of Manchester.
Sam is a doctoral researcher at the Music, Technology and Innovation – Institute for Sonic Creativity (MTI2), De Montfort University (Leicester, UK), where she also lectures in experimental music, creative music technology and community arts practice. Her PhD is co-supervised by Nottingham Trent University and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Follow Sam on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

Andrew Leggo: Designing Instruments
2020-09-07 18:30 - 20:00 | YouTube and Facebook
You can learn the basics of building a musical instrument at a Summer camp. Just Google “straw flute” and you’ll build a flute in 5 minutes. But designing an instrument that others want to play, now, this is hard. Most musicians are not looking for a new instrument, and it’s a difficult task to convince them otherwise. After spending 10,000 hours practicing, professional musicians are not necessarily looking to start all over again.
Andrew Leggo started designing instruments shortly after graduating in the early 1980s. He was one of the designers behind the Roland AX-1 Keytar and has also designed studio equipment, mixing consoles, digital pianos and percussion controllers.

In this talk, Andrew shares his lifelong learnings as a creative designer, and the multiple parameters that one has to consider when designing an instrument.
Join Andrew live on 7th September, and ask questions on the chat!
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Video synthesis with Vsynth workshop
2020-09-15 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
Level: Intermediate
In this series of 4 2-hours workshop, Kevin Kripper, the author of Vsynth, explains how to interconnect the different 80 modules that come with Vsynth, exploring video techniques and practices that can create aesthetics associated with the history of the electronic image but also complex patterns founded in some basic functions of nature.
Here’s what you’ll learn in each workshop:
Lesson 1: video oscillators, mixers, colorizers.
Lesson 2: modulations (pm, fm, pwm, hue, among others).
Lesson 3: filters/convolutions and video feedback techniques.
Lesson 4: working with presets, scenes, audio and midi.
Vsynth is a high level package of modules for Max/Jitter that together make a modular video synthesizer. Its simplicity made it the perfect tool to introduce yourself to video synthesis and image processing. Since It can be connected to other parts of Max, other softwares and hardwares it can also become a really powerful and adaptable video tool for any kind of job.

Requirements

Basic knowledge of Max and Jitter
Have Max 8 installed
Familiarity with audio-synthesis or computer graphics would be useful.

About the workshop leader
Kevin Kripper (Buenos Aires, 1991) is a visual artist and indie software developer. He’s worked on several projects that link art, technology, education and toolmaking which has exhibited in festivals such as +CODE, Innovar, Wrong Biennale, MUTEK, among others. In 2016 he won first place at the Itaú Visual Arts Award with his work Deconstrucento. In addition, since 2012 he’s been dedicated to create digital tools that extend the creative possibilities of visual artists and musicians from all over the world. During 2017, he participated in the Toolmaker residency at Signal Culture (Owego, NY) and in 2018 received a mention in the Technology applied to Art category from the ArCiTec Award for the development of Vsynth.
https://www.instagram.com/vsynth74/
https://cycling74.com/articles/an-interview-with-kevin-kripper

Getting started with Max
2020-09-19 16:00 - 18:00 | Online
Level: beginners with notions of programming
In this series of online workshops you will explore the most important programming techniques and concepts when working with Max, empowering you to begin to build your own patches and devices that you can deploy in your own music and multimedia projects. 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. This series of workshops aims to provide beginner’s with suitable skills to begin exploring the Max environment.

This online workshop is interactive and you will have opportunities to work with peers and ask questions to an experienced teacher.
Timetable and outcomes
Session 1, 19th September 2020, 4pm UK / 11am EST / 8am PT

Identify key elements of the Max Interface
Create objects and route patch cables
Configure Object properties via the Inspector
Locate and utilise the Max help system

Session 2, 20th September 2020, 4pm UK / 11am EST / 8am PT

Utilise Max messages
Build lists and work with numerical data
Construct data flow and configure message ordering
Build logic circuits and apply math transformations

Session 3, 26th September 2020, 4pm UK / 11am EST / 8am PT

Configure and apply user interface objects
Build graphical user interfaces via Presentation Mode
Encapsulate patchers and sub patchers
Successfully apply data management techniques

Session 4, 27th September 2020, 4pm UK / 11am EST / 8am PT

Construct MIDI messages in Max
Utilise virtual instruments to play musical ideas
Manipulate data to create musical pieces
Explore further possibilities within Max

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.

Bishi: a journey in music & technology
2020-09-28 18:30 - 20:00 | YouTube and Facebook
Bishi‘s talk explores her journey in music & technology, stemming from her cultural roots, charting the steps between being a musician, composer & performer to founder and technologist. The talk will feature some live Sitar midi-mapping performance.

Singer, electronic rock- sitarist, Composer, producer and performer BISHI was born in London of Bengali heritage. A multi-instrumentalist, BISHI received musical training in both Hindustani and Western Classical styles, including the study of the sitar under Gaurav Mazumdar a senior disciple of Ravi Shankar.
She has written & recorded two albums, produced by Matthew Hardern: Nights at The Circus and Albion Voice. Bishi co-produced her third album, ‘Let My Country Awake,’ with Jeff Cook.
Bishi is the founder of WITCiH: The Women in Technology Creative Industries Hub, a platform elevating Women & Non-Binary in tech, through commissions, performances & podcasts. She fronted a documentary for BBC Radio 4 exploring the future of technology in music.
Bishi’s collaborations & commissions for the stage have included The London Symphony Orchestra, The Kronos Quartet, Yoko Ono’s Meltdown, The Science Gallery, Nick Knight’s Showstudio & session work with Sean Ono Lennon, Luke Vibert, Richard Norris, Daphne Guinness & Tony Visconti. Bishi was recently a Tanpura soloist for the City of London Sinfonia, performing Jonny Greenwood’s ‘Water.’
Bishi was lead commissioned artist for Delia Derbyshire Day, who commissioned her to compose a piece of music, celebrating 50 years of White Noise ‘An Electric Storm.’ This resulted in ‘The Telescope Eye,’ an EP she co-produced with Richard Norris. Bishi fronted a documentary for Radio 4 centred around the groundbreaking tech company, ROLI. Her most recent EP ‘Of Rituals & Rites, with composer, Neil Kaczor is out on March 20th 2020, for Spring Equinox.

Build an interactive textile instrument
2020-09-30 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
This practice-led course will show you how to make an electronic textile interface for music performance. We will learn a DIY technique to craft with e-textile materials and then explore how to make music with the handcrafted interface in a number of ways. Each session will follow on from the last, developing your knowledge through a series of hands-on projects, delivered in four online workshops.
Level: beginner with notions of DIY electronics and programming

Some familiarity or experience of working with Arduino and/or Max/MSP (or similar platforms) is desirable
A tabletop space to work at
Computer, with USB port
Arduino IDE (Free – download here: https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software)
Max 8 (Free 30 day trial available – you will be instructed to download this for the final session)

Availability
This workshop is available internationally. Please order your DIY kit before the dispatch date for your location. Kits will be posted using a Royal Mail tracked service.
UK dispatch date: Friday 25th September
Worldwide dispatch date: Friday 18th September
All sessions are led by a live workshop leader, and are recorded. If you miss one, you can watch it later.

We will work with the Lilypad Arduino, a microcontroller board designed for use with e-textiles and wearables projects, and Max/MSP, an object-orientated programming language for music making. The workshop series will cover the fundamentals of working with e-textiles and these technologies, giving a basis for participants to continue to develop their creative ideas when working with sound and interactive textiles.

Wed 30th Sept, 6pm UK – Workshop 1: Crafting an e-textile interface
In this workshop, we will explore an approach to working with electronic textiles and handcraft. This workshop will introduce needle felting as a DIY method of working with e-textiles. We will make an interactive and touch sensitive textile interface, to then be used in a number of ways, throughout the four sessions of this course. Through crafting the brightly coloured interface, we will explore a creative approach to interface design and learn how traditional crafts can be combined with e-textile materials to result in novel interfaces for music performance.
Sat 3rd Oct, 6pm UK – Workshop 2: Bringing your craft work to life: capacitive sensing and visualising sensor data with the Lilypad Arduino
In this session, we will transform the needle felted piece from Workshop 1 into an interactive and touch sensitive interface. We will introduce the Lilypad Arduino and explore capacitive sensing as a method of bringing your textile work to life. You will learn several approaches to visualising interaction data on screen, as well as the fundamentals of working with Arduino IDE.
Fri 23rd Oct, 6pm UK – Workshop 3: Composing through code: making an e-textile step sequencer with the Lilypad Arduino
This week, we will develop our coding skills and learn an approach to using your e-textile interface with the Lilypad Arduino, as a standalone music making device. We will write, edit and compose through code, to create a playful step sequencer that makes music as you touch the textile interface.
Sat 7th Nov, 6pm UK – Workshop 4: Interactive textiles and Max/MSP
Workshop 4 will introduce a method of using your handcrafted interface with Max/MSP. From this workshop, you will know how to program your Lilypad Arduino, to allow your e-textile interface to control parameters in a Max patch. We will make a software-based sampler, where pre-recorded sound files are triggered by touching the interactive textile interface. Some familiarity and a basic working knowledge of Max/MSP is desirable, but not essential. Participants with experience in Max are welcome to bring their own patches to experiment with.
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A DIY kit, with all of the craft tools and materials you will need, is included in the workshop price and will be posted to your home in advance of the course.
There are two kits available, please select the kit that you will require:
Kit 1 is a full kit and includes a Lilypad Arduino and all of the craft tools and materials you will need for the course.
Kit 2 includes all of the craft tools and materials you will need to make the e-textile interface, but does not include the Lilypad Arduino and USB cable.
(Kit 2 is best suited if you already have a Lilypad Arduino or would prefer to use an alternative board. Please note that this course focuses on working with the Lilypad and so support for alternative boards will be limited and only recommended for more experienced participants.)
Kit 1 contents:

Lilypad Arduino
USB cable
10 x crocodile clips
Speaker
Wool
Steel wool
3 x Needle felting tools
Embroidery hoop
Fabric
Copper tape

Kit 2 contents:

10 x crocodile clips
Speaker
Wool
Steel wool
3 x Needle felting tools
Embroidery hoop
Fabric
Copper tape

Noisy pompoms – make an e-textile instruments
2020-10-03 10:00 - 12:00 | Online
Important note: This workshop includes a kit that will be shipped to your address from the UK, please note that registrations will close 7 days before the workshop to allow enough time for you to receive your kit.
What’s in the kit? The kit comes with a pre-soldered printed circuit board, e-textile material, a speaker, a mixed bundle of brightly coloured yarn and one crocodile clips. Batteries not included.

What you will do in this workshop:
In this online workshop, we will craft with electronic textiles to make a new musical instrument.
The workshop will provide an introduction to working with e-textile materials and DIY craft techniques, to enable us to make a new musical instrument to play and experiment with.
In this hands-on and craft-focused workshop, we will explore ideas in e-textiles, DIY electronics and experimental music making, to learn how e-textiles can be used within an electronic circuit and how we can be creative with crafts to make a fun and playful interface to perform with.
Topics:

Electronic textiles (e-textiles)
Experimental music making
DIY electronics
Textile handcrafts

Requirements:
No prior knowledge or skills are required. This workshop is a great introduction to electronic instrument building and is suitable for any age (younger children should be supervised).
The instrument will be built from a DIY kit, which will be posted to you in advance of the workshop. The kit includes all of the materials you will need to construct the instrument.
The instrument will be made with tools found around the home. You will need:

scissors
recycled cardboard (approximately cereal box sized)
9v battery
tabletop workspace

About the workshop leader:
Sam Topley is a sound artist from Leicester, UK. She works with textiles to create handmade electronic musical instruments and interactive sound art work. Her practice explores ideas in music, technology and textile handcrafts, to make new instruments such as giant noisy pompoms, knitted or ‘yarnbombed’ loudspeakers and DIY electronic musical instruments with e-textile interfaces.
Topley shares her work internationally through workshops, exhibitions, performances and presentations. Recent projects include commissioned work by Dubai Maker Faire, TEDxLeicester, Goldsmiths University of London and the University of Manchester.
Sam is a doctoral researcher at the Music, Technology and Innovation – Institute for Sonic Creativity (MTI2), De Montfort University (Leicester, UK), where she also lectures in experimental music, creative music technology and community arts practice. Her PhD is co-supervised by Nottingham Trent University and funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Follow Sam on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

Arcologies: a workshop for Monome norns & grid / On-demand
2020-10-10 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
For Monome norns and grid, arcologies is a 21st century instrument for musical composition and discovery. Built by Tyler as a “2020 pandemic sanity project” and released in September it has already attracted passionate following.
Through a series of “breakout-room” team challenges you will learn how to build and sculpt evolving sound compositions with Arcologies.
We’ll cover signal flow, melodies, chords, and evolving systems with modulation, euclidean rhythms, and Turing machines.

Topics

Electronic music composition techniques.
Generative music.
monome norns
monome grid

Requirements

Monome norns
Monome grid
Arcologies installed
Curiosity!

About the workshop leader
Tyler Etters is a polymath-artist currently residing in Los Angeles. His uniquely 21st century practice encompasses a range of mediums including music, film, analog photography, and software design. He is Vice President at Highland and received his BFA in Graphic Design from Columbia College Chicago.
Links
https://tyleretters.github.io/arcologies-docs/
https://nor.the-rn.info

Artist workshop with Ned Rush: Live Sample Mangling in Max 8 – On demand
2020-10-11 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
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.

Programming live video with Federico Foderaro (live-stream)
2020-10-12 18:30 - 20:00
Federico Foderaro is an audiovisual composer, teacher and designer for interactive multimedia installations, author of the YouTube channel Amazing Max Stuff.
In this live-stream, Federico presents some of his live visual projects using particles systems. Join the live-stream to learn how to create stunning animated videos running at high performance. This free live-stream is followed by a series of 4 workshops starting 20th October led by Federico to learn in depth video programming.

His main interest is the creation of audiovisual works and fragments, where the technical research is deeply linked with the artistic output.
The main tool used in his production is the software Max/MSP from Cycling74, which allows for real-time programming and execution of both audio and video, and represents a perfect mix between problem-solving and artistic expression.
Beside his artistic work, Federico teaches the software Max/MSP, both online and in workshops in different venues. The creation of commercial audio-visual interactive installations is also a big part of his work life, having led in the years to satisfactory collaborations and professional achievements.

Learn to program amazing interactive particles systems with Jitter
2020-10-20 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
In this workshop, you will learn to build incredible live videos with particles systems, using Max and Jitter.
Cycling’74 has recently released GL3, which ties together more closely Jitter with Open GL, and optimises use of the GPU. With this recent update available in the package manager, you can build highly performance videos without having to code them in C++.

Requirements

Latest version of Max 8 installed on Mac or Windows
A good working knowledge of Max is expected
Understanding of how the GEN environment works in Jitter
Some familiarity with textual programming languages
A knowledge of basic calculus is a bonus
The GL3 package installed
To install this package open the “Package Manager” from within Max, look for the GL3 package and click “install”.

What you will learn
Session 1, 20th October, 6pm UK / 10am PDT / 1pm EST:
– Introduction to GL3 features
– Quick overview of most of the examples in the GL3 package
– Build a simple particle system from scratch
– Explorations with gravity/wind
– Exploration with target attraction
Session 2, 27th October, 6pm UK / 10am PDT / 1pm EST:
– Improve particle system with rendering billboard shader
– Creation of a “snow” or “falling leaves” like effect
– Starting to introduce interactivity in the system
– Using the camera input
– Connecting sound to your patches
Session 3, 3rd November, 6pm UK / 10am PDT / 1pm EST:
– Improve the system interactivity
– Particles emitting from object/person outline taken from camera
– Create a particle system using 3D models and the instancing technique
– Transforming an image or a video stream into particles
Session 4, 10th November, 6pm UK / 10am PDT / 1pm EST:
– Introduction to flocking behaviours and how to achieve them in GL3
– Create a 3D generative landscape and modify it using the techniques from previous sessions
– Apply post-processing effects

About the workshop leader:
Federico Foderaro is an audiovisual composer, teacher and designer for interactive multimedia installations, author of the YouTube channel Amazing Max Stuff.
Graduated in Electroacoustic Musical Composition at the Licinio Refice Conservatory in Frosinone cum laude, he has lived and worked in Berlin since 2016.
His main interest is the creation of audiovisual works and fragments, where the technical research is deeply linked with the artistic output.
The main tool used in his production is the software Max/MSP from Cycling74, which allows for real-time programming and execution of both audio and video, and represents a perfect mix between problem-solving and artistic expression.
Beside his artistic work, Federico teaches the software Max/MSP, both online and in workshops in different venues. The creation of commercial audio-visual interactive installations is also a big part of his work life, having led in the years to satisfactory collaborations and professional achievements.

Mash Machine live-stream with the founders
2020-10-26 18:30 - 20:00 | Online
Discover a new instrument in this live-stream and learn their design story.
Based in Tallinn, Estonia, the Mash Machine team has put together a kit version of the Reactable. While it looks similar to the Barcelona instrument, the software and sound engine is different. Mash Machine is designed as a social instrument, playing and meshing loops as physical objects are drawn onto the board.

Meet the founders in this live-stream and learn more about the technology and design process.
Participate and build your own Mash Machine loops!
Create loops and send them to Mash Machine at hello@mashmachines.com, they will be used during the presentation! Detailed instructions on producing content for Mash Machine – here
https://www.facebook.com/TheMashMachine
https://www.youtube.com/user/MashMachines

Interface design in Max with JS/JSUI
2020-10-31 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
In this workshop we’ll look at scripting techniques for changing the appearance and behaviour of Max patchers, and the use of Javascript graphics to build new types of on-screen displays and controls.

Max contains an embedded Javascript engine which can be used to control aspects of Max from a textual language, providing more power and versatility than the default click-and-drag graphical interface which Max programmers are used to. The Javascript engine also has an embedded graphics system, allowing totally new and innovative interface elements to be created and embedded into the familiar Max world.

Topics:– Max– Javascript– Patchers and scripting– Graphics libraries
Requirements:
– Difficulty level: intermediate
– A good working knowledge of Max is expected
– Some familiarity with textual programming languages and graphics programming would be useful, but not required.About the workshop leader:Nick Rothwell is a composer, performer, software architect, coder and visual artist. He has built media performance systems for projects with Ballett Frankfurt and Vienna Volksoper, composed sound scores for Aydın Teker (Istanbul) and Shobana Jeyasingh Dance, live coded in Mexico and in Berlin with sitar player Shama Rahman, written software for Studio Wayne McGregor and the Pina Bausch Foundation, and developed algorithmic visuals for large-scale outdoor installations in Poland, Estonia, Cambridge Music Festival and Lumiere (London / Durham). He also teaches at Ravensbourne University London and writes for Sound On Sound magazine.

Algorithmic Composition in Max: Bringing Order to Chaos
2020-11-01 16:00 - 18:00 | Online
Learn to construct music-generating algorithms in Max, to compose semi-autonomously or supplement your compositional practice.
Level: Intermediate
Composing with randomness
For centuries, musicians have incorporated chance-based elements into their compositions, first through coin flips and dice rolls and more recently through computer software. Today, building music-oriented algorithmic systems is easier than ever with Max.
What you will learn
In this workshop you will learn a variety of algorithmic processes and useful tools to construct your own systems: including drunken walks, list manipulation and step-sequencer pattern generation. Primarily focusing on MIDI-controlled instruments, you will gain an understanding of how chance can be factored into numerous aspects of composition, from melody and harmony to overall piece structure and instrumentation.
By the end of the workshop you will have built a system for algorithmically generating a short multi-instrumental composition which you will be able to go on to improve and expand upon to fit your own preferences.
Requirements

You should be comfortable with the general workflow and data formatting in Max.
Knowledge of MIDI format and routing to DAWs (Ableton, Logic etc) would be a plus, although Max instruments will be provided.
You should have some basic knowledge of music theory: chords, scales, modes etc.

About the workshop leader
Samuel Pearce-Davies is a composer, performer, music programmer and Max hacker living in Cornwall, UK.
With a classical music background, it was his introduction to Max during undergraduate studies at Falmouth University that sparked Sam’s passion for music programming and algorithmic composition.
Going on to complete a Research Masters in computer music, Sam is now studying a PhD at Plymouth University in music-focused AI.

Website
YouTube channel

DIY Electronics – Introduction to digital instrument design
2020-11-04 18:30 - 20:00 | Online
During these workshops you will prototype your own instrument (hardware and software) using an Arduino microcontroller, sensors, and Max or Pure Data.
Registration includes access to all sessions.

You will be introduced to the basics of working with an Arduino microcontroller and interfacing it with a computer software in order to generate, control and manipulate sound. We will use open source hardware and software (Arduino / Max or Pure Data) to prototype an instrument using buttons, switches, potentiometers and sensors. We will start by looking at the basics such as setting up Arduino and running sketches, analog vs digital pins, Arduino programming environment, basic electronic, etc. From there we will get a bit more advanced by looking at the serial communication, connecting sensors to Arduino, reading and values from sensors, and controlling sound parameters with them.

Requirements
Beginner with notions of programming. All participants are required to have a computer with pre-installed Arduino IDE and Max or PureData.
Downloads:

arduino: https://www.arduino.cc/
Pure Data: http://puredata.info/downloads
Max: https://www.cycling74.com
Useful but not essential: wire cutters & strippers, multimeters, soldering irons

Components (not included, please order):

Arduino board + USB cable. If your laptop doesn’t have a USB port please make sure you have an adapter! USB cable not included!
Breadboard
Jumper wires
Resistors (1k)
Resistors (10k)
Light dependent resistor a.k.a. LDR a.k.a. light sensor:
10k potentiometer
Mini buttons

Workshop sessions

Session 1: introduction to Arduino: Hello World!
Basic electronic conventions
Arduino = software + hardware
Digital and analog pins

Arduino sketch structure

Running first sketch

Session 2: Hardware: Getting data from sensors
Prototyping on breadboard
Connecting sensor, potentiometer and button
Viewing data in Arduino IDE: Intro to serial monitor

Session 3: Max/ Pure Data & Serial communication
Intro to Max / Pure Data – building a simple synth
Sending serial message: Arduino side
Receiving serial message: Max / Pure Data side

Session 4: Putting it all together
Adding control to our synth patch in Max / Pure Data
Experimenting and playing
More advanced Max / Pure Data patches.
Wrapping up: What’s next?

About the workshop leader

Kacper Ziemianin a.k.a. ‘Ctrl Freq’ has background in classical music and a lot of adventures in modern sound and music. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sonic Arts from Middlsex University, London and Master’s degree in Sonology at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Instrument maker, sound designer, circuit bender, vagabond, improviser, producer, audio-hacker, nomad, radio presenter, activist, workshop leader, squatter. His audio installations and sounds have been shown/played in numerous places around, as well as outside Europe.
Currently based in the Hague, NL working as a freelance instrument designer and performer as well as teacher of DIY electronics. His latest endeavor, the ‘LightSeq’ has received funding from Stimuleringsfonds NL and won an award at an international electronic music festival ‘Radical dB’ in Zaragoza, Spain.
Follow Kacper on YouTube

Building audio effects with Max
2020-11-05 18:00 - 20:00 | Online
Level Intermediate. Knowledge of Max or Pure Data is required, and some rudiments of digital audio.
Max offers a vast playground of programming opportunities to create your own audio FX devices. In this series of workshops you will build delay line, filter, chorus and flanger audio FX devices, empowering you to utilise them in your own patches. This workshop aims to provide you with suitable skills to begin to explore building 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 key MSP objects for audio FX devices

Build delay line audio FX devices with feedback networks

Build filter networks for use in audio FX devices

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

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.
