Recap: Max/MSP/Jitter/Live Salon – July 22nd, 02009

July 22nd’s Overlap.org Max/MSP/Live/Jitter Salon was a roaring success.  Thanks to everyone who supports and participates in our active community.  We’re all Overlap, and it couldn’t happen without each and every one of us.

The Gray Area Foundation for the Arts proved to be a wonderful place for a meeting of this size.  We had 60+ attendees in their new space: sleek, modern and perfectly suited for a group of people focused on the cutting edge of technology and creation. Gray Area’s mission is “to support and facilitate the creation of challenging and contemporary artwork focusing on new work and new ideas,” which fits hand-in-hand with our own community.

Matt Ridenour (aka VJ Mattbot) started us off with a presentation on his new Max external: [mattbot.euclid].  Matt’s object spits out strings of on/off states for generating rhythmic sequences.  State spacing across a measure is determined by the Euclidean algorithm.  Matt demonstrated on-the-fly, algorithmic creation of oontz using only the [mattbot.euclid] package driving single hits in Ableton Live.  Feet were tapping, brains were rocking and we had a spontaneous moment of Max-enabled dance improv as the audience all wobbled together in their seats.
http://projects.mattbot.net/

Peter Nyboer of Livid Instruments showed off the excellent new Ohm64 controller after giving us a virtual tour of the Livid Instruments compound.  I could easily live in that space!  Peter walked us through various aspects of the software he created for the Ohm64, all in Max/MSP/Jitter, and freely downloadable.  His OhmSound FM synthesis patch created some seriously smooth and musical sonics, built to take full advantage of the deep, real-time control possibilities of the Ohm64’s multitude of buttons, knobs and sliders.
http://lividindustry.com/?p=173
http://www.lividindustry.com/culture/?tag=ohm64sw

Michael Zbyszynski strolled us through the Wonderland known as the CNMAT Max/MSP/Jitter Depot.  This sprawling collection of Max patches is a perfect and growing example of the rabbit-hole we’ve all gone down: additive and resononant synthesis with SDIF, Open Sound Control, computer assisted composition and the all-important morphing.  An extensive question and answer session generated even more sound for thought and wrapped the Salon in the best way possible with everyone ready for more.
http://cnmat.berkeley.edu
http://cnmat.berkeley.edu/library/max_msp_jitter_depot

Surprising development of the evening: the lemon-chocolate drizzle cookies were finished off well before the decadent double chocolate chips, and the almond milk beat out the vanilla soy *and* the whole milk for most in demand.

Check out the Overlap Flickr set from the Salon, you’re probably in it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/overlap_org/sets/72157621680928399/

Thanks and big sonic booms to Noah Thorp and BArCMuT (Bay Area Computer Music Technology Meetup group) for joining forces with us on this Salon, to GAFFTA (Gray Area Foundation for the Arts) for providing the incredible space, to Matt Ridenour, Peter Nyboer, Michael Zbyszynski for their terrific presentations and again to everyone attending and involved.

Bay Area Computer Music Technology Meetup group
http://electronicmusic.meetup.com/152/

Gray Area Foundation for the Arts
http://www.gaffta.org/

See you at August’s Overlap.org Max/MSP/Jitter/Live Salon.
Details soon.