soundscape machine

[mi_dach]

Hey,
I want to try building a patch for producing evolving soundscapes. Something with sounds fading in and out every so often. I've done a couple of the max/msp tutorials, but I feel a little lost when it comes to building this idea. I'm wondering if anyone can give me a couple of tips on how to go about structuring something like this, what features might be useful, or point me towards a useful resource. Thanks a lot

[Alexander]

Start breaking down your idea on paper.

- What is it I want to hear as an end result?
- What sound sources will I need?
- What parameters are variables?
- Which are controlled by max, which manually and how?

Then just start patching somewhere, the sound sources, control interface, whatever.. then see where you get stuck and post the patch, I am spending most of my time with max now and helping out would be great for me too!

The questions you have now are understandable, but you are still in a very aesthetical phase of your patch, you should first make a start yourself and along the way you'll run into technical problems, solutions and new approaches.

I am currently constructing a three track sequencer with weird behaviors such as drifting the timing, reverse playback, reverse sequencing, speed control for sample playback, etcetera.. This is the fourth version I am working on and along the way I learned so much by checking back the tutorials and help files, reading the mailing list archives and also this forum.. the good thing about working on one big patch for a while is that you speed up along the learning curve.

Please post some pics/patches as you get further!

ps. for example patches, start with scanning the internet for sequencers and generator patches, then try and combine some of the ideas you run into!

enjoy.

[Alexander]

Check some of the Karlheinz Essl patches:

http://www.essl.at/software.html

..he made a so-called ambient soundscape generators and some other inspirational patches!

[cebec]

these are good, too... most of them are generic enough to be useful for ideas and/or starting points.

http://kalerne.free.fr//maxmsp/index.html

[mi_dach]

[Alexander]

Thanks for the kind words!

Most of the songs I make now have max in there somehow, been using it a lot the past few months. I am, besides having a very creative summer, very much limiting myself within my setup, continuously using the same routines and combinations of gear/software. What I am doing a lot is making combinations of max and my micromodular and design a custom patch for every new song/part/sound/attempt..

...learning a lot along the way. I consider myself still a beginner, I had a year of class and within that year I did only a few patches, now the more I patch the more ideas I get, I like it a lot. I am also focussing on a certain aspect of max/msp and trying to achieve my goals there before moving on to other stuff, proberly because my brains are small and there's just too much you can do.

Keep us posted on the generator!

[franzrosati]

this is my "soundscape machine" called Granulab

hope you like it!

http://www.franzrosati.com/granulab.html

[ian-s]

Can't seem to hear anything, page just locks up. will try later in case it is just very busy.