Cappella Machine: Generating Sounds with MAX MSP Programming
I developed an original MAX application that generates Cappella music by choosing random sound files from three different sources in random order.
Developing an Original MAX Application: As a first step, I needed to put together a prototype that goes into detail about what I am interested in pursuing.
Objective: To explore the potential of the sound generation application for music composition, specifically generating music through random selection of sound files.
Improving Usability and Clarity
The initial prototype had some confusion in presenting all the features. It could only load a single file, and all of the other generators were off. The next steps would be improving the usability and clarity of the patch.
Prototype Feedback
The suggestion was to differentiate between the 'Setup' parts of the patch and the 'Work' parts of the patch.
Secondary Patch
To implement the feedback, a secondary patch was created to attain the same goal of generating Cappella music. The new patch has a more intuitive interface and differentiates between the 'Setup' and 'Work' parts of the patch.
To improve the efficiency of the prototype and avoid issues with other generators being off, we replaced the three separate 'splay~' objects with a 'poly~' object. We also created a sub-patch for the 'poly~' object to load files from within one single source.
Final Process:
Step 1: Replace 'splay~' with 'poly~'
To avoid confusion and improve the usability of the patch, replace the three separate 'splay~' objects with a single 'poly~' object. This will ensure that all generators are functioning properly.
Used a sub-patch to have one sound source instead of three different ones.
Step 2: Use a Sub-Patch for One Sound Source
Create a sub-patch for the 'poly~' object to load files from within a single source. This will simplify the interface and improve the overall user experience.
Step 3: Add time controller
To ensure the audio plays on an infinite loop, I added a separate time controller using a clocker and random object to generate the music every 5 seconds.
Combining all of that you get the final patch which in presentation mode looks like this.
