Composing interactive music

The author's examples use a graphical programming language called Max. Each example in the text is accompanied by a picture of how it appears on the computer screen. The same examples are included as software on the accompanying CD-ROM, playable on a Macintosh computer with a MIDI keyboard.

Although the book is aimed at those interested in writing music and software using Max, the casual reader can learn the basic concepts of interactive composition by just reading the text, without running any software. The book concludes with a discussion of recent multimedia work incorporating projected images and video playback with sound for concert performances and art installations.

Table of contents :

Preface                                            9
 I  Introduction, History, and Theory               1 
 1  Introduction and Background                   3 
 Components of an Interactive System
 Enhancing the Roles of Performer and
 Composer
 Audience Reception and Participation
 A Brief History of Interactive Composition
 2  Interaction: Defining Relationships           21
 Between Computers and Performers
 Performance Models
 Musical Form and Structure
 Instrument Design and Limitations
 II  Programming Foundation                         39
 3  Graphic Programming with Max                  41
 Brief Overview of Programming Languages
 Introduction to Max
 How Max Handles MIDI
 Chapter Summary
 4  Program Structure and Design                  71
 Approaches to Programming
 Handling Data in Max
 Data Storage Objects: Storing and Recalling
 Information
 Other Max Data Storage Objects
 Messages: Data Types and Display
 Data Flow: Moving Information Through the
 System
 C Programming Objects
 Efficiency and Memory Management
 Debugging
 5  Interface Design                              109
 Basic Principles of Interface Design
 Building Interfaces in Max
 Max's Interface Objects
 User Feedback
 Computer Input Devices
 Interface and Encapsulation: A Programming
 Example
 III  Core Components                               133
 6  The Computer as Listener: Analyzing and       135
 Storing Performance Data
 Listening to Music
 Analysis: What Can Be Understood?
 Time
 Improving Listener Data
 Space
 Identifying Musical Features and Tracking
 Changes Over Time
 Efficient Use of Listener Objects
 7 Composer Objects                               173
 Creative Response to Listener Data
 Composer Object Design
 Types of Composition Algorithms
 Transforming Musical Material
 Constrained Pitch Output: Comparative
 Programming Examples
 MelodicContour: A Progressive Study in
 Generative Methods
 ParamColl: Parameter Analysis and Playback
 Sequencer Methods
 Humanizing Algorithms: The Computer as
 Performer
 IV Advanced Techniques and Concepts                219
 8  Sound Design                                  221
 MIDI Limitations for Listener Objects
 Participation By Musicians Playing
 Nondigital Instruments
 Composer Objects for Timbre Selection,
 Creation, and Manipulation
 Synthesis Design and Control Parameters
 System-Exclusive Messages
 Automated Mixing and Multitrack Parameter
 Control
 Interactive Signal Processing
 Basic Categories of Signal Processing
 Compositional Approaches Using Interactive
 Signal Processing
 Scaling Problems and Solutions
 The Future of Max: Audio Input, Signal
 Processing, and Sound Synthesis
 9  Score Objects: Compositional Strategies,      259
 Structures, and Timing Mechanisms
 Compositional Strategies
 Score Objects
 Performance Synchronization Techniques
 Score Structure Examples: Models of Score
 Objects
 Score-Following Overview
 10  Interactive Multimedia and New Controllers   295
 Interactive Music in Screen-Based Works
 Interactive Music in Multimedia Performance
 Works
 Displaying Graphics in Max
 New Controllers and Multimedia Performance
 Systems
 Making Music Through Movement
 Appendix:  Master List of Examples                 324
 References                                         335
 Index                                              343