Pure Data Workshops
Pure Data
Introduction
Pure Data (or PD) is a free and Open Source real-time graphical programming environment for audio, video, and graphical processing and the third major branch of the family of patcher programming languages known as Max (Max/FTS, ISPW Max, Max/MSP, jMax, etc.) Originally development was by Miller Puckette and company at IRCAM. The core of Pd is written and maintained by Miller Puckette and includes the work of many developers, making the whole package very much a community effort.
Both Pd and Max are examples of dataflow programming languages. In such languages, functions or “objects” are linked or “patched” together in a graphical environment which models the flow of the control and audio.
Like Max, Pd has a modular code base of externals or objects which are used as building blocks for programs written in the software. This makes the program arbitrarily extensible through a public API, and encourages developers to add their own control and audio routines, either in the C programming language or, with the help of other externals, in Python, Ruby, Scheme and many other languages as well. However, Pd is a programming language in its own right. Modular, reusable units of code written natively in PD, called “patches” or “abstractions”, are used as standalone programs and freely shared among the PD user community, and no other programming skill is required to use Pd effectively.
Applications
The extensibility of PD has lead to the software being utilised for a wide range of multimedia applications and with the addition of the Graphics Environment for Multimedia (GEM) external, it is possible to create and manipulate video and 3D images in real-time with seemingly endless possibilities for interactivity with audio processing.
The possibility to control patches via MIDI and the native ability allowing live collaboration across networks or the internet, allows musicians connected via LAN locally or in disparate parts of the globe to create music together in real time.
OpenLab
OpenLab provides a meeting place for London based artists who use and develop open source software as their creative tool. As a result, the project attempts to organize performances, events and meetings in London for the participants to share and exchange ideas. Furthermore, the aims to promote and demonstrate the use of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) through performances, events and workshops.
Rob and Andy from OpenLab will be running these workshops.
Pure Data Workshops
The workshops will take place on Saturday 16/09/06 upstairs at the Candid Arts Gallery and run for one hour. The schedule is as follows :
1) Introduction to PD : 14:00
This session aims to introduce the world of Pure Data, familiarise candidates with the software environment and teach some simple techniques to enable further exploration of the software outside of the workshop.
2) Creative production with PD / PD extended : 16:00
The second session is more open in format and will largely be driven by the competency of the group / amount of interest in the sessions. Possible areas of tuition include further exploration into the possibilities of PD including an introduction to graphical processing via the GEM extension.
Prerequisites / Equipment
- Laptop.
- Headphones.
- Candidates will be provided with a Pure Dyne CD to enable all participants to boot into a common environment and have access to a common install of PD and related tools. This enables tutoring to take place outside of the usual operating system installed upon the candidates machine.
- Some background in music production. The sessions will assume candidates are familiar with the basic techniques / practices involved in electronic music production (sampling, synthesis, audio processing / mixing etc..).
- A background in computer programming is not required.
Interested ?
These sessions are provided free of charge on a first come first served basis. Contact us detailing a preference of which session your interested in (1,2 or both) and a little background about yourself and your interests relevant to the course.
Places are limited to 12 people per session so please get in early but be sure to notify us ASAP if you change your mind.
References / Resources :
download pdf-info brief
The Pure Data workshop is sponsored by
