Tag: synths

Max patching – working on my library the expert sleepers edition

Max MSP is getting some more attention lately as I am working more with my Eurorack and have some expert sleepers modules which would be ideal combining with Max.

The expert sleepers setup consists of the ES-9, an audio interface with 16 inputs and outputs, for audio & CV signals. As it is a DC coupled interface, I also have the ES-5 which add a few DC coupled outputs and the ESX-8CV expander adding CV outputs.

Lot’s of in’s and out to play with. So the first new patch I have been building is a simple communications block for this configuration. So I can make the best use of all these in and outputs. Then the possibilities are infinite, designing sequencers, audio manglers, loopers and so on. 

All the while learning Max MSP

I have been working on this patch by asking Claude how to do it and adjusting things along the way. I am finetuning it at the moment. If it’s finished I will share it to my repository. If I produce any music with my future Max patches. I will share it as well. Might be a nice combination publishing the patch & the music. Something to think about. 

The patch consists of a few independent parts, first a few parts delivered by Expert Sleepers for the 2 expanders, you can find them here Expert Sleepers Max externals. 

The rest is build around these eternals, and the logic around the in and outputs, It has been fun using AI as a teacher and help me analyze each step in the building process. It’s a lot faster, only worry I have, will I internalize it just as well as with a more traditional way of learning, i.e. read a lot of manuals, tech docs and trial and error. Time will tell, and with pretty “boring” and basic things like interfacing which is arguably less fun it’s nice to make some fast progress. 

Future ideas

The main idea is integration of my Eurorack, sending CV information to the Eurorack and getting audio in and make loops, edits and sequencing. Which will vary per patch idea. Next up is finishing a looper. For now this is a start. 

Working on various things, without a plan, is hard.

Trying to get into a rhythm again isn’t that easy, while I am pretty good at sticking to things I am in an irregular state at the moment. Most of the time I work on projects with a goal in mind. Without trying to get to the goals in the most efficient way.

Meant to leave room for happy accidents, new ideas and changes in goals altogether. It still holds a lot of benefits, having goals. It keeps momentum going.

Having no goals, which I don’t really have at the moment, keeps me from gaining momentum. Which for me at least is a basic need for consistency. Even a vague goal is good enough. But at the moment the goals are not there. 

Working on various things, mostly technical. 

Now when this happens, it’s hard to rely on just showing up consistently as a clear driver is absent. Luckily there is always something to do. Stuff, things, which as a byproduct, result in ideas. 

Unfortunately I tend to lean towards reading manuals, figuring out how things work or trying to sort out technical issues. Which is my comfort zone when having no goals or guidance. 

Reading about how inspiration strikes it tends to happen while working on your skills and improving the flow of your process. Which is true, but I have a knack for leaning towards learning more and not playing around and just going with the flow. 

So I end up with a lot of notes of how things work and theoretical knowledge and not with some recordings for the archive which later can (and will be used) for finished tracks. 

That is a problem. 

Play mode

I have not yet figured out how to get into play mode. Which for me, should be grasping a device, or a few and just start jamming and recording, all the while forgetting time and space. I just don’t get into play mode that often. For some reason. 

I just need to find a way to just play around more. It happens, but mostly when I don’t have any instruments around, resulting in things ending up in notebooks for later recording, which may or may not happen. In an ideal world I would have just recorded everything.  

Keep playing!