MicroOrchestra

Electroacoustic Laptop Performance using Pure Data

An intro to interactive audio using the graphical open source computer music platform, Pure Data. We'll cover some digital audio & musicianship basics and make some beeps, bonks, and various noises along the way. Bring a laptop, a mic, headphones, and things which make interesting sounds.

Length: 2-3 hours w/ concert (if time is available)

What You Need

1. Install Pure Data "vanilla" 0.47+
   • Download from puredata.info
   • Also available as a Linux distro package, ie. "puredata" on Debian
   • or build from source(?!)
2. Grab the patches for the workshop: MicroOrchestra.zip & IntroToPureData.zip

External Libraries

There are many additional objects that can be added to Pure Data, either from compiled source code or resuable patch abstractions. You can also download & install some externals using Help -> Find externals.

Here are a couple of useful patch-only libraries (which may not be found in the externals search):

• rjlib
• rc-patches

Pd needs to know where these libraries are located when it tries to create objects. You can place them in a location relative to your patches and add the path using the [declare] object or you can put them in a global location such as HOMEDIR/Pd/externals. See Preferences -> Path... to add global search paths.

Keep in mind, if you share patches which use external libraries, either include the patch abstractions and/or include information about which externals need to be installed.

Useful Links

• "Read the Manual" first: Help -> Pd Manual or Pd Help
• Books About Pd
• Pure Data FAQ
• Johannes Kreidler's Programming Electronic Music in Pd
• Ed Kelly's PD Workshop Wiki

A Few Projects Using Pd

• Voices & Piano - Peter Ablinger & IEM
• Égrégore - Cyrille Henry & Nicolas Montgermont
• Slice//Jockey - Katja Vetter
• Music for Flesh II - Marco Donnarumma
• Black Vox - Chikashi Miyama
• Tvestroy - Danny Perreault & Thomas Fredericks (webpage)
• Wind - Damian Stewart (webpage)
• NodeBeat - Seth Sandler, et al. (iOS app)
• Pure Data Sequencer 2015 - mrp805
• Audio synchronized graphic effects in Pure Data - Llyold Evans

Previous Workshops

• Apr 01 2022 Leonardo Zentrum, Nürnberg DE
• May 11 2018 Gulaschprogrammiernacht 18, Karlsruhe DE
• Jan 06 2018 Tag der offenen Tür, ZKM | Center for Art & Media, Karlsruhe DE
• Apr 09 2017 Emergent Digital Practices Spring Workshop series, University of Denver, Denver Colorado USA