You may have heard about Pure Data (Pd), the open-source cousin to Max/MSP and a powerful tool for visual programming or “patching” music and multimedia. Pd has even appeared in the iPhone app RjDj and creating generative music for EA’s hit game Spore. But actually learning how to use the thing? Or learning some of the more advanced possible techniques in sound synthesis and processing? That’s another matter.

Johannes Kreidler writes to let us know about his new book for people wanting to learn Pd. It starts at the beginning and teaches you not only the ins and outs of the Pd environment, but all of the advanced music processing techniques, as well. (Given the similarity of Pd and Max/MSP, that should make this just about as useful for Max devotees, too.)

The book is available for reading free online, or in paperback format from Wolke Publishing House. It’s available in both English and German. Johannes writes:

This tutorial is designed for self-study, principally for composers. It begins with explanations of basic programming and acoustic principles then gradually builds up to the most advanced electronic music processing techniques. The book’s teaching approach is focused primarily on hearing, which we consider a faster and more enjoyable way to absorb new concepts than through abstract formulas.

The patches described are available for download.

He notes that because Pd is free and open source rather than commercial software, there isn’t a company behind it that can focus on documentation for new users. That’s been a common complaint about Pd, and this book does a lot to fill it — as well as a lot to fill the need for better documentation of sound techniques, as well, for users of any environment. Some of the juicy topics covered:

• Additive, subtractive synthesis
• Sampling
• Waveshaping, modulation synthesis
• Granular synthesis (something I try to eat a bowl of every day, seriously)
• Fourier analysis
• Sequencers
• Connecting to hardware, network transmission and OSC
• Basics of visuals

It’s a really elegantly-organized set of topics, and absolutely of interest to users of Max/MSP and other environments, as well. With this and a new SuperCollider book coming out this spring, we’re really getting some wonderful resources for learning greater ninja skills. Stay tuned, as I hope to create a forum for folks working on learning this stuff.

Resources

Book site, including downloadable patches and online reading:

http://www.pd-tutorial.com

Direct link to downloading all the patches as one zip (thanks, mic, in comments!):

http://www.kreidler-net.de/pd/patches/patches.zip

More info, including the paperback version:

http://www.wolke-verlag.de/musik_u_t/loadbang.html

http://www.buecher-zur-musik.de/assets/s2dmain.html?http://www.buecher-zur-musik.de/53108697370a2cb3f/5310869bc400a7a02.html

Author’s site:
www.kreidler-net.de

The authorship of the book was aided by a grant by the Music University of Freiburg / Germany.

Previous appearances by the author:

A song made from 70,2000 samples

The stock market declines, as a song

More Pd Books

bang | pure data Free, online

Creator Miller Puckette’s own The Theory and Technique of Electronic Music, free online in various formats and also in print

You’ve already started performing with Ableton Live using your Sony PSP. Now you want still more ways to control Live via your portable devices. Hmmm, garage door opener — no good. Pocket laser pointer — can only really point at the screen with that. I know: how about your cell phone?

LiveController | Jason R. Kramer

Yes, Jason Kramer has hooked up 15 user-assignable commands in Ableton Live, including play/stop, to the buttons on your cellphone, via scripts built for Sailing Clicker, the powerful PDA / cellphone scripting utility. Now, it’s been a while since I looked at Sailing Clicker, and that application’s support has grown by leaps and bounds, meaning everything from Wi-Fi connections to bluetooth to Windows Mobile PDAs and smartphones (including WM5) to cell phones from every major maker are now supported; check out the full device list. It costs US$23.95 for the Sailing license for Windows or Mac; Jason’s script is US$2.

And this isn’t just a novelty, either; the ability to have quick access to performance buttons without even the need for MIDI could be really helpful. Not to mention it could bring new meaning to DJs “phoning it in.”

For the Pro Tools and Logic Pro scripts, check out Jason’s software page.

Jason has wowed us here previously, by building a beautiful, elegant hardware controller for Ableton Live. Now grab that, your phone, and a PSP, and you’re set.

BeatPad 1.1 is an update to miniMusic’s pattern sequencer. The “point-one” is actually a pretty major upgrade:

Built-in sounds: The Krikit soft synth is now built-in, so you can incorporate multi-timbral, polyphonic sound on supported Palm devices (including the Treos).

Pattern features: Pattern chaining and a library for organizing your patterns

MIDI export: Here’s the real killer feature — you can export beats as MIDI files, so you can use your Palm as a scratchpad, then load into Reason / Live / Logic / whatever when you get home. (That’s missing in most other handheld software I’ve seen.)

US$29.95 on its own, but miniMusic has also introduced its Pro Music Suite, with BeatPad, the NotePad notation app, and the SoundPad synth editor (for creating Krikit sounds for the other two apps). Plenty of other ssoftware from these guys, too, including a Kaoss Pad-like X/Y touchpad synth called AxisPad, coming soon. We’ll be watching. (Of course, I’m still PocketPC loyal; anyone know if there’s a Windows Mobile app that supports MIDI export?)

Cris (aka atariboy) sends us Theremin emulators for your PDA — it’s theremin to go. Cris writes:

Pete Moss ThereMini (US$10):
This guy has a Theremin emulator with MIDI out, no less! For PalmOS on his Palm software page.

Got a PocketPC? check out Clanger. (Free) You can even change the tremelo rate and decay time.

Cool stuff. Got an app you love for your Palm, PocketPC, or phone? Let us know. (Okay, my current favorite phone app is the “off” function, but how about you?)