MSP Brings Real-Time Synthesis and Audio Processing to MAX Graphical Programming Environment
December 22, 1997Software developer David Zicarelli has
formed a new company, Cycling '74 and announced the release of MSP, a
set of extensions to Opcode's MAX 3.5 graphical programming environment.
MSP consists of over 60 objects that synthesize, process, analyze and delay
audio signals in realtime on a Power PC Mac OS computer. The objects can be
grabbed and grouped in a graphical manner to create custom applications
that leverage the power of the MAX environment. MSP is useful for musicians,
sound designers, educators and researchers. A free Runtime version is
available that runs any application created with MSP. It includes the
complete set of objects, tutorials, and a number of useful demos.
"MSP will be the vehicle for our future developments in musical signal
processing," comments David Wessel, Director at the Center for New Music and
Audio Technologies (CNMAT) at the University of California. "We have been
using MAX for years to connect performers to the world of synthesizers and
samplers and now, with MSP, this programming environment deals directly
with audio signals - a real step towards coherent integration. Flexible
control and extensible reactive real-time software synthesis are here at
last. Bravo!!"
Using MSP will be a familiar experience to those who have used a patchable
analog synthesizer. An oscillator is connected to a filter using patch
cords and the sound instantly changes. The 60 objects cover synthesis,
input/output, signal processing, sampling, math, control and signal
analysis. C programmers can create their own objects to add to this basic
collection. MAX 3.5 is required to create and edit MSP applications and is
available from Opcode Systems at www.opcode.com.
As part of its educational focus, MSP includes 25 hands-on tutorials written
by Christopher Dobrian, author of the highly-regarded MAX manual. It also
features an array of online help features and an onscreen oscilloscope that
can monitor any point in a DSP patch.
Requirements:
No additional hardware is required to run MSP. A Power PC MacOS computer
with Apple's Sound Manager provides 16-bit stereo audio input and output at
44.1kHz. MSP also directly supports 16-bit and 24-bit PCI-based audio
hardware from Digidesign and Sonorus with support for cards from Lucid
Technology, Korg and Emagic in the future. MAX 3.5 is required to create
and edit MSP applications and is available from Opcode Systems at
www.opcode.com.
Availability: MSP can be downloaded at the Cycling '74 web site at
http://www.cycling74.com. Users transform the trial version into a
fully-functional copy of MSP by purchasing an authorization code online
for $295. MSP is also being distributed by the IRCAM Forum user's group
(www.ircam.fr/msp), which is also providing MSP versions of IRCAM
software to Forum users.
Cycling '74 distributes and supports music software by David Zicarelli,
including MSP and M 2.5 (a new version of the classic interactive
algorithmic composition program). He wrote the first graphical patch editor,
Opcode's DX7 Editor in 1985. Zicarelli also wrote a collection of
innovative compositional programs in the 1980s that were distributed by
Intelligent Music. These programs included M, Jam Factory, Ovaltune and
UpBeat. In 1989, he developed a commercial version of MAX for Opcode
Systems in conjunction with Miller Puckette at IRCAM. With a Ph.D in
Hearing and Speech Sciences from Stanford University, Zicarelli also
teaches and lectures on computer music. For more information, visit their web site at www.cycling74.com. | 
