The Composers’ Playpen
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter I: PRELIMINARIES
Section A: Introduction
A-1. THE COMPOSERS’ PLAYPEN
A-2: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN ORDER TO USE THIS PROGRAM
Section B: A Brief Overview
B-1: THE TWO WINDOWS:
B-2: DEFINITION OF MIDI LOOP/SEQUENCE:
B-3: Ways to manipulate MIDI loops (or quasi-loops)
B-4: Ways to manipulate sequences
B-5: Manipulations shared by MIDI loops, sequences:, and improvisational quasi-loops
B-6: DEFINITION OF INSTRUMENT/MODULE:
Section C: Tech Requirements and Setup
C-1: Software/hardware requirements;
C-2: Installation.
C-3: MIDI SETUP
Section D: DESCRIPTION OF CONTROLLERS
D-1: KB Controller, MIDI CH 1 (
D-2: KB Controller, MIDI Ch. 2
D-3: CONTINUOUS CONTROLLERS
D-4: MACINTOSH KEYBOARD:
Section E: More Preliminaries
E-1: Checking out your MIDI connections:
E-2: Keyboard thru, solo/mute buttons:
E-3: SOLO/MUTE button:
E-4: PLAY ON/OFF
E-5: Setting up your sounds:
CHAPTER II: WORKING WITH THE THREE MAX PLAYPEN INSTRUMENTS
Sections F-G: INSTRUMENT #1:
F-1: Setting up to record a MIDI loop:
F-2: RECORDING INTO THE MIDI LOOP ONLY:.
F-3: Clearing MIDI loops and stopping sequences:
F-4: Loop lengths.
F-5: RECORDING INTO THE MIDI LOOP AND THE SEQUENCER SIMULTANEOUSLY:
F-6: THE SEQUENCER.
RECAP & Diversion:
F-7: RECORDING AN EXISTING MIDI LOOP INTO THE SEQUENCER with Inst. #1:
F-8: CAPTURING ALL LOOPS INTO THEIR RESPECTIVE INST. 1 SEQUENCERS SIMULTANEOUSLY:
F-8a: Restoring a MIDI loop from a sequence
F-9: LOADING COMPLETE SETS OF MIDI FILES INTO THE SEQUENCERS
F-10: Restoring a MIDI loop (or quasi loop) from a saved sequence.
F-11: RETAINING EXACT COORDINATION BETWEEN MODULES
F-12: SEQUENCER CONTROLS WINDOW
F-13: SEQUENCE LENGTH:
F-14: STARTING AND STOPPING:
F-14a. Sequence delay
F-14b. Setting play preset
F-14c. Clear
F-14d. Transposing sequences
F-14e. Switching bet. Sequences & MIDI loops effortlessly
F-14e1. Instrument window parameters that can and cannot be modified when playing sequences in the “sequencers only” mode:
F-14f. Caution.
F-15: Saving to presets in Sequencer Controls Window
F-16: Restoring all MIDI loops and quasi loops from their respective saved sequences
F-16a: Changing tempi, other parameters globally:
F-17: Editing sequences
Section G: MANUAL MANIPULATION OF INST. # 1 MODULES:
G-1: MIDI Loop length:
G-2: Sound program #:
G-3: Sound Bank #:
G-5: Play Status:
G-5a: Enhanced Play Mode: Using play toggles to initiate sequences from Instruments Control page.
G5-b: Using the play preset in the Inst. Ctrls page in enhanced play mode:
G-6: Density:
G-7: COLLAPSED RHYTHM:
G-8: Velocity:
G-9: Setting up your synthesizers to accept Modulation Wheel (cont. #1), Breath Controller (Cont. #2), Volume controller (#7) and Controller #70:
G-10: Modulation wheel (outputting to your synthesizer’s MIDI controller # 1 or 70):
G-11: Volume (outputting to your synthesizer’s MIDI controller # 2, or #7):
G-12: Random pitch controls: Bach counterpoint (at least on the same module)
G-13: Transposition:
Section H: INSTRUMENTS #2 & #3:
H-1: TO INITIATE RECORDING
H-2: TO RECORD:
H-3: : Enhanced Play Mode: Using white play toggle boxes to initiate sequences from Instruments Control page. In Inst. #2 &3:
CHAPTER III: General comments for all instruments
Section I: PRESETS:
I-1: Intro:
I-2: A Map of How to Enter Data in the presets:
I-3: VELOCITIES IN THE PRESETS:
I-4: PRESETS CONTROLLING OTHER PRESETS
I-5: Program change command controlling sounds preset.
Section J: Automatic processes:
J-1: AUTO PRESET SCAN
J-2: PULSED PROGRAM CHANGE
J-3: AUTO MW FADERS:
J-4: AUTO BREATH CONTROLLER FADERS:
J-5: AUTO VELOCITY CHANGE:
Section K: Miscellaneous Global Items:
K-1: TRANSPOSING MIDI LOOPS:
K-2: STOPWATCH:
K-3: SAVING MUSIC
K-4: KEEPING TRACK OF WHAT SEQUENCES ARE ACTIVE FOR EACH PRESET:
K-5: Clearing MIDI loops and table information
CHAPTER V: SAVING IN NORMAL AND RUNTIME VERSIONS OF MAX/MSP
M-1: Normal version:
M-2: Runtime version:
CHAPTER VI: CONCLUSION & VERSION HISTORY
N-1: CONCLUSION:
N-2: VERSION HISTORY
A MAX patch developed by Barton McLean
What follows are excerpts from the Composers’ Playpen User Manual. Some parts of the Table of Contents are grayed out, indicating that these are not included in this web site. A full manual will be sent upon request
Fig. 1: Instrument Controls Page
Fig. 2: Sequencer Controls Page
Composer Playpen Links: