A two week boot camp dedicated to free software tools for audio-visual art and performance

Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), Glasgow
May 14th-25th 2007, Monday – Friday, 10:30am – 4:30pm

Pure Data is a free and open source real-time graphical programming environment used by artists to create a range of visual arts, theatre, dance, audio, installation, performance and media art works.

Pure Data is ideal for those looking to integrate technology into their work for the first time, or advanced media artists looking to explore new tools and new ways to combine them in a unified environment. It is easy to use Pure Data to create interactive environments, link animations and sound, control hardware and electronics, stream audio, generate real time visuals and develop interfaces for other programs.

In this intensive two week course, participants will learn Pure Data from scratch and explore in detail some of its most exciting extensions. Participants will discover real time sound design, audiovisual techniques, physical modelling and pure:dyne, a specialised version of Linux operating system for live audio-visual work. All software used is available for free, if you bring your own computer you can have copies installed on it. A number of pre-installed computers will also be available for use in the workshop.

The software is available for Linux, Mac OSX and Windows operating systems. Support on installing and using the software for Linux and OSX users will be available, but please note we cannot provide support for Windows users in this workshop.

The Pure Data Spring School 2007 is brought to you by GOTO10, CCA and OpenLab Glasgow. The tutors are Frank Barknecht, and Chun Lee, two experienced artists who work closely with Pure Data in live performance projects and who have also contributed to the development of the software itself.

The project is supported by Centre for Contemporary Arts, Glasgow, the Goethe Institute, Glasgow School of Art, and the Electron Club.

DATE: May 14th-25th 2007, Monday – Friday, 10:30am – 4:30pm
HOST: CCA
LANGUAGE: English
TEACHERS: Chun Lee and Frank Barknecht
FEE: standard rate is £100 for 10 days workshop, institutional and business rate is £150 for 10 days workshop
VENUE: The Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3JD. The CCA is wheelchair accessible. If you have specific access requirements, please contact us in advance, +44 (0) 141 352 4900.
FOOD&DRINKS: Free tea + coffee, bring a lunch.
HARDWARE: A limited number of computers will be available, if you can bring your own laptop or computer we can install the software on it. Please let us know if you will be bringing your own computer or require one from us.
Tools used: Pure Data, pure:dyne, Gem, PMPD/MSD
BOOKING: Please email pdschool@electronclub.org with a single paragraph expression of interest that includes your artistic background and interest in the course. Questions by telephone can be directed to +44 (0) 141 352 49 00.

Program outline

WEEK01

The first part of the workshop aims to introduce participants to the basics of GNU/Linux operating system, as well as the Pure Data environment. Furthermore, it will also cover basic/intermediate audio signal processing and some general programming techniques in Pd. This hopefully will allow participants to be comfortable working with the Linux/Pd, and ready for the second part of the workshop.

day 01: GNU/Linux and pure:dyne

* The FLOSS+ART breed
* Introducing pure:dyne
* Introducing Pure Data
* Introducing Jack
* Working with a terminal, basic shell commands
* Calling Pd and the first look

—

day 02: Introduction to Pure Data

* White is White: my first patch
* pure boxes – text objects/iem guis/messagebox
* pure connections – wire them up…
* pure logic – basic logic in pd
* pure subs – sub-patche, send/receive
* pure storage – arrays
* beyond pure – libs and extensions

—

day 03: Introduction to Digital Signal Processing (DSP)

* understanding the sound – sound as in natural phenomenon
* digital representation of sound – sound as in ones and zeros
* basic signal manipulation of sound – adding/mutiplying signals and so on
* working with sound files – play samples

—

day 04: intermediate GUI and house keeping

* making sub-patches
* making abstractions
* pure dollars ($0-foo)
* Graph-On-Parent GUIs
* building larger patches

—

day 05: review & basic Gem

* review of previous days
* Geos in Gem
* simple 3D transformations
* light and texture
* Syncing visuals and audio

WEEK02

The second part of the workshop focuses on the intermediate/advanced knowledge of Pure Data. It will pay particular attention to physical modeling and data signification/visualization. It will also introduce element of Pure Data called “data structure”, one of its application is to allow customized interaction with pd patches to be easily programed.

day 01: Physical modeling

* examples of physical modelling/particle animation in music, graphics and (video) games
* Basic mechanical laws (position, time, speed, acceleration, mass)
* Advanced mechanics (spring, forces, gravity, damping)

day 02: Physical modeling

* Particles simulation using “Phys”, a plain Pd abstraction
* Understanding how “Phys” is made
* Visualization by hooking Gem and “Phys”
* The micro/macro chain of reaction relationship
* Topology definition, behaviour and chaos

—

day 03: Physical modeling

* PMPD and MSD
* Using Particles to generate sound
* Complex topologies constructions with the MSD-Editor
* Space is the Place, grow your own Particle engine.

—

day 04+05: Open Studio

* case studies
* personal project development
* hints, tips, tricks, hacks, goodies
* group exchange
* one on one sessions

Note: The following is an outline for the whole Pure Data Spring School 2007. Depending on how fast the participants progress, we may advance through each day’s topic faster or slower, add/remove more beginners tutorials, add/remove more advanced topics.