Workshop Program

“Binaural development in Max/MSP” is a hands-on workshop on how to work in binaural format in Max/MSP using the IRCAM Spat library. The audience will learn how to set up binaural decoding for headphones in Max/MSP, how to encode sound sources in the 3D object-based ambisonics space, how to extract the sound sources' position and automate them, how to use 3D panning or a boids algorithm to create dynamic panning, and how to use the Spat main reverb. The interactive workshop will be preceded by a brief technical explanation of ambisonics and binaural format, so the audience will have the theoretical tools to understand how they work in general and how they are used in Max/MSP. The audience will have time to explore the various techniques shown during the workshop and will walk out with a working patch that can be applied to any project.

This is a beginner-friendly workshop, so Max/MSP previous knowledge is welcomed but not essential because Max/MSP UI and basic functions will be explained at the beginning of the workshop. The users will need their own laptop and headphones, either in-ear or over-ear.

Prior to the workshop, if you don’t have them already, please download the 30-day full working Max/MSP free trial here: https://cycling74.com/downloads - and the Spat library from the IRCAM Forum website: https://forum.ircam.fr/projects/detail/spat/ - Spat is completely free but you will need to sign up and log in to download it. Max/MSP is installed through the installer, while the Spat folder needs to be copied into ../Documents/Max8/Packages on both MacOS and Windows.