Thu 22 January 2026,
Thu 29 January 2026,
Thu 5 February 2026,
Thu 12 February 2026,
Thu 19 February 2026,
2 p.m.- 4 p.m.
English
Beginner
Full rate
:
550 €
Forum Premium Member
:
385 €
Student
:
275 €
bach, cage, dada, and ears are a family of libraries for Max dedicated to computer-aided composition. Developed by Andrea Agostini and Daniele Ghisi, they can interact with Max’s other functionalities.
This course offers a detailed introduction to these libraries, with a focus on applications such as score generation or synthesized sound creation. Examples will be presented throughout the course. Exercises will be assigned at the end of each session and reviewed collectively during the following session.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to use Max as a working environment for computer-aided composition, primarily through the bach and cage libraries. They will be able to use these tools to generate scores or synthesized sounds.
Public
Composers, musicians, teachers, and any creative individuals with a foundation in music and music technology who wish to explore tools for computer-aided orchestration.
Prerequisites
- Proficiency in written and spoken English (B2 level required)
- Basic knowledge of Max and its environment: hands-on familiarity and understanding of Max’s basic tutorials (Max Basics tutorials 1–11, 14–22; Max Data tutorials 1 and 2; MSP tutorials; MSP Basics tutorials 1–5; MSP Panning tutorials 1–3; MSP Analysis tutorials 1 and 2; MSP Delay tutorials 1–3 and 6), or completion of the Max Beginner course
- Knowledge of music theory, including note reading and rhythm
- Good working knowledge of a music notation software (Finale, Sibelius, Dorico, etc.)
- Basic understanding of mathematics: arithmetic, geometry (triangles, Pythagoras’ and Thales’ theorems, symmetry, area), powers, single-variable equations, and statistics
- Proficiency with essential functions of an Apple computer (keyboard and mouse use, file and folder management, menu navigation, launching applications)
- Basic knowledge of the Zoom application for attending online courses
- A visit to https://www.bachproject.net/ is recommended before the course
Training Period and Organization
15 hours, every Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., from January 15 to February 19, 2026
Online course, in English
Maximum of 10 participants
Program
Thursday, January 15, 2026: Getting Started
- Introduction to the bach.roll and bach.score editors
- Examples of basic algorithmic generation in bach
- Exercise: Create a short random sequence in bach.roll and edit it
Thursday, January 22, 2026
- Using slots: playing an audio file in a sequence with bach.roll
- Examples of real-time algorithmic generation with bach.roll
- Exercise: Create an algorithmic sequence that plays audio files from a bach.roll
Thursday, January 29, 2026
- Understanding iteration functions in bach
- Introduction to the cage library
- Quantization
- Exercise: Create a sequence in bach.roll based on progressive variation of one element. Use the cage library to generate base material to be repeated and gradually modified
Thursday, February 5, 2026
- Using the cage library for technomorphic models
- Extracting material from analyses and using conditional selections
- Exercise: Create a sequence (melodic, harmonic, or rhythmic in nature) in bach.roll using material derived from analysis and modified with operators from the cage library
Thursday, February 12, 2026
- Introduction to the ears library: analysis and transformation of sound in non-real time
- Exercise: Present a sequence in bach.roll or bach.score containing MIDI notes, samples, and transformed sounds (e.g., spatialized), created with the ears library. The sound files should be triggered by notes (controlled via slots)
Thursday, February 19, 2026
- Abstractions: using cage.meta
- Introduction to the “dada” library: selected models of algorithmic generation
- Final exercise: Multiple choice knowledge assessment, to be submitted one week after the course
Educational Resources and Techniques
- This professional training course will be conducted online.
- Technical requirements: Participants must download Max 9 and the bach, cage, dada, and ears libraries from Max’s Package Manager before the course begins.
- To ensure the best learning experience, using two screens and a reliable internet connection is recommended.
- Format: The course is taught in English. It alternates between theoretical presentations, analysis of examples, and hands-on exercises.
- Educational materials: Presentations, a course manual provided at the beginning of the training, and additional files distributed progressively
- Exercises are assigned after each session, corrected, and discussed during the following class
Supervision
- Technical session on the first day to verify participants’ setup
- Attendance will be recorded with a sign-in sheet for each half-day session
- A certificate of completion will be issued
.Assessment
- Knowledge will be evaluated through a multiple-choice quiz, to be submitted within a week after the course ends