• Research

    The fundamental principle of IRCAM is to encourage productive interaction among scientific research, technological developments, and contemporary music production. Since its establishment in 1977, this initiative has provided the foundation for the institute’s activities. One of the major issues is the importance of contributing to the renewal of musical expression through science and technology. Conversely, sp…

    • Research Topics
    • The STMS Lab
    • Research Teams
    • Sound Systems and Signals: Audio/Acoustics, InstruMents
    • Acoustic and Cognitive Spaces
    • Sound Perception and Design
    • Sound Analysis-Synthesis
    • Sound Music Movement Interaction
    • Musical Representations
    • Analysis of Musical Practices
    • Projects
    • Sound Workshop
    • The Musical Body
    • Creative Dynamics
    • Finished Projects
  • Creation

    IRCAM is an internationally recognized research center dedicated to creating new technologies for music. The institute offers a unique experimental environment where composers strive to enlarge their musical experience through the concepts expressed in new technologies.

    • Composers & Artists in Studio
    • Chloé Thévenin in studio
    • Oren Boneh in studio
    • Tristan Murail in studio
    • Martin Matalon in studio
    • Sébastien Gaxie in studio
    • Murcof in the studio
    • Vimala Pons in studio
    • Lucie Antunes in studio
    • Deena Abdelwahed in the studio
    • Music-Fictions
    • Artistic Research Residency
    • Artistic Residencies: The Blog
    • Rendez Vous 24.25
    • 2024-2025
    • Replay Concerts
    • Seasons from 1996 to present
    • ManiFeste-2024 Website
    • ManiFeste festival from 2012 to 2024
    • L’Étincelle, IRCAM’s journal of creation
  • Transmission

    In support of IRCAM's research and creation missions, the educational program seeks to shed light on the current and future meaning of the interactions among the arts, sciences, and technology as well as sharing its models of knowledge, know-how, and innovations with the widest possible audience.

    • Training Courses
    • Training Courses 2025.26
    • Max, Max for Live
    • Computer-Assisted Composition
    • ASAP & Partiels
    • Sound spatialization
    • Generative AI
    • Practical Information
    • Higher Education
    • Cursus Program on Composition and Computer Music
    • Master ATIAM
    • Sound Design Master's Program
    • Mixed-Music
    • AIMove Master
    • Discover Research at IRCAM
    • Cultural Outreach
    • Cultural Mediation at Middle School Students
    • Médiations culturelles au lycée
    • Digital Workshops
    • TACT
    • Images of a Work Collection
    • Group Tours
    • ManiFeste-2025 Festival Academy
    • 2025 ÉLAN award
    • Spatial Composition Workshop
    • In Situ Polytopes
    • ULYSSES Ensemble
    • Auditors
  • Innovations

    Engaged with societal and economic issues at the intersection of culture and IT, research at Ircam has forged a reputation for itself in the world of international research as an interdisciplinary benchmark in the science and technology of sound and music, constantly attentive to the new needs and uses in society.

    • The IRCAM Forum
    • Softwares
    • Ircam Amplify
    • Innovative art-science-technology processes
    • Forum Vertigo
  • IRCAM
  • Careers & Job Offers
  • Calls for applications
  • Newsletter
  • Arrive
  • Boutique
  • Resource Center
  • News
  • login
  • En
  • Fr
  • IRCAM
  • Careers & Job Offers
  • Calls for applications
  • Newsletter
  • Arrive
  • Boutique
  • Resource Center

Fr | En

  • login
  • Research

    The fundamental principle of IRCAM is to encourage productive interaction among scientific research, technological developments, and contemporary music production. Since its establishment in 1977, this initiative has provided the foundation for the institute’s activities. One of the major issues is the importance of contributing to the renewal of musical expression through science and technology. Conversely, sp…

    • Research Topics
    • The STMS Lab
    • Research Teams
    • Sound Systems and Signals: Audio/Acoustics, InstruMents
    • Acoustic and Cognitive Spaces
    • Sound Perception and Design
    • Sound Analysis-Synthesis
    • Sound Music Movement Interaction
    • Musical Representations
    • Analysis of Musical Practices
    • Projects
    • Sound Workshop
    • The Musical Body
    • Creative Dynamics
    • Finished Projects
  • Creation

    IRCAM is an internationally recognized research center dedicated to creating new technologies for music. The institute offers a unique experimental environment where composers strive to enlarge their musical experience through the concepts expressed in new technologies.

    • Composers & Artists in Studio
    • Chloé Thévenin in studio
    • Oren Boneh in studio
    • Tristan Murail in studio
    • Martin Matalon in studio
    • Sébastien Gaxie in studio
    • Murcof in the studio
    • Vimala Pons in studio
    • Lucie Antunes in studio
    • Deena Abdelwahed in the studio
    • Music-Fictions
    • Artistic Research Residency
    • Artistic Residencies: The Blog
    • Rendez Vous 24.25
    • 2024-2025
    • Replay Concerts
    • Seasons from 1996 to present
    • ManiFeste-2024 Website
    • ManiFeste festival from 2012 to 2024
    • L’Étincelle, IRCAM’s journal of creation
  • Transmission

    In support of IRCAM's research and creation missions, the educational program seeks to shed light on the current and future meaning of the interactions among the arts, sciences, and technology as well as sharing its models of knowledge, know-how, and innovations with the widest possible audience.

    • Training Courses
    • Training Courses 2025.26
    • Max, Max for Live
    • Computer-Assisted Composition
    • ASAP & Partiels
    • Sound spatialization
    • Generative AI
    • Practical Information
    • Higher Education
    • Cursus Program on Composition and Computer Music
    • Master ATIAM
    • Sound Design Master's Program
    • Mixed-Music
    • AIMove Master
    • Discover Research at IRCAM
    • Cultural Outreach
    • Cultural Mediation at Middle School Students
    • Médiations culturelles au lycée
    • Digital Workshops
    • TACT
    • Images of a Work Collection
    • Group Tours
    • ManiFeste-2025 Festival Academy
    • 2025 ÉLAN award
    • Spatial Composition Workshop
    • In Situ Polytopes
    • ULYSSES Ensemble
    • Auditors
  • Innovations

    Engaged with societal and economic issues at the intersection of culture and IT, research at Ircam has forged a reputation for itself in the world of international research as an interdisciplinary benchmark in the science and technology of sound and music, constantly attentive to the new needs and uses in society.

    • The IRCAM Forum
    • Softwares
    • Ircam Amplify
    • Innovative art-science-technology processes
    • Forum Vertigo
  • Home
  • Rendez-vous in Paris
  • Computer-Aided Composition in Max with the “bach” Library Family








Thu 15 January 2026,
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.
En ligne
Language

English

Level

Beginner

Prices

Full rate : 550 €
Forum Premium Member : 385 €
Student : 275 €

Practical Information

Edit

Reserve

Transmission
Software Training






Computer-Aided Composition in Max with the “bach” Library Family

Edit






Exploring the possibilities of Max with the “bach” tools
Edit






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

Edit

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
Ircam

1, place Igor-Stravinsky
75004 Paris
T. +33 1 44 78 48 43
Opening times

Monday through Friday 9:30am-7pm Closed Saturday and Sunday
Subway access

Hôtel de Ville, Rambuteau, Châtelet, Les Halles
  • Jobs Offers & Internships
  • The IRCAM team
  • Partners
  • Support IRCAM
Institut de Recherche et de Coordination Acoustique/Musique

go to :
  • Centre Pompidou
  • General Conditions
  • Legal Notes
  • Espace Pro
Copyright © 2025 Ircam. All rights reserved.