Information and Syllabus

ART 1383 Syllabus

DESCRIPTION

  The computer has permeated almost every aspect of our lives and is heavily used in many disciplines. This class is an introduction into being a “Maker” rather than a “User” of computer programs. We will  be using Max 7 made by Cycling 74 which has evolved from “Max/MSP/Jitter”.  Essentially "Max" is a conglomeration of programs, each of which was originally designed to be very good at dealing with one thing (ie. Max was for Data, MSP was for Digital Music, and Jitter was for Video).  As each of these specialties was added and then made compatible with the other parts, Max developed into a very flexible, and powerful program (or more exactly, “programming environment”), that lets you build custom applications for creating and manipulating audiovisual data.  Over time, this program has also grown in popularity with artists, musicians, VeeJays, etc. resulting in a myriad of fantastic applications, as well as an extensive support community.

The objective of this class is NOT to teach you mastery of this software, but to familiarize you basic working principles and how to "help yourself" to everything this powerful tool can offer. 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 Students learn to create custom software applications using Max 7, a programming environment geared toward interdisciplinary use. 

REQUIRED MATERIALS

 It will be necessary to purchase the Max 7 software for your own computer for this class. This year, Cycling74 (the owners of Max Software) have made it possible to rent Max for $9.99 a month or purchase for one year at $8.99 a month.  You can find out more about purchasing the software here:  https://cycling74.com/shop/#educational  . You must have a computer that you have administrative access for so that you can change settings and install software.  You must have reliable access to high-speed internet as most tutorials are delivered as streaming video. This is an online class, afterall.

You can download a 30-day trial version for FREE so please try it out first.  The trial version is fully functional and does not need to be re-installed once you purchase your license.  Max 7.1 is the newest release and we will be using it for this class.  It is significantly different from older versions, so I am requiring it for this class.  For PC users (I work on a Mac, so it is hard to verify everything I've read about using Max with a PC, but...)  If you have the option, install the 32 bit version of Max 7 on your computer -there are a few objects that still don't work with the 64 bit version.

---finally, there are some computers (usually inexpensive PC laptops) that just can't run Max.  Try it out before you commit to a semester of pain--

Please use the "Content" link in the Left Navigation Pane to access the Course Content.

"Week 0" contains everything you should do BEFORE the first week of class to have your computer and yourself prepared and familiarized with the class protocols.