[PD] PD for Audio Manipulation/Mangling

[John Potter]

Awesome - thanks for the insight.

I've been a general business software developer (Visual Basic & Web
Stuff primarily) for the past 10 years and thinking I don't want to
spend the next 10 years doing the same.

I have a pretty good understanding of synthesis and sound manipulation
(effects) and a broad overview of the ins and outs of DSP (IIR, FIR,
FFT, Windowing, etc).

If there's one thing I'm above average at - it's starting from a blank
slate, reading, playing, knocking my head against the wall but
eventually becoming fluent and at least mildly dangerous.

DSP is an area that interests me and I thought PD & Max would be a great
place to start as you have a something to start with and then can move
on in terms of writing externals and ultimately write something from
scratch if I decide to.

Anyone know if Audiomulch allows you to write your own "externals" -
other than going the VST route.

Any of these - PD, Max/MSP, Audiomulch support something like rewire?

The audio processing question is because I have an immediate need that
I'd like to fulfill but it's really where my interest lies.

Thanks again for the thoughtful answers!

John

-----Original Message-----
From: derek holzer [mailto:derek at x-i.net] 
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 10:48 AM
To: John Potter
Cc: Jamie Bullock; pd-list at iem.at
Subject: Re: [PD] PD for Audio Manipulation/Mangling

John Potter wrote:
> Should I want to check out PD or MSP for the learning experience does 
> one work better than the other for this sort of application?

My own evolution was from Audiomulch to Reaktor to Pure Data. I saw it 
as a process of "growing out" of each software's limitations and on to 
the next. I use PD largely for realtime manipulation of incoming audio 
and samples, and I can say that it is very well suited for the purpose, 
provided you are willing to do some work and even learn a few new things

to get there.

In terms of audio processing, MSP and PD are virtually identical. [The 
fcat that one is a commercial development of the other might have 
something to do with that.] I would say that main difference is in the 
level of Do-I-Yourself which comes along with PD. In MAX/MSP, there are 
a lot of ready mades which might get you going a little faster, but 
these ready-mades are also often "black-boxes" which you cannot see or 
change the internal workings of. On the other hand, in PD you will spend

more time developing patches from low-level objects up, but you will 
gain a better understanding of how they work and will be able to 
customize them completely for your own needs and sounds. In other words,

you won't just be fiddling with someone else's sliders.

good luck,
d.

-- 
derek holzer ::: http://www.umatic.nl
---Oblique Strategy # 137:
"Repetition is a form of change"