Bay Area Computer Music Technology Group (BArCMuT)

Bay Area Computer Music Meetup: ChucK, Python VST, and More

October 4, 2007 · 6:00 PM
Space Gallery

Come meet each other and participate in planned and impromptu presentations ("lightning talks"). Presentations will be Ge Wang and Spencer Salazar on ChucK, and Tim Thompson on his Python VST library. Bring your laptop if you would like to make a short impromptu presentation (projection screen and sound system available) or tell the group about new projects and opportunities.

The planned presentations will be:
* Ge Wang and Spencer Salazar presenting on the ChucK audio programming language: http://chuck.cs.princ... . Ge and Spencer are both Alumni of the Princeton Sound Lab and Ge is joining the faculty at Stanford in the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA). There is a lot of interest forming in the Computer Music community around ChucK and they have been at it's originating point. Ge is the chief architect and co-creator of the language and Spencer is the author of several key components, as well as the miniAudicle, an IDE for enjoyable ChucKing. Ge is also enthusiastic about starting a "West Coast Laptop orchestra".

* Tim Thompson will be presenting on a library he has written that allows Python programmers to access the vast variety of VST plugins and synth instruments. He is a former longtime Bell Labs / AT&T / Network Appliance developer who has written a number of computer music frameworks (notably KeyKit). He has more recently been inspired by events such as Burning Man and Woodstockhausen, where his interactive creations include a 12-foot high lyre and an antique radio. Tim's home describes his projects and hosts his web-based algorithmic music toys: http://nosuch.com/tjt...

* Short "lightning talk" style presentations from users who have attended with their laptops. Contacting me in advance for this is not necessary unless you have specific concerns.

The event will be held at Space Gallery, 1141 Polk St in San Francisco - http://www.spacegalle... . There will be a projection screen and stereo sound system. It is an enjoyable space and will be open for people to socialize after the presentations. There will be light food to enjoy while you are talking. Many thanks to Ray at Space Gallery for hosting this meetup!

At 9pm the venue will switch gears from Computer Music Technology Group tech talk. Further eclectic inspiration begins at 9pm as professional skateboarders do a short exhibition on a small portable half-pipe skate ramp inside the gallery while CB Records Mophone and friends perform mashup sets of live rock and funk re-mixes. Should be amazing!

Polk street also offers a variety of restaurants for after meetup dining and conversing.

Looking forward to meeting all of you, and please feel free to contact me - noah [at] listenlabs.com. Proposals for future events are welcome.

BIOS:

Ge Wang received his B.S. in 2000 in Computer Science from Duke University and PhD in 2007 studying with Perry Cook in Computer Science at Princeton University, and is an assistant professor at Stanford University in the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA). Ge conducts research in real-time software systems for computer music, programming languages, visualization, new performance ensembles (e.g., laptop orchestras) and paradigms (e.g., live coding), interfaces for human-computer interaction, pedagogical methodologies at the intersection of computer science and computer music. Ge is the chief architect of the ChucK audio programming language and the Audicle environment. He is a founding developer and co-director of the Princeton Laptop Orchestra (PLOrk), and a co-creator of the TAPESTREA sound design environment. Ge composes and performs via various electro-acoustic and computer-mediated means.

Tim Thompson enjoys the creative process of developing artistic software for both music and visuals, often involving the use of unusual controllers. Most widely known as the developer of the KeyKit programming environment for algorithmic and realtime MIDI experimentation, he has more recently been inspired by events such as Burning Man and Woodstockhausen, where his interactive creations include a 12-foot high lyre and an antique radio. He lives in Silicon Valley and collaborates with local ensembles dud ( http://dudland.com/...) and DOUBLE VISION ( http://double-vision.... ). Tim's home page ( http://nosuch.com/tjt... ) documents the variety of his activities and allows people to play with web-based algorithmic music toys.

Spencer Salazar is a software engineer and music technologist from San Francisco. A cohort of the Princeton Soundlab, he is the main developer of miniAudicle, an integrated development environment for the ChucK audio programming language. He has implemented several components of ChucK proper, and has composed for, performed in, and developed software for the Princeton Laptop orchestra. By day he works on human-computer interface technologies for a Bay Area product development group.

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Adam Murray

I think we're off to a good start and I'm looking forward to regular (monthly?) meetings in the future.

0 · October 5, 2007
Mark Pauley

Amazing! This was the super geek-juice. A+++ would geek again!

0 · October 5, 2007
A former member

this was great. Noah's first event, but very well put together, moderated and planned. Would have like to see better time management of the presenters (hence the 4/5 rating would have helped them better 'hone in' on the juicy tidbits) but altogether great. Noah was welcoming, the people were interesting and it's DEFINITELY something I would recommend to others. I feel a sense of community starting (which is really what meetup is about). Woo hoo! Would have been good to have a mic for the presenters too.

0 · October 5, 2007
Robert Edgar

I'm driving in after work from Stanford, so I was about 30 minutes late. Would be great if it started at 7:00 instead of 6:00.

0 · October 5, 2007
A former member

I learned something new. I didn't know anything about Pyton, Chuck, and MAXmsp. Good Intro.

0 · October 5, 2007
gopal

great turnout. Nice event! Great people!

0 · October 5, 2007
Matt Ridenour

Fun and interesting speakers. Bring a microphone next time, it was a bit hard to hear.

0 · October 4, 2007
Vlad Spears

This meetup, especially for an opening event, was wonderful. Ge's and Spencer's ChucK overview was mesmerizing, Tim's vstutil presentation made noises I'm still hearing in my head and wanting to hear again and while Cycling '74 knows I love them, they had better demo Max 5 for us next time! Excellent meetup and a very auspicious beginning.

0 · October 4, 2007
Brandon

Excellent presentation; slightly marred by Cycling 74's unstructured presentation--I don't think anyone expected them to drop in since they weren't listed on the event; perhaps they'll be more prepared next time. Overall--I thought it was very cool--especially the ChucK presentation; looking forward to the next one.

0 · October 4, 2007
Tim Thompson

Perhaps some time in future meetings could take the form of "brainstorming" sessions where people throw out ideas, or "wouldn't it be cool if..." or "I think music software should be more like ...." in an informal way.

0 · October 4, 2007
A former member

Cool to see some new technologies. Would like to hear more polished examples for slightly longer periods of where the technology can go. Traffic from the east bay was nightmarish at that time...maybe 7:30. Props for the organization. Let's hear Noah present...

0 · October 4, 2007