CODING & PROGRAMMING
Max 8
Max is a creative software, that can be used to program original music features often associated with other music technology. Max is a visual programming language, primarily used for music and multimedia where users can connect objects using patch chords to create interactive software. Using those principal ideas, this project was designed to be an interactive MIDI keyboard and key switch. There are 4 active key display groups (Brass Melodies, String Ostinatos, Percussive Ostinatos and Textural Triad Chords) and every key has an allocated orchestral sound, note or ostinato. The individual audio stems were developed with the intention of being played simultaneously and to be interchangeable. This resulted in thousands of potential key combinations for a user observing the project. This, in turn, provides complete creative freedom for any user interacting with the project - the ability to compose unique styles/variation of music using the features they have available to them.
Max has 2 modes for this project - Edit Mode (above) and Display Mode (below). The images demonstrate all of the features available for this project and how they are all connected via patch chords in the Edit Mode. In summary, this project is an interactive MIDI key switch with additional mixing desk features available to appropriately balance and pan the chosen ostinatos and/or notes. The mixing desk can be manipulated to personal preference. These features are available on the individual audio channels and also the master channels (similar to many other industry standard mixing desks). One feature to note is the 2 mode variations for the MIDI Keyboards (either touchscreen - singular engage and disengage, or polyphonic - engage and hold to produce sound). This provides the option to operate outside of human performance capabilities and play many unique textures that require more than 10 fingers to work, over a 4 octave spread. The Display Mode (below) exhibits a formatted and complete version of all the accessible features and hides the patch chords and visual programming done in Edit Mode. This allows for easier navigation and interaction of the project, also accompanied by a full description of how to operate this program.
Unity
Despite the advantages of FMOD Middleware, there are benefits to codling directly into Unity when implementing audio. For a project this specific and unique, implementing audio directly into the engine was most efficient. This project demonstrated is the "Abandoned Hospital Game" from "Game Audio" in the "Music for Media" section of the website, for further information needed about the audio and the game itself. The project demonstrates the 2D map including all of the applied audio assets and the allocation of the assets. All of the audio assets assigned are 2D or 3D audio. Other than the ambience, all of the audio is triggered audio or triggered snapshots. Whether the audio is localised or 2D, it will play on command when the player collides with a box collider, triggering the sequence for the audio assets - using a unique 'ColliderScript'. This includes transitions through different rooms, sounds specific to room types on the map and building texture in the soundtrack as the player progresses through the map. All of the audio heard is either diegetic or non-diegetic sound. The final game build is 3D, however when editing, the map is 2D which demonstrates clearly all of the located audio assets implemented into the project.
One of the important features of audio asset assignment is the separation of box colliders from their original transform for a triggered audio source/asset. The player can engage with a box collider but its position is transformed from the original audio source position. When playing the game, the player may trigger some audio in a specific area of the map but hear and locate the triggered audio in a different area. This technique is most effective with localised 3D audio. The soundtrack and transitions are 2D audio (non-diegetic sound). Any panning information is unaltered when implemented into the game and therefore results in 2D audio and not localised (3D) sound. However, for 3D audio, LFO graphs are great for intensify a sound source for a 3D game. This improves proximity location for audio sources - the closer you are to an object, the more apparent the sound source (louder/clearer). On the other hand, this technique can be manipulated to disorientate the player and increase difficulty for gameplay and can be used in the thriller or horror genre of the gaming industry.
