4. The Max Maestro
4.2 Graphic Interface
The Max Maestro –animated music notation system was created in the visual programming environment MAX/MSP/JITTER [33]. It is an application with a graphic interface, which could be run as a patch within the MAX/MSP/JITTER program, but also as a stand-alone application. The graphic interface of The Max Maestro resembles the graphic design of a videogame. Graphic balls are animated to give the musical instructions to the performers. Musical instructions include when to trigger a sound and at which dynamics, pitch and duration. The instructions given when to trigger a sound are very accurate, while the instructions for dynamics, pitch and duration are approximate within a limited frame. The graphic interface was more inspired by intuitive music video games such as Sing Star [34] or Guitar Hero [35] than traditional or extended/experimental music notation systems; mainly because of the fact that the target group of non-professional performers, including schoolchildren and everyday people of today, are generally more familiar with videogames than musical notated scores and as Rui Rolo puts it: [… fun games increase learners’ motivation and foster collaboration, crucial issues in music practice.] [36].
The development process of The Max Maestro is a work in progress and in this exposition two different versions of The Max Maestro are highlighted, since they were used in the performances reported here. The differences between the two relate to the amount of individual parts and more extended modulation instructions in version 1, since the sound source used is capable of adjusting pitch and duration.