For the (few)
> performances I've done with my students we set a time limit - 5 minutes -
> within which the performer has to put together a generative patch.
> A small Max patch running in the background crashes the computer after
> exactly 5 minutes of coding. This not only heightens the level of stress
> the performer experiences, resulting in a more invigorating experience
> for everybody, but it also ensures that the performer's work can't be
> saved, reflecting the transient (volatile?) nature of the medium.
>
This is great (especially the auto computer crash, reminds me of Alex's
stage management techniques), I look forward to seeing a performance at
some point.
I don't think there is a massive objection to Max per se, it's just
probably not so powerful/convenient a programming language, but of course
it is well suited to audio and has some built in audience accessibility.
I do wonder how much extra stress we could all take. Perhaps professional
hecklers could be brought to live coding gigs, or hackers be allowed to
disrupt a performer's system during a performance in efforts to shake them
from their all consuming purpose...
Received on Sun Apr 23 2006 - 16:15:07 BST