Join saxophonist, composer, and instrument builder Zack Hann in this interactive workshop on getting started with MaxMSP. The session will offer an overview of Max’s capabilities across a wide range of media, with examples drawn from composition, visual art, sound design, instrument building, installation art, and more. Participants will patch along as Hann leads the group in creating a one-of-a-kind software instrument, along the way getting to know Max’s patching environment and developing strategies for learning Max outside the classroom. The workshop will emphasize enabling artists to create personalized tools to incorporate into their work.
📅 Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
🕓 Time: 1:00–3:00 PM
📍 Location: Harvestworks, 596 Broadway #602, New York, NY 10012
📩 RSVP required: studio@harvestworks.org
“I’m aware of how the tools I use structure my thoughts . . . I want to suggest that we call this ‘in-tool cognition.’ In fact, l often joke that my mind is structured like a MaxMSP patch.” –Mark Fell, Anatomy of Practice: Structure and Synthesis
In this workshop, Hann will discuss how Max has pushed his work in new directions. He will share recent examples of Max-based work, including a custom 8-channel synthesizer, a collection of generative aural scores, audio-reactive visualisers, and screen prints.
Participants will then work as a group to create a custom software instrument in Max. In doing so they will learn about Max’s patching environment, object-based language, and help files. They will be able to construct their own patches, and, more importantly, understand how to continue learning Max after the workshop concludes. Beyond a technical understanding of the software, the larger goal of the workshop is to understand Max’s potential to create custom tools that can enhance ongoing artistic work.
ABOUT ZACK HANN:
Zack Hann is a saxophonist, composer, and instrument builder who works extensively with MaxMSP. His work explores methods of communication in music, language, and other media. His compositions incorporate traditional and graphic notation, aural scores, improvisation, digital signal processing, custom instruments, and extended just intonation. He is currently a fellow at the Center for Collaborative Arts and Media at Yale University, and holds a B.M. from Juilliard.