SPLICE Institute 2025
Workshop Descriptions

Workshops (essentially “classes”) at SPLICE are divided into four time blocks. Many of these workshops meet every day for the duration of the week. Participants are encouraged to be as consistent as possible in attending their selected workshops. For the vast majority of these, if you have a laptop you should bring it!

A note about levels:
Introductory - Assumes a basic proficiency with computers, but does not assume prior knowledge or experience with the fundamentals of electroacoustic music (digital theory, acoustics, etc) or the tools being taught.
Intermediate - Assumes at least basic prior knowledge of the fundamentals of electroacoustic music, and a working understanding of the tools being taught (for example some experience with Max).
Advanced - Assumes extensive experience with the concepts of electroacoustic music, and prior fluency in the tools being taught.

new to electroacoustic music and unsure which workshops would be the right fit?
See our helpful Quickstart Guide!

Sunday Workshops

NOTE: The Sunday workshops are offered as one-off classes which will repeat several times during the day. All other workshops, unless otherwise specified, function as traditional classes, building skills and knowledge over the course of the week.

Microphones and Live Performance (Open, 1 hr, Sun only)
We will discuss the properties of microphones and how they relate to microphone selection and positioning in live performance. We will also discuss issues of signal flow and latency related to microphones in live performance.

Environmental Recording and Deep Listening Explorations (Open, 2 hrs, Sun only)
This "scavenger hunt" workshop will explore Western Michigan's campus while collecting environmental soundscape recordings. First we will talk about recording and listening. Then we'll go on a group soundwalk, and afterward break into smaller groups to embark on a “sonic scavenger hunt”, searching for and recording sounds. Lastly, we will share the sounds we found. It's going to be FUN!

Pauline Oliveros’ 100 Meeting Places - Ted Moore (Open, 1 hr, Sun only)
Come meet SPLICE participants in 100 places by performing Pauline Oliveros’ 100 meeting places. Bring a sound-making instrument you can move around a room with (which could be your voice). The performance will take about an hour.

Workshop on John Zorn’s Cobra - Per Bloland (Open, 1 hr, Sun only)
Perform in John Zorn’s Rogue Cobra (because without Zorn at the helm we can only do “Rogue” version). Cobra is a crazy fun game piece, played by any number of improvising performers and a prompter (which will be SPLICE’s own Per Bloland). It involves cue cards, guerrilla breakout groups, and lots of quick changes (of course, it’s Zorn!). We’ll learn the system by playing it. It’s a blast, come make some crazy sounds! No experience necessary. Also - bring a hat, any kind of hat…

Weekday Workshops

Slot A 9:00-10:15a

Animals and Synthesizers (Introductory, Mon-Fri)
An introductory workshop exploring the basics of synthesis in Reaper while creating sound for a short animal-themed film clip. All experience levels welcome!

DSP in Gen~ with Codebox (Advanced, Mon-Fri)
This will cover digital signal processing algorithms in the Gen~ programming environment within Max. It will focus on examples that teach concepts that demonstrate how Gen~ is useful. We will focus on using the codebox within Gen~, but we will also show how to work with graphical patching in Gen~. Previous experience with Max is required and it is preferable that participants have some knowlege of digital signal processing.

IRCAM Tools (Intermediate, Mon-Fri)
This will cover 2 pieces of IRCAM software: OpenMusic and Orchidea. The first 3 days cover OpenMusic, a visual programming environment for Computer-Assisted Composition. The last 2 days cover Orchidea, a computer-assisted orchestration tool. Users select a set of instruments and a target audio file, and Orchidea generates a sample-based audio file result and a score. Students should install both OpenMusic (Mac and Win), Orchidea (Mac only), and MaxOrch (Mac only) prior to the meetings. Installation instructions will be distributed prior to the Institute.
https://forum.ircam.fr/projects/detail/openmusic/
http://www.orch-idea.org/
https://perbloland.com/maxorch-about

Intro to SuperCollider (Intermediate, Mon-Fri)
An introductory workshop for those with little or no experience with SuperCollider. Learn basic audio coding while exploring this free and expressive programming language that provides a framework for acoustic research, algorithmic music, and electronic music performance.

Intro to Performance Technology (Introductory, Mon+Tues)
If you are new to electronic music performance, start here! The basic details about everything you need to know to setup and run pieces with electronics.

DAW for Performers (Introductory, Wed+Thurs)
A continuation of the “Intro to Performance Technology” classes, DAW for Performers will explore the basics of creating, recording, and editing sound in Digital Audio Workstations. In this course, participants will gain skills to create fixed media electronics and create and route click tracks.

Slot B 10:30-11:45a

Intro to Max (Introductory, Mon-Fri)
An introductory workshop for those with little or no experience using Max. Explore the power of this visual programming language for music and multimedia, creating patches that input live signals, play soundfiles, and process live signals/soundfiles in various ways.

Max Topics (Intermediate, Mon-Fri)
Various workshops on working with Max, including data processing, effects, and preset systems, all geared for intermediate Max users.

Web-based musical instruments for Smartphones with RNBO (Advanced, Mon-Fri)
This workshop focuses on creating custom musical instruments that run in the browser and are optimized for smartphones. Participants will design instruments in Max using the RNBO framework and export them to the JavaScript target for web integration. We will explore embedding these instruments into webpages using the Web Audio API and extend their control with motion sensors, MIDI, and OSC to create expressive, responsive musical experiences.

Max for Performers (Introductory, Mon-Thurs)
Learn the basics of Max including how to troubleshoot, create cue systems, timers, and musically interact within the software. No previous experience is necessary.

SLot C 1:00-2:15p

Performing with Ableton Live (Introductory, Mon-Thu)
A series of sessions to introduce and explore techniques for using Ableton Live in live performance both for full structured pieces and improvisation.

Aesthetics (Open, Mon-Thu)
Discuss the aesthetics of electroacoustic music composition and performance. This workshop, often focused on previous evenings' concerts, engages participants in lively debate about the "why" of electroacoustic music. No experience needed. All discussions are strictly confidential!

Tangible Intangible: Exploring Interactions of Physical and Digital Materials (Open, Mon-Thu)
This workshop will investigate interactions between physical and digital materials, exploring a range of ways to bring the rich variation of the physical world (textures, movements, etc.) into digital spaces with a particular focus on visual and sonic interactions. Alongside aesthetic discussion of particular repertoire, this workshop will include hands-on experimentation with physical materials and collaborative patching and improvisation. Please bring instruments if you have them!

Slot d 2:30-5:00p

Interactive Guided Improvisation - Anne LaBerge (Open, Mon-Tue)
We will use a Max Patch where all musicians are networked together using their own devices
to create an improvisation environment where participating musicians can make contributions that influence the structure of the music. The Max Patch will be easy to edit and musicians can create their own versions of the how they would like the improvisations to be guided.

FlucoMA Workshop - Ted Moore (Advanced, Thu-Fri)
FluCoMa (https://www.flucoma.org/) is a toolkit for making music with machine listening and machine learning within Max, SuperCollider, & Pure Data. The toolkit offers audio decomposition tools to separate real-time and recorded audio into component elements, audio analysis tools to describe audio components as analytical and statistical representations, data analysis and machine learning algorithms for pattern detection and expressive corpus browsing, and audio morphing and hybridization algorithms for audio remixing, interpolating, and variation-making. The workshop will be taught in Max. SuperCollider & Pure Data users are welcome to join.

Visual Music: Performing Media - Eric Souther (Open, Mon-Fri)
Visual Music: Performing Media workshop will focus on real-time performative audio-visuals. Students will learn how to build performative visual instruments in the node-based programming language TouchDesigner. We will learn several techniques for translating sound to image with both audio-reactivity and audio-visual relationships.

SPLICE Electronic Improv Ensemble (SpEIE) - (*Ensemble Participants Only; others may observe, Mon-Fri)
Through daily performances, we will explore the unique musical properties that emerge in and from instrumental systems capable of automation and increased agency. Our studies will include both free-improvisation and guided improvisational scores. Participants should have experience performing electronics, which could include fully electronic, either digital or analog, or hybrid electronic-acoustic systems, and they should be prepared to bring their instrument/system. Audio monitors can be provided; other gear could be provided upon request based on availability. Experience in improvisation is welcomed, but not required. Participants in EIE will be required to rehearse with the ensemble during the workshop C slot/period throughout the week. Non-practitioners, including purely acoustic instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers are welcome to audit the course.