1. Introduction
Asset Manager provides dynamic loading, unloading and control over Max/MSP patches, easy network integration using Open Sound Control (OSC), and an abstraction layer that facilitates changes to a project's panning algorithms and software-to-hardware channel mappings.
Asset Manager is built to deal with multiple audio projects[1] in an environment where projects need to be loaded on demand. We use Asset Manager extensively with virtual reality environments and other graphics engines, where each project requires a custom Max patch. Since each system has its own optimal spatialization setup, maintaining multiple versions of the same project implemented on different systems can quickly become cumbersome and time-exhaustive. Asset Manager addresses these difficulties by providing a framework that abstracts panning and signal flow, and helps optimize production workflow for complex sound systems.
Summary of Functionality:
- Configuration files for i/o setup, project definitions, signal paths and panning methods. (See section 4. Config Files for more details)
- Versatile spatialization and i/o abstraction layers. (See section 3. Overview to learn about signal flows and section 6. Creating Panner Objects for creating custom panner objects)
- Network message specification in Open Sound Control protocol to control behavior of Asset Manager and projects.
- Mixing control for each project and master outputs.
- Recording and playback of network messages.
- Built-in objects for spatialization signal processing, such as distance simulation, air absorption, Doppler effect, and source direction simulation. (See section 8. Built-in Max Objects to learn about Max abstractions and objects that comes with Asset Manager)
Asset Manager is part of Tahakum Audio Control Framework.
[1] The feature of loading and unloading Max/MSP patches are not limited to only audio projects.