In 1986, Steve Ellison, formerly of LCS Audio, now Meyer Sound Laboratories Inc., invented a novel amplitude panning algorithm using barycentric coordinates to derive equal power speaker gains among collections of triplets of loudspeakers. Since the algorithm's invention and first implementation, the software, originally called SpaceNodes, later renamed SpaceMap®, has undergone many refinements and iterations, with later versions used for live sound reinforcement to control analog matrix mixers, and subsequently implemented on three generations of digital audio mixers. Over the two decades that followed the software's first commercial iteration in the early 1990s, the authoring and control constructs and graphical user interface underwent several practically-driven improvements that transformed a simple barycentric panning algorithm into a powerful and elegant solution for large-scale abstract spatial sound design.
MIAP (Manifold-Interface Amplitude Panning) is a powerful suite for creating and controlling multi-dimensional mapping and interpolation spaces in Max. Define arbitrary networks of nodes (speakers, parameters, data points) and smoothly interpolate between them using an intuitive visual interface. Use cases include:
- amplitude-based spatial audio panning for any speaker configuration
- creative multi-parameter control mappings
- data visualization and sonification
- advanced audio routing
- MIAP also supports Meyer Sound SpaceMap® workflows with tools for importing D-Mitri and Matrix-3 project files
These objects provide virtually all of the expressive depth of Meyer's SpaceMap® as a spatial sound control tool, while also providing a new vehicle (via Max) for the exploration of new applications/implementations made possible by the tool's "manifold-interface" approach. Several examples of such expanded implementations are provided in the download package (such as binaural encoding, variable reverberation and audio decorrelation).
Useful Links
For an excellent brief history of SpaceMap, read Steve Ellison's 2013 article in Lighting and Sound America: "20 Years of Audio Origami"
A paper on the MIAP suite was published in the Proceedings of the 137th AES Convention, Los Angeles, California: "MIAP: Manifold-Interface Amplitude Panning in Max/MSP and Pure Data"
View the slide presentation from the 137th AES Convention
Attribution
The MIAP object suite is based in part on Meyer Sound's SpaceMap® multi-channel panning feature of CueStation. SpaceMap and CueStation are trademarks of Meyer Sound Laboratories, Incorporated.