Recently I started working with Max/Msp7, the beginning was quite rough, although the documentation is very good and has a lot of technical detail. Currently I am creating little synthesizers with MSP, practicing commands and routing.
My ultimate goal is creating textures and drones out of samples and field recordings (yes, I know biosphere and I adore his “music”). The sound is fed directly into my .
So far I think its a really deep piece of software and I am curious what I can get out of there.
So, do we have some Max users here? Maybe you could share your experiences, some tips and tricks? How and for what do you use it? Do you integrate it with your machines?
And, out of sheer couriosity, did you buy or “rent” it? I didn´t have enough schmeckles at that time, so I am renting it for now.
If there is a thread about this topic already feel free to merge/delete!
There are certainly a few Max/MSP users … I followed the upgrade path and have been using it for many years … more often Max than MSP for me, but I use it for all sorts, ultimately I like that you can govern the path between your hardware and other hardware/software … i.e. make things do what you want
The best way to get real world insights into the breadth of usage cases is to check out the forums there and have a look at the tools
I tend to find I want something to be possible/fixed and ask myself … can it be done with Max ?
Do you own a monome device? If you have the grid, how do you use it? I have known about the grid for years, NIN and Alessandro Cortini (<3) are using it for a long time, never thought of buying it, but it starts to look interesting.
Yes. Grid, Arc, Ansible and Teletype. These have just found their way to me. The Grid was first to enter my studio. I’ve started making a CV sequencer type of thing in M4L. Kinda struggling with specifics of M4l. Thinking of a workaround.
First thought was to use Grid and Arc with Max and/or M4L. But now the integration with Eurorack is quite interesting.
Thank you for sharing your experience. M4L looks interesting, but I got no use for it. But I like using beap stuff from time to time, soundscaping is fairly easy. I don´t really like that “the next thing I buy will be…” phrase, but the grid looks really interesting, maybe I should consider it. And don´t get me started about the design
The teletype looks a little bit awkward, maybe time consuming? Cool non the less, in fact all of the stuff is interesting.
…I just looked up your youtube channel and realized who you are I watched some of your videos, the nord modular thing and the octatrack tutorials when I got my octa! Coooooooooool stuff, there is even a little monome to look at (listening to it right now)!
I’ve been dabbling with Max for years now. I wish I knew how to make patches properly. Everything I manage to do is horribly unoptimized and performs poorly on my computer. If only there were 128 more hours in a day…
I don´t have that much time either with work and all, but I manage to try at least for an hour a day, mostly on my train rides home (when I don´t fall asleep). Still faaaaaaaaaaaar away from autechre.
But I also have the feeling that I´m getting nowhere, I guess I need some more patience.
If you want the fast fun, there is always beap
My big issue is inspiration and motivation… I just don’t seem to have it any more, especially on the computer. I’m giving Max another try this year and kindof got stuck in the same place but I’ve decided to try and focus on MIDI - take advantage of my recent hardware, and do more complex and generative (or at least conditional) sequencing that the Monomachine and Machinedrum can’t do.
So far, I’ve managed to make a MIDI translator to turn velocity-on-note-in to the Volca FM’s CC velocity parameter. But it was my first patch of making something from scratch to satisfy a real need.
I want to keep exploring this path as those new little ROLI component-block things have Max support and it may be fun to try and play with those as a cheaper Monome alternative; and see if I can turn it into an interesting controller for my silver Elektrons…
Sitting around and waiting is something I try to avoid (focus on “try”…) I just start, telling myself I will do like 2 or 3 MSP-tutorials and see where it goes from there. Set yourself little goals, that keeps me motivated.
So, right now its just learning! Good to see that I am not the only one struggling
Max/Msp user since 2009 maybe. It’s better to start of making some utility stuff - sync devices, basic samplers, in-out, custom lfo’s, basic FM connections, etc. I think, Max is great to work without connection to timeline (unlike with regular DAW). You just hit START button - and magic begins - evolving pads (hard time stretched samples, for example ), FM blips and blops, and more, you know, what i mean.
And Max 8 with multichannel is incredible…
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machines?
I watched some of your videos, the nord modular thing and the octatrack tutorials when I got my octa! Coooooooooool stuff, there is even a little monome to look at (listening to it right now)!
