BAIN MUSC 336
Introduction to Computer Music

Learning Max (Basics)

1. What is Max?
   Max is a graphical programming environment for music and media
   
   • Max Wikipedia article {WP}
   • Cycling '74
   • Videos: 
   • Take a Quick Tour of Max 6 (2011) {YouTube} (4:55)
   • Welcome to Max 8 (2018) {YouTube} (2:41)
   • Max 8 Features {C74}
   • What's new in Max 8 (See Help > Max Tour)
     MC, MIDI and Key mapping, Node for Max, Patching Improvements, and Vizzie 2
• Developed by:
• Miller Puckette {WP} @ IRCAM {ircam.fr}
• Video: David Zicarelli {YouTube} (Wright 2017) (2:24)
  
2. What can you make with Max?
• Cycling '74 Perspectives:
• Videos:
• Robert Henke (a.k.a. Monolake), computer music artist (2009) {YouTube} (3:31) -*
• Angela Lorenz, graphic designer (2006) {YouTube} (2:13)
• Laetitia Sonami (2006) {YouTube} (2:25)
• Elise Baldwin, intermedia artist (2010) {YouTube} (3:32)
• See also:
• Interviews {C74}
• Made with Max {C74}
• Max Projects {C74}
3. Download Max
   • Download Max {C74} – Max is free for 30 days
   • See also: Max purchase options {C74}
4. Program of Study
• Reading
• Cycling '74, Max Getting Started, v4.5, p. 3, pp. 9-13, 17-19 & 28-31 (pdf)
  
• Overviews
• Max 8 Interface (pdf)
• Max Programming Basics (pdf)
• Programming Examples
  
• Bain, Max Getting Started Patchers
5. Documentation & Tutorials
   • Max 8 Documentation {C74}
   • See also: Topics, Tutorials, Guides and Object Reference Pages {C74}
   • Max 8 Tutorials
     • Max {C74}
     • MSP {C74} – The audio component of Max
     • Jitter {C74} – The video component of Max

C74 - Cycling '74, https://cycling74.com

Tutorial Videos

1. Cycling '74 Tutorial Videos {C74}
• Did You Know? {YouTube Playlist}
2. John Reed, Max 8 Tutorials {YouTube Playlist}

Other Tutorials

Programming

See Winkler 1998, Manzo 2016, and Wright 2017

See also: Christopher Dobrian (UC Irvine)

• Max Cookbook {UC Irvine}
• Interactive Arts Programming Examples {UC Irvine}
• Algorithmic Composition Blog {http://algocomp.blogspot.com}

Related Applications

1. Ableton Live {Ableton}
2. Max for Live (M4L) {Ableton; C74}
3. MIRA iPad App {C74}
• Video: Introducing Mira for the iPad {YouTube} (1:16)

What's Next?

Online Course

Matt Wright (Stanford University), Programming Max: Structuring Interactive Software for Digital Arts (Max 7) {Kadenza}

References

Winkler, Todd. 2001/1998. Composing Interactive Music: Techniques and Ideas Using Max. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. {GB; Full text: PASCAL}

Wright, Matt. 2017. Programming Max: Structuring Interactive Software for Digital Arts. Valencia, CA: Kadenze. Available online at: <https://www.kadenze.com/courses/programming-max-structuring-interactive-software-for-digital-arts/info>.