BAIN MUSC 336
Introduction to Computer Music

Learning Max (Basics)

1. What is Max?
   Max is a graphical programming environment for music and media
   
   • Wikipedia article: WP
   • Cycling '74 {C74}
   • What is Max? {C74}
     Max is "A Playground for Invention"
   • Videos: 
   • Make a Quick Tour of Max 6 (2011) {YouTube} (4:55)
     
   • Welcome to Max 8 (2018) {YouTube} (2:41)
   • Max 8.3 {YouTube} (2:27)
   • What's new in Max 8 {C74} (See also: Help > Max Tour)
     
   • Videos:
   • Max 8 First Look {YouTube Playlist}
• Developed by:
• Miller Puckette {WP} @ IRCAM {ircam.fr}
• Video:
• Kadenze, What is Max Programming?, feat. David Zicarelli {YouTube} (Wright 2017) (2:24)
  
2. What can you make with Max?
• Cycling '74 Perspectives & Interviews
  
• Videos:
• Robert Henke (a.k.a. Monolake) on Max {WP}, computer music artist (2009) {YouTube} (3:31)
  Co-creator of Ableton Live, with Gerhard Behles
• Elise Baldwin, intermedia artist (2010) {YouTube} (3:32) - *
• See also:
• Interviews {C74}
• Max Projects {C74}
3. Download Max
   • Current Version: 8.5
   • 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 (pdf)
  
• Overviews
• Max 8 Interface (pdf)
• Max Programming Basics (pdf)
• Programming Examples
  
• Bain, Getting Started with Max & MIDI
5. Documentation & C74 Tutorials
   • Max 8 Documentation {C74}
   • See also: Topics, Tutorials, Guides and Object Reference Pages {C74}
   • Max 8 Tutorials
     • Max {C74}
     • Learn Max {C74}
     • Did You Know? {YouTube Playlist}
     • MSP {C74} – The audio component of Max
     • Jitter {C74} – The video component of Max
     • Visuals for Max {C74}
     • Vizzie 2 {C74}

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

Third-Party Video Tutorials

1. Beginner
• John Reed, Max 8 Tutorials {YouTube Playlist}
2. Intermediate/Advanced
• Sam Tarakajian (dude837), Delicious Max Tutorials {YouTube Playlist}
• Frederico Foderaro, Amazing Max Stuff {YouTube Channel}

Programming

See: Winkler 1998, Manzo 2016, and Wright 2017

See also:

• Christopher Dobrian
• Max Cookbook (2017) {UC Irvine}
• Interactive Arts Programming Examples (2015) {UC Irvine}
• Algorithmic Composition Blog (2009) {algocomp.blogspot.com}
• Karlheinz Essl, Real-Time Composition Library (RTC-lib)

Related Applications

1. Ableton Live {Ableton}
2. Max for Live (M4L) {Ableton; C74}
• Ableton, Building Max Devices {YouTube Playlist}
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>.