Category: max-lecturenotes

If you want the cpPan~ object, the best way to get it is to download the Granular Tool Kit, developed by Nathan Wolek. The cpPan~ object comes with the tool kit. It’s free, and available for Mac or Windows. We’ll get into granular synthesis as part of the live performance class module, so you’ll want…

Here’s a basic outline of how to modify pitch with an envelope or lfo. It’s best to express pitch variation in semitones so that you can add it to some MIDI note number and get the same frequency variation depth at whatever starting frequency. The trick is to convert the midi note number input to…

This post is not intended as a full explanation of ring modulation, amplitude modulation, or frequency modulation synthesis. The intent is to discuss how to implement various forms of modulation synthesis in Max/MSP. Ring Modulation Ring modulation is the easiest form of modulation synthesis to implement in Max/MSP. You simply multiply the outputs of two…

Mapping incoming MIDI data to synthesis controls in MSP takes the form of either using conversion objects or creating mathematical scaling algorithms. mtof and mtof~ Both mtof and mtof~ map incoming MIDI note number messages to floating-point frequency messages suitable for input to an oscillator. These objects are useful not just for pitch control from…

Uploaded example patchers: BasicSynthNumbers.maxpat and BasicSynthEnvelopes.maxpat Both of the example patchers show how to control frequency to an oscillator using a float number box into a line object. The two patchers also show how to create a simple ADSR amplitude envelope control. The “numbers” patcher uses number boxes to specify segment length in ms, and…

Audio interface preferences are handled slightly differently in Max than most other audio programs, and you have levels of control that you need to understand. DSP Status The DSP Status window is equivalent to audio preferences in most other audio programs. You get to the window via the Options menu. You can turn audio on…

Two objects worthy of a special mention right from the start are line~ and meter~. If you have any sound experience at all you keep track of your visual indicators (meters) to make sure sound isn’t clipping at some point in the signal chain. In MaxMSP you have the meter~ object (and the more picturesque…

The basicaudio.maxpat from class is uploaded.

Moving Max into the digital audio realm: MSP The MSP part of Max stands for Max Signal Processing (or the initials of one its creators, Miller S. Puckette). It extends the original functionality of Max by adding objects for audio synthesis and signal processing. As you wade into the realm of digital audio in MaxMSP,…

Couldn’t think of a great title. You can make use of the different little patchers you’ve made for assignments by bringing them in to your performance patch. The easiest way to do this is to use the patcher object (p) — at least it makes it easy to bring a lot of different functions in…