Welcome to Infennon Labs Game Audio Section
Download Max/MSP 30 day trial: Mac/PC
What is Max?
"Max is a visual programming language for music and multimedia developed and maintained by San Francisco-based software company Cycling '74."
There are three components to Max: Max; MSP; and Jitter.
Max is the main program that the "patches" are created in. MSP and Jitter are add-ons. MSP stands for Max Signal Processing "allowing for the manipulation of digital audio signals in real-time, allowing users to create their own synthesizers and effects processors. " Jitter "provides real-time video, 3-D, and matrix processing capability."
Max has many objects that come with the program upon install and there are also a lot of people creating objects to integrate into Max, there is virtually no limit to Max.
Max/MSP works similar to Signal flow, Patchers send signal TOP TO BOTTOM and RIGHT TO LEFT
With this tool Plug-ins for Digital Audio Workstations can be created as well as it being used for live performances. Max has the ability to create .EXE files giving the user the ability to make a standalone application.
Max Wiki
Max uses objects and patches within its Patcher to create Synthesizers and other things. Objects are clickable, editable items that interact with one another. Patches are streams of data or audio passing between objects. If a patch is a SOLID BLACK LINE then it is passing Data/MIDI. If a patch is a BROKEN GREEN AND BLACK LINE then it is passing Audio. Certain objects only receive Data/MIDI and Audio respectively, while some objects can receive both.
Control (Ctrl) is for PC and Command (cmd) is for Mac
Alt is for PC and Option (opt) is for Mac
Window is for PC and Ctrl is for Mac
P = Object Library
N = Object
M = Message
B = Bang
T = Toggle
I = Number Box
F = Floating Point Number Box
IMPORTANT: Hold Ctrl/Cmd and click the Patcher to Unlock/Lock it
Ctrl/Cmd click and object to make it act in a locked state when the Patcher is unlocked
Hold Alt/Opt and click then drag an object to copy it
Ctrl/Cmd "+/-" to zoom in/out
Ctrl/Cmd + B = Object Browser (Search for an object and then drag to the Patcher)
Opt/Alt click or Right Click to view help information about object
Ctrl/Cmd + Alt/Opt and it will select both objects and patch cables
Ctrl/Cmd + K hides selection on Lock
Ctrl/Cmd + L shows selection on Lock
IMPORTANT: Max does not save any settings within the Patcher unless a Preset is saved, to do this create a Preset Object:
1. In the Patcher Make sure it is unlocked
2. Press N to create a new object
3. Type Preset in the object
4. Press Enter
5. Set your values you want to save in the Preset
6. Hold Ctrl/Cmd + Shift and click one of the greyed out dots in the Preset (A preset can be overridden the same way)
7. To Delete a preset Hold Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + Alt/Opt
Please see Quick-Keys List as well as the following:
Create a new object by pressing N and type the name of the object in followed by Enter
ezdac~ -->Is the output object for the Patcher
gain~ -->Volume Fader
meter~ -->Displays Volume levels
mtof -->Is converting MIDI date to Frequencies to output
counter -->Tracks bang messages and then outputs current count within a specified range
Sel --> Acts as a selector tool of inputs and outputs
random (followed by a space and number) -->Randomly Selects between a specified amount of inputs
metro (followed by a space and number) -->Acts as a metronome
patcher -->Acts as a sub-patcher within the main Patcher
Organizing the Patcher
To Route your patches in a clean manner instead of crossing objects and other patches select the patch(s) you want to organize and press: Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + Y
To Align objects with one another highlight the objects that you want to align and then press: Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + A
NOTE: When aligning Max aligns Top to Bottom first and Right to Left second (Objects on the right of a selection move to the left)
Ctrl/Cmd + J Condenses the Object
You can send Inputs and outputs across your Patcher or into Sub-Patchers so as to keep your screen free of cluttered patches by creating objects with either s or r and then a name, for example: s Bang and r Bang. The "s" denotes a send message and the "r" a receive. This in turn is like a walkie talkie communicating to other people in different buildings.