MAX FOR LIVE

Like Reaktor, Max by Cycling ’74 is a visual programming tool but, unlike Reaktor, it is not in-and-of-itself dedicated to creating audio processors, and has capabilities that extend into many different fields: image and video processing, hardware control, and more. So, in reality, Max is more like a combination of an IDE (Interactive Development Environment – a software suite that assists with code development) and a runtime environment in which programs created with Max – referred to as “patchers” – can run.

OBJECT SHORTCUTS Commonly used objects can be created from these shortcuts – the one that looks like a dial contains Max For Live objects

WIRES Objects are interconnected using virtual wires. Plain, thin wires carry normal events and values, while striped wires carry audio signals

PATCHER LOCK Lock your patcher in patching or presentation mode to interact with controls to test and audition your growing creation

PATCHING/PRESENTATION MODE SWITCH Switch between Patching mode, where all objects are visible, and Presentation mode, where you create your Patcher’s user interface

OBJECTS Many objects are shown as just a name and arguments. Inlets are positioned on the top of objects, and outlets on the bottom

PATCHER Everything you build in Max is built within a Patcher. Here you create and connect the objects your project requires

SHOW INSPECTOR All of the parameters and settings of the currently selected object are accessed via the Inspector – this button opens and closes it

This allows Max to be exceptionally open-ended, because new packages of functionality, known in the coding world as “libraries”, can be created by anybody who feels so inclined. And because Max objects can be coded in a number of languages, including the widely used JavaScript, you don’t need to deal with fiddly compiled languages like C and C# in order to start coding your own Max objects. (The word “object” is used in programming to refer to a “thing” within a program – a value, a controller, an oscillator… whatever!)