Learning Max (Basics)

1. What is Max?
   Max is an interactive visual programming environment for music and media
   
   • Wikipedia article: WP
   • Cycling '74 {C74; YouTube Channel}
     
   • The "What is Max?" page {C74}
     
   • Max is a "playground for invention" that allows you to quickly prototype and evaluate algorithmic ideas
     
   • Max allows you to:
   • "Connect your ideas together"
     
   • "Create software built around you, in the moment"
   • "Make sound with a gesture"
   • "Make visual music"
   • "Explore sound without limits"
   • Extending Max
   • Package Manager
   • JavaScript, C++, etc.
   • Gen: Generate audio, video, code (Gen objects)
     
   • Videos: 
   • Welcome Max 9 (2025) {YouTube} (1:08) - √
   • Ableton, Welcome to Max (2023) {YouTube} (5:23)
   • Max 8.3 (2022) {YouTube} (2:27)
   • Max 8 (2018) {YouTube} (2:41)
   • Make a Quick Tour of Max 6 (2011) {YouTube} (4:55) - √
• Developed by:
• Miller Puckette {WP}, IRCAM {ircam.fr}
• David Zicarelli, C74 {C74}
  
• Kadenze, What is Max Programming?, feat. David Zicarelli {Video: YouTube} (Wright 2017) (2:24) - √
  
  
2. What is new in Max 9?
• What's new in Max 9 {C74; YouTube Playlist} 
• The ABL Objects: Ableton Sound for Max
  
• JavaScript V8 in Max
  
• Jitter Geometry, FX, and improvements
  
• Jitter FX
• Tour: Frederico Foderaro (Amazing Max Stuff), [Introducing] Max 9 {YouTube} (15:22)
  
  
3. What can you make with Max?
• Cycling '74 Perspectives & Interviews
  
• Videos:
• Takumi Ogata, An Interview with Takumi Ogata (2023) {C74; YouTube} (4:23) - √
• Elise Baldwin, intermedia artist (2010) {YouTube} (3:32)
• Robert Henke (a.k.a. Monolake) on Max {WP}, computer music artist (2009) {YouTube} (3:31)
  Co-creator of Ableton Live, with Gerhard Behles
• See also:
• Interviews {C74}
• Max Projects {C74}
  
  
4. Download Max
   • Current Version: 9
   • Download Max {C74} – Max is free for 30 days
   • See also: Max purchase options {C74}
     
     
5. Program of Study
• Reading
• Cycling '74, Max Getting Started, v4.5 (pdf)
  
• Handouts
• Max 9 Interface (pdf)
  
• Max Programming Overview (pdf)
• Generative Music (pdf)
• Programming Examples
  
• Bain, Getting Started with Max & MIDI
• Winkler Scale Tutorial (Winkler 1998)
  
  
6. Documentation & C74 Tutorials
   • Max Documentation {C74}
   • Topics, Tutorials, Guides and Object Reference Pages {C74}
   • Learn {C74}
     
   • Max Tutorials
     • Max {C74}
     • Learn Max {C74}
     • Did You Know? {YouTube Playlist}
       
     • Did You Know? (2.0) {YouTube Playlist}
       
     • MSP {C74} – The audio component of Max
     • Jitter {C74} – The video component of Max
     • Visuals for Max {C74}
     • Vizzie 2 {C74}
     • Jitter Geometry {C74}
       

Cycling '74 (C74) – https://cycling74.com

Third-Party Video Tutorials

1. Beginner Max Programming
   
• John Reed, Max 8 Tutorials {YouTube Playlist}
• Frederico Foderaro, Amazing Max Stuff
• Max/MSP/Jitter Introductory Course {YouTube Playlist}
  
2. Intermediate/Advanced Max Programming
   
• Sam Tarakajian (dude837)
• Delicious Max Tutorials {YouTube Playlist}
• Frederico Foderaro, Amazing Max Stuff  {YouTube Channel}
• Max 9 {YouTube}
• Max/MSP/Jitter Tutorials {YouTube Playlist}
3. Programming in Max for Live {Ableton Live}
   
• ELPHNT
• What is Max for Live? {YouTube}
  
• ELPHNT, How to Build Max for Live Devices {YouTube}
  
• Tom Hall, Programming in Max for Live {C74 Tuts}
  
  

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. Composing Interactive Music: Techniques and Ideas Using Max. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. {GB; Full text: TCL}

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>.

Rothwell, Nick. 2025. "Cycling ’74 Max 9 Programming Environment." Sound on Sound (April 2025). {SOS}