Chapte r 1P - Sound synthesis with Max/MSP 1p

1.1 FIRSTSTEPSWITH MAX/MSP

In order to fo llow the procedures o ut lined in t his chapter, you wil l need to
have Max/MSP installed on your comp uter . If you have not do ne this, or if you
have encounte red prob lems, read t he document named "How to inst all and
conf ig ure Max/MSP" , wh ich can be fou nd at t he fo llowing URL:
www.v irtual-sound.com/cmsupport.

Launch Max/MSP, and select the New Patcher entry from the File menu (or press
Command-n on the Mac or Control-n on Windows). 1 The Patcher Window wi ll
appear. The Patcher w indow is whe re you connect Max/MSPobjects to create algo-
rithms. Before proceeding, note the row of icons at the bottom of the window; we
w ill explain the functions associated w ith these icons during the course of the text.
Double-click in the interior of the Patcher Window. A flashing target w ill appear.
Below the flashing target, a semi-transparent w indow called the palette w ill appear.
The palette contains a collection of icons (figure 1.1) that represent different
Max/MSP objects that you can use to construct algorithms fo r sound synthesis and
signal processing. (If there seem to be fewer icons in your palette than are shown
in f igure 1.1, try clicking on the All button in the upper left corner of the palette.)

Fig.1.1 The Max/MS P palette

The icons represent Max/MSP objects t hat you can use to construct "vi rtua l
machines" that embody algor ith ms fo r sound synthesis and signal processing .
Max/MSP objects can be interconnecte d wit h each other: info rmation flows (in
the fo rm of numbers , digital signals, or ot her kinds of data) fr om one object
to t he next through the se connecti ons. Each object is designed to perform a
specific ope rat ion o n the info rmation that it receives, and each object wi ll pass
its results to any ot her objects t hat are connected to it. A collection of objects

1 On Mac OSX, hold the Comma nd key (:N: ) down and press 'n', or on Windows , press 'n' wh ile
holding t he Cont rol key down . This will be abbreviated as <Command-n/ Control -n> fro m t his point
on. Whenever you see t his not at ion, use <Command> if you are using a Mac or use <Contro l> if
you are using Windows .
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