Getting a head start on Max?

[lis102trants]

Its funny I have Reaktor, because I never found it appealing enough to program with so I never really put the effort into learning it. Max on the other hand looks a lot more approachable in terms of learning. So if I'm understanding all of this correctly, Max for Live is a separate product to purchase (that isn't "Max/msp")? I'd like to start learning Max right now so that when MFL arrives, I'll know what to do with it. How should I go about learning Max if MFL isn't available to purchase yet?

[jeremydb]

Its funny I have Reaktor, because I never found it appealing enough to program with so I never really put the effort into learning it. Max on the other hand looks a lot more approachable in terms of learning. So if I'm understanding all of this correctly, Max for Live is a separate product to purchase (that isn't "Max/msp")? I'd like to start learning Max right now so that when MFL arrives, I'll know what to do with it. How should I go about learning Max if MFL isn't available to purchase yet?

Download, install, run. Help Menu -> Max Help will take you to the master documentation list, including all of the tutorials. The tutorials will get you from 0 to pretty well-rounded in a fairly short time (but think days, not hours). After you can't take it anymore, FIND A PROJECT! Having a clear goal will make the process of learning Max not only mostly painless, but maybe even fun.

Good luck!
jb

[djsynchro]

There's a bundle of video tutorials on the cycling74 website too. And some documents I think.

[stringtapper]

After you can't take it anymore, FIND A PROJECT! Having a clear goal will make the process of learning Max not only mostly painless, but maybe even fun.

Good luck!
jb

+ a billion

This is one of the important things to keep in mind when starting with Max. Because the possibilities are limitless you really have to have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish. Then making it happen is just a matter of familiarity with Max itself and the concepts behind what you're trying to do.

I feel so fortunate now that I have been working with Max for the last year and half or so. I have a lot of ideas for this combination.

But like Jeremy said, download the demo and hit the tutorials. they are the best in the business.

[Tone Deft]

open an audio template, get your soundcard up and running then just start connection audio objects between the input and output. I run the TV through mine when I'm too tired to do anything specific. then look up the help for the object, look at the related objects, copy their help files into your project, wire them into the audio path and fuck around for a while. in a short while you can come up with some tweaked out noise and learn a few things along the way.