What this book covers

Chapter 1, Getting Started with Max, will allow us to learn what Max/MSP is about, what we can use it for, why we use it, and how to use it.

Chapter 2, Max Setup and Basics, will allow us to set up our custom Max system, go through the relevant settings, and start diving into programming with Max.

Chapter 3, Advanced Programming Techniques in Max, starts with building a simple synthesizer, and then covers advanced techniques and introduces topics such as parameter saving, structuring our programs, and how to use Max in a professional manner.

Chapter 4, Basic Audio in Max/MSP, starts with how to specifically deal with audio, as the previous chapters dealt with Max in a more general way. Various synthesis techniques, sampling, and some digital signal processing theory is introduced.

Chapter 5, Advanced Audio in Max/MSP, takes a deeper look at audio-processing techniques. More sampling, granular sampling, and effects such as compression and reverbs are introduced, and spectral techniques are also discussed.

Chapter 6, Low-level Patching in Gen, specifically deals with audio in Max/MSP's Gen. Filters as well as simple physical modeling networks are discussed.

Chapter 7, Video in Max/Jitter, explores Max/MSP's video engine, Jitter, which is used to generate some simple 3D scenery.

Chapter 8, Max for Live, is about how Max and Ableton Live are a match made in heaven. We'll learn how to make this match for our patches, how to use Max for Live, and how to prepare our patches to be used inside Live.

Chapter 9, Basic Visualization Using TouchDesigner, introduces TouchDesigner to create real-time visualizations of our audio processes.

Chapter 10, Advanced Visualization Using TouchDesigner, discusses topics such as 2D compositing, time syncing, and 3D rendering.

Chapter 11, 3D Rendering and Examples, explains in more detail how TouchDesigner is used for more complex and bigger 3D scenes and 3D rendering.

Chapter 12, Connecting Our Software to the World, explains how after creating complex programs we might want to connect them to the outside world using sensors, motors, multi-touch screens, and multispeaker setups. Some techniques for addressing such situations are explained.