Learn How To Build Max For Live Devices, A Beginner's Guide (Ableton User Group, Cape Town)

[@ELPHNT]

A few minor corrections for the video ⚠ I mention that the first version of Ableton Live was built in Max. While the initial idea for Ableton Live was prototyped in Max, the first official version was built in C++ At numerous points I mentioned that you can write C++ code inside of Max using Gen. This is incorrect - Gen uses its own language called GenExpr which is similar to C. You can, however, build things called Externals using C++. This is all much more advanced though!

[@CarlitoProductions]

This is exactly what I've been looking for! Also really solid resources provided in the video. Thank you for this!

[@ELPHNT]

Awesome 😎

[@kieranmchugh172]

Wow. Thanks Elphnt. That was amazing. The scope of this is incredible. Superb stuff!

[@neomgceleza7969]

You took me back when I was working on Cubase Le8, doing my own command keys, when you touched the Bang icon, the Message box icon on MaxLive. You also took me back in 2014 Alberton Class at SAE(Cape Town), I was seated on the right side of the entrance of the room 2nd or third from the frontrow(looking at the picture) ...... This was very very handy. What a session. Salute Mr Thomas

[@IsotonikStudios]

Brilliant!! We need more like this!!

[@ELPHNT]

2024 is the year I get everyone building Max devices. It is my ultimate quest ⚔

[@IsotonikStudios]

@@ELPHNT and it’s a noble one!! I’m seeing ELPHNT badges becoming the new Blue Peter badge!!

[@fireonstick4814]

@@ELPHNTyes please

[@_caveshire]

​@@ELPHNT this was a fantastic tutorial. Really looking forward to seeing any other lessons you put together. I was already able to put together a decent vizzie device the other night, but I think this video will help me be a bit more focused when I experiment in Max

[@ELPHNT]

@@_caveshire Got some more Max tutorials recorded, just need to find the time to edit them! 😅

[@janvandertoorn]

Amazing thank you ELPHNT🎉 I have most of your devices and there great but I think you are also really good at explaining! And I think unlike most tutorials your voice is very easy to listen to THNX!!!

[@mattestela]

Great overview, thanks for sharing this!

[@NiElsir]

Fantastic. I've been wanting to make a couple max devices for my own workflow for a while now but the entry / what was needed to be learnt seemed like it was a little too much to invest into. This could help greatly. Cheers ELPHNT

[@gianlucamarchese]

Hey hey, what you doing here 👀❤

[@NiElsir]

@@gianlucamarchese Ha, always looking to learn 🤓 or avoid what I need to be doing 😕

[@RefactoringRyan]

Fantastic intro video. Very well explained and easy to follow along. Looking forward to more content like this.

[@ELPHNT]

Thanks!

[@freeelectron8261]

Great beginner MAX for Live tutorial. Came at just the right time as I'm getting interested in programming MAX and PD. Really well paced and clear - many thanks!

[@ELPHNT]

You're very welcome!

[@sashaSwetlowski]

thanks man. great overview.

[@noizfactory]

This is amazingly helpful! Have been wanting to get into max for live for a while now and being a vfx artist who has used procedural workflows in software like Maya Bifrost or Houdini or Gaffer, etc. I can totally relate to this now. Simple and well explained! Thank you for sharing this!

[@neomgceleza7969]

I will go through to video again. Happy to you again Mr Thomas

[@ELPHNT]

Hey Neo! 👋

[@TDC10000]

Great intro, thank you!

[@neomgceleza7969]

Happy new beginning on your New Year Mr Thomas,.... it's back to school. Salute

[@dronechoons]

Cool, very interesting, gives me a starting point, thank you!

[@zoljol]

Aweh that was a sick video, good to see Max love in SA

[@ELPHNT]

🇿🇦

[@kollagebeats]

Whoa, I didn't know the first version of Ableton was built in Max. That's wild!

[@ELPHNT]

Technically just prototyped in Max, but yeah, pretty cool! Its all come full circle 🌈

[@Ashlin7747]

Amazing video 10/10 very understandable!

[@ELPHNT]

Glad to hear it!

[@odnakolive-qs2uf]

Великолепное видео! Спасибо.

[@oscaralonsorojas]

Thank you so much for this!

[@ELPHNT]

You're so welcome!

[@MattTerry1]

Really good video. I knew basically nothing about max at the start and I could probably replicate your example from memory. Great stuff, thanks, are there more :)

[@ELPHNT]

More coming soon 😉

[@MattTerry1]

After work i managed to replicate the chance device from memory. It works great. Then i mapped a long gliding LFO to it and it makes really interesting ambient sounds. Managed to figure out how to get it displaying on push too. Thanks

[@ELPHNT]

@@MattTerry1 Love to hear it 💪😎

[@kreltv]

thanks Tom 🙏🏻

[@_alexxon]

Thanks for such an amazing video! And btw could you teach us how to make our own plugin wrappers? Sometimes I really wish to use third party plugins like Ableton Native plugins.

[@ELPHNT]

Yes! This is totally on my agenda. Most likely, I will do a series of online group workshops via Zoom, so keep an eye out for that. Been a little busy the last few months to find time for it, but really hoping to do it soon!

[@conform-contrast]

Such a great introduction, thank you! Did you also record the audio effect tutorial? If so, do you plan to upload it? Thanks again for your awesome work 🙂

[@ELPHNT]

Unfortunately, that part wasn't recorded, but I'm working on some more resources for learning Max that cover some of that sort of thing. Check out: elphnt.io/build-your-own-max-for-live-devices/ Also worth checking out this great masterclass: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpy7q2upm5J-rbcsi=pMCtofvMDhvBrfIi

[@conform-contrast]

@@ELPHNT awesome! thank you!!

[@redlester]

Inspiring! Thanks so much for this. It looks kind of similar to creating devices in NI Reaktor, but an awful lot more user friendly by the looks of it. Is it possible to customise the Live interface theme within M4L?

[@ELPHNT]

It's a similar concept to Reaktor, but I think much more versatile (and user-friendly 😉), in my experience. Max UI elements are very customisable; there are several built-in UI objects like sliders, knobs, buttons, etc. which are all fairly customisable in their look and colour. There is also something called jsui which lets you make completely custom UIs using JavaScript if you know how to write js code. Or, you can even just use image files as interface objects. Pretty much anything is possible - just take a look at maxforlive.com for examples of the wide range of interface designs you can end up with! 😃

[@aylesim]

But where do all the notes that aren't played go??? 😢 Simple and straight to the point! Amazing!

[@ELPHNT]

Into the aether, never to be heard from again... Thanks though 😊There's a lot more that needs to happen to make this a foolproof device, but I didn't wanna go too far down the rabbit hole for a beginner's session!

[@AlexJaeger716]

When are u going to post a video talking about how to create a ui? I see you say ur gonna do that on social media but its been a while

[@corticallarvae]

Great video

[@ELPHNT]

You watched the whole thing already?! 🤣

[@corticallarvae]

It’s great so far

[@ELPHNT]

@@corticallarvae Amazing, thank you!

[@SchneiderRicky]

awesome content! you could do a payed master class, i would definitely take it!

[@ELPHNT]

I've been thinking about doing something like that. What sorta thing would you want to cover? More basics like this, or diving into some more advanced Max topics?

[@ozcompr9584]

@@ELPHNTApologies for injecting here but I’d be super interested in a basics to intermediate course on a live performance setup including M4L for lights and images/videos syncing. I play traditional instruments as well as modern synths, vsts, iphone/iPad plus vocals so a course on live performance and M4L devices tailored for live performance as well as midi routing 16:14 tips and mentorship guidance on minimizing the unnecessary and capitalizing on the fundamentals to basically perform live with as little gear as absolutely necessary, stay efficient, less is more workflow!

[@SchneiderRicky]

​@@ELPHNT I'm finding Max a bit overwhelming at the moment. While I have many ideas, I'm struggling to translate them effectively into Max. So, I'm hoping for some advanced tutorials or guidance that can delve into complex device design. This would really help me get a better grasp of the software's capabilities. Looking forward to more content like this! :) also are you up for private lessons?

[@ELPHNT]

@@ozcompr9584 Noted!

[@ELPHNT]

@@SchneiderRicky Okay cool, noted. I think a lot of getting the more advanced stuff down is just practice, experimentation and trial and error. Look around on KZbin for anyone who's built something similar to what you're trying to build. But definitely noted as a class topic. I'm not doing 1-on-1 lessons at the moment, but certainly considering doing some 'group workshop via Zoom' type sessions on more advanced topics.

[@MarekIwaszkiewiczMusic]

Are you planning to create your own full course? I'd be very interested in buying it.

[@ELPHNT]

No plans for a course. Any educational videos I do will most likely always be free and available on KZbin 😊 You can support by grabbing one of the packs from elphnt.io/products/ableton-live-packs/

[@corticallarvae]

Use you’re stuff all the time

[@ELPHNT]

Glad to hear it!

[@jjlockerman8300]

I've been searching for how I can add operator in Max, but have no success in doing this, I'm trying to make a m4l instrument that runs on operator where I'll create knobs to control parameters on the operator. Can you help with a guide?

[@ELPHNT]

It's not possible to load Live devices in Max. You could make a mapping device like LFO that maps to controls in Operator, but there's no way to put Operator inside a Max device.

[@jjlockerman8300]

@@ELPHNT thanks for the response, you’re right. Wish ableton could make the “log drum” preset that’s available on FL studio dx 10, I’ve made it with operator but the macros UI makes it tiring for me😅. That’s why i wanted to make the m4l instrument, with a similar UI to the fl dx10💀

[@miss.antidote]

Thank you