Learn Max / MSP
Explore Max, Max for Live, and RNBO with expert-led courses built for musicians, sound designers, and interactive media artists.
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The language of sound and interaction
Max is the industry standard visual programming environment for audio, video, and interactive media. Whether you're building custom instruments, generative compositions, or live performance rigs, our courses give you the skills to bring your ideas to life.
From Max fundamentals to Max for Live and RNBO — learn with practitioners who use these tools professionally in studios, on stage, and in galleries.
What you'll learn
Max Fundamentals
Patching, signal flow, data types, and the core building blocks of Max programming.
Audio Processing
Real-time DSP, synthesis, effects, and working with audio signals in Max MSP.
Max for Live
Building custom Ableton Live devices — instruments, effects, and MIDI tools.
RNBO
Export Max patches to hardware, plugins, and the web with Cycling '74's RNBO technology.
Generative Music
Algorithmic composition, probability, and building self-playing musical systems.
Interactive Media
Combine audio with video, sensors, and OSC to create responsive installations.
Max / MSP Courses
101 courses available
Abstract Composition in Ableton and Max For Live -On demand
Ableton and Cycling 74’s Max For Live offer a vast playground of programming opportunities to create unique compositions and rich sound designs. In this workshop you will create musical and […]
Abstract Performance in Ableton and Max For Live - On demand
Ableton and Cycling 74’s Max For Live offer a vast playground of opportunities to create unique and rich electronic music performances. In this workshop you will create a performance instrument. […]
Advanced video programming with Jitter
Advanced Wavetable Synthesis with Max
Cycling 74’s Max / MSP offers a vast playground of programming opportunities to create your own synthesis devices. In this workshop you will build your own synthesis device that utilizes […]
Algorithmic Composition in Max: Bringing Order to Chaos
An Introduction to Markov Chains: Machine Learning in Max
Markov chains are mathematical models that have existed in various forms since the 19th century, which have been used to aid statistical modelling in many real-world contexts, from economics to […]
An introduction to modern JavaScript in Max 9
This workshop is an introduction to using modern JavaScript in Max 9. JavaScript is a text-based programming language that can be used to create and manipulate all kinds of data […]
Free
An Introduction to Synthesis with Max
Ask Me Anything: Programmable Lighting
Beginner's Guide to Modern Interfaces with v8UI in Max 9
This workshop introduces design fundamentals for user interfaces using modern Javascript with the v8UI object in Max 9. You will go over Javascript concepts required to create an interactive UI […]
Free
Build A Drum Machine in Max
Cycling 74’s Max / MSP offers a vast playground of programming opportunities to create your own musical instruments. In the course you will build a custom drum machine that features […]
Building A Modulation Delay In Gen~
Building audio FX in Gen
Building Audio FX with Max
Building Graphical User Interfaces in M4L and Max - On demand
MaxforLive allows users to develop their own devices for use in composition, performance and beyond. Creating a graphical user interface that complements the device is one of the crucial development […]
Building phaser audio effects in Gen
In this workshop, you will explore tools and techniques to create phaser audio effect devices in Gen via Max. Explore all pass filters, feedback loops, signal routing and LFOs via […]
Build Max for Live devices using Ableton Live’s API / On-demand
Build samplers with Max
Build your own modular synth with MSP - On-demand
Cycling 74’s Max / MSP offers a vast playground of programming opportunities to create your own synthesis devices. In this series you will build custom modules to create your own […]
Coding in the Box: Become fluent with Max 9’s Gen~.codebox
In this workshop, you explore the Gen codebox from the ground up, breaking down the traits that often make Gen codeboxes feel intimidating at first. You build simple distortion algorithms […]
Free
Composition with Bach in Max
Bach brings music notation inside Max. You can generate, edit, script, modify and play your scores either with mouse and keyboard or through patching. In this workshop you will write, […]
Control Surface Hacking with Live’s API / July 14th
Create a polyphonic synthesizer plug-in with RNBO
Create online audiovisual experiences with Max, RNBO, and p5.js
Free
Creating VSTs and more using FAUST
Creative Coding For Musicians: Cell phone synth
Creative MIDI FX in Ableton Live - On demand
Creativity with Max: Exploring Synthesis, Data, and Interactive Design
Max for Live is the most complete software for audio/visual professionals to build patches suitable for installation, experimental music, live lighting, and the web. If you can imagine it, you can build it. Taught by Music Ableton & Max Certified Trainer and industry expert Phelan Kane the course provides the latest skills, techniques and insight into creating unique devices and patches in Max For Live. With these skills, you will be able to create original devices/plug-ins to enrich your artistic voice and expand your possibilities.
De-Mix Audio using FluCoMa in Max
Discover the new features in Max for Live 11 - On demand
MaxforLive allows users to develop their own devices for use in composition, performance and beyond. In the recent release of Live Suite 11 there are a myriad of new features […]
Experimental Audio FX in Max
Exploring MC ~ in Max 8 - On demand
Generative Audio Looping in Max & Max For Live - On demand
Brian Eno used arranged tape loops for composition in the 1970 Discreet Music and Music For Airports. This M4L device takes those ideas and uses them for a simple but […]
Generative Composition with Cryptography in Max - On demand
Generative Music Tools: LFOs and Pitch Quantization - On demand
There are a broad array of techniques musicians can use to generate music in Max. One fundamental component of traditional analogue synthesiser use is the LFO, or low-frequency oscillator. Additionally, […]
Generative Sonification with Max
This workshop aims to provide you with suitable skills to incorporate sonification techniques as generative composition tools within the Max environment.
Getting Confident With Gen~ / On-demand
Build highly efficient signal processing operations in Max using Gen~.
Getting Confident with jit.gen
Getting confident with Max - On demand
Cycling 74’s Max / MSP offers a vast playground of programming opportunities to create your own sound design and multimedia applications.
Getting Started With Audio FX In Max
Getting Started with Gen / May - On-demand
Build highly efficient signal processing operations in Max using Gen~. The course contains 24 custom-made example patches along with audio samples that you will build as exercises during the course […]
Free
Getting started with Interactive Machine Learning for openFrameworks / Workshop series - On-demand
Using openFrameworks, ofxRapidLib and ofxMaximilian, participants will learn how to integrate machine learning into generative applications. You will learn about the interactive machine learning workflow and how to implement classification, […]
Getting Started With Interactivity With Max
Getting started with Javascript for Max
Getting Started with jit.gen
Getting started with Max
This comprehensive course will equip you with the skills and knowledge to confidently create your custom sound environment with Max. By connecting building blocks to create custom patches, working with […]
Free
Getting started with MSP
Unlock the secrets of sound design with our online course ‘Getting Started with MSP' led by expert instructor Phelan Kane. Dive into 23 insightful videos and hands-on sessions, exploring fundamental sound generation, synthesis techniques, and robust Max functionalities to empower your music and multimedia projects. Ideal for intermediate Max users. Start your sonic journey with us now!
Free
Getting Started with RNBO in Max
Getting Started with Software Instruments in Max
Getting Started with Spectral Effects in Max
Getting Started with Stochastic Music in Max
Granular Synthesis: Getting Started with Grainflow - On-demand
Grainflow is a package for Max / MSP that utilizes gen~ and the MC wrapper to allow users to control large numbers of sample accurate grains.
Interaction with Arduino & Max - Workshop series / On-demand
Interactive video with Jitter - LIVE Session
Interface design in Max with JS/JSUI
Introduction To Interactive Audio In Max
Introduction to Interactive Video with Jitter In Max
Introduction to Live Visuals with TouchDesigner
TouchDesigner is the industry standard tool for interactive visuals in live performance, broadcasting and art installations. Cycling 74’s Max / MSP offers a vast playground of programming opportunities to create […]
Free
Intro to Max 8 & RNBO
Jitter in Ableton - On demand
Live Sample Mangling in Max 8
Making Generative Phase Music with Max/MSP
Making Sonic Clouds: Granular Synthesis with Gen~ and MC
Max 9: Adaptive audio fx systems with ABL and preset mixing
In this workshop, you are exploring new tools and features in the Max 9 programming environment, including the ABL library of objects – a powerful group of audio effects created […]
Free
Max 9 - Get a better sound in Max using ABL objects
Free
Max and Machine Learning with RunwayML - On-demand
** 10/04/2024 Update: this course has not been updated following recent changes in RunwayML. We've made that course free as a result, and it will ultimately be retired. RunwayML is […]
Max meetup
Watch back this Max meetup — a fantastic way to meet and be inspired by the Max community.
Max meetup / August 27th
Meetups are a fantastic way to meet and be inspired by the Max community.
Max Meet Up - Composition In Max
Max Meetup / Exploring Sonification
Watch back this meetup that dives into the world of sonification with Max. In this meetup, musicians and artists will showcase their works dealing with sonification, explaining how they use Max for…
Max Meetup: Generating Sound and Organizing Time
This Max meetup explored the theme "Generating Sound and Organizing Time", bringing together enthusiasts and experts in audio production, music composition, and sound design.
Max meetup / Generative Art - 30th April
Expert presentations on generative art in Max — from data-driven soundscapes and sensor-based visuals to screen-printed patterns.
Max meetup - Gen~ / May 21st
Watch back this Max community meetup focused on gen~ and generative techniques in Max, recorded May 2022.
Max Meetup / Javascript
Saturday 1st April 4pm UK, 5pm Berlin, 8am LA, 11am NYC Max Meetup on JavaScript is an excellent opportunity for programmers interested in combining Max and JavaScript to share their […]
Max meetup June / Gen~
Watch back this Max community meetup focused on gen~, recorded June 2021.
Free
Max meetup - Kevin Kripper, Sabina Covarrubias and Francisco Colasanto
This meetup featured presentations from Kevin Kripper (generative artist, Buenos Aires), Sabina Covarrubias (composer and computer music researcher), and Dr. Francisco Colasanto.
Max meetup - Max for live / November 21st
Watch back this Max for Live community meetup, recorded November 2021.
Free
Max Meetup: Performing Live with Max
Presentations from artists using Max to perform live in interesting and creative ways.
Max meetup - What's new in Max 8.3 / June 18th
Watch back this Max community meetup exploring what's new in Max 8.3 and Jitter, recorded June 2022.
Max meetup with Michael Begg, Shangyun Wu and Elisa Batti
This meetup featured Michael Begg's talk on using Max to uncover an authentic voice in a world in crisis, Elisa Batti's demonstration of using Max for creating choreography in "The Woman…
MPE Exploration in Max and Max For Live
Multichannel Spectral Synthesis in Max
Neural Networks via FluCoMa In Max
NFTs for music and digital artists - strategies, formats and case studies / On-demand
Open Source: What is ppooll?
ppooll can be difficult to define, but, fundamentally, it is a versatile open-source DSP environment built from Max, which allows for audio signal processing, performance and routing without prerequisite knowledge […]
Free
Physical Modeling Waveguides In Max
Programming via Gen~ Codebox In Max
Real-time Audio Reactive Visual Programming in Max - On demand
Sampling with Max
In this workshop you will build your own patches for processing and interacting with samples and recorded audio. This workshop aims to provide you with suitable skills to begin exploring […]
Scripting and Live-Coding Max with Scheme for Max - On-demand
Sonification with Max: Turning Data into Sound
– Introduction to using Max/MSP for data sonification – Importing data files (specifically CSV files) – Exploring different musical possibilities using data – Start incorporating data sonification in your projects […]
Sonification with Max: Visuals into Sound
In this workshop you will implement an algorithm that processes the motion, color, and position of images and videos, and turns it into music. The goal of the workshop is […]
Synthesis with Max: FM
Synthesis with Max: Granular
Synthesis with Max: Physical Modelling
Synthesis with Max: Wavetable
Tom Hall - AMA On making non-linear audio-visual art with Max
Tom Hall is an audio-visual artist who works in Max but also works as a full-time developer for Cycling ’74, the creators of MaxMSP/Jitter & Max for Live created Max. […]
Free
Unsupervised Machine Learning via FluCoMa In Max
Using Collab-Hub with Max for Collaborative Network Performance / On-demand
Using Machine Learning Creatively via FluCoMa in Max
This online course is designed to introduce you to the Fluid Corpus Manipulation (FluCoMa) project, a free Max Package. FluCoMa is focused on finding new and innovative ways for musicians […]
Free
Join our Max community
Connect with other Max programmers at our regular meetups and workshops. Share patches, get feedback, and push your practice further.
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