Learning Max
Having spent many years using Max (2+ decades now) and nearly 15 years at Cycling ’74, I can say that I’ve seen a lot of different ways people to learn Max. Before you head off on this journey I’ll say these few things, it’s all about incremental gains and practice (just like an instrument). A little study each-day goes a long way! Also, remember it’s a language, once you start to build a “vocabulary” it get’s easier. Join a group like the Official Max Discord or the MaxMSP Facebook group and don’t be afraid to ask questions no matter how trivial you might think they are, a Max programmer never forgets their own journey into Max and are generally always happy to help.
Getting Started
These are resources I’ve used personally or I’ve seen friends have great success with on their Max journey.
• Cycling ’74 Tutorials [Core Series] (this is how I learned initially, granted back when there was nothing else, not even Youtube)
• Music Hackspace [Official partner of Cycling ’74] – Highly recommended, there are many avenues to learning Max here, including a number of Free Introductory courses and intermediate and advanced for when you’re ready. Many of these are developed by Max Certified Trainers and industry respected artists. Some courses are free and some are paid.
• Kadenze – MaxMSP Programming Course – I vetted this course for Cycling ’74, and have seen several friends complete it with great success. It’s free!
YouTube (beginner)
Dear John Reed – Thorough Getting Started with Max 9 videos series, excellently presented, a little dry at times but if you follow this series through you will be programming your own stuff in no time.
Learning Max – This Getting Started series is Max 7 into Max 8 so a little dated but they explain the getting started fundamentals really well, easy to follow even with the latest version of Max.
Dude837 – A colleague at Cycling ’74, this recent series of his is quite good although it does move at a fast pace, if you like slower/deeper level insight see Dear John Reed above. Also check out this playlist of dude837s once you’ve got the fundamentals down, lots of cool stuff to make.
Philip Meyer – Great Max tutorials, Intro to Intermediate Audio-Rate Sequencing and More, no getting started series.