Learning Jitter from scratch when you are also a Max beginner

This is a studying-guide to learn the basics of Max. This guide is for you if:

• You are already studying the Online Jitter Course for Beginners
• After studying the first lesson of the course, you consider that you don’t have enough of a foundation to understand how I build what I'm using in my course examples.
• You are a Jitter and Max are new for you
• You have time to study Max basics
• You are interested in understanding the fundamentals required to get the most out the Online Jitter Course classes.

If that is not your case and you just want to learn Jitter from scratch now check the Online Course Introduction to Live-Video Using Jitter now.

Max-Jitter Beginner's studying guide

So, you're new in Max and probably it seems complicated. There's a bunch of resources online and you probably don't know where to start?

I am Sabina Covarrubias PhD, I have doctorate degree in Aesthetics, Science and Technology of the Arts of the Paris University. I 've been using and teaching Max since many years ago; these are my recommendations for Jitter beginners who need also to learn Max from scratch.

I . Study the first Cycling74 Oficial Max tutorials

Max Cycling74 tutorials are available from your Max software and also online.

To open the tutorials inside Max :

1) Press the magnifying glass icon ( a search window will appear)

2) Look for "tutorials" on the search window

To read the tutorials online visit the following links:

Step 1. Study the first Max 15 tutorials

These tutorials will teach you the basics of Max.

• Hello — Creating objects and connections
• Bang! — The bang message
• Numbers and Lists — Types of data in Max
• Metro and Toggle — Creating automatic actions
• Message Ordering — Debugging program flow
• Simple Math — Performing calculations
• Numerical User Interfaces — Sliders and dials
• Keyboard and Mouse Input — Working with standard input interfaces
• Mouse Drawing — Introduction to drawing
• Random Drawing — Working with random numbers
• Procedural Drawing — Creating procedural code
• Movie Playback — Introduction to video playback
• Movie Sequencing — Working with multiple media files
• Encapsulation — Patchers inside of patchers
• Abstractions — Creating libraries of re-usable code

If you want to see the entire list of available tutorials press the button bellow

Step 2. Study the MSP basics

These tutorials will teach you the basics of MSP ( Digital Signal Processing). Msp is the part of Max that is used to process and use audio-signals, or just signals, inside Max.

Topics

• Introduction
• How Digital Audio Works
• How MSP Works - Max Patches and the MSP Signal Network
• Audio I/O - Audio input and output with MSP

Basics

• Test Tone - Making sound
• Adjustable Oscillator - Adjusting parameters of MSP objects
• Wavetable Oscillator - Using sample data to generate sound
• Routing Signals - Switching and moving audio around the patcher
• Basics Review

II. Do you prefer studying by video?

If you are not a reading person and you prefer learning by video, then I recommend this series of sequenced tutorials . These videos will take you step by step from the installation of the program , setup, trough more complex topics.

The previous playlist was made using Max 7. The tutorials also work for Max 8. However if you encounter difficulties to install Max 8, watch the videos in this play list:

III. Optional ressources

From here the rest of the steps are optional . You don't need to study the following steps in order to understand the Jitter Online Course for Beginners. However, these steps are useful in case you want to create interesting interactions between Jitter and Msp ( audio signals) , or Jitter and MIDI during the course or after studying the course.

Step 1. Go Beyond in MSP (optional step).

Once you finished my course, or at the middle of the course, if you are interested in creating visuals that involve audio processes such as

• Audio Synthesis
• Audio Analysis
• Sampling and Recording
• Dynamic Processing and More

Then study the following tutorials

Additive and Modulation Synthesis

• Additive Synthesis - Adding sine waves to make a complex tone
• Tremolo and Ring Modulation - Multiplying sine waves to generate sideband effects
• AM Synthesis - Using amplitude modulation
• Vibrato and Frequency Modulation - Using sine waves to modulate other sine waves
• FM Synthesis - Using FM modulation to create time-varying timbres

Sampling and Recording

• Record and Play Samples - Using sample memory to play back audio files
• Playing From Multiple Sample Points - Playing back from multiple points in sample memory simultaneously
• Sample Playback with Loops - Using looping sample memory
• Variable Length Wavetables - Creating complex oscillators from sample data
• Waveshaping Synthesis - Using sample data as a lookup table
• Recording and Playing Soundfiles - Playing and recording audio files from disk
• Sampling Review

Filters and Subtractive Synthesis

• Simple Filters - Basic filter objects in MSP
• Variable-type filters - Using variable-type filters
• Analog-style synthesis - Using complex waveform generators in MSP
• Subtractive synthesis - Using noise generators with filters
• Parallel and serial filters - Creating networks of filters

Dynamics Processing

• Envelope Following - Generating a control curve from a complex signal
• Dynamics Processing - Creating dynamic compressors, limiters, and gates in MSP
• Distortion - Using audio waveshaping for signal distortion

Step 2. If you will use MIDI (optional step)

Study these tutorials if you want to create interesting MIDI-Jitter interactions after studying my Jitter course.

Max MIDI Tutorials

• Basics — Getting MIDI input and output
• Note Management — Generating and managing note events
• Parsing — Decoding and encoding MIDI streams
• Basic Sequencing — Playing back MIDI sequence data
• Advanced Sequencing — Recording and manipulating MIDI sequences

MIDI and MSP

• Mapping MIDI to MSP - Scaling values for MIDI control of audio patchers
• MIDI Synthesizer - Mapping standard MIDI parameters for synthesizer control
• MIDI Sampler - Creating simple MIDI-compatible samplers in MSP