5 Reasons To Avoid Max For Live
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Filed under: Software Effects & Audio Processors, Software Sequencers, Software Synthesizers & Samplers
We’ve devoted a lot of coverage to Max For Live since its introduction at the 2009 Winter NAMM Show, because it’s one of the most interesting music software releases of the year, and it opens up a wealth of options for Ableton Live users.
While Live users are already embracing Max For Live, CDM’s Peter Kirn raises some interesting issues with the idea of developing for the platform:
- Max for Live doesn’t have a free run-time, which means it’s not your best option if you want to reach a wide audience with your creations.
- Max is no longer an option for people wanting to develop plug-ins for multiple hosts, a change that didn’t go over well with all developers partly because it was only revealed after Max 5 and Max for Live.
- Jitter output is crippled in Max for Live if you don’t also own Jitter.
- Max isn’t an open source tool, which has practical implications, including -
- You’ll want to choose something else if you’re interested in mobile music making.
These are valid issues – but the reality is that Ableton and Cycling ‘74 would sell a lot fewer copies of Max For Live if they treated it as a app development tool.
Instead, they are using the same approach that soft synth developers do – you can share patches, but not the synth engine. If someone else wants to use the cool Max For Live widget you make, they’re going to have to buy Ableton Live 8 and Max For Live – a pricey proposition.
It would be fantastic to see free open source tools as sophisticated as Live and Max For Live – but we’re probably going to have to wait at least five years for that.
Instead, Ableton and Cycling ‘74 offer the same value proposition that Apple does with the Mac and the iPhone: they create tools that make power accessible.
Is this a devil’s bargain?
Is it worth accepting limitations on what you can do in order to get a computer that just works, a phone that gives you access to 100,000 applications or a music environment that unleashes your imagination?
It’s worth considering.
Let me know what you think!
Tags: Ableton, Ableton Live, Ableton Live 8, Cycling 74, Max For Live
I can't understand your points…Aren't Max4Live patches compatible with everyone who use Live and Max 4 Live? Its supposed to be a Max/MSP designed as a plugin for Live…not a Max/MSP which can make plugins for live…
I think that people who want Max/MSP for generally making plugins, they can "push" Cycling 74 to put a VST export in the original Max/MSP. For years i was wondering why they haven't done it. Synthmaker and Synthedit work this way and they don't need a specialized program for this like former Pluggo…
Hmmm…. do we really have to wait 5 years for a robust open-source alternative that could let our creations reach wider audiences?
What about pure-data (Pd) ??
It's all about the money. The quality of the output rises protional to the amouth of money you earn with the output. Our sociaty is driven by that, at least at the moment.
I don't think we'll come near Live4Max with open source applications. Coming near in terms of user friendly eviroment. An easy to use application for those who don't want/can code or hack.
It's all about the money. The quality of the output rises protional to the amouth of money you earn with the output. Our sociaty is driven by that, at least at the moment.
I don't think we'll come near Live4Max with open source applications. Coming near in terms of user friendly eviroment. An easy to use application for those who don't want/can code or hack.
I can't understand your points…Aren't Max4Live patches compatible with everyone who use Live and Max 4 Live? Its supposed to be a Max/MSP designed as a plugin for Live…not a Max/MSP which can make plugins for live…
I think that people who want Max/MSP for generally making plugins, they can "push" Cycling 74 to put a VST export in the original Max/MSP. For years i was wondering why they haven't done it. Synthmaker and Synthedit work this way and they don't need a specialized program for this like former Pluggo…
I can't understand your points…Aren't Max4Live patches compatible with everyone who use Live and Max 4 Live? Its supposed to be a Max/MSP designed as a plugin for Live…not a Max/MSP which can make plugins for live…
I think that people who want Max/MSP for generally making plugins, they can "push" Cycling 74 to put a VST export in the original Max/MSP. For years i was wondering why they haven't done it. Synthmaker and Synthedit work this way and they don't need a specialized program for this like former Pluggo…
yeah, well. You get a lot of stuff for that money, still I think a lot of ppl will do as me, and wait until there are a few great patches also.
I was thinking of giving up programming VST's altogether, but I'm not as sure now.
There is also a difference between the iPhone and the max4live offer that I think is important.
The development (xcode) tools are free from Apple. It's the run on device and sell that cost's money. And that could be viewed as an investment. From Ableton and Cycling '74 you pay for the environment and you (as far as I've understood it) cant recuperate that if you would like to sell your creation?
yeah, well. You get a lot of stuff for that money, still I think a lot of ppl will do as me, and wait until there are a few great patches also.
I was thinking of giving up programming VST's altogether, but I'm not as sure now.
There is also a difference between the iPhone and the max4live offer that I think is important.
The development (xcode) tools are free from Apple. It's the run on device and sell that cost's money. And that could be viewed as an investment. From Ableton and Cycling '74 you pay for the environment and you (as far as I've understood it) cant recuperate that if you would like to sell your creation?
What about pure-data?
Is it still for geeks only?
"Is it worth accepting limitations on what you can do in order to get a computer that just works"
As long as it does what it's supposed to, and that is what you need, where's the trouble?
If you need something else, you are looking/moaning at the wrong product, business and open source are not the same thing no matter how hard we wish.
"Is it worth accepting limitations on what you can do in order to get a computer that just works"
As long as it does what it's supposed to, and that is what you need, where's the trouble?
If you need something else, you are looking/moaning at the wrong product, business and open source are not the same thing no matter how hard we wish.
It does seem like a useless way to spend money until you actually get it which is in itself a catch 22. Max for Live is really interesting to use, swap and 'develop' for. I see it as money well spent if it is going to be used.
It does seem like a useless way to spend money until you actually get it which is in itself a catch 22. Max for Live is really interesting to use, swap and 'develop' for. I see it as money well spent if it is going to be used.
pirates will fill the void
I just want OSC out of live without having to know python. I'm a little irritated that I have to drop 300 bucks just to get it.
I just want OSC out of live without having to know python. I'm a little irritated that I have to drop 300 bucks just to get it.