mspinky.com

For all you Max-4-Livers who've never used Max/MSP, there are some basic facts you need to know about Max/MSP/Max-4-Live which pertain to Ms Pinky as well.

A) Max/MSP (and Max-4-Live) is a highly extensible software system. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of developers creating compiled code extensions for Max/MSP (and Max-4-Live). So when you download and install the basic Max/MSP (max-4-Live) kernel, you don't get everything you're going to need to do <<everything>>. You need to get the extensions you want from each specific developer who is creating those extensions. Ms Pinky has special <<extensions>> which pertain only to Ms Pinky. You must get those from her.

B) You need to download and install some "extensions" components from Ms Pinky. These are subdivided into folders. The installation procedure is easy. Start by looking inside the "Max/MSP Externals & Patches" folder that you download from Ms Pinky. In there you'll find several subfolders that you need to copy into the folder where Max/MSP lives on your hard drive. Start with the folder called "max-externals". For versions of Max prior to 7, copy everything in that folder into a folder also called "max-externals" which lives inside the application folder with your Max/MSP/Max-4-Live application. HINT: If you can't find the "max-externals" folder in your Max/MSP/Max-4-Live folder, look inside a folder called "Cycling-'74". Likewise, also copy the contents of Ms Pinky's "msp-externals" into a folder with the same name that lives inside the Max/MSP/Max-4-Live application folder on your hard disk. Get the idea now? Likewise also copy the entire Ms Pinky's "patches" folder into the "patches" folder in your Max/MSP/Max-4-Live application folder. Any javascript files (.js) can also go into the "patches" folder.
Finally, in the "Max4Live" folder that you downloaded, there is a file called "MsPinky_M4L_AudioFX.amxd" that you should copy to "YourUserName/Library/Application Support/Ableton/Live8Library/Presets/Audio Effects/Max Audio Effect", or wherever Max4Live stores your Max4Live audio effect patches.

For Max 7 on OS X: Copy the externals as described above, but the destination is now inside the Max 7 application package folder. To get there go to the Applications folder, control-click on the "Max.app" application icon and select "show package contents". Then browse to Contents/Resources/C74/Externals/ where you will find sub-folders for the both max and msp externals as described previously. For all the patches and javascript files, put those in your Projects folder which should be in "YourUserName/Documents/Max 7".

C) Before you try to do anything with Ms Pinky + Max-4-Live, I highly recommend working through all the Max-4-Live tutorials. You will really get a lot out of those, and the whole experience will be so much more enjoyable--- for all of us. Maybe I'll even work through ALL the tutorials myself...

OK so I have followed these directions the best I could, I've done all the M4L Tutorials, and I still can't get the Pinky M4L to show up?

Please help

In the patches-OSX there are 4 things

Max4Live folder
MaxiPatch folder
MsPinky_MPTCFS.maxpat
old_patches(deprecated)

do these folders go into the Max patches folder, or the contents of these folders? Does that stuff make a difference?

Also there is an m4l-externals, and a max-externals. I put the files in the max-externals like it says to above. Is that correct?

Where does the miscellaneous/jpgs folders or content belong??

I am so lost, and I really want to set this up.

OK so I got the Max4Live pinky device to show up, a little confused on how to get it working?

1) Drag a file (WAV, AIFF, MP3) from the Ableton file browser onto the M4L device. If the device can open it, you'll see the file name displayed in the text field right below the transport buttons. Below the waveform displays you'll see the file type, bitrate, and total time (H:M:S:F). If the file has never been opened by the M4L device before, you'll need to shift-click on the waveform displays to make it calculate, store, and display the waveform data.

2) Set "volume" and "rate" to something other than zero. The "rate" setting controls the speed of playback, similar to pitch control on a turntable.

3) To play without turntable/CD control, turn "vinyl control" button OFF. Now press the "play" button. If "rate is set to something non-zero, the file should start to play. Adjust volume settings appropriately.

4) To play with turntable/CD control, turn "vinyl control" button ON. Also turn "vinyl demod" ON, and select the type of vinyl you're using from the pop-up list. If you want to play with absolute mode (needle-drop), turn "absolute mode" ON. Make sure that your turntable/CD signal is arriving into the M4L device. You can see it's input signal volume level displayed in those tiny vertical VU meters on the left of the device. If the M4L device is happy with the signal it's receiving, the pink circular vinyl position display will turn as you turn the vinyl/CD forwards or backwards. The "Vinyl Position" display should show something in the range 0 --- 131072 if playing in absolute mode. "Error metric" display should read between 0.1 and 0.35 if you have a good clean input signal.

5) "loop file" causes the file to play over and over as a loop.
6) "fat resample" enables a high-quality polynomial resampling algorithm that eats up a bit more CPU but sounds better.
7) "reverse play" causes the file to play backwards.
8) "pitch lock" allows you to slow down or speed up the file playback without changing the pitch.
9) "threshold" adjusts the sensitivity to input signals from the turntable/CD. You should usually leave it around -30 dB. Setting this too high can cause the output audio volume to drop.
10) "sharpness" adjusts how the signal drops out when the turntable/CD stops. Usually set this to between 5 and 10.

If you follow the instructions and then when you add the Pinky amxd file to a set it is missing the transport controls like this:


You have to copy over the javascript files from the Maxipatch folder into the Max folder. Do the following:

1) Copy the entire contents of the /MaxMSP_OSX/patches-OSX/Maxi-Patch/Javascript folder.

2) Paste all those .js files into the /Max5/Cycling '74/jsextensions folder.

Try reloading the patch and the transport controls should now be present and working.

I guess it's frustrating for those who are new to Max/MSP to get used to having to copy a gazillion little files to different places within the Max/MSP search path, but once you get used to the fact that Max/MSP needs to dynamically load and use thousands of tiny pieces of code (unlike other programs which are mostly all compiled and linked together into one big chunk of code) then it should start to be easier. I guess that's one downside to having a totally flexible graphical programming environment.

Just out of curiosity, could the Max for Live Ms.Pinky device not be frozen, thus making it self-contained with all externals it needs? To my understanding, that is what freezing is for. I only just read about it yesterday.

I'm new to this whole MaxMsp thing, so I'm just seeing what I'm missing.

thanks

Are there more precise instructions for installing and moving the files to their new directories?
I've followed and interpreted the posts above to the best of my ability and have yet to get Ms. Pinky fully working.

Please be specific about what the problem is. Screenshots are very helpful. And please don't post a problem report without:

1) Make & Model of your computer, which Operating System & version.
2) Make & Model of your soundcard
3) Make & Model of your turntable(s), phono cartridge(s), etc.
4) Make & Model of your mixer
5) Finally -- how all components of your system are interconnected.

I 'installed' the Max For Live patches into what I presumed to be the correct folders. I've been able to use the MsPinky_M4L_AudioFX patch, however, with certain limitations.
The patch wont load selected clips from the session view, instead they must be dragged in from the browser.

I'm running this off of a MacBook Pro 2.66GHz i7, 10.6.4.

With the M4L patch you downloaded there should be a "Max_For_Live_Quick_Start.pdf" file. Please read that all the way through, especially the section "Configuring the Max File Search Path". You probably just haven't included the path to your session audio clip files within the Max/MSP search path.

I guess I am still having troubles with the process of extracting the files and placing them in the correct directory. Or does that even matter? I don't know much about how Max/MSP works... So I am a little naive in that respect.
However, my intention has only been to use the Ms Pinky Ableton Live plug-in (MsPinky_M4L_AudioFX I believe).

What are your thoughts on the situation?

Did you purchase Max For Live? You have to get that first. If you don't want to use Max For Live, then you have the option of just using Ms Pinky's Pinky VST plugin in Live. Just put that in the folder where you have your other VST's.

The transport controls aren't showing up for me and i've already copied the js files into the jsextensions folder. The forum won't let me post a screenshot (under 3 posts).
I'm not 100% sure I copied the patch files in the folder correctly; the instructions are pretty vague on this. If anyone could help me out I would appreciate it.

I'm on a 2010 13" apple mbp 2.4ghz core 2 duo with a rane sl3 soundcard