Step by Step: Adventures in Sequencing with Max/MSP Paperback – August 20, 2018

Max is wonderful in having many well done educational resources available from the publisher. But after going through these standard demos and training/building sessions, the average user will still need guidance before being confident in striking out and working on original projects, This wonderful book is perfect for these people, in that rather than trying to be an omnibus electronic music education using Max, it focuses on developing an important tool in an iterative and exploratory way, teaching as much development process and approach as excellent sequencer coding details, and always in a clear and engaging way. Top recommendation from this lifetime Max user.

There's just not enough literature in MAX/MSP and this is a long welcome book.It's cleverly written and holds my interest. Great examples and got my thoughts flowing.Cycling '74 should commision more works by Gregory Taylor and several other creative minds who know and develop in MAX

I've read this book through twice already, and still keep it handy.Once you've got the fundamentals down, it's fun to just open to a random chapter, and then use the ideas and patching to jumpstart a new Max patch.Thanks Gregory

Mr. Taylor has done a great job building this new focused, yet intro friendly guide to building sequencers in Max/MSP. I love the content covered and the author has a good capacity for understanding when to introduce organziation and abstraction into the chapters.The one caveat to this book is that its less of "build this with me" and more of "download this and I'll walk you through it". I find that programming is taught effectively when the learner has more time to ramp up, however for folks who want to just understand more about building max systems by reference this is the ideal book for you.

Great book to become more familiar with MAX. As a new user this book is the perfect introduction to this program.

The hard copy is poor print quality, fuzzy images, and all black and white. I find the color images helpful when available, like they are in the digital copy. I wish the author would have started the book with setting up Max with various input devices. He jumps straight into sequencing without the how to of setting things up to best learn the info he has to share. No doubt he knows his stuff but make sure you are comfortable with setting and configuring Max on your own if you buy the book.

I wish more software guides could be like this, especially for software that is as complex as Max/MSP. Gregory Taylor (who works for Cycling '74, the company that makes Max/MSP) has taken as a starting point the necessary task to instruct a new user how to negotiate the app. However, he does this by tracing his own creative development of a 'step sequencer', one of the basic constructions that nearly all of us who have used Max/MSP have done. The great thing about this book is that it isn't a typical 'how-to' guide, going one-by-one through the various features and capabilities (which would be impossible with an open-ended development system like Max) and "informing" the user how they all work. Instead, he traces his own development odyssey, and along the way he does a terrific job of communicating how the code works. Don't misunderstand — Gregory certainly covers the ground for a new user, but he does it as if he's sitting next to you, a good friend showing the fun things that are possible. I really enjoyed this book, and I had already built my own step-sequencer years ago.

This is a great book for pursuing one of the most fun musical devices: the step sequencer. Gregory begins with simple step sequencing, but moves to include interesting timing and pitch variations that will delight. He also swings the door into creating great MFL (Max for Live) sequencing devices, and opening the door to all sorts of music production fun. Highly recommended!