Max is a visual programming language for the specialized needs of artists, educators, and researchers working with audio, visual media, and physical computing.

Discover a new landscape of sonic possibilities

With MC, objects and patch cords contain multiple audio channels. MC will transform how you imagine sound design, effects processing, and mixing. It might be the closest thing to a mind-expanding drug Max has ever had.

Experience noticeably faster performance

For Max 8, we profiled real-world, messy patches to discover what we could optimize. You'll notice the difference the moment you launch the application.

Control your patch with hardware - no patching required

We are pleased to announce the release of Max 8.1. This update brings initial Mac OS 10.15 Catalina support and "darkmode" window toolbars on Mac. We've also decided to include jit.mo in the distribution as a "factory" package (it has a few improvements as well). Additionally, the Inspector has been improved to have a "per-object" view (among other things). Be sure to take a look at the change log below for the complete details of improvements in this release.

Max 8.2.0 Release Notes

New Features:

3rd party objects install / quarantine: cache improvements

absolutepath/chooser/folder/savedialog/dropfile: added filtering by file extension

amxd~: 'realtime_params' attr for realtime report of parameter data from outlets

bucket: 'clear' message

capture: uses scientific notation for very large numbers

CEF / jweb: updated to CEF 90

chooser: 'deselect' message

dict.route: permit comparisions of nested elements

dict.view: expand /expandall messages

dict.view: key::path based expansion syntax

Doc Browser: new layout, navigation, new glossary & getting started docs, etc

Dynamic Colors: ability to use a name which references a dynamic color (follows Max/Max for Live Themes)

Edit Operations Trigger Loadbang: New preference

fileformat: added alternative "TXT " type

Fix width: use available patcher space at window edge

fffb~: increased maximum number of filters to 128 / mcs.fffb~ to 1024

freqshift~: added resetphase message

function: pointalign attribute

Gen noise: updated to use Xoshiro256+

gen~: signal averager example

GL3: now a factory package

Help: allow abstractions to map to help files via objectfile max message

jit.gl.pass: bloom-hq effect and corresponding SUBPASS functionality / documentation

jit.noise: seed attribute

jit.proxy: class attribute for querring class of target object

jit.proxy: now can function inside JS

jit.pworld: enable, fps attributes; bang, int messages

Jitter Tools: Package of objects and abstractions for expanding the Jitter toolset

jsmaxobjlistener / jsparaminfoprovider / jsparamlistener: new examples

live.adsr~ / live.adsrui: new objects

makenote: repeatmode 3 (does not trigger new note-on message)

Math objects: added @fuzzy attribute to floating-point comparison objects for inexact float comparison

Max Console: excess zeros on a float are truncated

Max Documentation: Glossary of common terminology

Max Startup: added '--log' command line switch to enable startup logging

MC Wrapper: applynvalues / replicatenvalues messages

mc.makelist: 'clear' message (only works on leftmost inlet)

Message to Max: userdb.resetvalidated resets list of extern validations

mtr: added touchenable and touchdisable messages to enable / disable touch on multiple tracks

multislider: copy, paste and pastereplace

Node for Max: updated to Node v16.6.0

node.script: restart attribute to suppress restarts on uncaught errors

noise~: updated to use Xoshiro256+ & 'classic' attribute (defaults to 0)

nrpinin/rpnin: @permissive attribute to skip the parameter number MSB

Object Palette: icons added for all live.* UI objects

Package Manager: option to 'update all' that have available updates

Packages: can have an 'ad' folder to load audio drivers

pitchshift~: new constantlatency attribute

print: @level to set post/warn/error/bug alert level

print: support multiple symbols (for multiple inlets)

Reinitialize: Edit->Reinitialize to fire loadbang/loadmess & reset parameters to initial values

reson~ / lores~: added attrs for cf, gain, q/resonance

sampstoms/mstosamps: accepts list input

send~ / receive~: added s~ and r~ shortcuts

sfinfo~: support for extended file types (like .mp3)

sfrecord~: @quantization attr (sets quantization rule), @dither attr (enables TPDF)

Snippets: "hot swap" of VIZZIE and BEAP modules (or any snippet containing a patcher)

spectroscope~: alpha can be used for background color in sonogram mode

thresh: increased max list size to 32767

thresh~: added list method

vexpr: @maxsize attribute - dynamic list size

wave~ / 2d.wave~: can set start and end points with list input

waveform~: 'set' with no arguments clears the buffer reference

zl: list.* alias, infrastructure for individual helps and refs

zmap: bang message to output current value(s)

Fixed Bugs:

3rd party objects install / quarantine: cache improvements

adstatus: outputs correct values

amxd~: notifies parameter hub when device state changes

assistance: fixed crash with long strings

Audio: improved CPU usage when audio is off in Max

autopattr: fixed memory leaks

AVF: fixed HAP playback

BEAP: update to v1.0.4

bpatcher / Help: 'Help in Locked Patcher' works for bpatchers that have help files

bpatcher: eliminated visual glitching when resizing new view

buffer~: fixed crash when dragging sound file from file browser onto waveform window

capture~: first line is correct length

chooser: text justification is saved / restored

coll: able to open in external text editor

coll: fixed hang when closing editor window with many lines of text

Color Picker: Changing message box color with color picker is able to be undone

comb~: fixed limit to delay length

console object: outputs after Max Console is cleared

CoreAudio: update SR and restart audio when/if necessary

cycle~: prevented crash with negative buffer sample count for wavetable

dac~: fixed crash at startup when started with a loadbang/loadmess

Debugging: re-enabled patch cords trigger their watchpoints

delay: Fixed potential ITM crash

delay~: fixed crash when setting a delay time that relates to crossfade ramp time

delay~: fixed startup issues and improved interpolation accuracy

delay~: setting maxsize is more reliable

demosound: gain of filtergraph~ in noise view set to 1.

demovideo: remove grabber settings button and convert input menu to format

detonate: fixed crash when setting the 'name' attribute

dial: drawing respects arc boundaries

dial: draws complete circle when degrees is set to 360

dial: top of needle drawing improvements

dict: fixed writeagain issues

dict: help file makeover

dict: improve parsing of float-like strings

dict: improved saving / window closing behavior

dict: patcher not dirtied when @embed is set to 1 but not changed

dict: stricter parsing of number-like strings

dict: warn and don't crash when parsing invalid argument

Doc Browser: Home / Index page loads even while DB is rebuilding

Doc Browser: loads when selected package is not present in Database

event probing: reports correct values past 2147483524 (Win)

expr: abs works on negative zero

fileformats: add missing types for AU and VST3 preset files

filein: misc improvements and cleanup

filtergraph~: added retro-compatible messages for gainresonant / gainapass

filtergraph~: tweaked range label

Fonts: fixed crash on startup when font doesn't have a display name or full name

function: attributes are updated when state is set via patter

function: domain attr returns to Behavior category in Inspector

function: fixed alpha color of linear line drawing

funnel / spray: increased max list size to 4096

Gen noise: fixed seeding

Gen: box port name optimizations

gen~ slide: fixed compile error when slide input is audio rate

gen~: fixed NaN reporting when 'Show CPU Usage' is enabled

gen~: fixed onepole coefficient

gen~: nocache attribute is visible

gestalt: fixed crash when outputting args

GL Engine: fixed crash if set to GL3 and package is not installed

Gradient Colors: fixed potential crash due to bad memory access

HAP: improved framecount calculation

hi: added xinput support

hi: fixed initialization of element count when device has no product name

hint attribute: hint correctly hidden in presentation mode when object is not

Inspector: fixed Windows modifier keys in standalone inspector

interfacecolor example: getcolorlist actually gets colors from maxcolors.json

ITM: fixed parsing of x.x.x format "symbolic" BBUs

jit.cellblock: display updated after interval is set to 0

jit.cellblock: gives better warning when writing is unsupported

jit.dx.grab: fixed alpha channel when output_texture is enabled

jit.gen: fixed wrap algorithm

jit.gl.material browser: is theme-aware

jit.gl.material: fixed normals and lighting calculations for vtf-normals

jit.gl.model: files can be loaded from Projects and collectives

jit.gl.model: fixed file loading when embedded in Max for Live device

jit.phys.*: fixed potential crash when retrieving object arguments

jit.pwindow: fixed rendering when a new view is opened/closed

jit.pwindow: renders texture in a new view

jit.pwindow: sync attribute is properly saved

jit.pworld: internal videoplane is enabled only if texture or matrix message received

jit.pworld: support for jit.movie (a la jit.world)

jit.world: fixed enable attribute when triggered with overdrive enabled

Jitter avf / hap: hap files are properly initialized

Jitter GL: fixed crash if jit_ob3d_setup called prior to jitter initialization

Jitter Object Boxes: inlet "hotness" improvements

JS File Object: empty typelist returns an empty array, as documented

JS maxObjListener: fixed notification response for null attrname

JS maxObjListener: object attrs are tested before box attrs

JS mgraphics SVG: fixed mapcolor crash

JS object: fixed recursive crash with incorrect entry

JS snapshots: works with dictionary values

JS: added getboxattrnames, getboxattr, setboxattr to documentation

js: fixed crash when accessing patchcords property of Maxobj

JS: this.patcher.wind.setlocation() method works

jsliveapi: eliminate crash when there's no 'this' for operations

jsliveapi: improved handling of large strings

JSON: trailing zero added to float values (1. becomes 1.0)

jweb: allow "max" property on root object (ie window) to be writeable

jweb: fixed crash when using 'select' dropdown (offscreen rendering mode)

Keyboard: option+arrow in text field no longer triggers OS alert sound

Lessons: added embedded vizzie 1.0 modules

limi~: ref page opens correct help file

line~: fixed crash with very large ramp time

linedrive: fixed crash

live.* UI objects: improve negative value handling with some units

live.* ui objects: Outputs the correct value when opened and initialized by pattr

live.banks: error reporting refinements

live.banks: fixed bank renaming in response to '-' argument

live.banks: fixed crash when adding a new bank with index 1 when banks are empty

live.banks: fixed crash with certain 'edit' messages

live.banks: fixed crashing with bad input

live.dial: fixed large mode automation drawing

live.drop: ensure value when restoring

live.scope~: fixed delayed drawing after deletion

live.scope~: fixed drawing in trigger mode when number of samples is lower than object's pixel width

live.scope~: reduced memory footprint when inactive

Max for Live / Help patchers: fixed crash clicking '?' menu in Live

Max for Live device project: fixed hang when changing the "development path type"

Max for Live Live Object Model doc: updated with Live 11 additions

Max for Live Parameters: filters hidden parameters before generating automation for Live

Max for Live pcontrol: scheduler works in patches opened via load message

Max for Live timing: improved locked metro accuracy

Mapping: 'delete' key removes mapping

Mapping: fix mapping in unlocked patcher with bpatcher containers

mapping: improved 'write' message behavior

Mapping: source maps to key when edited in mapping sidebar

Max Console in Max for Live: long text wrapped and shows device name

Max Database: fixed potential crashes

Max Database: improve warning when attempting to rebuild database while another rebuild is active

Max SDK: fixed issues with loading third party externals (__common_symbols)

Max SDK: fixed memory corruption in object_attr_getvalueof

Max Startup: improved Windows startup times

maxurl: fixed crash on quit due to in-progress maxurl (Win only)

MC Wrapper: replicate and initialvalues attrs are in inspector / refbar

mc.gain~: saves all sliders for presets / pattrstorage in multislider mode

mc.noteallocator~ properly auto-adapts to input

mc.noteallocator~: fixed reverse pitch bend output

mc.op~: max operator works with negative values

mc.vst~: fixed crash when scripting and input count changes

menubar: closeitem can disable the Close item in a menu

menubar: intercepts keyboard shortcuts on Windows

message box: accepts very large input / removed arbitrary patcher size

message box: removed list length limit when editing

MIDI: can set "AU DLS Synth 1” via the 'port' message

MIDI: improved None/All handling

midiformat: fixed formatting of byte 2 in 7-bit pitch bend

MIDIMonitor.amxd: fixed crash

mousestate: fixed crash on double poll

mousestate: poll reports mouse down events when mouse is idle

mousestate: polling performance improvements

mtr: added TEXT file type

mtr: bindto no longer interferes with autopattr/pattrstorage

mtr: can add events via message while playing back and hear them before a loop

mtr: fix deferred loading

mtr: fixed crash when reading file with more tracks than the object has

mtr: playpos is accurate when a new first event is inserted

mtr: touch event added before first event adjusts delta time

multislider: fixed setting of minmax

Node for Max: Node for Max: node.debug no longer double-prints status

Node for Max: node.script / node.debug handles messages on patcher load

node.script: attrs to disable outlets and forward messages to callback instead

node.script: tmp folder sockets are cleaned up

node.script: works on standard user account

nodes: fixed crash when nsize list length does not match nodenumber

nodes: prevent out-of-bounds access

noteout: fixed selection of port via object action menu

nrpnin: fixed incorrect bitshift when calling "set" with a parameter number list (MSB LSB)

nrpnin/out & xctlin/out: added 'hires' inspector styles/labels

number box: dragging value in float box now creates same value as if typed

numbers: 64-bit truncation cleanup (Windows)

Object Action Menu: added none/all handling for MIDI objects

Object Boxes: inlets / outlets don't get stuck in highlighted states

Object Browser: Max for Live UI objects shown in correct category

Object Palette: icons added for all live.* UI objects

Open In External Editor: works in tabbed patchers

Package Manager: fixed issues with blank rendering

Package Manager: Website link styled correctly

Packages: Discover Max external in new valid package directory without restart

Packages: Fixed crash with empty package-info.json

Parameters: only dirty if it exists in a Max for Live device

Parameters Window / Inspector: auto-quote Info Title / Info

Parameters: load correctly when hot swapping bpatcher contents

Patch loading: improved patch / project loading times

Patching: click on box sizing handle to give patcher keyboard focus

Patching: don't try to autoconnect when target has no corresponding inlet/outlet

Patching: fixed capitalization of togedge, trough, and uzi

pattr: default_priority set properly when set to 0

pattrstorage: dictionary support for 'getstoredvalue'

pattrstorage: eliminate crash when setting scripted pattr value from client window

pattrstorage: fillempty handles missing values in pattr objects appropriately

pattrstorage: fixed infinite loop in 'fillempty' when item is missing

pattrstorage: ignore when parent patcher varname is changed

peak: fixed bad reporting when float ends with an odd number

Performance: CPU usage improvements after starting Max

pictslider: attributes are retained on load

pinch to zoom patcher (trackpad): improved behavior

pitchshift~: fixed issues with 'enabled' attribute

pitchshift~: fixed latency reporting and misc improvements

playlist: shows missing files in italics

playlist~: fixed duration / channel count reportage

plot~: fixed vertical scaling and y position of first x label

poly~: fixed crash when sending target messages and no patcher is loaded

poly~: fixed crash when there is no patcher and audio is toggled off

print: fixed name reporting when object does not have a box

prob: embed is now an attribute

Projects: disabled amxd type in inspector when Max is the Max for Live editor

Projects: warn if adding new file will overwrite existing file

regexp: removed extra space before ints, floats and lists

rslider: 'minimum' attribute can be a float

Save dialogs: improved usage when there are no writable types specified

savedialog: improved file type configuration (macOS)

send~/receive~: fixed freeze when setting names of objects

seq: fixed delay message

sfplay~: fixed issues with 'clear' message when inside a poly~

sfrecord~ / sfplay~: PCM files use full bit range

Signal Probing: Fixed crash when using signal probe with very large values

Snapshots: can save with a specific filename

Snapshots: works in tabbed patchers

Snippets: browser cleanup

Snippets: fixed crash when saving over an existing snippet

Standalone: multiple running instances containing node.script work as expected

Subpatchers: no longer erroneously open help patchers with same name

sysexin: sysex passed for all devices when set to 'all'

System Info: reports correct OS build version (Windows)

tab: set attribute works from tabs index outlet

Tabbed Patchers: fixed crash when changing showontab attribute

Tabbed Patchers: setactivetab works in standalones

Text Editor: file save prompt is not shown for embedded content

text: improve errors when invalid files are read

textbutton etc: fixed #N processing for UI objects that have "text" attributes

textedit: fixed restore of contents on reload

textedit: improved save/recall from pattr/preset/parameter

thispatcher: can use patchlinecolor in scripting commands

thispatcher: window flags nozoom works after save/reload

thresh~: does not change its other limit value with new limit value

thresh~: supports ints

Toolbar browsers: can drag and drop when multiple items are selected

Tour: fixed crash when clicking on inlet object

triangle~: improved argument / attribute parsing

umenu: shows pop-up menu on correct monitor when patcher is zoomed in

VIDDLL: eliminated warning of missing install in runtime

VIDDLL: fixed crash when asyncread called from JS

VIDDLL: fixed defaultcachesize preference

Video Browser: fixed crash when playing some files (Windows only)

VIZZIE 4OSCIL8R, OSCIL8R, FOLLOWR: rendering improvements

VIZZIE CROPPR: fixed input bug

VIZZIE croppr: matrix input allowed

Vizzie: fixed issues with bfgener8r parameters

VIZZIE: fixed js errors with help files

vst~: fixed cases where sampling rate and vector size is ambiguous

vst~: fixed crash when signal vector size is changed (Win)

vst~: fixed unique ids for VST2 plugins

vst~: reduce frequency of outgoing MIDI event callback to fix stalled MIDI output

Windows: lesson browser shows correct times

zl: no longer crashes with too many arguments

zplane~: fixed crash if input from filterdesign does not contain zpk info

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