Editing Max (software) (section)

==History==
=== 1980s ===
[[Miller Puckette]] began work on Max in 1985, at the [[IRCAM|Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique]] (IRCAM) in [[Paris]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cache//b/b/p/bbp2372.1985.043/bbp2372.1985.043.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815043521/https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cache//b/b/p/bbp2372.1985.043/bbp2372.1985.043.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 15, 2020|title=Synthetic Rehearsal: Training the Synthetic Performer|access-date=2008-08-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=https://quod.lib.umich.edu/i/icmc/bbp2372.1985.043/1/--synthetic-rehearsal-training-the-synthetic-performer?page=root;size=150;view=text |title=Synthetic Rehearsal: Training the Synthetic Performer |journal=International Computer Music Conference Proceedings |publisher=ICMC |date=1985 |volume=1985 |access-date=2018-09-19|last1=Barry |first1=Vercoe |last2=Miller |first2=Puckette }}</ref> Originally called ''The Patcher'', this first version provided composers with a graphical interface for creating interactive [[computer music]] scores on the [[Macintosh]]. At this point in its development Max couldn't perform its own real-time sound synthesis in software, but instead sent control messages to external hardware synthesizers and samplers using [[MIDI]] or a similar [[Protocol (computing)|protocol]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://msp.ucsd.edu/Publications/icmc88.pdf |title= The Patcher |author= Puckette, Miller S.|publisher= ICMC|date= 11 August 1988|access-date=2018-08-22}}</ref> Its earliest widely recognized use in composition was for ''Pluton'', a 1988 piano and computer piece by [[Philippe Manoury]]; the software synchronized a computer to a piano and controlled a [[Sogitec 4X]] for audio processing.<ref name="pluton">{{cite web|url=http://www-crca.ucsd.edu/~msp/pdrp/latest/patch/manoury-pluton/doc/history.htm |title=Pd Repertory Project - History of ''Pluton'' |publisher=CRCA |last=Puckette |first=Miller S. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040707132901/http://www-crca.ucsd.edu/~msp/pdrp/latest/patch/manoury-pluton/doc/history.htm |archive-date=2004-07-07 |access-date=March 3, 2012}}</ref>

In 1989, IRCAM developed ''Max/FTS'' ("Faster Than Sound"), a version of Max ported to the [[ISPW|IRCAM Signal Processing Workstation]] (ISPW) for the [[NeXT]]. Also known as "Audio Max", it would prove a forerunner to Max's MSP audio extensions, adding the ability to do real-time synthesis using an internal hardware [[digital signal processor]] (DSP) board.<ref name="ircam_history">{{cite web| url=http://freesoftware.ircam.fr/article.php3?id_article=5 |title=A brief history of MAX |publisher=IRCAM |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603230029/http://freesoftware.ircam.fr/article.php3?id_article=5 |archive-date=2009-06-03 }}</ref><ref name="cycling_'74_history">{{cite web|url=http://www.cycling74.com/twiki/bin/view/FAQs/MaxMSPHistory#Where_did_MaxMSP_come_from |title=Max/MSP History - Where did Max/MSP come from? |publisher=Cycling74 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609205550/http://www.cycling74.com/twiki/bin/view/FAQs/MaxMSPHistory |archive-date=2009-06-09 |access-date=March 3, 2012}}</ref> In 1989, IRCAM worked with Joel Chadabe and Ben Austin of Intelligent Computer Music Systems to license the software for commercial sales in the United States. With the 1990 bankruptcy of Intelligent Computer Music Systems, both the ''Max'' Software and Ben Austin moved to [[Opcode Systems]], which became the publisher of record for ''Max''.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=HZtGs5_z4zIC&dq=max+intelligent+music+joel+chadabe&pg=PA241 The Contemporary Violin: Extended Performance Techniques By Patricia Strange, Allen Strange] Accessed 10 September 2018</ref>

=== 1990s ===
Although Opcode launched its commercial version named ''Max'' in 1990, developed and extended by [[David Zicarelli]], the product was becoming a poor fit for Opcode, which was squarely towards commercial music production. Thus Zicarelli in 1997 acquired the publishing rights and founded a new company, Cycling '74, to continue commercial development.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Battino |first1=David |last2=Richards |first2=Kelli |title=The Art of Digital Music |date=2005 |publisher=Backbeat Books |isbn=0-87930-830-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/artofdigitalmusi00davi/page/110 110] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/artofdigitalmusi00davi/page/110 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cycling74.com/company/|title=About Us|publisher=Cycling74.com|access-date=March 3, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://cycling74.com/support/faq_max4/|title=FAQ Max4|publisher=Cycling74.com|access-date=March 3, 2012}}</ref> The timing was fortunate, as Opcode was acquired by [[Gibson Guitar Corporation|Gibson Guitar]] in 1998 and ended operations in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://news.harmony-central.com/News/1999/Opcode-Changes.html |title=Harmony Central News |access-date=2018-08-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027094815/http://news.harmony-central.com/News/1999/Opcode-Changes.html |archive-date=2007-10-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

IRCAM's in-house Max development was also winding down; the last version produced there was ''jMax'', a direct descendant of Max/FTS developed in 1998 for [[Silicon Graphics]] (SGI) and later for [[Linux]] systems. It used Java for its graphical interface and C for its real-time backend, and was eventually released as [[open-source software]].
[[File:Setups @ One Step Beyond at Museum of Natural History 2010-09-09.jpg|thumb|200x200px|Various synthesizers and instruments connected to Max]]

Meanwhile, Puckette had independently released a fully redesigned open-source composition tool named ''[[Pure Data]]'' (Pd) in 1996, which, despite some underlying engineering differences from the IRCAM versions, continued in the same tradition. Cycling '74's first Max release, in 1997, was derived partly from Puckette's work on Pure Data. Called ''Max/MSP'' ("Max Signal Processing", or the initials Miller Smith Puckette), it remains the most notable of Max's many extensions and incarnations: it made Max capable of manipulating real-time [[digital audio]] signals without dedicated DSP hardware. This meant that composers could now create their own complex synthesizers and effects processors using only a general-purpose computer like the Macintosh [[PowerBook G3]].

In 1999, the [[Netochka Nezvanova (author)|Netochka Nezvanova]] collective released ''[[nato.0+55+3d|NATO.0+55+3d]]'', a suite of externals that added extensive real-time video control to Max.

=== 2000s ===
Though NATO.0+55+3d became increasingly popular among multimedia artists, its development stopped abruptly in 2001. ''[[SoftVNS]]'', another set of extensions for visual processing in Max, was released in 2002 by Canadian media artist [[David Rokeby]]. Cycling '74 released their own set of video extensions, ''Jitter'', alongside Max 4 in 2003, adding real-time video, [[OpenGL]] graphics, and [[matrix (mathematics)|matrix]] processing capabilities. Max 4 was also the first version to run on [[Windows]]. Max 5, released in 2008, redesigned the patching GUI for the first time in Max's commercial history.

=== 2010s ===
In 2011, Max 6 added a new audio engine compatible with 64-bit operating systems, integration with [[Ableton Live]] sequencer software, and an extension called Gen, which can compile optimized Max patches for higher performance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cycling74.com/products/gen/|title=GEN - Extend the power of Max|publisher=Cycling74.com}}</ref> Max 7 was released in 2014 and focused on 3D rendering improvements.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Cycling '74|date=2014|title=Max 7 is Patching Reimagined|url=https://cycling74.com/max7/}}</ref>

On June 6, 2017, [[Ableton]] announced its purchase of Cycling '74, with Max continuing to be published by Cycling '74 and David Zicarelli remaining with the company.<ref>[http://cdm.link/2017/06/conversation-david-zicarelli-gerhard-behles/ A conversation with David Zicarelli and Gerhard Behles, Peter Kirn - June 6, 2017] Accessed 10 September 2018</ref>

On September 25, 2018, Max 8 was released.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cycling74.com/articles/max-8-is-here|title=Article: Max 8 is here {{!}} Cycling '74|website=cycling74.com|language=en|access-date=2019-01-13}}</ref>  Some of the new features include MC, a new way to work with multiple channels, JavaScript support with Node for Max, and Vizzie 2.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cycling74.com/products/max-features|title=What's New in Max 8? {{!}} Cycling '74|website=cycling74.com|language=en|access-date=2019-01-13}}</ref>

=== 2020s ===
On October 29, 2024, Max 9, the most recent major version of the software, was released.