DonK

Does anyone use Max with a Kyma? I have an opportunity to pick up a used Kyma and was wondering if Max sees the Kyma's audio I/O's, and how well it works with Max (through OSC I assume).

The demo's are amazing, and it seems to do some things that I wouldn't even know how to start a patch in with Max.

Like it? Worth it? Did it help businesswise with new clients?

I'm trying to decide to go more modular analog or more into the digital side.

I'm most curious about the Kyma ins and outs and how they work (or don't work) with Max.

Does anyone use Max with a Kyma?  I have an opportunity to pick up a used Kyma and was wondering if Max sees the Kyma's audio I/O's, and how well it works with Max (through OSC I assume).

Like it?  Worth it?  Did it help businesswise with new clients?

I'm most curious about the Kyma ins and outs and how they work (or don't work) with Max.


kyma-and-max

I use Kyma and Max together all the time. My performance setup consists of Kyma and a Nord Modular G2 Engine (the rack unit without the keyboard) with Max distributing input from various physical controllers to both. Max talks to Kyma through OSC via Osculator, which works very well. I sometimes send controllers from Kyma to Max via midi, as Kyma doesn't do OSC directly.

Symbolic Sound has worked on a way that I believe allows Kyma to show up as an input/output destination in other software, but don't quote me on that. The last time I tried it (over a year ago) it was in a public beta state.

I love Kyma, and the SSC people and the forum are very helpful. Feel free to write me off list for details.

So is it possible to route audio from Max into the Kyma (and Kyma into Max) as well?

Would I still need an audio interface if I use a Kyma (I'd be using it on a macbookpro so firewire resources are limited)?

What is your typical workflow method to use Max, Kyma, HW samplers and synths?

Is the Capybara/Kyma system pretty complete out of the box or will I have to do a bunch of soldering up new patchbays for it?

And finally, any samples of Kyma/Max heavy projects I could listen to?

I got some taxes back and want to get more into modular synths, but the Kyma sounds so damn cool. How is Symbolic about updates, and is there a UB version?

So is it possible to route audio from Max into the Kyma (and Kyma into Max)  as well?
Would I still need an audio interface if I use  a Kyma (I'd be using it on a macbookpro so firewire resources are limited)?
What is your typical workflow method to use Max, Kyma, HW samplers and synths?
Is the Capybara/Kyma system pretty complete out of the box or will I have to do a bunch of soldering up new patchbays for it?

I got some taxes back and want to get more into modular synths, but the Kyma sounds so damn cool.  How is Symbolic about updates, and is there a UB version?


Is there a lot that Kyma does that Max running on a dual quadcore with something like an RME fireface400 interface couldn't do?

One more question...
Is there a lot that Kyma does that Max running on a dual quadcore with something like an RME fireface400 interface couldn't do?


> So is it possible to route audio from Max into the Kyma (and Kyma 

> Would I still need an audio interface if I use a Kyma (I'd be using 

> it on a macbookpro so firewire resources are limited)?

> What is your typical workflow method to use Max, Kyma, HW samplers 

> Is the Capybara/Kyma system pretty complete out of the box or will I 

> have to do a bunch of soldering up new patchbays for it?

> And finally, any samples of Kyma/Max heavy projects I could listen to?

> I got some taxes back and want to get more into modular synths, but 

> the Kyma sounds so damn cool. How is Symbolic about updates, and is 

The Kyma environment is UB and runs great on Intel Macs (much faster 

than the PPC ones). It is a very deep system which I think compliments 

Max in many ways. I tend to use Max for control and to integrate Kyma 

I've written a PPC/Intel external for Max 4.6/5.0 which allows you to 

send controller values directly to the Capybara via firewire. I hope 

to release a new version in coming months which also allows one to 

http://www.symbolicsound.com/cgi-bin/bin/view/Share/InterfacingWithOtherSoftwareHardware

Using OSCulator for OSC to Capybara control is good to.

As far as running audio in/out of the Capybara to Max via firewire 

your only option is by flashing the Capybara's Flame interface box 

with the A/VC firmware available on the SSC website. I'm almost 

positive you'll want an audio interface as well (like your fireface) 

without it you'd be spending energy juggling general I/O and synthesis 

in Kyma - workable but by no means ideal.

>
> So is it possible to route audio from Max into the Kyma (and Kyma  
> into Max)  as well?
> Would I still need an audio interface if I use  a Kyma (I'd be using  
> it on a macbookpro so firewire resources are limited)?
> What is your typical workflow method to use Max, Kyma, HW samplers  
> and synths?
> Is the Capybara/Kyma system pretty complete out of the box or will I  
> have to do a bunch of soldering up new patchbays for it?
>
> And finally, any samples of Kyma/Max heavy projects I could listen to?
>
> I got some taxes back and want to get more into modular synths, but  
> the Kyma sounds so damn cool.  How is Symbolic about updates, and is  
> there a UB version?

The Kyma environment is UB and runs great on Intel Macs (much faster  
than the PPC ones). It is a very deep system which I think compliments  
Max in many ways. I tend to use Max for control and to integrate Kyma  
sounds into larger systems.

I've written a PPC/Intel external for Max 4.6/5.0 which allows you to  
send controller values directly to the Capybara via firewire. I hope  
to release a new version in coming months which also allows one to  
send note information as well.

As far as running audio in/out of the Capybara to Max via firewire  
your only option is by flashing the Capybara's Flame interface box  
with the A/VC firmware available on the SSC website. I'm almost  
positive you'll want an audio interface as well (like your fireface)  
without it you'd be spending energy juggling general I/O and synthesis  
in Kyma - workable but by no means ideal.

[good to hear about your Max object, Greg - I was using the flame object until I moved to intel, and then had to go to Osculator).

I agree with Greg - you're going to want to keep your audio interface if you're doing audio with the powerbook. The A/VC firmware that Greg mentions is the audio i/o that I was referring to, but I really haven't used it enough to say how it works. In performance I only use Kyma and the Nord to produce audio, and use my powerbook just for control messages (and maybe eventually video with jitter, or getting control info from video input with jitter - I still have cpu left on the Mac that I could do something with).

One thing to keep in mind is that there is a learning curve (though I think to get started the learning curve is not as much as Max, but as Greg says it is deep - you'll be learning a bit about writing code in Smalltalk and it's Kyma varient, Capytalk), and the UI is pretty different from any other program I've ever used. But it is fairly logical and thought out.

You won't need to do any soldering. The basic system is powerful enough to get started, but after you've checked it out you'd probably be happier with two extra cards (I worked with the basic system for maybe 6 or 8 months and got plenty of work done, but I was glad to get the extra power).

Thanks for your help and insight gentlemen. I think I have some stuff to think about. It's only been about 6 months since I started using Max, and I'm finally seeing the top of the first big hill in the learning curve. I've made very little music, just a lot of little weird messes and sound sketches. So, I'm still deciding do I go Kyma or modular synth and what you guys have said will help me decide. Thanks for your feedback on the Kyma...I wish I had the money to go both modular rack and a Kyma. :)

Thanks for your help and insight gentlemen.  I think I have some stuff to think about.  It's only been about 6 months since I started using Max, and I'm finally seeing the top of the first big hill in the learning curve.  I've made very little music, just a lot of little weird messes and sound sketches. So, I'm still deciding do I go Kyma or modular synth and what you guys have said will help me decide.  Thanks for your feedback on the Kyma...I wish I had the money to go both modular rack and a Kyma.  :)

Kyma and Max?