"Step by Step: Adventures in Sequencing with Max/MSP" book has been released

Lilli Wessling Hart's icon

Using the Max visual programming language, author Gregory Taylor starts with a tour of a simple step sequencer patch and then builds upon the original patch piece by piece, providing the recipes for over a dozen variations that range from the simple tweak to the profoundly deep whose parts can be recombined to produce even more variations.

Mr. Banshee's icon

Will there be any other way to get this book or will i be forced to deal with amazon?

Lilli Wessling Hart's icon

@Mr Banshee - From what I understand, we actually began this project with a different company that was later bought out by Amazon. I don't know if they would have been more flexible than Amazon. We understand there is interest in other platforms and will keep that in mind.

Paul Lewin's icon

I have just purchased the kindle version, the book is excellent but it appears the link to the tutorial max patches is broken, anyone else having the same problem?

Max Gardener's icon

I cannot reproduce the problem here.

Are you not getting the download when you type the URL from the book into a browser?

If so, what are you using for a browser and what machine are you one?

thanks in advance,
Max

Paul Lewin's icon

Gregory sent me a link which works just fine, I have sent him the error message, I am on Mac osx 10.14.1 using chrome. I didn't try typing in the URL manually , the error was received when clicking the link in the kindle app.

Max Gardener's icon

That's the crucial piece of information we didn't know.

Were you reading the kindle on via a browser? What kind of device?

The link he sent you was created by typing in the link listed on the page, I imagine.

Paul Lewin's icon

for clarification I am using the standalone amazon kindle app on a 2018 macbook pro mac osx 10.14.1 to read the book
the error was received after clicking the link in the book within the app which then opened an amazon error message within chrome (my default browser)

Madison Klementyn's icon

Just ordered this and really excited to check it out. Thanks Greg!

Graham Dunne's icon

FWIW, I had the same issue with the Amazon app on a (souped up) 2009 MacBookPro running El Capitan, although I don't think the OS is the culprit - basically, when one clicks the link, only the first line of the link appears in a browser, thus generating an error. I had to type the rest in manually. Really enjoying the book, bought both hard and soft copies. Thanks indeed, Mr. Taylor :)

deligut's icon

Just bought the Kindle version. Can't get the Kindle App to run on my PC. Just wasted half an hour in a useless Amazon help chat.

deligut's icon

Windows 10. Kindle does not accept the secure code I receive on my mobile phone.

deligut's icon

Got it sorted. Link does not work but typing the link works. Thanks a lot for the great book!

Max Gardener's icon

It looks like the Kindle conversion inserted a line break. We're looking into it. In the meanwhile, type in the URL.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/cycling74-books/StepbyStep_Patches.zip

Stephane Morisse's icon

@Lilli Wessling Hart : I'm also interested in having other means to buy a hard copy through a platform which is not Amazon. I absolutly boycott them for obvious ethical and fiscal reasons.

earth2j's icon

Going over the Max tutorials for a second time. Once I'm done, it'll be time to start reading this. Excellent printed version. :thumbsup

jesseam's icon

A lot of good ideas here. The chapter on swing unlocked some solutions for me.

Gregory Taylor's icon

I'm delighted to hear it, Jesse. And that big about digging into Darwin Grosse's amazing work on the swing module for BEAP at the very end? Run, don't walk....

jesseam's icon

I haven't checked that out yet. Will do. Thanks Gregory.

Iain Duncan's icon

I'm really enjoying the book, lots for great tips and patterns in there that one doesn't easily find just reading the docs and help. Thanks for writing it Gregory!

frank irvin's icon

I welcome any new Max text and very much look forward to reading/studying the work. Do you think it will be available on Apples iBooks. Most of the books I have purchased in iBook are a bit more interactive.

Gregory Taylor's icon

Hello, Frank.

There are no plans to make Step by Step available as an Apple iBook at this time.

gregory

alainv's icon

@Frank Irvin and @Gregory Taylor
Hi
What's a pity !!!
Can we still hope?
And a French translation?

Thanks for writing it Gregory!
Have a good day...

nitefish's icon

I not able to change the tempo with the message 'tempo 80' in the first example.
but I'm glad to read/have this book...

Peter Redecopp's icon

Any chance this will be released for eReaders other than amazon/kindle?

Gregory Taylor's icon

At this point in time, there are no active plans to release the book apart from the Kindle version, although we're keeping an eye on the question.

johannes's icon

@Stephane Morisse
+1
@Lilli Wessling Hart"
I bought the "e-book" but I really hate to be forced to install a kindle reader and to register at A. this way .

Gregory Taylor's icon

Some users have felt that ordering a physical copy of the book requires less engagement on their part with Amazon (you're not installing software, etc.). As we've said, there are no current plans to make the book available in another format or through another channel. I hope you find something useful in the text nonetheless.

johannes's icon

@Gregory Taylor
I'm sorry I missunderstood your words when you were writing "although we're keeping an eye on the question." Nevertheless I want to make the statement that amazon is one of the most unlikeable companies I know and cycling74 is one of the most likeable companies I know, so it hurts to see this kind of connection - at least it hurts me.

Gregory Taylor's icon

Hey, Johannes. We're certainly aware that there are persons with strong feelings about Amazon. As my colleague Lilli points out above, we began this project with a different company that was later acquired and closed down by Amazon along the way - specifically because said other firm gave us easier access to independent bookstores and that sort of situation. I regret that things have worked out as they have, and we understand that there is interest in other platforms. We keep that in mind and try to balance those matters with an eye from our point of view on such matters as global availability (being able to choose digital or Print on Demand copies and not having to pay international postage rates on book in Germany, for example) and the like. My own advice for persons in your situation is that - if you really would like a copy of the text - the physical copy minimizes your contact with Amazon.

johannes's icon

Dear Gregory, thank you very much for your curative words! I've already bought a digital copy but if there would be a Print on Demand option I would likely buy it also and uninstall the kindle reader (:

Gregory Taylor's icon
johannes's icon

Now I'm irritated - what do you mean with "Like this?" - if you're asking if I bought the amazon kindle edition already, the answer is yes - in february this year...

Gregory Taylor's icon

We had no wish to offend you. I was merely pointing out that - if you purchased the book through Amazon.de, the hardcopy version was an option for you. I would not counsel buying two copies, of course. But the point was that (at least in markets such as Germany) we were able to offer hardcopy and digital versions of the book - this is not the case in some other international markets.

niccolo gaspari's icon

Hello everyone, complete noobie question sorry: i copied and paste the first patch from the book into my owned max4live (cause I only have the trial version of max/msp), how do i get the output? should i work into a Ma Instrument? What I'm asking more generally is, can I work in max for live the same way as in max/msp?
Thanks to who can answer

nouserid's icon

Copy the patch to a Max MIDI Effect, change one of the step triggers, and start Live's transport. Then the device should be outputting midi.

Emiliano's icon

I'm trying to get the book but in Italy it seems impossible to buy the kindle version. There is some release plan for that. Thanks in advance

fractal's icon

Basic question but where should I save the step by step patches folder ? When trying to open one of the various abstraction in a new patch I got the error message "no such object"

👽'tW∆s ∆lienz👽's icon

where should I save the step by step patches folder?

you can place it in Documents/Max8/Packages (or the equivalent on your machine where the 'Max8/Packages' folder is), then reboot Max, it should work thereafter.
hope it helps 🌻

fractal's icon

Hey, thanks, that's what I'm trying to do but still can't open the abstractions in a new patch, pretty strange

👽'tW∆s ∆lienz👽's icon

hmmm... that is strange, maybe there's some mess up with prefs... you could also go into "Max->Options->File Preferences..." and add the folder manually(i'd recommend adding a parent folder like Max8/Packages, then you can just drop other stuff in there from then on). hope that works(if not, post back, someone else here might have a better idea).

fractal's icon

all good, that was it, just dropped the step by step patches folder in document/max8/library as stated in file preferences and everything is now working as it should, thanks again !

Martin's icon

Hi,

Just bought the book, enjoying it very much. Is it generally the case that when you buy a physical book on amazon, you don't get a free Kindle version? Seems strange to me... It's like buying a physical copy of an album on Bandcamp and getting the digital for free. Seems normal to me.

Anyway, love the book. Plan on buying the GEN book also.

Carl Caulkett's icon

Thanks for posting this! It's prompted me to check my old Amazon orders to find that I ordered the Kindle version in 2018. I've added it again to my Library, and hopefully will do something constructive with it this time 😉