Xiang Cui

Hey guys, i was doing a school project about using some foils to activate audio in max.

Currently, the MAX can receive the capacity pretty well, and i use "if ..then" to activate the audio, however the arduino data was sent every 5/1000 sec to MAX which cause the audio file been activated every 5/1000s if the finger keep touching on foils.

I wonder are there any ways that i can make MAX stop reading data from arduino while the audio is playing, and resume to read the data while the music is finished.

below is the MAX patch i've made so far, plz help me about this problem.

Hey guys, i was doing a school project about using some foils to activate audio in max. 

Currently, the MAX can receive the capacity pretty well, and i use "if ..then" to activate the audio, however the arduino data was sent every 5/1000 sec to MAX which cause the audio file been activated every 5/1000s if the finger keep touching on foils. 

I wonder are there any ways that i can make MAX stop reading data from arduino while the audio is playing, and resume to read the data while the music is finished.  

below is the MAX patch i've made so far, plz help me about this problem. 

a-problem-about-activating-audio-by-capacitive-sensing-with-arduino

As first there is no patch, as second You should rather modify Arduino code to send

So You send 1 when touch is detected, and 0 when pin is floating,

But if You must do it in max have a look at change object.

As first there is no patch, as second You should rather modify Arduino code to send
data only when a change is detected.
So You send 1 when touch is detected, and 0 when pin is floating,
only when state changes.
But if You must do it in max have a look at change object.


Sorry for missing the screenshots. Can you plz have a look at it?

Sounds like a job for [onebang], look at the helpfile.

Looking at it seems as if You want to toggle Playback On/Off when touching

In that case a simple combination of {> 500} {change +} {sel 1} would produce bang

Of course one could use onebang in some combination too, but change

As I told You in previous mail, better would be to do this in Arduino sketch.

Otherwise You send too many unneeded values over serial.

Looking at it seems as if You want to toggle Playback On/Off when touching
the sensor, is that correct ?
In that case a simple combination of {> 500} {change +} {sel 1} would produce bang
the way You want it.
Of course one could use onebang in some combination too, but change
object does the main job.
As I told You in previous mail, better would be to do this in Arduino sketch.
Otherwise You send too many unneeded values over serial.


Or if You want You can additionally disable touch data stream till playback is finished.

Or if You want You can additionally disable touch data stream till playback is finished.
Sfplay~ can bang when playback is done.


Thanks a lot, the {change} works pretty well, however there is still a problem, i want to pause the music when i move away the finger, and resume to play when put it back. I used the Sfplay~ with pause and resume message,.

The problem now is that the music will restart, when i put the finger again.

Are there any ways i can improved in this way?

Thanks a lot, the {change} works pretty well,  however there is still a problem, i want to pause the music when i move away the finger, and resume to play when put it back. I used the Sfplay~ with pause and resume  message,.
The problem now is that the music will restart, when i put the finger again. 

Are there any ways i can improved in this way?


Sure, now that You have a clear 1 when You touch the sensor,

and 0 when You don't, You can build any logic to start, stop , pause and resume the playback.

Like short click, doubleclick, long press etc.

Here is a patch dong just what You wanted :

Play when touched, pause when released, resume if touched and play position

Sure, now that You have a clear 1 when You touch the sensor,
and 0 when You don't, You can build any logic to start, stop , pause and resume the playback.
Like short click, doubleclick, long press etc.
Here is a patch dong just what You wanted :
Play when touched, pause when released, resume if touched and play position
is greater than zero.


A problem about activating audio by Capacitive Sensing with Arduino