What are the most useful and comprehensive sets of external objects for granular synthesis in Max?

There are the FTM objects and Nathan Wolek's toolkit ... any others that are as powerful as these that are worth checking out?

maxobjects.com is currently down and am trying to make an exhaustive list of granular options..

Any thoughts on what the ultimate set of granular externals is?

is-ftm-the-ultimate-set-of-granular-externals

I'm not sure what the 'ultimate set' might be, that might be subjective or context-specific. But in my granular experiments the synth I aspire too, and therefore often cite, is Timo's grainstretch external. I'm not familiar with FTM - perhaps I should be - so grainstretch might not offer as extensive control as you need. But it's damn good.

Oh, ps, just re-read your post; what is the extensive list for? To allow you to pick the 'best' granular synth? Or to document the evolution of granular externals?

Thanks Brendan - that's a good one for sure. I should've been a bit more specific ... I guess ultimate in terms of allowing one to experiment with the methods in Curtis Road's Microsound book and beyond. So its about maximum control and manipulation of how grains can be created

FTM is the Ircam one and is used in the CataRT system

The list itself is really just about getting a sense of the overall landscape of granular options to know the best one to recommend.

If there is an option that is as exhaustive as the FTM set appears to be but is slightly easier to use, that might be the one but there could be others..

Ah ok. CataRT is pretty hardcore isn't it?

There will be plenty of good suggestions from others on here, but I would guess FTM will be near the top of the list.

cm.grainlabs~ looks good too, don't you think?

cm.grainlabs~ looks great. It doesn't seem to allow triggering of individual grains though.

CataRT is hardcore and FTM has the ability to do some complex work but has its own buffer data structure which is a bit weird at first.

Wolek's seems like the best simple option so far.

Also, Alex Harker's voicedrive~ external can be used to construct signal rate triggered poly~ patches. No CPU muting, however.

Also, Alex Harker's voicedrive~ external can be used to construct signal rate triggered poly~ patches.  No CPU muting, however.


Hi, i didnt test it extensively but there are the Mubu and Pipo externals set which come from the very same ircam as catart, they have more or less the same use and functions, it seems to be FTM spiritual successor aimed to be user friendlier but more specifically aimed towards audio and granular than FTM

Hi,  i didnt test it extensively but there are the Mubu and Pipo externals set which come from the very same ircam as catart,  they have more or less the same use and functions,  it seems to be FTM spiritual successor aimed to be user friendlier but more specifically aimed towards audio and granular than FTM


Thanks all, I hadn't heard about the Mubu and Pipo - will give these and the others suggested here a try and report back.

For now Wolek's toolkit works best as a quick and easy option and am the FTM set has a huge amount of functionality but spread out across lots of varying objects.

The Gabor objects and worth checking out and have interesting example patches to get started quickly

Is FTM the ultimate set of granular externals?