Create Interactive Electronic Instruments With MaxMSP

This Instructable is part 3 in an Intro to MaxMSP series I've just finished teaching at Women's Audio Mission in San Francisco. Part 1 is an introduction to MaxMSP and MIDI, part 2 is intermediate Max and Audio, and this Instructable is all about interfacing MaxMSP with hardware.

I recommend at least skimming over my last two instructables before diving into this one, many of the example patches I use in this instructable are derived from patches built in the last two classes. In this Ible, I'll be going over how to get MaxMSP connected to Reactivision, Kinect, Arduino, MaKey MaKey, and the Novation Launchpad. The last step has some useful links and ideas for more ways to extend Max.

ReacTIVision is a free, open source tool that communicates with MaxMSP and allows you to track objects with a camera by attaching small paper markers to them. The software tracks x and y position and rotation and it's great for incorporating real world objects into your MaxMSP patch or making table top interfaces. It was originally written for the ReacTable, a table top multitouch instrument:

Here are some ReacTIVsion projects:

Here's how to do it:
- Download the ReacTIVision vision engine
- Download the ReacTIVision TUIO client for MaxMSP
- Print out some of the fiducial markers (look in your ReacTIVision vision engine download, under symbols>>default.pdf)
- Run the ReacTIVision application and hold up the markers to your webcam - you should see the number of the fiducial track with it as you move it around the screen. You may need to adjust your lighting to help reacTIVision see the markers.

By default ReacTIVision uses background subtraction to help it with tracking, in some cases this can be a hindrance. Use the 'E' key to toggle in and out of background subtraction mode and use the spacebar to recalculate the background until you find a setting that best tracks the fiducials. Pressing the 'S' key will show to the original source image. Pressing 'T' will show the binary tresholded image, and pressing the 'N' key will turn the display off, which reduces the CPU usage. The thresholder gradient gate can be adjusted by hitting the 'G' key, lowering the value can improve the thresholder performance in low light conditions with insufficient finger contrast for example. You can gradually lower the value just before noise appears in the image. The camera options can be adjusted by pressing the 'O' key. You can read more on the reacTIVision website and the README.txt (comes with the ReacTIVision vision engine) about the optimal lighting, camera, and background setup for the software.

- TUIOClient.help/mxe/and mxo are the files that allow you to pull in data from the ReacTIVision vision engine into Max. You must include these files in the same folder as any patch that requires them You can also add them into a directory that Max knows to look for external objects.

<code>
----------begin_max5_patcher----------
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-----------end_max5_patcher-----------

Here is how the TUIOClient sends messages into Max:

When an object comes into view an addObject message is sent:
addObject session_id symbol_id
session_id is the number of the current session, we don't need to worry about that for most applications. symbol_id is the number of the symbol that came onscreen - these can be found on the defaults.pdf that you printed out.

As the marker is tracked around the screen, an updateObject message is sent for each frame (my computer runs at about a 15fps frame rate, your machine may differ depending on how hard it is working):
updateObject session_id symbol_id xpos ypos angle xspeed yspeed rspeed maccel raccel
session_id and symbol_id are the same as the addObject message
xpos, ypos, and angle are the x position, yposition, and angle of rotation of the marker
xspeed, yspeed, and rspeed are the x, y, and rotational velocities of the marker
maccel is the acceleration of the marker across the screen
raccel is the rotational acceleration of the marker
you may find that you need just one or all of these pieces of information, but usually symbol_id, xpos, ypos, and rotation are the most useful

And when the marker is removed a removeObject is sent:
removeObject session_id symbol_id
session_id and symbol_id are the same as the addObject message

<code>
----------begin_max5_patcher----------
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dY5+.7jck4O
-----------end_max5_patcher-----------

<code>
----------begin_max5_patcher----------
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-----------end_max5_patcher-----------

Sometimes you will find useful objects created by the MaxMSP community that you'd like to use in your Max patches. There are two ways to do this, you can add the external files to the same folder as your patch or you can add them to Max's externals library. If you want to use the external object in many patches, it's best to do the add the object to your library with the following steps:

- Navigate to the MaxMSP Program Files on your computer. Find a folder called "Cycling '74"
- Inside Cycling '74 you'll find folders with the following names:

max-externals
max-help
msp-externals
msp-help
...and so on

- Copy the .mxo file of your external object into the appropriate folder. Copy the .maxhelp file of your external object (if it exists) into the appropriate help folder.
- Restart Max, open a new patch, and type in the name of the object. You should have access to the object as its help file, just like any other Max object.

If this does not work for you, try one of the other strategies outlined in this thread.

The MaKey MaKey is a USB device that you can clip to anything conductive to transform that thing into an interface. Essentially what it does is trick your computer into thinking that it is an external keyboard, then the things you clip to it become keys.

You can read the keypress messages coming form the MaKey MaKey using the key and select objects in Max, just like with a regular keyboard. First get the MaKey MaKey setup with your computer, the MaKey MaKey website has great instructions for how to do that here.

<code>
----------begin_max5_patcher----------
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7OfiVWSP
-----------end_max5_patcher-----------

The Novation Launchpad is a relatively inexpensive grid-based controller that's super flexible with Max and Ableton.

I highly recommend checking out the nonome monome simulator to connect your Novation Launchpad with MaxMSP like a monome (check this thread for updates). This is a really awesome solution because it also allows you to access all the max patches available for monome (I think there are hundreds at this point):

- Download the Launchpad drivers here
- Download the latest release of nonome.zip (find the mediafire link) and open the patch in Max
- Choose your Launchpad from the drop down menu
- Open any monome app <-- that is awesome, there are so many to choose from!
- Set the app prefix (press the message button called "/sys/prefix/something"
- Select LED color from the nonome dropdown menu

<code>
----------begin_max5_patcher----------
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-----------end_max5_patcher-----------

Open the patch and press the message button labeled "/sys/prefix/yourPatchNameHere". That sends a message to nonome and updates its OCS prefix field. Now message coming in to nonome will be directed to your patch. I used the name "yourPatchNameHere", but you could use whatever you want, just be sure to find all the objects that have "yourPatchNameHere" in them (there are 3, the message, udpsend, and udpreceive) and change it to your new name.

Press buttons on your Launchpad, you should see the matrixctrl object, labeled "buttons", light up. Now lock the patch and use your mouse to click on the matrixctrl labeled "leds", you should see the leds ont he Launchpad light up. Try wiring up the output form the button matrixctrl to the input of the leds matrixctrl, then press keys on your launchpad, the button you press with light up.

<code>
----------begin_max5_patcher----------
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-----------end_max5_patcher-----------

Attached is an example monome patch I wrote, use the app prefix /arp to run it with the Launchpad (press the /arp button right under my name before starting):

Another option: Lauchpad Abstractions are a set of objects that can be used to send MIDI messages between Max and the Novation Launchpad. Download Launchpad Abstractions here. The zip file contains the following files and their associated help files, make sure to include these either in the same folder as your Lauchpad patch, or in a folder where Max can find them:

phi.lpad.in.maxpat - gets input from the Launchpad.
phi.lpad.out.maxpat - manipulates Launchpad LEDs

The help files for these objects are included in the zip file and are extremely helpful to get started, though there is a bit to read.

The XBox Kinect is a hackable depth sensing camera and gesture tracking device. Since the Kinect was first hacked, it's been a popular choice for tons of interactive projects, and eventually the Max community developed a bunch of ways to pull Kinect information into Max. If you are going to buy a Kinect, be aware the the newer model 1473 does not work with any of the options listed below as of the Sept/2013, the older model 1414 will work, also make sure it is called "Kinect for Xbox".

The most popular program for connecting to Kinect is caled Synapse, though this program can only track one user at a time, it's relatively easy to set up and it communicates with Max through a patch called Kinect-Via-Synapse:

- Download Synapse (you may need to install drivers here)
- Plug in your Kinect via usb port (also make sure to power on the Kinect)
- Run the Synapse app (it will crash if you do not have the kinect plugged into your comp)
- Open Kinect-Via-Synapse.maxpat
- After starting Synapse, don’t forget to stay in position (stand up and put your arms up) and wait for skeleton detection
- Download and run the Kinect-Via-Synapse maxpat to pull Kinect data into Max

Once you have Synapse doing skeleton tracking, click on a joint in the Kinect-Via-Synapse Max patch to start pulling in info about its location. You can toggle between x, y, and z coordinates and you can also select the coordinate system you would like to reference to:

Body is the distance between a joint and the torso, this is good if you want to look at a person movements without an reference to their surroundings or location in the frame of the shot and capture specific body gestures
Screen is the position of a joint in x, y, and z coordinates across the screen, measured in pixels
World is the position of a joint in world space, measured in mm

<code>
----------begin_max5_patcher----------
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-----------end_max5_patcher-----------

<code>
----------begin_max5_patcher----------
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-----------end_max5_patcher-----------

Another way to interact with Max via Kinect is called OSCeleton (works for Windows, Mac, and Linux). It works by allowing Max and the Kinect to communicate via OSC messages (kind of like a fancier version of MIDI). OSCeleton allows you to track multiple users at a time (Synapse can only do one at a time)

- Download OSCeleton (look for the cloud-shaped download button "Download Zip")
- Follow the instructions of the OSCeleton GitHub page - you will need to install drivers
- Run the Kinect-Via-OSCeleton patch, like Kinect-Via-Synapse, it's a patch that pulls in data from all the major joints in the body, it works in a very similar way.

To extend this even further, jit.freenect is a jitter object that lets you grab depth and camera data from the Kinect:

The Arduino is an open source microcontroller (tiny computer) that is used for tons of creative projects and interactive installations. It is definitely my favorite piece of hardware to work with, and the brains behind many of my own projects.

I could write another Instructable about the subject of Arduino and Max (and maybe I will one day), but for now I'll try to summarize what I know in a few paragraphs. First of all, there is a growing list of ways to make Arduino and Max talk on the Arduino website.

My favorite option for beginners is to read information from each of the Arduino's Digital and Analog Pins with Arduino2Max (download it here). This is by far the easiest to get started with and doesn't require extensive knowledge of Max or Arduino (though, feel free to check out the others if you need more flexibility).

Setting it up is easy:
- Download Arduino2Max
- Download and open Arduino (if you'd like to learn more about the Arduino IDE and Arduino Programming, read sections 1-3 of these tutorials)
- Plug in your Arduino to your computer via usb and open the Arduino2Max .ino file (from your Arduino2Max download) with the Arduino software
- Upload the program onto your Arduino board (here are some tips in case you get stuck)
- Quit Arduino
- Open the Max patch "Arduino2Max"
- select your Arduino Board from the dropdown menu (mine is called usbmodemfa131)
- click the toggle button to start

Once connected, you should see the Arduino sending analog values (between 0 and 1023) through a0-a5 and digital values (on/off) through d0-d13. Wire up some components to the Arduino. Try wiring up analog components like potentiometers and light sensitive resistors to the Arduino's analog pins, and digital components like buttons to the Arduino's digital inputs. Then see what kind of effect these components have on the output from Arduino2Max.

<code>
----------begin_max5_patcher----------
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-----------end_max5_patcher-----------

Other options for sending messages between Arduino and Max include:

- send and recieve MIDI with Arduino - once you get Arduino up and running with MIDI, you can use notein and noteout to write this up to Max. Here are some projects that use this approach:

- serial communication via USB - I tend to use this a lot in my projects. Serial communication is a lot like MIDI, but there aren't any preexisting protocols to work with (pitch, velocity, etc), so you can configure things to whatever suits your project best. Check out the serial object in Max if you are interested. Here are some projects I've worked on that use this technique:

I just don't have time to get into the details of the rest of these, but here are some more hackable objects that are worth checking out. If you are interested in learning more, Google is your friend.

One more thing - check out Soundflower for audio routing between programs. It's free and works great with Max.

EEG - Emotiv and NeuroSky Headsets

Leap Motion

Nintendo Wii

Face OSC

Open CV

And so many more. If you like MaxMSP you might also want to check out:
Jitter - graphics and video processing in Max
Arduino - control electronics
Processing - 2D and 3D graphics programming environment
Pure Data - the free version of MaxMSP
Grasshopper - generative 3D modeling - similar visual flow-based layout as Max
Lilypad - an Arduino that you can sew into fabric