monome device package for Max

Tools for using adaptable hardware interfaces.

Before using the grid and arc patchers, please install serialosc on your computer.

In order for these patchers to display as intended, please install the Andale Mono font included in the main folder (ANDALEMO.TTF).

Patchers: grid and arc

Connectivity

The [monome-device] bpatcher connects monome grid(s) and arc(s) to Max.

[monome-device] is designed as Paste Replace substitute for the historical [serialosc] bpatcher. It supports all of the expected commands, but with protections against overloading the serial bus with non-FTDI (2021 and after) grids. Instead of allowing hundreds of led messages to pass over the bus simultaneously, [monome-device] uses a 60 fps redraw mechanism which converts led messages into more-efficient map messages.

To replace [serialosc] with [monome-device] in an older patch:

• unlock the patch and locate the [serialosc] bpatcher
• open the Inspector Window for the bpatcher and take note of any Arguments assigned to the [serialosc] instance (we'll refer to this string as <arguments>)
• open a blank patcher and instantiate a new object:
  • if there were <arguments>, enter bpatcher monome-device @args <arguments>
  • if there were no <arguments>, enter bpatcher monome-device
• if you hit ENTER, you'll see the monome device dropdown populate
• copy this [monome-device] instance and in your original patch, right-click the [serialosc] instance and select Paste Replace

Instruments

• meadowphysics - rhizomatic cascading counter (grid)
• flin - cyclic polyrhythm music box (grid)
• step - live step sequencer (grid)
• corners - performative physics-based controller generator (grid)
• grid-midi - isomorphic keyboard (grid)
• returns - knob routing with integrated LFOs (arc)

Testing and How-to

• grid-test - confirms grid keypresses are registering to Max and redrawing on your hardware
• grid-howto - demonstrates some introductory patching techniques for grid
• arc-test - confirms arc interactions are registering to Max and redrawing on your hardware
• arc-howto - demonstrates some introductory patching techniques for arc

Grid Studies

We've included 10 grid-studies-X-x.maxpat files to illustrate best-practices for patching with grid. Please refer to the full companion text as you navigate.

Patchers: crow

Connectivity

The [crow] patcher connects a crow hardware module to Max. Via USB, [crow] can send and receive CV, talk to other devices connected to crow hardware via I2C, send Lua chunks to execute immediately, and send scripts to load into crow's flash.

Help

Right-click [crow] and select Open crow Help, which will reveal:

• anatomy: demonstration of the necessary signal flow to start patching with crow in Max
• basic cv input: showcases reading CV through crow’s two hardware inputs either on-demand, as a stream, or when a signal crosses a specified threshold
• adv cv input: quantize incoming CV to a scale of semitones
• basic cv output: setting CV slew target voltages for crow’s 4 hardware outputs, and introduces sprintf techniques to help assign values dynamically
• cv notes: showcases MIDI-to-CV translation for v/8 notemaking, and introduces pulse and ar commands
• cv shapes: introduction to actions as user-definable envelopes/LFOs
• quantize output: quantize crow's output to a specific scale
• i2c: demonstrates i2c connectivity and simple interactions with Just Friends (Whimsical Raps), translatable to any i2c device that has pre-defined Teletype interactions (w/, Ansible, ER-301, Disting EX, etc)
• ^^: an index of system commands that report on connected hardware + flash new scripts to the module

Library

In addition to [crow], there are many helper objects which can aid in development of crow Max and Max for Live applications. Each object comes with its own help-patcher and built in Max reference page.

• crow.volts: directly set one of crow’s outputs to a voltage (with an optional slew time)
• crow.inputs: a bpatcher gui to easily access data from crow’s inputs within Max
• crow.ar: easily configure and trigger an attack-release envelope on any of crow’s outputs
• crow.adsr: easily configure and trigger an ADSR envelope on one of crow’s outputs
• crow.var: assign a value, table, variable, or function return to a variable (or to an element of a table)
• crow.function: tell crow to execute a function, or generate a function call to pass to another crow. object.
• crow.dyn: quickly format a dynamic variable.
• crow.n2v: convert semitones to V/oct voltage levels.

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Special thanks to Cycling '74 for supporting our continued explorations. In loving memory of Darwin Grosse.

http://monome.org