Cycling'74 Max/MSP

Max / MSP is a programming interface module to create yourself its own treatment system and Midi generations and / or audio (and video with jitter), it allows both to make tt an interactive installation for an exhibition so as to create even the salaries of its virtual instruments or unpublished, these advantages is the fact that it is extremely lightweight and consumes very little cpu (interface rather austere but not displease me).
In light of this software knows that patience and limit the imagination of the user who created his "Patches".
Installation is no problem ..
Until recently, max / msp existed only on mac platform, but is now available for
the PC platforms.
No incompatibility with sound cards etc. ..
The manual ... there is not strictly speaking, there are however a number of tutorials for Max and MSP, and assistance for each "objects"

Interfaces can be programmed in javascript, do the "streaming audio", host vst
and create, to connect photoelectric sensors to trigger its sequences etc etc. .. (these are only examples ..)

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Centrino 2.6GHz (equivalent to a 3ghz pentium4)
Stable if the patches are done correctly. But do not digest all the VST,
and remains unclear on using rewire.
The sound is somewhat Max typed it recognizable, after they like it or not.

OVERALL OPINION

You should know before you pay the software (500 euros) that it is a "cult" who begins to put your finger in it will be interest to prepare for some sleepless nights, it is set tt starting from the lowest levels, and in this context
it is obvious that create a drum machine or TB303 DX7 FM synth in Max / MSP can be used to drive but has no interest, it is not to reinvent the wheel but to create his own blend of DSP.

MORE TO AVOID: number of users of Max / MSP fascinated by the software, decide to do it all in, and the musical result and often the same: the music boring, because on the one hand the musicians have replaced their desire to make music by the desire to patch Max, and finally the public will be only one service user who finds that this patch does not sound bad ... so STOP! Max / MSP is a tool, and the development of a tool should never take precedence over the music, pace Kim Cascone *

Those who can not afford to buy the software can turn to Pure Data, a sort of open source and gatuite version of max / msp but benefiting from a more austere interface (sisi c possible ...)
Among the illustrious visitors:

Autechre
aphex twin
Karkowski
Oval
Merzbow
Ikue Mori
I forget and no doubt many ...

PS: A USEFUL LINK FOR BEGINNERS FRENCH: http://www.idecibel.com

The install of Max / MSP and Jitter (video plugin see below) poses no problem. For toolkits available on the web (and there are a flopped), there is not always install automatically but if you follow the instructions, all goes well.
Setup is simple. Everything is DTECT automatically, including the video hardware. Oprationnel IMMEDIATE.
Indeed, there is no manual but the tutorials help much. And above all, something in gnial Max is using. For each object, there is assistance that is in itself a Ralite patch executable and writable! So very practical, since you can take bits of help for will integrate its own patch. Then I like using the example ...

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Proc: AMD Athlon XP 3200 +, Motherboard: ASUS Sound Card: Presonus Firebox
For sound, I have yet t often confronts a CPU overload. on the other hand for video, do not esprer make super high-resolution ...
Trs little problem of instability.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a little over a month. I am always with BMD ending for me but I'll pay (for Students: $ 59 for 9 months of license).
I find this program really fouttu. IT is not that complicated to learn. Once we understand the basic principles, the aid is to guide us. So, which is not bad too, it's DIFFERENT level of complexity and flexibility available. You can just use the basic objects, Tlcharger lots of homemade patchers on the net, programming scripts (JavaScript) or even program new objects ... I do not speak the sounds since almost every sound imaginable can be produced by this program. Once the video quality. With Jitter (supplment unfortunately), we can manipulate the image as well as in the MAX.
Well, the BMOL is the time it takes. Since everything must be done so-even or nearly so. But I am convinced that it's worth it for those who we REALLY want to manipulate the sound.
Qualitprix: not stealing, it's worth its price