[maxmsp] Re: IŽm new!. WhatŽs the diference with live?

Another example: while apps like Live allow you to record parameter automations and have full Undo functionality (no small feats, to be sure), what about being able to play back those automations at any speed (independent of global tempo? in either direction? accessing them non-linearly? providing a wealth of interpolation types between any points within them? redirecting certain changing parameters to new targets? how about saving "automations of your automations" so that *sequences* of full, pre-recorded automations are possible?

For undos -- you can save all your past history states of your interface objects in data files, then access them at will. Not many apps allow one to, say, automatically scroll through your past 100 history states of parameters (or any subset) at any speed or direction, using lots of different interpolations, while your sequence is playing, to see how they affect the result. 

For audio files: while creating a rich editor for audio files in Max would take some effort, the waveform~ object (with only a couple hours of development), I feel, competes quite well with those in commercial apps like Audition or Live, and can boast unique features like automated zoom, practically unlimited selection history (accessible any way one wishes including non-linearly), highly flexible and malleable snap-to-grid, and so on. And when you've chosen your loopable selection, the playback possibilities for looping can definitely be superior (given the level of control / automation / modulation possible with signals to groove~). Not to mention that one can have as many instances of the waveform~ going simultaneously as one wants and that your computer can handle.

These kinds of manipulations of your data are pretty straightforward in Max and can produce some really interesting and unique results. In particular, real-time changing of these manipulations themselves are where Max really shines and can provide functionality that is rare elsewhere, or is at least cumbersome to achieve.

--CJ