Cycling '74's Max is a very powerful piece of software that supports MPE. Now, with Max's RISE Package, creating your Max patches for the Seaboard is easier than ever!


Max 7.2 introduced the objects mpeconfig, mpeparse, and polymidiin, allowing easy integration of MPE-enabled devices like the Seaboard. Read this tutorial to learn how to use these objects to receive and visualize MPE data from the Seaboard, as well as how to set up Dashboard so that Max will respond to the Seaboard's dimensions of touch.


Max 7.2.5 and Cycling '74's RISE Package brought many more tools optimized for the Seaboard. These include numerous new MPE- and Seaboard-based externals, several BEAP modules, and projects that demonstrate the powerful potential of the combination of the Seaboard and Max.

The risekeys object.

To explore these tools, after downloading and installing Max, download and install the RISE Package from the Max Package Manager by going to File > Open Package Manager, searching for 'RISE', and clicking 'Install'.


Next, open the patcher RISE_launch, located at Packages > RISE > Extras > RISE_launch.maxpat. Here you will see lists of the MPE and RISE externals, BEAP modules, and demos. Clicking on each tool will open its help file, illustrating how to integrate the tool into a patch.


The Max RISE Package includes several BEAP modules allowing you to easily integrate your Seaboard with other BEAP modules. BEAP, an ever-expanding library of high-level modules, borrows from the model of analogue modular synthesizers: all connections between modules are signals and typically use a range of 0–5, similar to the 0–5V standard of Eurorack analogue synthesiser modules.

bp.RISE Keyboard

To insert a RISE BEAP module into your patch, in Edit mode, right-click and in the pop-up menu navigate to Paste From > RISE > BEAP. You'll see the following modules:

  • bp.MIDI In MPE Split: receives data from a MIDI input device and splits MPE data based on note pitch
  • bp.MPE Splitter: splits MPE data into four outputs based upon pitch range
  • bp.RISE Faders: visualizes the RISE's Touch Faders when in MIDI mode and outputs their data. Includes option for inverting the output data.
  • bp.RISE Keyboard: visualizes touches on the Seaboard
  • bp.RISE Sequencer : allows you to use the control the pitches of a sequencer by adjusting the Slide positions on your Seaboard's keywaves
  • bp.RISE XY Pad: visualizes and outputs the XY Touchpad data, allowing the ability to mute, scale, or invert the output data


The Max RISE Package also includes many new MPE and RISE Externals:

  • mpearp: is a full-featured arpeggiator for MPE data
  • mperoute: routes MPE MIDI data on a per-note basis
  • mpesplit: routes MPE MIDI data streams based on various selection criteria, including velocity (Strike), note number, number of notes held, initial Slide value, and note color (that is, white notes and black notes)
  • mpescale: scales note numbers within a range to reflect the current keyboard size and octave shift
  • mpepolygen: generates MPE MIDI data with automatic voice assignments
  • mpefocus: focus an MPE MIDI data stream on the most recently played note
  • mpestartremap: prepares to remap events within an MPE stream
  • mpeendremap: remaps events within an MPE stream
  • mpetrack: tracks MPE events as touches
  • mpeunique: removes duplicate notes from an MPE MIDI stream; the RISE can sense multiple touches on a single keywave, and you can use this object if you wish to eliminate possible double attacks on the same note
  • risedevice: gets the state of a Seaboard RISE device as attributes.
  • risegraph: visualizes MPE events on a mesh graph
  • risekeys: visualizes MPE events on a keyboard

Each of these objects has an associated helpful example snippet. To view these snippets, while in Edit mode right-click and then in the pop-up menu navigate to Paste From > RISE > max. Each snippet is an example use of the relevant object and contains additional objects that make integration into your patch even easier.


Finally, the Max RISE Package includes several impressive demos of mappings between the Seaboard and advanced audio and visual synthesis.