little-scale modular-like externals

A comprehensive collection of modular synthesis externals for Max/MSP, featuring generators, LFOs, modulation sources, filters, and dynamics processors designed for creative sound synthesis and modular-style patching.

Overview

This package provides 13 professional modular synthesis externals that bring the flexibility and creativity of modular synthesis to Max/MSP. Each external is designed to work seamlessly with others, enabling complex modular-style patches with professional sound quality.

Enhanced with Max 9 Attribute System - All externals feature autocomplete-compatible attributes for modern Max workflow integration.

Generators (4 externals)

harmosc~ - Harmonic oscillator with additive synthesis

Computationally efficient harmonic oscillator with variable harmonic count and dynamic control.

Key Features:

• 1-64 harmonics with wavetable-based synthesis
• Automatic falloff curves and selective harmonic activation
• Custom amplitude arrays via list input
• Musical detuning with ±50 cents per harmonic

Attributes:

• harmonic_mode (0-2) - Harmonic selection (0=all, 1=odd, 2=even)
• falloff_curve (-1.0-1.0) - Automatic amplitude distribution
• detune_amount (0.0-1.0) - Harmonic detuning amount
• amplitude_control (0-1) - Amplitude control mode (0=auto, 1=custom)

Usage:

[harmosc~ 440 16 @harmonic_mode 1 @falloff_curve -0.3]

cycle.fold~ - Wavefolder with antialiasing

High-quality wavefolder with multiple folding algorithms and antialiasing.

Key Features:

• Multiple folding algorithms (classic, smooth, asymmetric)
• Antialiasing for artifact-free folding
• DC blocking for clean output
• Warp mode for additional timbral variation

Attributes:

• folding_algorithm (0-2) - Folding type (0=classic, 1=smooth, 2=asymmetric)
• antialiasing (0-1) - Enable antialiasing filter
• dc_blocking (0-1) - Enable DC blocking filter
• warp_mode (0-2) - Additional warp processing

Usage:

[cycle.fold~ @folding_algorithm 1 @antialiasing 1]

cycle-2d~ - 2D wavetable oscillator

Advanced wavetable oscillator with 2D interpolation and morphing.

Key Features:

• 2D wavetable with smooth interpolation
• Corner morphing modes for complex timbres
• Variable table size for memory vs quality trade-offs
• Real-time wavetable loading and manipulation

Attributes:

• interpolation (0-2) - Interpolation type (0=linear, 1=cubic, 2=spline)
• corner_mode (0-1) - Corner interpolation (0=smooth, 1=sharp)
• table_size (0-2) - Table resolution (0=256, 1=512, 2=1024)

Usage:

[cycle-2d~ @interpolation 2 @table_size 2]

noises~ - Multi-type noise generator with morphing

Professional noise generator with 7 distinct noise types and smooth morphing.

Key Features:

• 7 noise types: white, pink, brown, blue, violet, grey, velvet
• Smooth morphing between noise types with equal-power crossfading
• Professional volume balancing across all types
• Automatic and manual seed control

Attributes:

• morphing (0-1) - Enable smooth morphing between types
• dc_blocking (0-1) - Enable DC blocking filter
• seed_auto (0-1) - Automatic seed generation
• filter_quality (0-2) - Filter quality (0=fast, 1=good, 2=best)

Usage:

[noises~ @morphing 1 @dc_blocking 1]

LFOs & Modulation (6 externals)

tide~ - Tidal LFO with multiple waveforms

Advanced LFO with tidal waveform generation and comprehensive modulation features.

Key Features:

• Multiple waveform modes with tidal characteristics
• Sync capabilities for rhythmic modulation
• Quantization for stepped modulation
• Slew rate limiting for smooth transitions

Attributes:

• mode (0-3) - Waveform mode (0=sine, 1=triangle, 2=saw, 3=tidal)
• sync (0-1) - Enable sync input
• quantize (0-1) - Enable quantization
• slew_rate (0.0-1.0) - Slew limiting amount

Usage:

[tide~ 0.5 @mode 3 @quantize 1]

easelfo~ - Easing-based LFO with curves

LFO with easing curve functions for smooth, natural modulation.

Key Features:

• Multiple easing curves (linear, ease-in, ease-out, ease-in-out)
• Mirror mode for symmetrical modulation
• Phase lock for synchronized multiple instances
• Smoothing filter for ultra-smooth modulation

Attributes:

• mirror_mode (0-1) - Enable mirror symmetry
• easing_curve (0-3) - Easing type (0=linear, 1=ease-in, 2=ease-out, 3=ease-in-out)
• phase_lock (0-1) - Enable phase synchronization
• smoothing (0.0-1.0) - Output smoothing amount

Usage:

[easelfo~ 1.0 @easing_curve 3 @smoothing 0.3]

ramplfo~ - Ramp-based LFO with jitter

Versatile LFO with ramp generation, curve shaping, and built-in jitter.

Key Features:

• Multiple curve types for varied modulation shapes
• Built-in jitter generator for organic movement
• Symmetry control for asymmetric waveforms
• High-precision ramp generation

Attributes:

• curve_type (0-2) - Curve shape (0=linear, 1=exponential, 2=logarithmic)
• jitter_rate (0.0-1.0) - Jitter intensity
• symmetry (0.0-1.0) - Waveform symmetry (0.5=symmetric)

Usage:

[ramplfo~ 2.0 @curve_type 1 @jitter_rate 0.2]

physicslfo~ - Physics-based LFO simulation

LFO based on physics simulation for natural, organic modulation.

Key Features:

• Multiple physics models (pendulum, spring, bouncing ball)
• Gravity and air resistance parameters
• Looping modes for continuous vs one-shot operation
• Realistic physics behavior for natural modulation

Attributes:

• looping (0-1) - Enable continuous looping
• physics_type (0-2) - Physics model (0=pendulum, 1=spring, 2=ball)
• gravity (0.0-2.0) - Gravity strength
• air_resistance (0.0-1.0) - Air resistance/damping

Usage:

[physicslfo~ @physics_type 0 @gravity 1.0 @air_resistance 0.1]

decay~ - Envelope generator with multiple modes

Versatile envelope generator with multiple decay curves and trigger modes.

Key Features:

• Multiple envelope modes (exponential, linear, logarithmic)
• Curve response shaping for natural decay
• Click protection for smooth triggering
• Retrigger modes for overlapping envelopes

Attributes:

• envelope_mode (0-2) - Decay curve (0=exponential, 1=linear, 2=logarithmic)
• curve_response (0.1-10.0) - Curve shaping factor
• click_protection (0-1) - Enable click-free triggering
• retrigger_mode (0-1) - Retrigger behavior (0=reset, 1=continue)

Usage:

[decay~ 1000 @envelope_mode 0 @curve_response 2.0]

slewenv~ - Slew envelope limiter

Envelope follower with slew rate limiting for smooth parameter control.

Key Features:

• Separate attack and decay slew rates
• Envelope following with customizable response
• Slew limiting for smooth parameter automation
• Low CPU usage for multiple instances

Attributes:

• attack_slew (0.1-1000.0) - Attack slew rate (ms)
• decay_slew (0.1-1000.0) - Decay slew rate (ms)
• response_curve (0.1-10.0) - Envelope response curve
• smoothing (0-1) - Additional output smoothing

Usage:

[slewenv~ @attack_slew 10.0 @decay_slew 100.0]

Filters & Dynamics (3 externals)

ssm2044~ - Analog filter emulation

Accurate emulation of the classic SSM2044 analog filter chip.

Key Features:

• Authentic analog character with nonlinear behavior
• Self-oscillation capability for pitched resonance
• Warmth control for analog saturation
• Resonance compensation for consistent levels

Attributes:

• character (0-2) - Analog character (0=clean, 1=warm, 2=saturated)
• self_oscillation (0-1) - Enable self-oscillation
• warmth (0.0-1.0) - Analog warmth amount
• resonance_compensation (0-1) - Automatic level compensation

Usage:

[ssm2044~ @character 1 @self_oscillation 1 @warmth 0.7]

vactrol~ - Vactrol dynamics simulation

Simulation of vactrol (light-dependent resistor) dynamics processing.

Key Features:

• Authentic vactrol response curves
• Multiple pole configurations
• Calibration settings for different vactrol types
• Temperature drift simulation for realism

Attributes:

• poles (1-4) - Number of poles in response
• response_curve (0-2) - Response characteristic (0=fast, 1=medium, 2=slow)
• calibration (0.5-2.0) - Vactrol calibration factor
• temperature_drift (0-1) - Enable temperature simulation

Usage:

[vactrol~ @poles 2 @response_curve 1 @calibration 1.0]

modvca~ - Modular VCA with saturation

Professional voltage-controlled amplifier with analog-style saturation.

Key Features:

• Saturation modes for analog VCA character
• Character amount for subtle to extreme saturation
• Response curve shaping for linear to exponential control
• Warmth factor for analog coloration

Attributes:

• saturation_mode (0-2) - Saturation type (0=clean, 1=tube, 2=transistor)
• character_amount (0.0-1.0) - Saturation intensity
• response_curve (0.0-2.0) - Control response curve
• warmth_factor (0.0-1.0) - Analog warmth amount

Usage:

[modvca~ @saturation_mode 1 @character_amount 0.4]

Technical Features

Max 9 Integration

• Autocomplete Support: All attributes appear in Max's autocomplete system
• Parameter Validation: Real-time validation and clamping of attribute values
• Backward Compatibility: Message-based control maintained alongside attributes
• Documentation Integration: Complete .maxref.xml files for Max's reference system

Performance Characteristics

• Real-Time Safe: No memory allocation or blocking operations in audio thread
• Universal Binary: Native support for both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs
• Low CPU Usage: Optimized algorithms for multiple simultaneous instances
• Signal/Float Duality: lores~ pattern for seamless signal and float input handling

Modular Patching Examples

Basic Oscillator Patch

[noises~ white] → [ssm2044~] → [modvca~] → [dac~]
     ↑               ↑           ↑
[easelfo~] ──→ [*~ 0.3] ─→ [tide~]

Complex Modulation Setup

[harmosc~ 110 8] → [cycle.fold~] → [vactrol~] → [dac~]
     ↑                  ↑              ↑
[physicslfo~] ──→ [ramplfo~] ──→ [decay~]
     ↑                  ↑              ↑
[metro 250] ─→ [slewenv~] ──→ [bang]

Rhythmic Pattern Generator

[tide~ 4 @quantize 1] → [decay~] → [modvca~] → [cycle-2d~] → [dac~]
                           ↑         ↑
                    [easelfo~] ─→ [*~ 0.8]

Installation

1. Place externals in your Max package's externals/ folder
2. Restart Max or refresh the file browser
3. Externals will appear in Max's object browser under "Audio > Synthesis"

Build Requirements

# Build all modular externals
mkdir build && cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_OSX_ARCHITECTURES="x86_64;arm64" ..
cmake --build . -j4

Quick Reference

External Categories

Category	Externals	Primary Use
Generators	harmosc~, cycle.fold~, cycle-2d~, noises~	Sound sources, oscillators
LFOs & Modulation	tide~, easelfo~, ramplfo~, physicslfo~, decay~, slewenv~	Modulation sources, envelopes
Filters & Dynamics	ssm2044~, vactrol~, modvca~	Processing, dynamics

Common Attribute Patterns

Attribute Type	Range	Description
Mode Selection	0-2 or 0-3	Enumerated choices
Amount/Intensity	0.0-1.0	Normalized amount
Time Values	0.1-1000.0	Milliseconds
Enable/Disable	0-1	Boolean switch
Curve Shaping	0.1-10.0	Response curves

Help Files

Each external includes comprehensive Max help patches demonstrating features and usage:

• Generators: Waveform generation, harmonic content, noise types
• LFOs: Modulation techniques, sync, quantization
• Filters/Dynamics: Processing examples, character settings

Creative Workflow Tips

Modular Approach

• Start with a generator (harmosc~, cycle-2d~, noises~)
• Add modulation sources (LFOs, envelopes)
• Process through filters and dynamics
• Use multiple instances for complex patches

Parameter Automation

• Use attributes for Max's automation system
• Combine with modulation for dynamic changes
• Save attribute states with patch presets

Performance Optimization

• Use bypass attributes for A/B comparison
• Adjust quality settings based on CPU usage
• Group related parameters for easy control

Resources

• Max/MSP Modular Synthesis Guide
• Max SDK Documentation
• Modular Synthesis Techniques

License

These externals are provided as part of the Max SDK and follow the Max SDK licensing terms.

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little-scale modular-like externals - Modular synthesis tools for Max/MSP