Max/MSP is a powerful environment for sound synthesis, but while some elements are ready-to-go and let you build sound quickly, there are other common synthesis modules that are missing. Sometimes it’s better to start with some higher-level building blocks and work from there rather than have to build everything from scratch. Enter this fantastic set of free sound objects:
ARGO [Mac/Windows freeware]
List of modules
With 100 modules for sound synthesis, this is a deep collection of sound objects for your Max patching pleasure. It includes granular objects, filters, FFTs, players and recorders, effects, and (my favorite part) an extensive set of oscillators and sound generators, including even some physical modeling elements. These are just the kinds of things I enjoy having in Reaktor but miss in Max/MSP. The set comes with full PDF documentation (bilingual, no less) and a series of example tutorials with practical examples. It even runs on Mac OS 9, so if you’ve got an older machine, you could turn it into an ARGO-based synthesis workstation. I may wind up using this with a class I’m teaching on Max/MSP at Brooklyn College in the fall, so stay tuned for more impressions.
Found via our forums; thanks to creator Gerard Paresys for creating this fantastic free tool and bringing it to our attention. Stop by the forums and say hi, if you’ve got anything like this, or have enjoyed using it.