@earsmack – at your request here is a screenshot of my main max patch.  i have been using and building on this since submers (2002) though in recent years it hasn’t seen a lot of love and although Endless Falls was composed with this patch I have recently bought Live and Max for Live with the intention of using that in the future.  The image is of the locked version of the patch.  Unlocking it reveals a twisted underworld I don’t care to divulge due to the utter chaos in my max patching style.

I’ll run through the components.  The top left is the main sequencer window.  This is basically a cheap step sequencer that allows you to pick a sound per step (of the 8 sounds you can load) and change the sound’s volume and pitch per step.  You can store up to 16 different patterns.  Below that in the same window is a bass step sequencer.  This plays sine wave (or square wave which i rarely use) bass notes in sequence.  You can also store 16 patterns.

Top right is simply a mixer.  This attaches to a midi controller (currently a kenton “killamix”) and has 2 sends/vst effects, panning and volume.  nothing too fancy.  Faders control each of the main components.

Below the main window there is a filter – this is an automated biquad filter that allows me to record a filter sweep and then play it back however many ticks later I want.  This filter only applies to the sequencer output.

Beside the filter is the “chopper”  - this is basically a sound buffer skipper that allows the beat clock to jump around in a sound file buffer.  Anything clicky or rhythmic in my music generally comes form this thing.

At the bottom is another step sequencer built mostly for drums although i use it for any sounds.  It’s just another approach to the same thing – uses a jit.cellblock for the pattern entry.  Each channel has its own LFO which is often fun to play with.

Below the mixer is a pattern switcher.  This controls the sequencer, bass sequencer, chopper and drummer patterns.  You can use the main clock to decide when to switch between patterns.

Bottom right above the drummer is the “crossfader” – this is actually a separate patch but I always use them together.  Crossfader is simply a crossfading drone maker that I use to create beds and backgrounds.  It responds to the main clock as well and can record and play back fader sequences.  it has its own vst and filter per channel.  It allows loading of 4 sounds and has some numbers to tweak pitch, crossfade time, filter, etc.