Download info:

MaxOrch is downloadable from git.forum.ircam as a Max patch and as a standalone. See links above.
At this time Orchidea (and thus MaxOrch) is only available for Mac, but a Windows version is in the works.

To download either the patch or the standalone from git.forum.ircam, click the link above, then click the down arrow (upper right corner) of the resulting page.

To run the MaxOrch patch, you must install:
- the Orchidea Max objects
- the Bach and Dada Max packages
(The Orchidea download now includes the TinySOL2020 database, formerly another required download)

The MaxOrch standalone app should not require any additional downloads.

Detailed installation instructions are available in the Readme and on this Installation page.

First steps to running an orchestration:

(The following numbered items (mostly) correspond to the steps listed across the left side of the MaxOrch interface)
(for more detailed instructions see the “USING MAXORCH” menu items above)

0) Set the location of your chosen database. This is only necessary if you have placed that database somewhere other than the default location (~/Documents/Max 8/Packages/orchidea/db/).

1) Select a sample library (1a) and a database (1b) for MaxOrch to draw upon when creating orchestrations.

2) Select a preset group of instruments from the dropdown, or click the Create Orchestra button to set your own.

3) (Optional) Select a preset style list, ignore it to use all available styles, or open the Create Style Lists & Dynamics button to create a new style list or limit dynamics.

4) Select a target audio file: either drop it on the box or click “open target” to select. NOTE: target audio file MUST BE A .wav FILE!

Completing Step 4 automatically launches the orchestration.

5) Listen to the results:
- to hear the “best” solution, referred to as the connection, click the play button next to “connection audio file,” -or-
- to view and listen to multiple solutions, click the View Solutions button to open the solutions window.

There’s a lot more in there - open up the various subpatch windows (oval buttons) for additional information.