One simple way to get raw audio values right now is to use [snapshot~]. Just set up a metro which bangs [snapshot~] and use the floating point value.

If you want "musical" information, then use objects such as [env~].

You could write audio-data into tables and use that to control things via [tabread].

You might also have a look at the [pix_sig2pix~] which interprets audio-data as pixels and its counterpart [pix_pix2sig~]