Some Max For Live Beta devices available for download
Posted: October 2nd, 2009 | Author: Daniel | Filed under: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »We keep getting asked for Max For Live patch downloads, particularly the Randomizer. Apologies for the delay, I’ve been really busy and was hoping to get a few more problems fixed (which I haven’t yet). Consider all of these as work-in-progress for now.
Randomizer
About Randomizer:
Randomizer can be placed before any of Live’s devices in a track. It reads all parameters from a device and stores the current state of the device.
The ‘Randomize Now’ button randomizes all parameters at once. The ‘Create Ramp’ button provides a 10-step morph between the original sound of a device and the randomized sound.
Known issues:
- Compatibiliy Mode A produces unpredictable results, sometimes though these turn out nicer than the more accurate Mode B
- After saving and reloading a Live Set with Randomizer, the mapping between the Randomizer and the Live device can be broken.
Notes:
Randomizer ignores certain parameters like On/Off switches and some global parameters to avoid randomly switching off a device or oscillators.
Randomizer works with all devices regardless how many parameters they have. I’ve been asked how the patch deals with these varying number of parameters in a device, since we can’t create new live.objects on the fly.
The Randomizer uses only a single live.object (or live.remote, depending on which mode you set) to communicate all values to the device. All device parameter ids, original values and randomized values are stored in a coll and successively fired to the live.object to update the device parameters.
The live.remote object seems to react too slow to rapid id and value changes, hence the unpredictable results in ‘Mode A’ that I mentioned earlier on.
I think there is a lot more potential in using a scriptin Max. Unfortunately I have strong dislikes towards Javascript. But I’m still hopeful that someday there may be a python object to access Live (*hinthint), that would make me very happy.
Download:
Download extendlive.com Randomizer
Parameter LFO
About:
Parameter LFO contains 4 independent LFOs that can be mapped to any Live device parameter in the current Live set or modulate each other. Choose the targets on the right side of the LFO device.
Parts of the LFO are based on Gregory Taylor’s LFO tutorial on the Cycling 74 website.
Known Issues:
- Saving and reloading a Live Set with LFO produces garbage.
- When switching to Sample&Hold mode, you may have to turn the corresponding LFO Off and back On to get it to work
- The LFO currently uses live.object to send device parameter values. This unfortunately spills into Live’s undo history.
- It is possible to set conflicting routings, e.g. set two destinations to the same device parameter.
Notes:
I think it was a mistake to build all 4 LFOs into one device. I would prefer a single LFO device to keep it simple, and insert mulitple devices, if multiple LFOs are needed. The next update of this LFO will be easier to use and have a couple problems fixed.
Download:
Download extendlive.com LFO
What’s next?
I’m currently working on a hardware support for the Contour Shuttle Express via Max For Live. Shuttle Express is a simple USB Jog Wheel designed for video applications. Since I’m an arrange page guy, I often miss a good transport hardware control for Live.
I’ll be back with more news later in October.
