Octane - MaxForLive step sequencer

[hpsounds]

Hi Wigglers,

Here is a small teaser of a project I'm working since several weeks now.































I've approach the design of this MIDI step sequencer with a modular point of view. Each step is divided in 8 main parameters TABs:
- GATE;
- REPEAT;
- NOTE;
- OCTAVE;
- VELOCITY;
- DURATION;
- CONTROL 1;
- CONTROL 2.

Each of these TABs can have their own start and end step (so each TAB can have its own lenght) with different motions (up, down, up&down, random, random w/ no repeat) or can be linked to the GATE TAB.

Each GATE step has a probability parameter.

Each REPEAT step has an ON/OFF, nb of repeat, and micro-step editor, a note shift and a velocity shift.

Each NOTE step has a note value and a random % ( from 0% to 100%). Idem for the OCTAVE and VELOCITY TABs.

CTRL1 and CTRL2 TABs can output MIDI controllers following the drawn values or a random value between a min and a max one. These TABs can also control any Ableton Live parameters.

Each parameter has an online description using the Ableton Live info tab (atm, I'm using the Hint popup, but will convert them the the Live info box).

Each instance of the sequencer can be synchronized to Live or (much more interesting, IMO) can be driven by a special MIDI clip (midi note 0 for reset, midi note 1 for step advance).

All the number boxes are clip automatables and I'm planning a OSC control of the main parameters and sequencers with a custom iPad Lemur template. I'm dreaming to buy a monome256 to control several instances of this sequencer ... and other ones, but monomes are quite expensive.



The bottom right is the mouse over information for each TAB.


This project is in fact a very old personal project that I've started to develop in Max before Live or MaxForLive, and even VST exist ... But I've got recent influences from my Sequentix P3 and Cirklon sequencer.

I'm looking for some Wigglers for some beta-testing.

Stay tune !

Hédi K.

[ignatius]

very nice! like a slice of numerology in max4live!

i love these kinds of things. they always yield interesting results or at least different than what i'd do with a mouse and clips/regions. not to mention being tons of fun.

[hpsounds]

Yes ... but I've never loved Numerology ... and I've tried it many times. It's just not the right tool for me.

OK. it's 6:00 am here in Iceland, we had our first September storm with a LOT of wind and a lot of snow in the north, ... and I have to go to bed, worked all night ...

zzzz ... zzzz ... zzzz



Hédi K.

[hpsounds]

Hi,

As said in the OP, I do need some beta testing help, both in the use and in the patching/code strategy. I still have to finish some "engine" patching and some GUI enhancement. I think I will finish it tonight, so I might offer a "finished" beta version tomorrow. PM me if some of you want to beta- test it.



Hédi K.

[hpsounds]

Here is an early screenshot of the possible OSC Lemur controller.



Hédi K.

[haven]

as soon as a I saw the Lemur control I was interested. Life is too short to write music with a single finger!

[bodo]

This looks really great! In fact it's just the kind of M4L stepsequencer I've been looking for, yay! Would love to give her a spin...

[ignatius]

i'd be happy to do some light beta testing for you as well. i don't have a lemur and i don't know shit about coding for max4live but would have no problem dropping it in live and using it and putting it through its paces and seeing how it performs and reporting back to you.

[hpsounds]

Thanks all for your interest !

Wigglers who are interested in testing this MaxForLive step sequencer should send me a PM with an email address. I will work this evening on the core patch and help description in Ableton Live info box. I will try to make a step into the Lemur OSC connexion too. So I might be able to send you my work for testing it with or without Lemur connexion.


Hédi K.

[Kent]

Hello Hédi,

I just got back to Hamburg. I'd be happy to help you test this patch. Just shoot me an email and we can get going.

Kent

[Junk Rhythm]

Edited out and sent as a PM instead.

[hpsounds]

Hi,

I've worked tonight on the help for each GUI objects. Each of them has now informations displayed in the Ableton Live info box. I thought that it might be helpful for the wigglers who contacted me for beta-testing.

Here is a new screenshot of the MaxForLive patch where I've added some future OSC+Lemur controls:



I've also worked on the Lemur GUI controller, here are some brand new iPad screenshots:













I think that the Lemur controller will not have all the MaxForLive patch controls, I will just focus on the most useful ones.



Hédi K.

[hpsounds]

Some Lemur layout enhancement.





Hédi K.

[hpsounds]

The v0_9 beta version has been send to Wigglers who requested it.

My working computer environment is:
- MacBook Pro 2.8Ghz core-duo, 4 Go RAM;
- Ableton Live v8.3.2;
- Max/MSP + MaxForLive v 5.1.7;
- audio interface Metric Halo 2882;
- FaderFox LV3 controller;
- Akai MPK mini keyboard/controller;
- iPad 2;
- Liine Lemur v 3.2.1.

People who received the v0_9 beta version today have to drag-and-drop first the MaxForLive device into the Max MIDI Effect folder in Ableton Live Devices browser.

Hédi K.

[hpsounds]

Here are some new Lemur GUI screenshots. The Lemur template layout is nearly finish, but there is still no connection with the MaxForLive device ... step after step ...









This layout is nearly definitive. I've added a range object in each TAB to select the start and end step for each sequencer, with the ability to lock the range and move it. When a sequencer has a Min and Max value, the final value display scales the result according to these min and max.

Here is also, below, the last Lemur template for those who wants to try it.



Hédi K.

[ekwipt]

this looks amazing

[hpsounds]

A new beta version of my hps-Octane mx4live device will be available in 1 or 2 days to those who already received the previous one. It will include many code enhancements, a (nearly) full Lemur-OSC remote control w/ the Lemur layout (1 full editor and a modular reduce one for live use), internal preset storage w/ on-the-fly preset switching with Live clips.



It was a lot of work and debugging (it was very tricky to debug the OSC out implementation, I've to watch numbers for hours ... ), but also a lot of new knowledge too.

Thanks for your help!



Hédi K.

[hpsounds]

Here is small teaser video, nothing quite musical at the moment, to show the interaction between hps-octane sequencer and the custom Lemur layout on the iPad. The latest additions were a rewritten OSC protocol, Lemur automatic detection and presets switchable on the fly (with the use of clips).



[video][/video]

The beta-testers will receive tomorrow this new version.



Hédi K.

[ignatius]

can't wait!

[hpsounds]

There is still some small bugs that I have to solve, but you will get it soon.

Hédi K.

[bodo]

Looks brilliant, great job!

[neat]

looks awesome

[hpsounds]

[video][/video]

Here is a screencast of hps-octane. The sequencer here is triggered by MIDI clips, which can include the step duration (with groove possibility), a reset at step one trigger, an on the fly preset change (via MIDI program change).

In the first part, hps-octane is remote controlled by a custom OSC Lemur template on an iPad. You can see presets and TABs parameters switching without the use of the mouse. For a proper interaction with the iPad, please check our previous video.

On the second part, we are using MIDI clips to switch presets.

Nota : nothing quite musical in this video.

Hédi K.

[hpsounds]

A download link has been send to the Wigglers who are willing to test/check this MaxForLive device.

Please keep in mind that the Random Note and Random Octave are not implemented at the moment, and that the Control1 & 2 have not been tested by myself. Ignatius told me that they were not working.

On this release new, I have focused my effort on solving OSC communication problems, enhance the iPad Lemur layout (still not finished), build (and learn how to implement) a preset tool that can be remote controlled from the iPad or through MIDI program change (w/ clips launching) - with import and export presets file in xml format.

I'm really happy of this new step in developing this small sequencer for Ableton Live. It starts to bring, at least for my own use, most of the functionalities I was looking for, not just a compositional tool/help but also a fun instrument to interact with.

There is also this other sequencer in development, inspired by the K4815 Pattern Generator module. But in respect to Kilpatrick Audio module, I will not make this MaxForLive device public (I've already contacted Andrew Kilpatrick on that subject) ... and this one is REALLY a lot of fun to experiment too !!!

Hédi K.

[rockthomas]

This looks very nice.