Ableton Push as a low resolution video display

Is 8 x 8 enough?

Adapted from a tutorial by Darwin Grosse

This Max tutorial, from Cycling 74, connects the builtin-camera to a Push display matrix, using Midi sysex codes. https://cycling74.com/wiki/index.php?title=Push_Programming_Oct13_03

If you set the frame rate high enough, you can clearly see motion.

I thought it would be interesting to display icons at this resolution, but its not very impressive. Here’s an example.

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The 8 x 8 version is on the left. The original, on the right, is 57 x 57. Another problem is that the RGB quality of the Push is not very accurate for anything beyond primary colors. Here is the modified version of the patch.

Download

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https://github.com/tkzic/max-projects

folder: push

patches:

  • pushpix-tz.maxpat

Phasor clock

A sample accurate version of the Max metro object.

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Detects state change when a phasor goes from one to zero. I first saw this in a patch by jhno. Here is a tutorial by Cycling 74: https://cycling74.com/wiki/index.php?title=MSP_Sequencing_Tutorial_1:_Audio-Rate_Sequencing

This patch is used as a clock in an RTTY (frequency shift keying) project. https://reactivemusic.net/?p=8893. It uses the count~ object instead of phasor~ because its easier to restart the clock at zero phase.

Download

https://github.com/tkzic/max-projects

folder: phasor-clock

patches:

  • phasor-clock.maxpat

ep-341 Max/MSP – Spring 2015 week 7

The Live Object Model in Max for Live.

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Several ways of working with Ableton Live parameters in a M4L patch. (This is an improved version of the patch we built in class) https://reactivemusic.net/?p=18401

The Live Object Model description: https://cycling74.com/docs/max5/refpages/m4l-ref/m4l_live_object_model.html

In the coming weeks we will build synthesizers and work with control surfaces in M4L

Assignment

Build 3 or more M4L devices, including one of each of the following

  • An audio effect
  • An instrument
  • A Midi effect

Its ok to adapt and “improve” an existing device.

Please bring in your work in progress for next week and be prepared to demonstrate something. The entire assignment will not be due until March 31.

 

The Live Object Model in Max for Live

Introduction to getting, setting, and observing Live parameters with Max for Live.

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download

https://github.com/tkzic/max-for-live-projects

folder: lom

patch: aaa-lom-examples

tutorial

This example device shows several ways of working with Ableton Live parameters in a M4L patch. It can be a confusing process. And there are many different ways to accomplish the same result.

The examples here will use the LOM (Live Object Model) directly, and via builtin LiveAPI abstractions and choosers – available from the context menu that appears when you <ctrl> click inside of an open patcher window.

live.observer

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The snippet above shows how to continuously monitor Live’s tempo.

  • live.this.device sends out a bang when the device loads
  • the “path live_set” message tells live.path to get an id number for the current set. This id is sent to the right inlet of live.observer, telling it we want to observe the current Live set
  • the “property tempo” message asks live.observer for the current tempo value
  • If the tempo changes it will be automatically updated
live.object (set)

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The snippet above shows how to set Live’s tempo.

  • Get the Live set path id using the same method as shown for live.observer
  • the “set tempo” message sends a tempo value to live.object
live.object (get)

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The snippet above shows how to get Live’s tempo.

  • Get the Live set path id using the same method as shown for live.observer
  • the “get tempo” message requests the current tempo value from live.object
live.object (call)

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The snippet above shows how to start or stop the Live transport by calling functions.

  • Get the Live set path id using the same method as shown for live.observer
  • the “call start_playing” message tells live.object to start the Live transport. “start_playing” is the name of a function builtin to the Live set.
LiveAPI abstractions

The LiveAPI abstractions provide convenient shortcuts to working with Live parameters. Copy them into your patch by <ctrl> clicking inside an open (unlocked) patcher window – and selecting “Paste from -> LiveAPI abstractions”

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Observing the Live transport

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The snippet above shows how to monitor whether the Live transport is running

  • paste the abstraction into your patch as explained above
Selecting the master track

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The snippet above shows how to select the Master track

  • paste the abstraction into your patch as explained above
LiveAPI choosers

The LiveAPI choosers provide convenient shortcuts to selecting Live parameters from menu objects. Copy them into your patch by <ctrl> clicking inside an open (unlocked) patcher window – and selecting “Paste from -> LiveAPI choosers”

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Setting device parameters remotely with live.remote

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The snippet above shows how to remotely set the volume on the master track

  • paste the chooser into your patch as explained above
  • connect the left outlet of “substitute” to the right inlet of live.remote
  • send values to live.remote to change the selected parameter

Boids sonification in Max

“Boids is a bird flight and animal flock simulator. It is based on the same algorithm which was used in “Jurassic Park” for herding dinosaurs.”

Max external by Singer, Jasch, Sier and Smith. Tutorial by dude837

download

https://github.com/tkzic/max-projects

folder: boids

project: boids23

patch: main-tz.maxpat (slight modification to enable existing presets to work)

Screen Shot 2015-03-02 at 9.49.09 AM

externals
  • Download version 1.1 from http://s373.net/code/ (in the section called “boids for max”)
  • Then add the path to the downloaded folder to Max objects | file preferences

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