NOF-Mid2Patch

Keywords:

Ableton Live

Ableton Live Device

Max (Cycling 74)

Max for Live

Midi foot controller

FCB1010

Midi mapping

Music Software

Hands free instrument control

Product Title

NOF-Mid2Patch

Release 15

Platforms:

Tested and developed with

Ableton Live Suite release 11.2.10

Max (Cycling 74) release 8.5.3

Product Description:

Ableton Live Device to map hardware midi continuous controller values

to select the track + device + parameter

then adjust that parameter

Allows paging through tracks, devices and parameters,

all hands free with the aid of a midi foot controller.

(midi foot controller and Live sold separately by respective vendors)

Details:

The NOF-Midi2Patch_15, from now on referred to as “the Device”, enables a hardware midi controller with buttons that send continuous controller (CC) midi messages to control the selection of an Ableton Live parameter within a device on a track, then with that midi hardware controller’s expression pedal, adjust the Live parameter value.

The target audience is for musicians that operate a music instrument that occupies both hands and want to simultaneously adjust multiple Live device parameters with their feet using a midi foot controller. Live has a built in mapping function to map a particular CC event to a device parameter, but does not give the user the freedom to change the device/track/parameter hands free (not using the mouse nor the computer (QWERTY) keyboard.

The Device allows the user to assign custom CC’s on the midi hardware to increment or decrement the target track/device/parameter ID, displays the selected track/device/parameter on a floating window, and a further mapping of which CC is to be used to modulate the parameter value.

It can be used as a live performance aid or as a sound sculpting design tool. During the initial stages of designing a new signal path for an instrument (in particular audio), it is not always known in the beginning what parameters of a particular device are to be changed. Rather it is an experimental phase, trying different parameters of different devices and even different tracks. For a musician using an instrument that occupies both hands, to not disrupt the creative flow, there is a desire to leave the instrument in the player’s hands and have a means of adjusting parameters with your feet using a midi foot controller. The Device provides a general interface between the midi foot controller and the Live track/device/parameters, without disrupting the creative flow.

The Device is placed in it’s own track as a midi device and it is recommended to adjust the Live track controls so it only receives midi messages from the midi hardware that the Device is to respond to. This track must be armed for it to act upon any incoming midi messages.

Sample user interface shown in diagram. The main user interface, the non-floating window appears in the usual place for Live devices. There is an extra floating window showing the affected track/device/parameter that the midi foot controller is controlling, this is always visible.

Each time the Device receives a midi CC message it has to act upon, the floating window is brought to the fore front and sets the focus in Live to the selected track and device.

Press the midi foot controller to page up and down through your tracks, devices and parameters, so you can then adjust your parameter hands free, never putting your instrument down to fiddle with the mouse/QWERT keyboard -- how good is that!

Package Includes:

Max for Live device patch (software)

User Manual, pdf format