Modulate This! - Electronic & Experimental Music Tech, Technique, & People

View Mindmap of What's New in Ableton Live 9

Every month I host the Boulder Synthesizer Meetup which is the 2nd Tuesday of every month. This month I delivered a “What’s New in Live 9” talk along with Darwin Grosse from Cycling ‘74. To prep for the meetup, I dug through the Ableton web site and Live 9 manual and then documented the new features into a Mindmap. The map also includes a list of all the Max for Live "essentials" devices.

Having all this on one page was quite handy so I posted an interactive slideshow version for you here and also embedded the map below.

Create your own mind maps at MindMeister.

Mark Mosher
Boulder, CO
 www.MarkMosherMusic.com <-- Support my art and research through album buys and donations

Listen to "Falling" Sound Design Experiment with Live 9 + Max for Live Convolution Reverb Pro Using IR Made with Pitch-to-MIDI Absynth Patch

I was experimenting with Live 9’s new pitch-to-MIDI and Max for Live Convolution Reverb Pro a few days back and come up with this idea.

 

 

Here is the process I followed.

1. I started with a vocal sample by the wonderful artist Snowflake (CC-BY-NC faccmixter.org/files/snowflake/37827). BTW I remixed one of her tracks last year – click here to give it a listen.
2. Use “Convert Melody to New MIDI Track” to convert her Melody to MIDI. This creates a new MIDI track with an Ableton instrument.
3. Swap the Ableton instrument on the MIDI track with Absynth 5.  You could of course stick with Ableton instruments here. I used a dissonant bell preset with major reverb decay.
4. Create an audio clip from the Absynth patch. You could resample it or  freeze the track,  insert a new audio track and drag the frozen clip to the new audio track to create an audioclip.
5. Insert the Max for Live Convolution Reverb Pro on the original vocal track.
6. Apply the Absynth sample as the Impulse Response file for the Convolution Reverb by dragging the audio clip from step #4 and dropping it I on the waveform display of the Max for Live device.
7. Play the original sample through the Convolution Reverb

What’s great about this process is since the Impulse Response was derived from pitch-to-MIDI of the original sample, the resultant reverb follows the phrasing of the original vocal track – but of course is also slewed and torqued in an organic way by using the Absynth patch with more sustain and bigger reverb and space. I also love how this creates new harmonics.

I also want to point out that while each of these discrete processes are available in separate tools already, having this all integrated in Live 9 with Max for Live makes for a rapid and creative sound design workflow. It’s taken me way longer to explain it her than id did to think this up and execute the idea (which only took about 5 minutes).

It’s also worth mentioning you don’t need to be a programmer to use Max for Live as an artist. Just drag in the devices that come with Max for Live essentials and use them like any native live device.

Links:

• More articles on Live 9
• More articles on Max for Live

Mark Mosher
Synthesist, Composer, Performer
Boulder, CO
Artist Site & Album Downloads: www.markmoshermusic.com

Watch Max For Live Mono Sequencer Primer Videos

Via http://cycling74.com/.

Matthew Davidson, the developer of the new Mono Sequencer device, gives us a quickstart primer on using this creative MIDI effect. Watch for new videos over the coming weeks!

Live 9 Mono Sequencer - Episode 1

Live 9 Mono Sequencer - Episode 2

Mark Mosher
Composer, Performer Synthesist
Boulder, CO

Live 9 + M4L Tips: Modulating Buffer Shuffler 2.0 Patterns with LFO

I’ve really been enjoying the new and refreshed Max for Live devices in Live 9.  Buffer Shuffler 2.0 is really great. Here is a fun tip.

1) Create a variety of patterns

2) To cycle through the patterns, drop in the LFO M4L device. Click the map button and then click on one of the pattern numbers. Now the LFO will modulate the pattern being applied.

You can use the LFO “Offset” parameter to pick the lowest pattern that will be selected. The “Depth” parameter will determine the range allowing you to restrict the highest pattern selected. Experiment with LFO shapes and speeds.

Mark Mosher
Boulder, CO
If you want to learn how to support my art and music tech research visit - www.MarkMosherMusic.com

Photos form the Ableton Live 9, Max for Live and Push Premiere Event the University of Denver

I attended the Ableton Live 9, Max for Live and Push Premiere Event the University of Denver on Wednesday February 27th.

Ableton Certified Trainer and electronic artist Orville Kline joins Darwin Grosse from Cycling 74 for a unique performance and presentation covering the new features of Ableton Live 9, the potential of Max for Live and exploring creative approaches for composition and performance using Ableton's new hardware instrument Push.

Here is a flickr set from the event.

Ableton Live 9 and Push (Velocity and Pressure Sensitive Controller) Announced

Live 9 has been announced along with a brand new controller called Push. I’m going to include a few videos below then send you over to Create Digital Music where Peter Kirn who has fantastic hands-on experience and coverage with the betas. Oh, and you should check out the re-launch of Ableton's web site.

What’s New in Live 9

Watch embedded video | See Create Digital Music’s Coverage

Push

Watch embedded video | See Create Digital Music Coverage

I’m personally very excited about this controller and can’t wait to try one.

Mark Mosher
Electronic Music Artist, Boulder, CO
Official Web Site: www.MarkMosherMusic.com
Listen/Download Albums: www.MarkMosherMusic.com/music.html
www.ModulateThis.com