BiModal for Push - Scale management for performance.

[aberkow]

Well it's been a long summer of patching since I got my Push, but I'm ready to release my first major device for it. I'm calling it BiModal and it's designed to help you...

- play, set, save, and recall scales and keys (including saving and changing scales and keys from within MIDI clips).
- create custom 7 note scales
and
- split the Push grid into two different regions. Each region can have its own key and scale.

All you have to do is drop the device in front of your MIDI instrument and leave the Push in "in-key" mode in C major.

I'm releasing it on my website under a pay-what-you-want model. There is a suggested price with the download link, but you can edit its field (it should even work if you set the price to $0).

You can find the download link on my website http://wp.me/pLp9Q-g2. You can check out some Youtube video tutorials I made as well at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL ... e84kqLDHuY.

This project is still in development, and a few things aren't quite the way I'd like, but the core functions work exactly as I want them to. I'm going to keep working on it, but please be patient with me. It took me all summer to get this far and I need a little break to clear my head. If you run into a problem, please let me know. If you like it please let me know that too! Enjoy!

[yur2die4]

I've only read the first third of your post, and I already have to reply with 'holy shit!'

...back to reading.

[aberkow]

Thanks very much! I hope you download it and like it

[yur2die4]

I don't know if I'll try this device, BUT. I've already imagined a few interesting possibilities.

One thing that bugs people is not having instant access to scales or root notes since in all cases, access is through the controller directly, or knobs or whatever.

It appears that with this plug, it'd be possible to map root note to a range of keys of an external keyboard? Then I could tap a key on say, an mpk or nanokey, and quickly jump to keys, FROM a keyboard layout. As a remote.

Since many of those have multiple octaves, a second part of the keyrange (or drum pads) could be mapped to modes or to the preset recall knob.

That, would be very awesome.

[aberkow]

I agree that if you need to leave note mode for some reason (like to go to session view) it would be inconvenient to get to the device just through Push's knobs. However, if I understand what your concern is, you could create a MIDI clip called (for instance) F# Whole Tone and use the envelope functions to automate things. Also, the key and mode selectors are mappable so you could use a different keyboard (or keyboard portion) to control them either directly or through macros. As for note range, I may expand it in the future. I started off with the note range of a standard piano (MIDI notes 21 - 108). That determined the structure of the patch.

[Because789]

"Holy shit", that's what I thought too, I guess you felt sometimes like spiderman when placing all the patch chords Nice work!

Have you tried to get access to Push's scales component in the process of working on the device? So far I haven't found a possibility to observe and set the scale Push is set to via the Live API, but I might have overlooked something...

[aberkow]

Thanks Because! Yeah that got a bit annoying after a while. I'm going to keep looking for a more efficient method. I'd tried some modular approaches, but got really hung up on any scale length other than 7 notes.

As far as I can tell from the LOM you can't access the scale in the way you're asking about. However, there are two things. First, Julein Bayle has done some excellent work with Python scripts to access the scale parameters. I have zero experience coding in Python though so for the moment that approach isn't an option. Second, you CAN access notes that have been recorded inside a MIDI clip and change them. I've started to play around with those options, but the lists are potentially enormous and I haven't figured out a way to handle them efficiently yet.

[Because789]

As far as I can tell from the LOM you can't access the scale in the way you're asking about. However, there are two things. First, Julein Bayle has done some excellent work with Python scripts to access the scale parameters. I have zero experience coding in Python though so for the moment that approach isn't an option. Second, you CAN access notes that have been recorded inside a MIDI clip and change them. I've started to play around with those options, but the lists are potentially enormous and I haven't figured out a way to handle them efficiently yet.

Thanks for the feedback! Yep, the LOM doesn't show an access to the scale component, but on the other hand the LOM isn't very helpful regarding control surfaces, because sometimes you can get access stuff not described there. Python isn't an option for me too, I just want to mod the default Push mode with m4l. And for access to notes in clips, you could have a look into Transpose MMC, you might find a hint for what you want to do.

[aberkow]

Thanks. I just downloaded it and took a quick look. He uses a few calls I recognize, but I'll dig into it more when I've got a bit of time.