maxforlive step sequencer modification

[SYMBO]

Could somebody please help me with maxforlive step sequencer modification.
Is it possible to choose durations of notes between divisions which I can enter in the Duration section of the sequencer. Now I can choose only note lengths tied to bar divisions (1/16, 1/32). But I would like to choose note lengths between those bar divisions. So half way up from 1/16 to 1/8, or any value in between two neighbouring lengths.
Second thing I would like to change is the behaviour of the input notes from ableton clips you are sending into maxforlive stepsequencer. I would like the out coming pitch of a maxforlive sequencer to be the exact note(s) I play in ableton clip. And the piano roll in the maxforlive sequencer Note window would be just for on/off notes. So I would play a certain note in midi ableton clip, and the maxforlive sequencer would trigger only this exact note via its internal piano roll.
And for the cherry on the top there should be also an off/on switch to restart step sequencer from the beginning on note-on from the ableton midi clip (maybe also via some internal synced lfo) and to stop the looping of the sequencer on note-off coming also from the ableton midi clip.

Is there such modified maxforlive step sequencer?
Does it take a lot of work to modify it?

Thank you!

[ppm4l]

i made a mod of the step sequencer device here: http://www.maxforlive.com/library/device.php?id=116

unfortunately it was more for fun and not too serious, and does not really address any of your wishes (just thought i'd mention it!)

it sounds to me like for your ideas you should just ditch the live.step object / step sequencer device, and go with rolling your own out of multisliders and possibly live.grid(s). the guy that does max patches for the OHM hardware has released a bunch of good step seq stuff using live.step including skip functions, the two monolake patches are definitely worth a study (they are brilliant of course) and there are numerous other patches floating about on maxforlive.com and the forums (here and cycling) that are very good. ultimately some of the patching inside step sequencer device is really useful too, noteably for timing / sync / swing.

sorry i cannot be much more help just now. good luck.

[broc]

Could somebody please help me with maxforlive step sequencer modification.
Is it possible to choose durations of notes between divisions which I can enter in the Duration section of the sequencer. Now I can choose only note lengths tied to bar divisions (1/16, 1/32). But I would like to choose note lengths between those bar divisions. So half way up from 1/16 to 1/8, or any value in between two neighbouring lengths.

If you look at the reference page of live.step under 'step' message, you'll notice that only 8 discrete values for the duration parameter are possible. So it's obviously an internal restriction which can not be changed by modification from the user.

[SYMBO]

Thank you very much for your answers!!


hey ppm4l, youve done a wonderful job. I was just trying it out and actually it does come close to my wishes. Ive been using an extra parameter modulation section in your sequencer for modulating the gate parameter of an ableton note length midi effect and It worked really great. And those keyboard shortcuts are amazing, thank you soooo much for this!!
The thing is there are many cool arps, the one in ableton and the max4live stepsequencers are great but today Ive tried out a simple yet very effective arp on acess virus TI and I was really impressed. So Im trying to find something similar but it seems I will have to build it myself. But if anyone knows for some similar arp as the one in Virus (even if its not build in max ) please do tell me.

best,
.t

[SYMBO]

I have a big problem using max for live step sequencer. The thing is that it stops after few bars. So I have a ableton set with mainly NI vsts loaded, few ableton samplers, battery instruments, no voodoo really. So I loop 16 bars in ableton press the play and everything goes ok for a few bars then when I hit stop and play again the max for live sequencer doesnt play anymore. So I hit stop and play again then it maybe plays but it doesnt start from the first step but from random step (I have midi time shift off, and forward loop mode enabled).

I have latest and licensed versions of both max4live and ableton, iMac 2ghz dual core 2.

Also with ppm4ls FloatMode sequencer it happens almost instantly but m4l step instrument it maybe takes few loops and then it also stops. But I can restart this ableton step sequencer by pressing the play again, but with FloatMode step sequncer that doesnt work. I must delete and reimport the midi instrument (It doesnt matter if I import it from mac finder or as saved midi instrument in ableton midi effects library). Sometimes both step sequencer works fine for a few minutes then they start to exhibit this really strange tricks.


So now I try to recreate this situation only with these two step sequencers, the official one from ableton midi effects library and FloatMode. I load only these two midi instruments in ableton set, each on the separate midi track. And I hit play and stop and then play again. The FloatMode sequencer behaves the same, it stops after I hit stop button and doesnt wanna play on but now, the ableton step sequencer goes on like it should. Also it restarts from first step like it should.

I know how to use the step sequencer and it used to work fine. Didnt use it much lately until few days ago, when this weird things started to happen.

Please help.

many thanks,
.t

[ppm4l]

hey symbo

that sounds very strange. i cannot reproduce that behaviour here, but i am gonna look into it and get back to you when i can...

have you changed max lib or live directories or the apps or anything? having said that i cannot see how that should affect your problem. anyway again, as i said, i'll take a look. sorry not to be more immediate help.

[SYMBO]

Thank you and take your time, I can wait.
I dont think there is a problem with your instrument I think its a m4l and ableton kinda problem.

Im totally confused. At this very moment I run the SAME ableton set I was talking about and now, the m4l step sequencer works fine. I keep pressing the play and stop button, the m4l sequencer restarts and plays like it should. Ive also loaded FloatMode sequencer and it works fine too.
Really dont understand where the catch is. Im working with ableton since ver 5, also with max and max4live for quite some time now and I know how to handle with it. It is simply VERY VERY strange.

Anyway thanks for your help Ill let you know if I notice any pattern in this strangest behavior.

best,
.t