In Real Time - Duplicate MIDI Note & Process It

[MattGreer]

Forgive me if this has been asked and answered somewhere else. I know so little about Ableton's MIDI effects and M4L devices that I'm unsure of the terms to use in a search, although I have searched and haven't found an answer.

I want Ableton to take a specific incoming MIDI note, or a specific recorded MIDI note in a clip, duplicate that note, change it/shift it to another note (assuming all the parameters, velocity, etc. are kept the same) and send it along with all the other MIDI notes in the output.

I've tried to see if any of the included MIDI effects would do this. I tried 'Pitch' and it works on one MIDI note but the rest of the notes are muted. I'd like to be able to do this all in one track, if possible. Worst case, and I realize this now, I just duplicate the MIDI clip on another track and send it to the same recipient (VST plugin, etc.) But I need to set the 2nd track up such that new MIDI notes are on a different velocity curve. Basically, the incoming MIDI note would crossfade between the two output notes like this:



The specific application of this is obtaining a layered effect by triggering two MIDI notes from one eternal pad, which in this case is a ride cymbal. On my Roland kit, the harder I hit the ride cymbal, the more prominent the cymbal bell sound. But the cymbal only triggers one MIDI note. I'd like to crossfade, if I'm using the term correctly, between two MIDI notes in the VST plugin based on just one incoming MIDI note. From the little bit of knowledge I think I have, this sounds like I'd need a Max 4 Live device.

[yur2die4]

It sounds like you only need this for specific midi notes, and not the full range.

So first of all, you might want to make sure the range of notes incoming is filtered to just the one you want, probably from a midi rack.

The midi rack can also be used to set the output to be the Two notes that you want. One slot being the original input, and maybe a second slot being the original input but Triggering a Different note (maybe transpose it)

It sounds like you’re okay with how the unaffected note triggers, just that you need the second note to trigger at a different time, and for it to be a different actual note.

For that second slot, I’d add the ‘Note Length’ midi effect. You can look at it’s properties and what each setting does either in the manual or in the help text dialog that you can see on the bottom left corner of the screen if you turn that on.

[MattGreer]

So are you suggesting that I set up a MIDI Drum Rack to reflect the incoming notes from the electronic drum kit? I want to make sure I understand that correctly. And then the MIDI Drum Rack would be wired to the VST plugin (happens to be Studio Drummer)?

Would the drum rack allow two notes to be triggered by one incoming note? So C#0 would also have B2 recorded in the MIDI clip? Again, just making sure I understand you correctly. If it's not obvious, I know very little about MIDI racks at the moment.

Being that these are drums (but perhaps someday I'd use it for something else, who knows?) would I need the Note Length MIDI effect? Drums are, well, instantaneous when it comes to drum hits.

Thank you!

[yur2die4]

Just a midi effect rack. This goes before the vst, a drum rack is more of an ‘instrument rack’ in that it is expected to Host the plugin.

As for the Note Length device, you’ll have to explore it personally.

The graphic you showed seemed to imply a delayed trigger of the secondary element. Note Length has a few ways to do things. The basic function is to change the duration of a midi note.

But it also has a ‘note off’ option where, it will send a midi note trigger at the end of a midi note. You can set it to Only play this part.

Quick tip. To get going with this midi effects rack, the quickest way to Start one is to drag in a midi effect (perhaps the transpose / pitch one) and then right click and select Group.. though the other easy way is to just drag the effect rack in from the browser.

But yeah, I can answer questions, but you need to begin exploring and attempting to create it in order to understand the concepts and be able to get it to work.

[MattGreer]

I'm sorry that graph wasn't clear. It's a graph of velocity on the y axis. The X axis really doesn't have "unit"; just assume it's a given hit on the pad at a given velocity.

[yur2die4]

That should make it much easier. I still suggest creating a midi rack.

So. In one chain you allow all notes except the two you’re dealing with. (This might require two chains. One for all notes above and all notes below). This would’ve been ideal for the other thing I was explaining too but I wanted to focus on the particular note.

Anyway, add two other chains. One for the one note, another for the note that will be added. On the note they will be added, pitch shift it over with the Pitch midi effect. Now you should at least be in the situation where Both are triggered with the same note. That’s half the battle.

This should also have you in the situation where each instrument has its own chain. So you can add the ‘Velocity’ midi effect. That effect should especially work well for the ‘louder dynamics’ instrument.

For the one that increases and then increases, you might need a little more finessing either with an extra Velocity device, or an additional chain within that note’s chain.

If you experiment with midi effect Racks and chains, and single out those notes, that should be half the battle.