Is there a tool that plays patterns based on the incoming notes - kind of like an arpeggiator, but where you just enter numbers for each of the steps?
Like, first step play note 1, second step nothing (or hold), thirth step play note 5 (and if there are only 3 notes playing, 5 would mean note 2), etc, and a possibility to map use multiple octaves...
Seems like a pretty simple concept, and I'm sure it must exist, either as a plugin or as a stand alone tool that you connect with midi - but I don't even know what something like this would be called, so I don't know where to look.
Any ideas?
Looking for a midi tool (pattern/arpeg thingy)
Thanks, but not exactly... It would play notes based on the midi input in real time. Send other notes to it, and the pattern would play other notes. More like an arpeggiator, like I said.
That way, I could just edit the chords in ableton, and send the midi to this tool, and let it make a pattern out of it, and then I'd be able to switch the pattern or something for endless variations, while still playing the right notes.
Sold my MPC a few years back, and I don't think it can do such a thing (or maybe I didn't know it that well).
That way, I could just edit the chords in ableton, and send the midi to this tool, and let it make a pattern out of it, and then I'd be able to switch the pattern or something for endless variations, while still playing the right notes.
Sold my MPC a few years back, and I don't think it can do such a thing (or maybe I didn't know it that well).
still not sure I get you. 
does the 'hold' button on the arpeggiator help?
as for forcing notes to the right scale, use the scale plug in.
(yes, the mpc does step sequencing. http://www.vintagesynth.com/forum/viewt ... =3&t=41859)
does the 'hold' button on the arpeggiator help?
as for forcing notes to the right scale, use the scale plug in.
(yes, the mpc does step sequencing. http://www.vintagesynth.com/forum/viewt ... =3&t=41859)
In my life
Why do I smile
At people who I'd much rather kick in the eye?
-Moz
Why do I smile
At people who I'd much rather kick in the eye?
-Moz
I know the MPC does step sequencing, but it does not do what I'm asking for here 
Must be my English, I'm not a native speaker.
What I want resembles a step sequencer, yes, but instead of entering notes, you enter numbers. Let's say there are 8 steps, and I enter :
13201342
Than you send some midi into it, let's say an A Minor chord in one octave: A, C and E, and you hold the notes (the tool could have a note hold function too, doesn't matter). Then the tool would output, via midi :
AEC AEAC (ie note one of the ones I'm feeding it, note three of the ones I'm feeding it, etc, and the 0 being a rest).
Does that make sense? You could send a different chord pattern into it (a different clip in Live), and it would play different notes, but in the same pattern.
It would be great if it had banks for different patterns which you could switch with MIDI as well, so you could improvise even more.
I'm seriously considering writing such a tool myself, but if it already exists (and I suspect it does), I don't want to reinvent the wheel.
Must be my English, I'm not a native speaker.What I want resembles a step sequencer, yes, but instead of entering notes, you enter numbers. Let's say there are 8 steps, and I enter :
13201342
Than you send some midi into it, let's say an A Minor chord in one octave: A, C and E, and you hold the notes (the tool could have a note hold function too, doesn't matter). Then the tool would output, via midi :
AEC AEAC (ie note one of the ones I'm feeding it, note three of the ones I'm feeding it, etc, and the 0 being a rest).
Does that make sense? You could send a different chord pattern into it (a different clip in Live), and it would play different notes, but in the same pattern.
It would be great if it had banks for different patterns which you could switch with MIDI as well, so you could improvise even more.
I'm seriously considering writing such a tool myself, but if it already exists (and I suspect it does), I don't want to reinvent the wheel.
I can't play piano/keyboards, but I like turning knobs, making patterns, etc (and I can play bass guitar). When performing live, I want to trigger things, and change the sounds a bit with a midi controller, not actually play everything myself. Even if I could, I'm not sure I would.
I am a programmer, so why not use that to my benefit in making/performing music?
It wouldn't be too tricky to do. When you receive the notes, you store them in memory. And every quarter/sixteenth note you play the correct note, based on the current position in the pattern and the stored notes. There's a few things I'm not sure about yet how I would handle them, but I'm sure I can make this in a couple of days. Think I'll do most of the coding on the train on my way to work.
I am a programmer, so why not use that to my benefit in making/performing music?
It wouldn't be too tricky to do. When you receive the notes, you store them in memory. And every quarter/sixteenth note you play the correct note, based on the current position in the pattern and the stored notes. There's a few things I'm not sure about yet how I would handle them, but I'm sure I can make this in a couple of days. Think I'll do most of the coding on the train on my way to work.
cool!
I see max/msp in your future. it's not as hard as everyone makes it out to be. when you know you'll have a few days to yourself download the free 30 day demo, do the first 20 tutorials (they're extremely well done) and you'll be able to make this widget you want. I think you and max will get along swimmingly. in school and work I've done probably 15 different programming languages (I'm a hardware guy though), max has a steeper learning curve than most but once you get to know it, it's very doable.
tip - ALWAYS steal from help files when making things. also, keep an open mind, there are always 8 different ways to do one thing in max.
good luck!
I see max/msp in your future. it's not as hard as everyone makes it out to be. when you know you'll have a few days to yourself download the free 30 day demo, do the first 20 tutorials (they're extremely well done) and you'll be able to make this widget you want. I think you and max will get along swimmingly. in school and work I've done probably 15 different programming languages (I'm a hardware guy though), max has a steeper learning curve than most but once you get to know it, it's very doable.
tip - ALWAYS steal from help files when making things. also, keep an open mind, there are always 8 different ways to do one thing in max.
good luck!
In my life
Why do I smile
At people who I'd much rather kick in the eye?
-Moz
Why do I smile
At people who I'd much rather kick in the eye?
-Moz
Thanks for the tip. I'll make sure I check it out.
For now, I'm planning on doing it in C# (using the C# Midi Toolkit on codeproject.com), because it's very easy to write windows apps with it. I'd like to do it in Java, so more users could potentially benefit, but it's been 8 years since I last touched Java, and I don't feel like learning a new technology just for this. Might port it later if I ever decide to learn Java.
My GUI is almost finished
For now, I'm planning on doing it in C# (using the C# Midi Toolkit on codeproject.com), because it's very easy to write windows apps with it. I'd like to do it in Java, so more users could potentially benefit, but it's been 8 years since I last touched Java, and I don't feel like learning a new technology just for this. Might port it later if I ever decide to learn Java.
My GUI is almost finished
If i get you right what you describe is something I've always wanted as well. nearest i can think of is banks of chord/scale plugins that you switch with midi notes in a rack after arpegiators.Fall_X wrote:Thanks for the tip. I'll make sure I check it out.
For now, I'm planning on doing it in C# (using the C# Midi Toolkit on codeproject.com), because it's very easy to write windows apps with it. I'd like to do it in Java, so more users could potentially benefit, but it's been 8 years since I last touched Java, and I don't feel like learning a new technology just for this. Might port it later if I ever decide to learn Java.
My GUI is almost finished
how does one get into that? I haven't done C in a while but that's such a great language (assuming C is a subset of C#.) once windows took out Quickbasic from the install I got out of programming at home (max aside.)
if you could you start a thread "how to do midi with C" with some tips I'd be most grateful.
this thread took a crazy turn!
if you could you start a thread "how to do midi with C" with some tips I'd be most grateful.
this thread took a crazy turn!
In my life
Why do I smile
At people who I'd much rather kick in the eye?
-Moz
Why do I smile
At people who I'd much rather kick in the eye?
-Moz
there is a middle way: modularityTone Deft wrote:OK, get you now.
that would be tricky to write in any language.
honestly, just play it yourself. IMO you're depending on the computer to do all the work for you, be a musician, not a programmer!
Usine VST free allows you to build what your imagination needs,then open it like any VST...
free modularity
that's exactly the way i do.***Fall_X wrote:
Does that make sense? You could send a different chord pattern into it (a different clip in Live), and it would play different notes, but in the same pattern.
It would be great if it had banks for different patterns which you could switch with MIDI as well, so you could improvise even more. ***
just send feedback! the programmer is cool...I'm seriously considering writing such a tool myself, but if it already exists (and I suspect it does), I don't want to reinvent the wheel.
the tool you search is already there and free,it's Usine
so it's a programmable arpeggiator. Much like the Live arp, only you select the order by entering programs of your own.
svivens is marketing usine, as you can tell, but any number of apps will happily do that for you. My tool of choice is maxMSP. In there you can sort the incoming notes into a group, and then iterate through that group in the order prescribed.
I've done similar sequencing/arpeggiation programs for clients in the past, using weird ps2 controllers and so on. Good fun.
As it stands a trained maxxer can probably build that program within an hour; the problem lies in specifying how you'd want such an app to work in as much detail as possible before even loading your code environment.
svivens is marketing usine, as you can tell, but any number of apps will happily do that for you. My tool of choice is maxMSP. In there you can sort the incoming notes into a group, and then iterate through that group in the order prescribed.
I've done similar sequencing/arpeggiation programs for clients in the past, using weird ps2 controllers and so on. Good fun.
As it stands a trained maxxer can probably build that program within an hour; the problem lies in specifying how you'd want such an app to work in as much detail as possible before even loading your code environment.
mbp 2.66, osx 10.6.8, 8GB ram.