Ableton Forum

I am really interested in using guided evolution algorithms and other techniques to making digital music- I was just wondering, if I were so inclined, what would be the best (fastest to code/most efficient/bug and latency free) way to remotely control an Instrument Rack's macros with a (say, Python) script? I've got a good lot of Python/Java/C++ etc. under my belt so I just need to be pointed in the right direction for existing scripts and libraries, and perhaps some resources to learn a bit more about this kind of thing.

Cheers,

Nate

This isn't exactly an answer to your question, but the best resource I've found regarding remote scripts (which your generative algorithm will likely be masquerading as) is this blog: http://remotescripts.blogspot.com/

A quick search of this forum will turn up tons of results talking about how poorly supported/documented the LiveAPI is, so...good luck?

Also look into the Mackie Controller remote script, which is rather well documented, and might simplify the process of determining things like which MIDI CC the output of your code should pretend to be.

You'll be using Python if you go the LiveAPI route, but another alternative is to build whatever you have in mind in Max and tie in with Maxforlive, though that's a paid add-on to Live if you don't already have it. And if you've not worked with Max, there's a 30 day fully featured trial, but after a month that's another $400 (or $300 for a crossgrade if you already have M4L) to keep working with that.

In addition to the extra costs, M4L is inherently low-priority, so you could run into latency issues. (There are so many M4L apps in the wild being used by so many people, I would find it hard to believe that the issue amounts to much more than a theoretical problem in reality, though I'm no Max or M4L expert, YMMV.)