Ableton Forum

Hi Guys,

I am tracking and converting pitch data from an instrument to MIDI data within a M4L device. The goal is to send this data to a synth in Live. I have formatted the data correctly, using [makenote] and [noteout] etc. For whatever reason the data is not being received by Live. However, when I use the patch as a standalone Max patch, it works fine.

I have now discovered that this is a limitation with M4L:

"When authorized only via Live, the Max application will not use its own MIDI drivers. MIDI input arrives from Live and MIDI output is sent to Live. MIDI I/O works only when using preview mode. If you turn preview mode off, all MIDI I/O for the Max application will stop."

http://cycling74.com/docs/max5/vignette ... tions.html

Is there any way around it?

Ricky

If you're on a mac look up the lh_midiin and lh_midiout externals...

If you'r eon windows then you'll need to look at the send and receive objects to send messages to different tracks in live that output on different midi tracks...

Or i think OSC might be an option but i'm no expert on this...

Other than that, no there isn't a perfect workaround hence why it's a limitation...

Cheers
D

lh_midiin and lh_midiout externals don't seem to work with Max 6?

Routing MIDI in Live won't work either as data is originating on an audio track.

Pretty big limitation IMHO.

R

You create the signals you need and then send them to a midi track instead...

Roll your M4L back to 5.1.9 much of Max 6 isn't optimised for M4L you'll find a lot of devices dont work as the abstractions have changed...

Cheers
D

S4racen wrote:You create the signals you need and then send them to a midi track instead

Perhaps I am being unclear. How do I send MIDI note data generated from an M4L device on an audio track in Live to a MIDI track in Live? It does not seem possible at the moment. Perhaps there is a way using LiveAPI?

S4racen wrote:Roll your M4L back to 5.1.9 much of Max 6 isn't optimised for M4L you'll find a lot of devices dont work as the abstractions have changed

That's bad news. Not sure that this is an option as I only own a license for 6. Perhaps you know something I don't regarding licenses?

Your makenote sits on a Midi Track connected to a recieve object....

In your audio track your form the note data you want to send and attach it to a send object...

Midi from Audio done....

And no i don't but you might try googling it as i saw a tutorial on rolling back once...

Cheers
D

That addresses my question, albeit a little disappointing that this cannot be configured without building another M4L device. Thank you for your help.

Also don't forget that MIDI pitch and velocity data is just a list of two integers. You have your pitch tracker Max audio effect that can send those lists via send (you won't need the makenote and noteout objects) to a Max MIDI effect that sits in front of your synth.

rickyg2008 wrote:That addresses my question, albeit a little disappointing that this cannot be configured without building another M4L device. Thank you for your help.

Simply put Audio and Midi Tracks in Ableton are exclusive, no other way of working.... Bitwig promises to not have the same restriction, that'll be bitwig who announced their beta ages ago and no ones heard from since??

Cheers
D

rickyg2008 wrote:

S4racen wrote:Roll your M4L back to 5.1.9 much of Max 6 isn't optimised for M4L you'll find a lot of devices dont work as the abstractions have changed

That's bad news. Not sure that this is an option as I only own a license for 6. Perhaps you know something I don't regarding licenses?

Having a M4L license allows you to download Max 5 and use it as your M4L editor. You won't be able to use it standalone though.

Thank you, stringtapper. Very helpful.