07 Research
Ableton Live Research
I’ve been using Ableton Live digital audio workstation for many years, and as such it makes sense that I use it as an audio engine as I am confident I can create pretty much anything I can imagine in sound with it.
During my research I looked into how it can communicate with Touch Designer (and unsuccessfully tried to do this with TDAbleton). This isn’t a show stopper however as the two applications can still communicate with OSC and/or MIDI using virtual connections on one computer or over a local network.
I made a test project, added a few instruments and mapped controls to iPhone sensor inputs via MIDI… and also configured these controls to change Touch Designer parameters. The result was a rudimentary audiovisual instrument that can be operated by moving a hand in the air above the iPhone depth camera.
It’s been a while since I’ve gone deep into Ableton Live and its inspiring to see that it now boasts a huge array of very exciting instruments and tools, especially due to the integration with Max For Live.
I wanted to explore different ways musical notes could be generated. The obvious way is to use Ableton midi clips which can be arranged in scenes and triggered in myriad ways. But this is quite predetermined in nature.
To make a more generative soundscape I wanted to explore other ways to generate notes such as with sequencers. I had previously come across Euclidean rhythms which were discovered by Godfried Toussaint in 2004 and are derived from Euclidean algorithms from Euclid (the Greek mathematician) who is often referred to as the “founder of geometry”. In short it’s a method for dividing time by an even number of intervals, at which points notes can be placed resulting in varied rhythms. By changing the settings fo the algorithm different rhythms can be generated, and by layering multiple instances with various settings polyrhythms can be produced.
This approach to rhythm generation is very appealing in the context of my project. At present I’d like to have the option for audiences with little to no onboarding enter a space and interact with sensors to produce results that they can observe (agency). Through the use of Euclidean sequencers I could allow audiences to quickly change the rhythms which would have a dramatic and noticeable effect on the music, but perhaps within certain pre-decided settings to prevent absolute chaos.
I purchased an advanced Euclidean sequencer plugin for Ableton Live that is built on and therefore requires Max for Live. It enables midi notes to be generated quickly across 4 channels that can all have their own settings. By loading multiple instances any number of channels can be achieved.
https://alkman.gumroad.com/l/EuclideanSequencerPro
I had a play with this sequencer and made a quick recording of some of the results. Apart from one melody section the rest was sequenced by euclidean rhythms. I used MIDI scale quantisation to make sure everything was in the same key. The process was quick and aurally pleasing, definitely usable for my project. I made a second test using a hardware drum machine and a baseline synth, this file also is included in the following playlist.
I found the results quite hypnotic… which is a pleasing quality but perhaps a little too algorithmic for my tastes. However by blending human improvisation with these sounds a better balance between human and machine should be possible.
Ableton Link
Ableton released the open ‘Link’ protocol that enables networked applications to stay in time musically with one another. It’s been a game changer for networked musical collaboration across devices and apps.
https://www.ableton.com/en/link/
This could come in essential if I need to keep multiple apps in time. To name a few of the apps I’ve highlighted during my research; Ableton, Wotja and TouchDesigner all have Link built in. and there are many more including mobile apps.
Bibliography
Toussaint, G. T. (2019). The Geometry of Musical Rhythm: What Makes a “Good” Rhythm Good?, Second Edition, CRC Press.
