MantaRouter - Max and Max for Live Patch

[damonholzborn]

I've released my new Manta routing Max/Max for Live patch. The MantaRouter eases (hopefully) the process of setting up meaningful communication between the Manta and your favorite DAW or software synth.

http://www.damonholzborn.com/projects/

For help/questions/comments use this forum thread since it will email me if someone posts (and someone else might be able to answer if I'm unavailable).

Requirements

- Macintosh OS X or Windows (XP or later)
- Ableton Live with Max for Live -or- Max 5 -or- Max Runtime
- Manta Max object v1.0 or later
- Peter Elsea's free Lobjects library for Max

Features

- Max for Live version that works directly from within Ableton Live (Max for Live add-on required).
- Max version for use with your favorite DAW or softsynth. If you don't own Max/MSP, you can use MantaRouter with the free Max Runtime.
- Rows or columns of pad can be assigned to send continuous data only, leaving the rest of the pads to send note data.
- Manta continuous data can be sent as MIDI CC, a Max message, or Max for Live message.
- Independent scaling/clipping of velocity, continuous, max-continuous, and slider input value.
- User editable musical scales are mapped across the note pads.
- Notes pads can be displayed as MIDI note number or note name.

-- Damon

[sideways4ward]

This might sound like a stupid question. But how do you make this work with Logic...I am completely new to MAX/MSP and I cannot work out for the life of me how to make the router send MIDI data to Logic. I have the router set up and functioning standalone just not interacting.

Thanks

[damonholzborn]

I don't have Logic in front of me so I can't say exactly how you accomplish this in Logic, but the basic idea is that you'll need to set the channel that has the MIDI instrument you're trying to use in Logic to receive MIDI from the port "from MaxMSP 1".

[jeff_snyder]

I've got Logic running. Should be very simple.
1. Open up the MantaRouter patch (in the Max Patches folder, not the Max for Live folder).
2. Then, click the "manta off" button to turn on the manta. Does it light up? Does touching a sensor on the manta cause the LED to light up on the touch surface?
If this isn't happening, then check that you have followed the installation instructions (you must have downloaded and installed LObjects, and you've got to have the whole MantaRouter folder in Max/MSP's max patches folder). Do you see little numbers in the boxes? If everything is installed correctly, it will light up the boxes on the screen when you touch a sensor, and it will light up the manta as well.

3. Open up Logic and make a new project.
4. Create a new "software instrument"
5. pick one of the Logic preset instruments for testing, like an electric piano patch
6. click "record enable" on the software instrument track in Logic.

When you play the manta, you should hear notes on the Logic software instrument.



another thing -- if you haven't already installed the Max/MSP object for the manta, you need it. Damon's patch uses that object. It's up at http://www.snyderphonics.com/downloads.htm

Does this work? If not, when does it cause problems?
-Jeff

(07-30-2010 06:54 AM)damonholzborn Wrote:  I don't have Logic in front of me so I can't say exactly how you accomplish this in Logic, but the basic idea is that you'll need to set the channel that has the MIDI instrument you're trying to use in Logic to receive MIDI from the port "from MaxMSP 1".

---

[sideways4ward]

Okay so I've followed everything and the MantaRouter works fine, I can see everything it switches on the Manta responds and lights up and I can hear a basic midi keyboard sound coming from Max Runtime. (Is that normal?)

However when I open Logic no data is received the record enable button is on, but nothing happens at all.

I have installed everything I think, the latest version of Max Object, the LObjects and of course the MantaRouter, I've placed all of this within the appropriate folders in Cyclin' 74 folder.

I assume it is to do with my Logic setup rather than anything else, I have used the Manta fine through MantaCocoa (which don't worry I haven't been completely idiotic and switched that on at the same time) but it seems unlikely to be anything else as it all seems to be working normally.

I'm running Logic 9.1 with OSX 10.6, if that is any help.

(07-30-2010 07:10 AM)jeff_snyder Wrote:  I've got Logic running. Should be very simple.
1. Open up the MantaRouter patch (in the Max Patches folder, not the Max for Live folder).
2. Then, click the "manta off" button to turn on the manta. Does it light up? Does touching a sensor on the manta cause the LED to light up on the touch surface?
If this isn't happening, then check that you have followed the installation instructions (you must have downloaded and installed LObjects, and you've got to have the whole MantaRouter folder in Max/MSP's max patches folder). Do you see little numbers in the boxes? If everything is installed correctly, it will light up the boxes on the screen when you touch a sensor, and it will light up the manta as well.

3. Open up Logic and make a new project.
4. Create a new "software instrument"
5. pick one of the Logic preset instruments for testing, like an electric piano patch
6. click "record enable" on the software instrument track in Logic.

When you play the manta, you should hear notes on the Logic software instrument.



another thing -- if you haven't already installed the Max/MSP object for the manta, you need it. Damon's patch uses that object. It's up at http://www.snyderphonics.com/downloads.htm

Does this work? If not, when does it cause problems?
-Jeff

(07-30-2010 06:54 AM)damonholzborn Wrote:  I don't have Logic in front of me so I can't say exactly how you accomplish this in Logic, but the basic idea is that you'll need to set the channel that has the MIDI instrument you're trying to use in Logic to receive MIDI from the port "from MaxMSP 1".

---

[damonholzborn]

Are there any errors showing in the Max Window? To view the Max Widow type command-m or go to Window -> Max Window.

[sideways4ward]

Ah yes there are errors

M4L.apiSave.Integer: No such object

there are several along the same lines all starting with M4L

I take it this suggests I haven't installed everything properly. How do I correct this?

Thank you for your help this is really useful!

[jeff_snyder]

sounds like you are trying to run the Max for Live version of the patch.
If you are just trying to send MIDI to Logic (and not using Abelton Live at all) you want to use the version of the patch that is in the Max Patches folder.
Does that do the trick?
-Jeff

(07-30-2010 08:04 AM)sideways4ward Wrote:  Ah yes there are errors

M4L.apiSave.Integer: No such object

there are several along the same lines all starting with M4L

I take it this suggests I haven't installed everything properly. How do I correct this?

Thank you for your help this is really useful!

[damonholzborn]

The Max for Live object errors you see in the Max Window aren't a problem.

I think I may have an idea of what the problem is however. Stay tuned, I'll post an updated version of MantaRouter later tonight.

[sideways4ward]

(07-30-2010 10:23 AM)jeff_snyder Wrote:  sounds like you are trying to run the Max for Live version of the patch.
If you are just trying to send MIDI to Logic (and not using Abelton Live at all) you want to use the version of the patch that is in the Max Patches folder.
Does that do the trick?
-Jeff

I'm sure I'm just using the regular version of the patch I can't even open the Live patches and I don't have Live installed...

(07-30-2010 10:28 AM)damonholzborn Wrote:  The Max for Live object errors you see in the Max Window aren't a problem.

I think I may have an idea of what the problem is however. Stay tuned, I'll post an updated version of MantaRouter later tonight.

Ah thank you very much for your time!