Grid controllers and Max for Live

New video tutorial uploaded. This one covers how to use grid controllers in Max for Live and simple monome emulation. The tutorial shows you how to work with grid controllers such as the APC40, APc20, Launchpad, Monome, Livid block and ohm 64 in Max for Live. The tutorial also covers an basic way to emulate a monome using OSC (open sound control).

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This tutorial video shows you how to use the automap feature of the Ohm 64 and Ableton Live. The Ohm 64 uses a custom script and mackie emulation to enable full intergration between the ohm 64 and Ableton Live for recording and performing.

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This tutorial shows you how to add a foot controller to the brain of a Livid builder ( Modular DIY midi contorller). This adds cc control to the brain and allows the use of a foot controller. Should be easy enough for beginners to follow.

Get building!

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Livid step standalone screenshot

The fellas at livid instruments, creaters of the Block and OHM 64, have very kindly created a standalone version fo the thier livid step Max for Live device. The standalone version allows users who don’t have Max for Live to use livid step. Although it’s only in beta and mac only, windows versions are due very soon.

The standalone version looks very useful all livid step users

• All of the 8 sequences are in the one app
• Sync the sequencers clock to Ableton Lives tempo and use stop and start messages
• Send bank and program changes to plugins and instruments
• 32 presets to store sequences and all other settings

More info at the Livid step wiki.

What is Livid step

Livid step screenshot

Livid step is a powerful step sequencer created solely for the Livid  Ohm 64 and Block controllers. Each device uses 8 steps and will take up a row on the block or Ohm 64. If you want to fill the whole grid simply add 8 midi tracks and 8 instances of livid step.

Some features of Livid step

• Global & track modes
• Add manually or record steps
• Random step generator
• Curve mode, sequence accelerates towards end of steps
• Forward, reverse, palindrome & sine playback directions
• 1/1 to 1/32 quantisation speeds including triplets and dotted notes
• Transpose sequences up or down in half steps
• Edit the pitch, velocity, duration and chance of each step
• Zoom in on individual steps
• Muting of steps
• skip steps and control over how they skip
• Ohm 64 knobs auto mapped to parameters of device

Videos

Heres a quick video showing you how to set it up.

Download

Download the standalone verison (Mac only)

Download the Max for live version

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Tutorials on using Livid instruments new builder DIY midi controller products. The tutorials show you how to start connecting boards together and to the main brain board.

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Livid instruments DIY modular builder boards

At the start of March Livid instruments, creator of the livid block and ohm 64 controllers, released their new line of modular DIY build your own midi controller kits. The idea is to allow the user to create thier own custom midi controller using high quality parts and without the need to press your own PCB boards or have a high technical skill. The boards were designed to be user friendly and easy to build.

Livid instruments builder brain board

Brain board

The builder series of boards revolves around a central “brain” board with separate fader, knob, buttons, breakout and talkback LED boards.

On paper the brain loops quite flexible and open extensive expansion. The spec of the main brain board is as follows…

• USB Powered
• Class-compliant no drivers needed
• MIDI in and out jacks
• 16 direct wire digital button contacts (support up to 64 contacts with a diode matrix, and 179 with a diode matrix and support chips)
• 64 direct wire analog inputs
• 14 direct wire LED’s (support for 48 LED’s with a matrix)
• Programmable MIDI settings with a software editor via USB
• Dimensions 3.5″ x 4.5″
• OEM and quantity discounts available

Push board

Livid Push board

These push boards are for touch buttons similar to the ones on the OHM64, livid block, apc40 or launchpad. They also double up as an LED board, standalone or with buttons.

4×4 button board small

Dimensions: 3.25″(w) X 3.25″(w)

$12

4×4 button board medium

Dimensions: 4″(w) X 4″(w)

$12

Turn board

Turn board

The turn board is for pentometers or knobs for most people. They support .1″ pin spacing thru hole pentometers meaning they will work with most 9mm pentometers. Availible in 4×4 or single pot boards.
4×4 turn board

Dimensions: 4″(w) X 4″(h)

$12

Slide board

Slide board

The slide boards are for adding faders. They support most 60 mm faders and are availible in 1×4 boards. Livids own high quality faders will work with these boards.

1×4 slide board

Dimensions: 4″(w) X 4″(h)

$12

Breakout board

Breakout board

The breakout board is for connecting all the individual boards together and to the main brain board. Livid has included the abilty to add screw terminals so you can quickly remove and add connections.

Break out board

Dimensions: 6.5″(w) X 3.5″(h)

$12

Wiki, video tutorials and support

Livid have supplied quite a lot of support for the boards, so people who are new to the DIY thing can learn as they go along. Theres video tutorials, a wiki and schemetics.

Check it all out here at livids site

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Livid Block NE front

Livid block NE top

Livid creators of the Block & Ohm64 controllers have teamed up with Nova musik to create a cool new block paint job. The new block has an all black enclosure with black anodized aluminum faceplate and green LED’s.

The block NE is limited edition, costs $399 (USD) and is availible from Nova musik.

Heres a video showing what the LED’s look like.

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Livid block

This week Livid announced they were releasing a new open source midi controller called Block. The block has 64 back lit LED buttons in an 8 by 8 grid, an extra 7 buttons for other functions, 8 knobs and two faders. All of the buttons, knobs and faders are freely assignable and not locked to anything but more about that later.

The block is plug and play compliant, meaning no drivers and  is USB powered so no dragging round extra power leads or losing power at a gig. The USB port is at the back of the unit too so there’s nothing to stop you putting other units next to it. The block has bi directional midi, which basically means it can receive and send midi data. So when you change something in the software you see the controller react and visa versa.

The block is released on the 1st of November but can be pre ordered now and will cost $399.

Casing, size, wieght and craftmanship

Livid block back

The Livid block is made from beautifully crafted and stained lightweight wood with an anodized aluminium faceplate. The units are made and assembled in the USA, Texas to be exact, so there not mass produced like other companies.

The block is 10.25″ by 10.25″ and is 1.5″ high making it portable and compact. It weighs in at 1.36 kg which is very light for a controller. These properties make this a good contender for live use, especially as it looks great too.

Livid block front

Open source software

All of the block’s buttons, knobs and faders are fully assignable and not stuck to say just Ableton Live. Block will work with anything that will except midi learn, i.e. max/msp, synths, plugins and DAW’s.

Behind all this flexibilty is the software called blockEditor. Blockeditor will alow the user to create their own grid matrix’s and means the block is completely custimisable unlike the APC40 at the moment (roll on MaxLive).

BlockEditor is open source which means it can be modified and developed outside of the conpanys original intentions. This is likely to see the block be used for all sorts of carzy things which is definetly exciting.

Monome on the cheap?

Could this be a more affordable option over a monome? After all it does have knobs and a slider which is a plus over a monome and is completely custumisable. That said you could also go for the Novation Launchpad, although it’s missing some knobs. I can’t help but feeling this new matrix controller war is having a great effect on the monome by bringing it into the spot light and cementing it’s rep as the daady of matrix controllers. Hope so.

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