Zyklus Improvisor, real-time harmonic sequencer

[bronswerk]

From the cycling site http://cycling74.com/support/faq_max5/:

You may turn your patch into a platform-specific standalone application. A standalone does not require any additional MaxMSP installation or runtime. You can give this away free.

Couldn't you make a standalone ?
You could actually sell it without restrictions.

I think I forgot about this option. But I did make a test in the very, early beginning I believe, and the program complaint "Can't find this file, can't find that..". But I was a Max noob back then. I will look into it again.

[koolkeys]

That's funny, because I compose in real time using a "piano roll system". And hey, if I want to, I can loop sections, add to them, and even harmonize them, all in real time, and so much more.

By real-time composition I assume :"If you are making a two minute scene, it takes just two minutes to do it." everything else is NOT an real-time composition but "off line" processing.
How can you achieve a real time midi composition if composition has several melodic lines? Until now , it could be achieved only with arrangers and I find them boring, noninspiring, recognizable and limited.
Zyklus is a real refreshment to my ears.

You are once again assuming that everyone composes the same way. Do you really think that every song is just a constant repeat every few bars? Do you think that everyone works in a way that will benefit from this tool?

I work many different ways, and I'm always open to new cool tools to have fun with. But most of my songs would be impossible to even attempt in this tool. It would then not be a benefit, but an extreme hindrance to the music.

Again, it's your opinion based on how YOU work. There is no such thing here as "superior".

Brent

[koolkeys]

From the cycling site http://cycling74.com/support/faq_max5/:

You may turn your patch into a platform-specific standalone application. A standalone does not require any additional MaxMSP installation or runtime. You can give this away free.

Couldn't you make a standalone ?
You could actually sell it without restrictions.

I think I forgot about this option. But I did make a test in the very, early beginning I believe, and the program complaint "Can't find this file, can't find that..". But I was a Max noob back then. I will look into it again.

By the way, I hope that all this discussion doesn't give the impression that I think this tool sucks. It doesn't. As a matter of fact, as a Max user, I'm excited about it. It's always cool to see new toys like this come out.

Brent

[bronswerk]

Thanks for the info. Max has always been a tool that I'd like but can't afford yet. Are you going to port it to Max for live aswell. This is definatly a tool I would use for live performance as a musician who plays spacerock/ambient/cosmic music

I have only the chord recognition/manipulation tools as two "m4l" devices.
One Live track has to be set up as an input of chords, other Live tracks receive a "note scale array" so that the clips note output can be manipulated.

Recording sequences is a bit stupid of course when using Live, but I prefer my way of recording notes. It's much faster, less mouse-clicks etc.

[Chevytraveller]

Is there a release date scheduled?..

[mbncp]

When you think that Live is suppose to be a Live tool, it's a total disaster when recording and manipulating live midi events.

My dream sequencer would record everything I play on any of my synths and then, at some point, I could just tell it to loop the 8 last bars or whatever.
Also if I holded a key for the last 32 bars and I want only the 4 last bars that this note would be included in the pattern, and not as a 4 bar note but as an infinite note, at least as long as the pattern is being played.

Also smart quantising should be applied, and only at the beginning and the end of the pattern (Live is especially stupid with this).

Also chord/scale info would be included in the recording, so the sequencer could later on re-scale/harmonize them to a new chord progression.

All that with a nice GUI where all functions can be easely accessed on a touchscreen monitor.

[jobromedia]

Very nice sequencer indeed! I listened to the first youtube video, and was blown away about the sound quality.

[generalstargazer]

Very nice sequencer indeed! I listened to the first youtube video, and was blown away about the sound quality.

Doesn't it just play back samples?

[newageinc]

I am truly excited about getting a chance to play with this program.
Please keep us updated with it's release, wow

[C00kie]

Very nice sequencer indeed! I listened to the first youtube video, and was blown away about the sound quality.

Doesn't it just play back samples?

As stated before: the sounds you hear aren't rendered by this tool. It generates / sends midi, which is played by regular VST instruments in another host.


Questions for bronswerk:

You build up a piece by recording seperate parts. Essentially that's dubbing, but with very smart features. Is it possible to save the current status, and reload later for a flying start in a performance, without the need to record each part again?

Is it possible to also record the modulation / chord progression?

[maki]

Beautifull question!
Is it possible to save a whole scene and trigger it like a layer? Please say yes!

[fladd]

Very nice sequencer indeed! I listened to the first youtube video, and was blown away about the sound quality.

I am always amazed by the sound quality of midi, it is just soooo clean!

But seriously, what will this thingy cost in the end, any ideas yet?

fladd

[bronswerk]

Questions for bronswerk:

You build up a piece by recording seperate parts. Essentially that's dubbing, but with very smart features. Is it possible to save the current status, and reload later for a flying start in a performance, without the need to record each part again?

Is it possible to also record the modulation / chord progression?

It was just a matter of time before this question would come up and it hits a nerve so to say, answer is no, you can't save sequences and status at the moment. But I'm well aware of this. Saving control settings was implemented in a previous version but isn't implemented (yet) in the latest version.

But a more bigger problem is storing sequences. Since there are 8 slots, each with 4 layers, in total 32 sequences to write. I haven't found a way to deal with this easily.

And at the moment you can't record chords inputs.

[coquillo]

I discovered the Modal Object Library the other day, and now this. Max just became indispensable.

[bronswerk]

I feel it's time to say something more about the development of Improvisor.

Improvisor in it's latest version, as shown in the Youtube video, is not the last version, but it's development will end. Simply because I learned more and want to improve things. What I normally do is start all over again and only copy the best parts of it into the new version. I did this already 3 times before hence the current version 4.

So the current plan is:

1. I need a Max user (Windows preferably) who wants to volunteer to test Improvisor. PM me.
2. I will not deal wit bugs or strange behaviour, but when it's very annoying I will look into it. Remember this version was never meant as the final version.
3. If tests work out reasonably, I make the Max files public somewhere. Use it "AS IS".

And if any Max user knows how to build stand-alone applications in Max please PM me too. I get lots of errors