SquaredHeads Nora: Arpeggiator (2.5 Released!)

[sambo]

Firstly to say many thanks for coding Nora and NoraHarm - awesome additions.

NoraHarm - I would second the option to have a way of triggering different presets on the fly - maybe a simple patch change command or somthing.

Also the option to set things up so that any empty row automatically inherits the blob configuration from either the row above or below - so that there aren't any 'dead' input notes as an option - not an entirely 'pure' option but would fix empty spaces.

[Astralv]

I am not sure what you mean by "on the fly". It can change patterns by assigning midi notes or qwerty keyboard letters in pattern mode.

So far I had problem with it not changing patterns in Playlist mode when assigned pattern is placed on a timeline- it would not see it. I was told to make sure all other modes are disabled- did not try it yet. Did you manage to change patterns at all? I have one playing indefinitely.

[stikygum]

Did you emailed me? I received two request for the MIDIFX beta, but they are before you posted it. For the people that requested it: I'll email you today (maybe tomorrow) with the instructions.

It looks like the first email bounced because of my typing I just sent you another email. You should see it now.

[squaredheads]

Edit:
Indeed audio out.
it has all the necessary seperate Midi out functions but doesn't fully function as expected in Ableton 9

Sorry to send you on a wild goose-chase all my microtonic projects were saved using Ableton 8 where it seemed ok.
Ableton obviously changed something in Live 9 and took midi out back to the dark ages.
Is Ableton 9 the only professional host that has broken midi out?
It certainly looks that way.
I promise to never mention Ableton 9 midi out ever again its a busted flush.
I am seriously thinking of switching to Bitwig after a few more revisions.

I was really investigating this, because to me, it was really weird. Let me explain it to you. The VST SDK is from Steinberg, and it works in the same way for all hosts: it only sends me a memory section which I fill with audio and MIDI data. It's my only (audio) door to contact with the host. Then the host can do whatever it wants with the data. Live merges it to channel 1.

Anyway, I really can feel your pain and I'd like to help you when I have the time, maybe next week. I'll take a look if it's possible for me hack a bit it with aditional MIDI ports. If I can do it quickly I will do, promised. If I cannot, I have heavy plans for Nora that will override this limitation. But that's a bit slow.

hehe
I am surprised you can get any coding done on Nora, last night I started playing with the Mutator/Randomizer. My original intention was to spend 20 mins or so on it, the next thing I knew it was 3 hours later I was having so much fun.

Glad you liked them! One of our demo songs was done completely using the 303 engine.

Talking about NoraHarm do you have any future plans to include a midi link environment within it?
I think it would be really powerful to change its presets on the fly, the option to cycle through a user defined set of scales would be awesome. Then real time key signature changes would become so easy.
My idea is to predefine some chords scales in the editor, force them all so the melodies and chords would also switch perfectly.

Perhaps too much of a greedy request?

Originally it was developed with 8 patterns (shifts) that I had to remove due to some technical problems. However the plan is adding them again with the technology of Nora arpeggiator, but using a simpler system. It will be possible in a future, but it's not close yet.

[squaredheads]

Also the option to set things up so that any empty row automatically inherits the blob configuration from either the row above or below - so that there aren't any 'dead' input notes as an option - not an entirely 'pure' option but would fix empty spaces.

I'm sorry, I didn't understand. Could you please explain it in another way?

[squaredheads]

I am not sure what you mean by "on the fly". It can change patterns by assigning midi notes or qwerty keyboard letters in pattern mode.

So far I had problem with it not changing patterns in Playlist mode when assigned pattern is placed on a timeline- it would not see it. I was told to make sure all other modes are disabled- did not try it yet. Did you manage to change patterns at all? I have one playing indefinitely.

That's because you didn't disable the pattern mode. Nora can work in two modes: Pattern or Playlist mode. By default you're in Pattern Mode. But you can switch to Playlist turning Pattern Mode off. You could do it from the options menu or using the rightmost button in the top toolbar.

[squaredheads]

It looks like the first email bounced because of my typing I just sent you another email. You should see it now.

Got it! You will have news pretty soon!

[Musical Gym]

Could NoraHarm and Nora be combined into one plugin?

[squaredheads]

That is how I planned it in earlier versions, but unfortunately, since the patterns/clips adition, I had to divide them in two plugins.

However, there are future plans to build inside each Nora track a NoraHarm, but it will happen in the long term, keeping NoraHarm as a separate plugin for those people that desires work only with it.

[squaredheads]

double post

[Musical Gym]

thanks for explanation; makes sense to keep separate and later integrated for those who use both

[kurodo]

I was really investigating this, because to me, it was really weird. Let me explain it to you. The VST SDK is from Steinberg, and it works in the same way for all hosts: it only sends me a memory section which I fill with audio and MIDI data. It's my only (audio) door to contact with the host. Then the host can do whatever it wants with the data. Live merges it to channel 1.

I can just imagine the thought process back at Notableto Live hq.
Flattening to channel 1 was probably the quickest, most efficient method for them

Anyway, I really can feel your pain and I'd like to help you when I have the time, maybe next week. I'll take a look if it's possible for me hack a bit it with aditional MIDI ports. If I can do it quickly I will do, promised. If I cannot, I have heavy plans for Nora that will override this limitation. But that's a bit slow.

Well if and when you are ready shoot me a pm, I am happy to beta test any experimental versions you come up with. In no way is it a priority anymore.
Last night I dabbled with IL's minihost inside Notableto live, it was quite interesting loading various plugins and seeing the different outputs they offer but none of my experiments yielded anything fruitful.
Not wasted time though as IL's minihost will come in very handy in the future and it was something I was meaning to get around to at some point.

Glad you liked them! One of our demo songs was done completely using the 303 engine.

Yes very cool demo, it inspired me to re-install Abl2 back on my system, the 303 engine is indeed very well handled.

Originally it was developed with 8 patterns (shifts) that I had to remove due to some technical problems. However the plan is adding them again with the technology of Nora arpeggiator, but using a simpler system. It will be possible in a future, but it's not close yet.

No worries, all in good time.
Sorry to sap so much of your precious time over my issues.

Also the option to set things up so that any empty row automatically inherits the blob configuration from either the row above or below - so that there aren't any 'dead' input notes as an option - not an entirely 'pure' option but would fix empty spaces.

+1
Its funny you should say that, it was a feature I was also interested in.
It would be nice as an optional extra for sure.
Perhaps when NoraHarm saves the restricted scale or chordscale it could also automatically produce a second file for the user in the same directory with the forced variation.
That way the user has the best of both worlds, well because its still very useful to see the restricted version especially for exotic scales as its a lot cleaner visually and acts as a nice clean reference.
Forced presets look busy but hitting any key without dead notes is also very useful.

[kurodo]

For those Interested I managed to get all of Nora's advanced features working in Ableton Live 9.
I used ImageLines minihost Modular (free) and made the necessary connections.
http://www.image-line.com/documents/new ... st+modular

And J's midi tools Channel filter. (free)
https://jstuff.wordpress.com/js-midi-tools/

Here's the Schematic Diagram for Minihost Mod - wire it up as shown.
Tested with Nora 2.01



And here are the Midi In/out settings for Nora itself.



After trying the configuration for a while and having a lot of fun I eventually resorted back to using several instances of Nora 2 to achieve the same effect without using Minihost Mod.
I am quite used to working the old way. I suppose I just wanted to see if I was missing out on anything.

I suspect given that Minihost Mod is an Imageline product it would work directly in FlStudio in much the same way.
I also see no reason why it won't work in other hosts that struggle with advanced routing.

[nexussynth]

thanks for informing about minihost, i was not aware of it! right now i use NORA in energyXT 1.41 on my XP machine but i can't on my Win7 64.

Nora has so much potential yet unleashed!

[squaredheads]

Kurodo,

Great job! I was pretty worried about this, since Live has tons of users. Would you say that is a must now that Nora supports its own MIDI Outs? or plugin hosting?