ReWire and Reason - Revision history

Ddg@cycling74.com at 03:00, 10 January 2013

2013-01-10T03:00:15Z

Ddg@cycling74.com at 02:52, 8 January 2013

2013-01-08T02:52:52Z

Ddg@cycling74.com at 02:51, 8 January 2013

2013-01-08T02:51:24Z

Show changes

Ddg@cycling74.com at 07:52, 4 January 2013

2013-01-04T07:52:21Z

Ddg@cycling74.com at 02:44, 3 January 2013

2013-01-03T02:44:23Z

Ddg@cycling74.com at 03:08, 29 December 2012

2012-12-29T03:08:28Z

Ddg@cycling74.com: /* Messing with the Audio Output */

2012-12-28T06:31:35Z

‎Messing with the Audio Output

Ddg@cycling74.com: /* Messing with the Audio Output */

2012-12-28T06:31:12Z

‎Messing with the Audio Output

Ddg@cycling74.com at 04:21, 27 December 2012

2012-12-27T04:21:09Z

Ddg@cycling74.com at 04:16, 27 December 2012

2012-12-27T04:16:55Z

@@ Line 327: / Line 327: @@
 [[File:MaxReason-Connection-Final.gif]]
-I started by adding a rhythmic "scrambler" to our Kong drum audio (double-click on the subpatcher to see its contents). To do this, I combined the {maxword|name=chucker~} object with some code that will do the basic setup and sequencing for me. What this subpatcher does is watch the transport location, and creates a repeating section occasionally (based on the amount value we provide as an input). You'll notice that my random value selections mean that the number and location of repeats are constantly varying, but the length is always a 16th note. This provide interesting (if not always well-controlled) results.
+I started by adding a rhythmic "scrambler" to our Kong drum audio (double-click on the kong-rattler subpatcher to see its contents). To do this, I combined the {maxword|name=chucker~} object with some code that will do the basic setup and sequencing for me. What this subpatcher does is watch the transport location, and creates a repeating section occasionally (based on the amount value we provide as an input). You'll notice that my random value selections mean that the number and location of repeats are constantly varying, but the length is always a 16th note. This provide interesting (if not always well-controlled) results.
-Next, I added a beat-sync'd bit-crush effect to the SubTractor output. Working with this is similar to some of the earlier beat-sync things we did. In this case, we track the transport, and on sixteenth note divisions we randomly alter the value between 2 and 8 bits.
+Next, I added a beat-sync'd bit-crush effect to the SubTractor output inside the subtractor-crush subpatcher. Working with this is similar to some of the earlier beat-sync things we did. In this case, I am tracking the transport, and on sixteenth note divisions I randomly alter the value between 2 and 8 bits.
 These are just two simple (but kind of interesting) examples of audio manipulation of Reason's output. It is unlikely that either of these audio processors would ever be created by Propellerheads (or Rack Extension developers) to be included within Reason; thus, being able to design our own crazy effects gives us advantages we'd never otherwise have. Great fun!

@@ Line 481: / Line 481: @@
 cdYfQ+19i28+CqIeJq.
 -----------end_max5_patcher-----------
-<maxpat>
+</maxpat>

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:52, 4 January 2013
Line 324:		Line 324:

	There are many kinds of effects available using Max; in this case, we are going to allow the drums to pass through unchanged, but apply a "chopper" effect to the SubTractor line that is in sync with the main tempo. Since all of this information lives within the Max patch, it is easy for us to use tempo, subdivision and content cues from our Max-based objects.		There are many kinds of effects available using Max; in this case, we are going to allow the drums to pass through unchanged, but apply a "chopper" effect to the SubTractor line that is in sync with the main tempo. Since all of this information lives within the Max patch, it is easy for us to use tempo, subdivision and content cues from our Max-based objects.
		+
		+	Let's start by adding a rhythmic "scrambler" to our Kong drum audio. To do this, I will combine the {maxword\|name=chucker~} object with some code that will do the basic setup and sequencing for me. What this subpatcher does is watch the transport location, and creates a repeating section occasionally (based on the amount value we provide as an input). You'll notice that my random value selections mean that the number and location of repeats are constantly varying, but the length is always a 16th note. This provide interesting (if not always well-controlled) results.
		+
		+	Next, we will add a beat-sync'd bit-crush effect to the SubTractor output. Working with this is similar to some of the earlier beat-sync things we did - this time, we are doing it in the audio domain, so it's a little different. In this case, we calculate the current value of the transport, and on eighth note divisions we randomly alter the value. However, we also want to honor the min and max values provided by the user interface, so we have to scale the crushing value appropriately.
		+
		+	These are just two simple (but kind of interesting) examples of audio manipulation of Reason's output. It is unlikely that either of these audio processors would ever be created by Propellerheads (or Rack Extension developers) to be included within Reason; thus, being able to design our own crazy effects gives us advantages we'd never otherwise have. Great fun!

	''This is a work in progress...''		''This is a work in progress...''

@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 Here it is as a copy-compressed patch:
-<pre><code>
+<maxpat>
 ----------begin_max5_patcher----------
 .3oc2b01aaaCD9yI+JHLFv9vb036TpnXX6uv951PghMqCaskLjjS51v5
@@ Line 100: / Line 100: @@
 +Ps7lFK
 -----------end_max5_patcher-----------
-</code></pre>
+</maxpat>
@@ Line 131: / Line 131: @@
 Here's the updated version of the patch:
-<pre><code>
+<maxpat>
 ----------begin_max5_patcher----------
 .3oc2bsziiaiD9b2+JH71.YWDGshukFDDrK1bIG1K60IKFHKywMyXKYH
@@ Line 190: / Line 190: @@
 Shr7xpzHHK1E8K12EXl2JN5W2z1KM03hLg90Sis776001eb+eBboQs5E
 -----------end_max5_patcher-----------
-</code></pre>
+</maxpat>
 == Adding a Second Sequencer ==
@@ Line 214: / Line 214: @@
 Here we have to use the raw MIDI CC message type (which starts at 176 for channel 1, and here is set to 177 for channel 2), along with the controller number and the value. The value is coming from the random objects, and the controller number is straight out of the MIDI Implementation Chart. This gives us the following patch:
-<pre><code>
+<maxpat>
 ----------begin_max5_patcher----------
 .3oc6c01iiaaD9y69qfv3PSK5tthuIJEDDzzK.EAEooH8Z+xkfEZs05U
@@ Line 302: / Line 302: @@
 iUGpENuy9DRPH6r+f1YuAs69Bhe290q+e1Y0HHA
 -----------end_max5_patcher-----------
-</code></pre>
+</maxpat>
 At this point, we've created a pair of unique sequencers and a pair of random number generators, and have them use the rewire~ object to control a pair of devices within Reason. Unfortunately, that's not really why we would want to use ReWire; this same functionality could be accomplished by sending MIDI data through Max's Virtual MIDI ports, and wouldn't require ReWire at all. Where rewire~ becomes necessary is when we want to get the audio out of the devices and further manipulate it within Max - allowing us to hand-roll our own audio processing to create sonic mayhem that couldn't be done within Reason itself. Let's use the audio outputs of the rewire~ object to further mess with our sounds, and see what we can do!

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:08, 29 December 2012
Line 321:		Line 321:


−	Gaining access to the new channels is pretty simple: we just change the number of channels in the rewire~ object to 3 (to match the outputs of Reason that we are going to use), then use live.gain objects to create a mix of the two devices for our output. The next stop is to create a few idiosyncratic effects processors for the out-bound audio	+	Gaining access to the new channels is pretty simple: we just change the number of channels in the rewire~ object to 3 (to match the outputs of Reason that we are going to use), then use live.gain objects to create a mix of the two devices for our output. The next stop is to create a few idiosyncratic effects processors for the out-bound audio.
		+
		+	There are many kinds of effects available using Max; in this case, we are going to allow the drums to pass through unchanged, but apply a "chopper" effect to the SubTractor line that is in sync with the main tempo. Since all of this information lives within the Max patch, it is easy for us to use tempo, subdivision and content cues from our Max-based objects.

	''This is a work in progress...''		''This is a work in progress...''

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:31, 28 December 2012
Line 318:		Line 318:


−	[[File:MaxReason-Connection-4.gif]]	+	[[File:MaxReason-Connection-4-1.gif]]

@@ Line 308: / Line 308: @@
 == Messing with the Audio Output ==
-We have to start off by changing the patch cord wiring of our Reason Device Rack. Basically, we are going to bypass the built-in mixer, and route the outputs of our devices directly to audio outputs of the Interface. This will allow us to treat the audio of each of the synthesizers separately within our Max patch. (Note: In order to make the back panel more clear, I've deleted all of the cables connecting the default effects processors.)
+We have to start off by changing the patch cord wiring of our Reason Device Rack. Basically, we are going to bypass the built-in mixer, and route the outputs of our devices directly to audio outputs of the Interface. This will allow us to treat the audio of each of the synthesizers separately within our Max patch. (Note: In order to make the back panel more clear, I've removed all of the cables connecting the default effects processors.)
@@ Line 316: / Line 316: @@
 Now, instead of mixing the device outputs in Reason, they are available to the ReWire host: Channels 1 and 2 will be the stereo output of Kong, and channel 3 will be the mono output of the Subtractor synth. Now, let's jump back to the Max patch to subject these channels to some MSP mayhem.
 ''This is a work in progress...''

@@ Line 119: / Line 119: @@
-In this case, the MIDI Interface shows "No MIDI Input" (because I didn't set it up in Reason's preferences), but that doesn't matter - we will access these devices directly. For the first channel, we set the MIDI routing to the Kong 1 Input; for the second channel, we set the MIDI routing to the Subtractor 1 In (make sure you are selecting the In option as opposed to the Mixer connection). Now, within Max, if we can access the MIDI Bus A device, we should be able to send MIDI to the individual devices - either individually or simultaneously.
+In this case, the MIDI Interface shows "No MIDI Input" (because I didn't set it up in Reason's preferences), but that doesn't matter - we will access these devices directly. For the first channel, we set the MIDI routing to the Kong 1 Input; for the second channel, we set the MIDI routing to the SubTractor 1 In (make sure you are selecting the In option as opposed to the Mixer connection). Now, within Max, if we can access the MIDI Bus A device, we should be able to send MIDI to the individual devices - either individually or simultaneously.
 Next up is the changes to our Max patch. We need to change the contents of our ''midi'' message to route the message to the correct MIDI channel of Reason's interface device. Luckily, the changes are pretty simple using a few extra inputs and some message formatting.
@@ Line 127: / Line 127: @@
-We now use the bus number value of the midi message to choose a MIDI bus: #1 is Bus A (in the Reason Advanced MIDI interface), #2 is Bus B, #3 is Bus C and #4 is Bus D. We also have to adjust the MIDI channel by changing the message number (144 in the earlier example) to the range from 144-159; we do this using a "+ 143" after a channel input to set the channel number. Now, if we select a device number of 1 and switch between midi channels 1 and 2, we can switch the MIDI output between the Kong and Subtractor devices.
+We now use the bus number value of the midi message to choose a MIDI bus: #1 is Bus A (in the Reason Advanced MIDI interface), #2 is Bus B, #3 is Bus C and #4 is Bus D. We also have to adjust the MIDI channel by changing the message number (144 in the earlier example) to the range from 144-159; we do this using a "+ 143" after a channel input to set the channel number. Now, if we select a device number of 1 and switch between midi channels 1 and 2, we can switch the MIDI output between the Kong and SubTractor devices.
 Here's the updated version of the patch:
@@ Line 206: / Line 206: @@
 As cool as it is to generatively fire off notes to Reason, we can take Reason even farther if we can automate the parameters of our Reason devices. Not surprisingly, this can also be accomplished by sending MIDI messages (in this case, MIDI CC messages), but we need to know which MIDI controller messages to use, and we need to properly format the messages for the ReWire connection. This first part of this is provided by our friends at Propellerheads; the [http://dl.propellerheads.se/Reason65/Manuals/Reason%206.5%20MIDI%20Implementation%20Chart.pdf Reason 6.5 MIDI Implementation Chart] gives us MIDI CC mappings for virtually every knob, slider and switch of the devices available. We will be referring to this manual extensively in the next section, so it is probably wise to download it now...
-Our next addition to the patch is to create a parameter animator. The easiest thing to do - and to hear - is to manipulate the filter. With a few simple additions, we can get an animator that randomly changes the filter 1 cutoff and resonance of the Subtractor synth in time with the rest of the piece. The animator looks like this:
+Our next addition to the patch is to create a parameter animator. The easiest thing to do - and to hear - is to manipulate the filter. With a few simple additions, we can get an animator that randomly changes the filter 1 cutoff and resonance of the SubTractor synth in time with the rest of the piece. The animator looks like this:
@@ Line 314: / Line 314: @@
 ''This is a work in progress...''

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:16, 27 December 2012
Line 307:		Line 307:

	== Messing with the Audio Output ==		== Messing with the Audio Output ==
		+
		+	We have to start off by changing the patch cord wiring of our Reason Device Rack. Basically, we are going to bypass the built-in mixer, and route the outputs of our devices directly to audio outputs of the Interface. This will allow us to treat the audio of each of the synthesizers separately within our Max patch. (Note: In order to make the back panel more clear, I've deleted all of the cables connecting the default effects processors.)
		+
		+
		+	[[File:MaxReason-Connection-4.gif]]
		+
		+

	''This is a work in progress...''		''This is a work in progress...''