I use Ableton Live and Max for Live to compose my music. Lately I've been experiencing a new problem. I have one main rhythm generator that sends different lengths of data cycles globally to different audio effects and midi instruments throughout Ableton Live. Lately when I start my rhythm generator, my overall sound output decreases in tempo very gradually until it is reduced to a crawling speed. When I used the "timer" object to measure how fast and how dramatically the tempo was decreasing, no change was actually detected according to the "timer" object. Also my CPU usage is changing rapidly, however it never exceeds 20%. Could I just be overloading my audio driver? If so, is there a way to fix this?

I use Ableton Live and Max for Live to compose my music.  Lately I've been experiencing a new problem.  I have one main rhythm generator that sends different lengths of data cycles globally to different audio effects and midi instruments throughout Ableton Live.  Lately when I start my rhythm generator, my overall sound output decreases in tempo very gradually until it is reduced to a crawling speed.  When I used the "timer" object to measure how fast and how dramatically the tempo was decreasing, no change was actually detected according to the "timer" object.  Also my CPU usage is changing rapidly, however it never exceeds 20%.  Could I just be overloading my audio driver?  If so, is there a way to fix this? 

gradual-tempo-decrease

By 'overall sound output' do you mean Live's tempo is gradually decreasing?

By 'overall sound output' do you mean Live's tempo is gradually decreasing?
Patch?


I mean what comes out of the speakers. the sound its self isn't downgraded in any way. Just the sound sequence is slower.

I mean what comes out of the speakers.  the sound its self isn't downgraded in any way.  Just the sound sequence is slower.


Still no help. I have no idea what you are talking about without explaining it clearly, or posting a patch.

What do you mean 'sound sequence'? What is driving the sequence?

do you mean Live’s tempo is gradually decreasing (again)?

Still no help. I have no idea what you are talking about without explaining it clearly, or posting a patch.
What do you mean 'sound sequence'? What is driving the sequence? 

do you mean Live’s tempo is gradually decreasing (again)?


I'll try to fully explain the purpose of the patch. It's basically a composition engine that runs completely form a Max for Live Midi effect. I use Ableton only for recording sound output from a mix of different Max for Live instruments that i make which receive a count globally from the main midi effect program. I use a couple of Ableton's midi instruments that receive information from this midi effect patch as well. First the midi effect patch is generating a count. As the music progresses I change the span of the number limit in the counter and add different numbers to the counter so that it acts like the progression of staff paper with the ability of choosing different time signatures . I assign different sequences of midi information to be triggered during different spans of numbers. I'll have some sequences being triggered between 100 and 115 for example. then i change the count limit and add the counter's output by a new number which gives my program access to sequences that are triggered (just for example) by numbers between 116 and 150 instead of 100 through 115. This way I can arrange my sequences quickly in any order that I want and can experiment with and change my sequences in real time. All of the tempo generation comes form this Max for Live midi effect that I made. If i push the play, or stop buttons in Ableton, its not going to effect whether or not my music will be played since my music is dependent only of the tempo of the count object in my Midi effect which is set by a metro object.

Here is my problem. Lately, when I start the main tempo in my midi effect (using the metro object), my music starts off playing at the correct speed. As it continues to play, the tempo begins to automatically decrease. I used a timer object to measure the time between bangs on the metro object. According to the timer, the time intervals were staying at a constant 110 ms despite the fact that that tempo of my music becomes quite a bit slower than when it began. I would usually think that I was just overloading my CPU, but the sound output is completely unchanged other than just being performed slower gradually over timer. Even if Live's tempo was changing my music would be unaffected since it is being performed completely in Max.

I just dont know what could be causing my music to slow down.

If it is a CPU usage problem, is there any external hardware I can buy to increase my processing power?

And I do apologize if I'm not being clear. I'm a beginner at explaining my stuff to other folks.

I'll try to fully explain the purpose of the patch.  It's basically a composition engine that runs completely form a Max for Live Midi effect. I use Ableton only for recording sound output from a mix of different Max for Live instruments that i make which receive a count globally from the main midi effect program.  I use a couple of Ableton's midi instruments that receive information from this midi effect patch as well.  First the midi effect patch is generating a count. As the music progresses I change the span of the number limit in the counter and add different numbers to the counter so that it acts like the progression of staff paper with the ability of choosing different time signatures .  I assign different sequences of midi information to be triggered during different spans of numbers.  I'll have some sequences being triggered between 100 and 115 for example.  then i change the count limit and add the counter's output by a new number which gives my program access to sequences that are triggered (just for example) by numbers between 116 and 150 instead of 100 through 115.  This way I can arrange my sequences quickly in any order that I want and can experiment with and change my sequences in real time.  All of the tempo generation comes form this Max for Live midi effect that I made.  If i push the play, or stop buttons in Ableton, its not going to effect whether or not my music will be played since my music is dependent only of the tempo of the count object in my Midi effect which is set by a metro object.  

                 Here is my problem.  Lately, when I start the main tempo in my midi effect (using the metro object),  my music starts off playing at the correct speed.  As it continues to play, the tempo begins to automatically decrease.  I used a timer object to measure the time between bangs on the metro object.  According to the timer, the time intervals were staying at a constant 110 ms despite the fact that that tempo of my music becomes quite a bit slower than when it began.  I would usually think that I was just overloading my CPU, but the sound output is completely unchanged other than just being performed slower gradually over timer.  Even if Live's tempo was changing my music would be unaffected since it is being performed completely in Max.

I just dont know what could be causing my music to slow down. 

And I do apologize if I'm not being clear.  I'm a beginner at explaining my stuff to other folks.
-Thank you


That description is far too convoluted for me to parse (at least now, it's sunday and I'm tired).

If your 'master' metro is still sending bangs at the proper rate then the issue is happening somewhere else.

Do you have a bunch of Send and receive pairs across devices?

Are you running all of this timing sensitive operations at control rate and not signal rate?

Use a timer between the master metro, and then end of the line (where the sound is produced).

Hope this helps, without a concrete example, this is the best I'll be able to do.

That description is far too convoluted for me to parse (at least now, it's sunday and I'm tired). 

If your 'master' metro is still sending bangs at the proper rate then the issue is happening somewhere else.
Do you have a bunch of Send and receive pairs across devices?
Are you running all of this timing sensitive operations at control rate and not signal rate?
Use a timer between the master metro, and then end of the line (where the sound is produced). 

Hope this helps, without a concrete example, this is the best I'll be able to do.


This does help me out. I've actually never heard of control/signal rate. Sounds like kind of a big deal though. I'm going to check that out right away.

This does help me out.  I've actually never heard of control/signal rate.  Sounds like kind of a big deal though.  I'm going to check that out right away.
-Thank You Much!


hey, it sounds like you do have a problem of cpu overload ; either that or your patche makes the metro decrease its time output interval. Maybe you could try tying your master tempo to Live's master tempo, it would probably be more stable. Using msp~ is, if i remember correctly, not possible in a live midi device, but i'm not sure ; anyway if that is a problem you can try having this as an audio effect.

But, first, i'd say you have cpu problems, or ram, idk ; but it's maybe something along those lines, if you have a heavy setup or if it becomes heavy, for example at the moment you begin to record.

hey, it sounds like you do have a problem of cpu overload ; either that or your patche makes the metro decrease its time output interval. Maybe you could try tying your master tempo to Live's master tempo, it would probably be more stable. Using msp~ is, if i remember correctly, not possible in a live midi device, but i'm not sure ; anyway if that is a problem you can try having this as an audio effect.
But, first, i'd say you have cpu problems, or ram, idk ; but it's maybe something along those lines, if you have a heavy setup or if it becomes heavy, for example at the moment you begin to record.


Gradual Tempo Decrease