Maggie

I'm currently working on a MIDI-sending motion tracking controller for Ableton Live 10 (via MaxMSP 8), based on IRCAMs Leapmotion object (http://ismm.ircam.fr/leapmotion/). The tracking and MIDI-sending and mapping works just fine, but I ran into a little problem for which I could not find a solution yet. I work on MacOS High Sierra.

For example: I want to control the panorama parameter for a track in Ableton and therefor, I send MIDI-data from Max to Ableton. As I want to draw an automation while playing back my Ableton track, I need to have the Ableton application window active (for starting and stopping the playback). But as soon as I switch from Max to Ableton, Max only transfers the last recognized value and the motion tracking stops (because Max is more or less inactive behind Ableton). Is there some way, that Ableton and Max can be "active" at the same time? Like, I have my cursor in Ableton, but still Max continously gives out new motion tracking data. 

Or is it possibly better to find a workaround and controlling the whole playback module via Max too?

I haven't found a solution on Google or in the Max forum yet, but maybe somebody already had the same kind of problem, running Max and Ableton in parallel?

I'd be incredibly grateful for every kind of advice.

For example: I want to control the panorama parameter for a track in Ableton and therefor, I send MIDI-data from Max to Ableton. As I want to draw an automation while playing back my Ableton track, I need to have the Ableton application window active (for starting and stopping the playback). But as soon as I switch from Max to Ableton, Max only transfers the last recognized value and the motion tracking stops (because Max is more or less inactive behind Ableton).  Is there some way, that Ableton and Max can be "active" at the same time? Like, I have my cursor in Ableton, but still Max continously gives out new motion tracking data. 
Or is it possibly better to find a workaround and controlling the whole playback module via Max too?

I haven't found a solution on Google or in the Max forum yet, but maybe somebody already had the same kind of problem, running Max and Ableton in parallel?
I'd be incredibly grateful for every kind of advice. 

Hello dear community,
I'm currently working on a MIDI-sending motion tracking controller for Ableton Live 10 (via MaxMSP 8), based on IRCAMs

use-ableton-live-and-maxmsp-simultaneously

yo, it's strange that max becomes "inactive", actually. It should not become inactive unless you tell him to do so, even if you switch apps. Unless they are not on the same desktop or something ? In which case it's a MacOS problem. Or is that an option in the leapmotion object itself ? (check the object's doc for that.)

Other than that are you using max4live ? i'm not sure how well it would behave with the leapmotion object, but my guess is it would behave very well :) and that sort of problem would become less existant.

Last thing, maybe if you are usinng udpsend/receive or some networking stuff, maybe some ports are beeing taken over from one app or the other (but i doubt the problem is here, it would behave even worse probably)

yo, it's strange that max becomes "inactive", actually. It should not become inactive unless you tell him to do so, even if you switch apps. Unless they are not on the same desktop or something ? In which case it's a MacOS problem. Or is that an option in the leapmotion object itself ? (check the object's doc for that.)

Other than that are you using max4live ? i'm not sure how well it would behave with the leapmotion object, but my guess is it would behave very well :) and that sort of problem would become less existant.

Last thing, maybe if you are usinng udpsend/receive or some networking stuff, maybe some ports are beeing taken over from one app or the other (but i doubt the problem is here, it would behave even worse probably)


I already thought of using max4live - maybe I'll switch to this module, if cannot make it work. 

And yeah, possibly it's a MacOS problem, haven't thought of this yet... 

I already thought of using max4live - maybe I'll switch to this module, if cannot make it work. 
And yeah, possibly it's a MacOS problem, haven't thought of this yet... 

Thanks for these tips! :) 


I am having the exact same problem... could you find the solution??

Hello MAGGIE!

I am having the exact same problem... could you find the solution??

I frequently use Max to preprocess MIDI data before sending them to Live and never had this problem. Can you describe a bit you your setup and Max patch? What Operating system are you using?

Use Ableton Live and MaxMSP simultaneously