Provided by innovator 'stev', Weird Duration 1.0 is a revolutionary Max4Live device that breaks away from the conventional approach to manipulating MIDI notes' durations. This MIDI transformation tool allows creative exploitation of polyrhythmic, polymetric, tuplet, and non-dyadic time values, transforming the way you compose and create patterns in Ableton Live sessions.
The operation dashboard for Weird Duration 1.0 is fairly straightforward. The top section delineates the settings for duration time value. Pioneering modes including 'Polyrhythm' and 'Decimal' offers the possibility of complex rhythmic structures and non-dyadic duration values respectively. The 'Polyrhythm' mode enables you to adjust your duration value using 'Beat Unit' and 'Subdivision' parameters, both of which can be customised and multiplied by the '# of Beats' parameters. The 'Decimal' mode, on the other hand, unlocks the potential of the '# of Beats' parameter by multiplying it with a decimal value for the 'Beat Unit,' leading to more intricate, non-dyadic duration values.
The versatility of Weird Duration 1.0 doesn't stop there. The 'Duration Mode' tab at the bottom has two preference settings: 'Fixed' and 'Rounded.' In 'Fixed' mode, all MIDI notes are set to the duration value, resulting in unified timing. Alternatively, the 'Rounded' mode adjusts note durations to the nearest multiple of the set duration value, ensuring a rhythmically balanced outcome.
While Weird Duration 1.0 is a game-changer particularly aimed at audacious producers and composers, it is also laid out in an approachable manner to engage users of all experience levels. With this tool in your Ableton Live arsenal, you're all set to construct uniquely timed, rhythmically diverse MIDI sequences. It’s the perfect tool to step-up your game, infuse a breath of innovation in your music, and produce soundscapes that are anything but ordinary.
Though it requires Live 12+ and is available for commercial license only, it's a worthwhile investment for anyone intrigued by the potential of MIDI transformation devices in the realm of modern music-making.
Explore Weird Duration 1.0 and its features at [maxforlive.com](https://maxforlive.com/library/device/10563/weird-duration) or purchase it on the [Heaps of Bleeps website](https://www.heapsofbleepsaudio.com/), and step into a world of rhythmic adventure that this genius device promises.
Example Usage
Wondering how to start using Weird Duration 1.0 to create interesting rhythms in your Ableton Live session? It's simpler than you might think! Here's a step-by-step guide for you to get started:
- Load Weird Duration 1.0 onto a MIDI track that contains a simple rhythm pattern using a drum rack or a pitched instrument.
- Begin with the "Decimal" mode. This mode allows you to create rhythms that don't neatly fit into traditional time signatures. Set the "Beat Unit" to a quarter note, which is your typical beat duration in 4/4 time.
- Now for the fun part: set the "# of Beats" to a decimal, like 1.5. This will extend the duration of the selected MIDI note to one and a half quarter notes.
- Play your track and listen to how the duration of your MIDI note has increased, creating an unusual timing that can breathe new life into your music.
- Next, switch to "Polyrhythm" mode. Set the "Beat Unit" to a quarter note again, but this time play around with the "Subdivision" parameter. Setting it to '3' and "# of Beats" to '2' will give you a rhythm where each note plays for two-thirds of a quarter note, creating a polyrhythmic feel.
- The "Duration Mode" allows you to fix the MIDI note length to the exact value you've set or to round the length to the closest duration based on your settings. Start with "Fixed" to accurately hear the difference your settings are making.
- Experiment by combining different beat units, subdivisions, and number of beats to create patterns that are increasingly complex and creative.
Remember, the key to using Weird Duration 1.0 effectively is to experiment. Don't be afraid to try out settings that might seem odd at first. You might just stumble upon an engaging rhythm that becomes the backbone of your next track!
Imagine you're constructing a track with an introspective feel, and you want your MIDI percussion to have a slightly unpredictable, human quality without straying too far from a conventional rhythm. Weird Duration 1.0 is an excellent tool for introducing subtle timing variations that can transform a rigid electronic pattern into something organic and flowing. Here's an application of Weird Duration 1.0 for a pattern that is intriguing yet still retains a rhythmic reference point:
- Load up an Ableton Live Set and create a new MIDI track with your favorite percussive instrument - let's say a simple woodblock sound to keep it clear and focused.
- Input a basic MIDI pattern where your woodblock hits every quarter note. This will serve as the backbone of our rhythmic experiment.
- Insert the Weird Duration 1.0 device onto the MIDI track.
- Set the 'Duration Mode' at the bottom of the device to 'Fixed' so that we can manipulate a consistent duration across all notes.
- To implement a subtle polyrhythmic feel, switch the top section to 'Polyrhythm' mode. Set the 'Beat Unit' to '1/4' for quarter notes, as this matches the existing hits in your pattern.
- Now, decide on a subdivision that's slightly off the normal grid. Let's choose a 'Subdivision' of 5 to create a quintuplet feel, which will give us a 5:4 polyrhythmic relationship.
- For the '# of Beats' parameter, let's go with '3'. This will effectively set your notes to last for the duration of three quintuplets tied together. Our woodblock hits will now span slightly longer than a quarter note but in a rhythmically intriguing way.
- Play your project and listen to how the woodblock now has a dragging, almost languid quality that adds an introspective tension against the established tempo.
- Experiment further by slowly automating the 'Subdivision' parameter during a breakdown or bridge section to morph the rhythm into something that feels like it's slowing down or speeding up, even though the tempo is constant.
- Lastly, ensure that the rest of your percussion is not too quantized. Use the device on other elements to maintain a cohesive and slightly 'out-of-the-box' timing across your drum elements.
By using WeirdDURATION 1.0 in this manner, you've added sophistication to your rhythm section that goes beyond straight quantization and veers into the sound design territory, giving your music a distinctive edge that won't go unnoticed.
Further Thoughts
In this example, we'll explore the capabilities of Weird Duration 1.0 by creating a complex rhythmic pattern within an ambient electronic piece. This piece will incorporate drones and textures while the main rhythmic content derives from a MIDI-controlled percussive element that will be uniquely processed by Weird Duration 1.0.
Start by setting up a MIDI track in Ableton Live with a selected percussive instrument, perhaps a bell or woodblock sound from your sound library, something that has a clear attack so the effects of the Weird Duration manipulation will be evident.
First, activate the 'Weird Duration 1.0' device on the MIDI track where it will transform the note-off messages based on our specified rhythmic values. Set 'Duration Mode' to 'Fixed' for consistent manipulation before we experiment with the 'Rounded' setting.
Set the 'Duration Mode' to 'Polyrhythm' mode to introduce off-kilter rhythms that defy standard time signatures, contributing to the ethereal atmosphere of our piece. Set your 'Beat Unit' to a quarter note because your composition is in 4/4 time, but now let's create a 5 against 4 polyrhythmic pattern. To achieve this, set the 'Subdivision' to 5 (to represent five subdivisions within the space normally occupied by 4 beats) and the '# of Beats' to 4. This will make your MIDI note durations span over a timing that doesn’t align neatly with your project’s meter, causing the rhythm to drift and cycle intriguingly over time.
Next, experiment with 'Decimal' mode for more granular control over the rhythmic spacing. By entering a value such as 1.5 in the '# of Beats,' you now create note durations that are one and a half times the length of the 'Beat Unit.' If your 'Beat Unit' was still a quarter note, you'd have MIDI durations that are just a bit longer than a dotted eighth note, but not quite a quarter note—a subtle yet effective way to introduce rhythmic tension.
Now let's switch 'Duration Mode' from 'Fixed' to 'Rounded' and create a MIDI clip with a series of sixteenth-notes. By starting with 'Beat Unit' at a sixteenth note and the '# of Beats' at 1, then increasing the '# of Beats' to complex decimal or irregular number, say 2.7, what happens is that the tool will round all note durations to the nearest multiple of 2.7 sixteenth notes, changing an otherwise straight rhythm into something much more complex and nuanced.
This exercise demonstrates how 'Weird Duration 1.0' can be an extremely powerful tool for breaking free from the constraints of conventional rhythmic structures, offering near limitless potential for creative expression. It is particularly effective for genres such as ambient, IDM, or experimental electronic music where rhythmic innovation is a key component of the style. Use the unpredictability to your advantage and explore the depth of rhythmic variation the device has to offer, all within your Ableton Live session.