The Infrasound Generator 2.3 developed by 'mspuser' is one of those intriguing Max4Live devices whose unique features present endless possibilities. As this semi-random sequencer manipulates the amplitude of noise sources from idle equipment, it encourages the exploration and experimentation of sonic layers in unconventional ways, thereby appealing to those who are seeking to venture into the uncharted territories of music production. This article aims to break down the technicalities and potentials of Infrasound Generator 2.3, enabling creative producers to fully leverage the device in their Ableton Live sets.
Infrasound Generator 2.3 serves as a conduit for textural experimentation, shaping ambient landscapes or producing a backdrop of propulsive low-end energy. Running through the renowned jMackie filter and inspired by the innovative sound aesthetics of Ryoji Ikeda, the device draws out fine subtleties and injects them into your musical production.
In order to fully utilize the Infrasound Generator 2.3, an understanding of its semi-random sequencing and use of noise sources is integral. Triggering an envelope that dictates the amp of the noise, it captivates with unpredictable sonic movement that breathes life into your arrangements. The noise sources of this device stem from the author's idle gear, celebrating the beauty of found sounds and their unique textures. Haunting and eclectic, it adds an inimitable touch to your work.
Version 2.3 has collaborated with Push to make this device even more user-friendly. Able to integrate seamlessly with the Ableton Push, you can manipulate the semi-random envelope and the amplitude of the noise with great ease. With its accessible interface and straightforward functionality, Infrasound Generator 2.3 reframes the way music producers interact with their equipment, integrating the physical and digital aspects of music production.
For more creative control, the jMackie filter becomes incredibly handy. The filter, known for its meticulous processing capabilities, gives you an increased degree of manipulation over the sound, shaping its texture and amplifying its nuances. Apply the filter to the noise from the idle equipment for a curated selection of sound that is deeply personalized.
As a testament to its capability and versatility, the Infrasound Generator 2.3 holds a strong 5-star user rating. It runs smoothly with Live 11.2.1 and Max 8.1.5, reducing tech hiccups and allowing your creative energy to flow unhindered. The device was last updated on Feb 9, 2024, ensuring that its features and functionality are up to date.
At its core, Infrasound Generator 2.3 is a tool that extends the boundaries of your audio workflow, enriching the canvas of your musical interpretation through the versatility of its semi-random sequencing and amplitude modulation.
With this device, the depths of your sound are yours to explore. Whether you're dabbling in experimental rhythms or seeking to expand your creative soundscapes, the Infrasound Generator 2.3 can add that special touch to your compositions. For more information and to download, visit https://maxforlive.com/library/device/10007/infrasound-generator.
Example Usage
Create an ambient soundscape using the Infrasound Generator 2.3 by following these simple steps:
- Drag and drop the Infrasound Generator 2.3 Max4Live device onto a new MIDI track in your Ableton Live session.
- Create a MIDI clip within your track by double-clicking in the clip slot. Extend this clip to be at least 1-2 minutes long to allow for evolving textures.
- Go into the MIDI clip and add a few random MIDI notes with different pitches. The device uses these to trigger the semi-random sequencer, so you don't need to worry about specific scales or note values.
- Press play on the MIDI clip and adjust the Infrasound Generator 2.3 parameters. Begin by tweaking 'Envelope' settings to shape the dynamic contour of the noise bursts.
- Adjust 'Noise Type' to select different colorations of noise, and experiment with the 'Filter' section to sculpt the timbral character.
- Play with the sequencer rate and randomness controls to change how frequently and unpredictably the noise events occur, crafting a dynamic rhythm.
- Use your Push controller, if you have one, to interact with the sequencer and envelope parameters in real-time, adding a performative element to your soundscape creation.
- Once happy with the basic sound, automate parameters within the Ableton Live arrangement view for gradual changes over time.
- Layer this track with ambient pads and melodic elements from other synths or samples and blend them using volume and panning for a full atmospheric composition.
- Lastly, add reverb and delay effects on a return track to create a sense of space, sending the output of the Infrasound Generator to these for added depth and texture.
Remember, there are no wrong moves here. The goal is to explore the device and let your creativity flow through the manipulation of these noise-based textures. Happy experimenting!
Infrasound Generator 2.3 is an innovative Max4Live device that can infuse your productions with a distinct sonic character. To harness its power effectively in your Ableton Live sets, let's delve into a hands-on application suitable for intermediate users.
- Creating a foundational drone: Begin by inserting Infrasound Generator 2.3 on a new MIDI track. Set the global tempo to a slow 60 BPM to facilitate a meditative soundscape. Draw a long, sustained MIDI note in your clip—this will act as the trigger for the sequencer. Adjust the device's envelope settings to a slower attack and a long decay to give the illusion of a breathing sound. Incorporating the drone as a bed-layer in a minimalist ambient composition can add a compellingly subtle motion to the piece.
- Adding texture with noise bursts: Turn the noise sources found from the idle gear within the device to achieve gritty textures. Experiment with semi-randomizing the sequence by tweaking the probability controls. This will result in pseudo-random noise bursts that can add complexity to your rhythm section or provide an unpredictability to the soundscape.
- Integrating with Push: Take advantage of the newly added Push functionality in version 2.3 to perform real-time modulation of the device's parameters. Use Push's encoders to manipulate the rate of the sequencer, envelope parameters, and noise source attributes. Live performance scenarios become more engaging when you can interact with Infrasound Generator 2.3 directly from Push, changing the texture and mood on the fly.
- Improving the mix with jMackie: To refine the soundscapes created by the Infrasound Generator, pass the output through 'jMackie' (a device inspired by Jasper Marsalis’s work). This can offer additional control over frequency content and dynamics. Sculpt the low-end to ensure it doesn’t overwhelm the mix while retaining the character imparted by the Infrasound Generator.
- Complementing with visual elements: Sync the output of the Infrasound Generator with visual plugins or Max for Live devices that respond to audio. As the semi-random sequence unfolds, the connected visual elements will react, creating an immersive audio-visual experience that could enrich live performances or installations.
Remember, the key with Infrasound Generator 2.3 is patience and experimentation. Due to its semi-random nature, this device rewards those who take the time to explore its nuances. As you familiarize yourself with its features, subtle alterations can lead to profound changes in the resultant sound, allowing for a truly personalized creative journey.
Further Thoughts
In the realm of electronic music, diving into the nuanced world of sound design can yield some of the most intriguing sonic landscapes. In this particular exercise, we'll be examining how the Infrasound Generator 2.3 can transform your Ableton Live set into an uncharted territory of auditory experience, inspired by none other than the legendary sound minimalist Ryoji Ikeda.
Let's embark on this journey by initiating a drone texture as the canvas for our infrasonic experiment. Start by loading up a sample of a continuous warm pad sound onto an audio track in Ableton Live. Now, add the Infrasound Generator 2.3 to the same track—an intriguing device that fuses the unpredictable nature of a semi-random sequencer with a noise envelope controller, flavored with the unique processing charm of the jMackie.
Upon instantiation, you'll notice the device's interface offers a myriad of parameters begging to be explored. Set the sequencer rate to a glacially slow tempo, allowing the elements of chance to introduce subtle variations over extended periods. This will serve as the foundation of our infrasonic exploration.
Next, engage the envelope controls to shape the amplitude of the noise. The envelope's slow attack and release settings give birth to a breathing effect, with the noise gently swelling in and fading out, creating an illusion of movement within the drone.
This device isn't just about the low-end—although 'infrasound' might suggest so—it's about adding subtle textures and rhythms that exist almost below the threshold of human hearing. But for those with subwoofers, the effects can be phantasmagorical. Dial in the frequency of the noise to sit just at the edge of perception, around 19Hz. Below 20Hz, sound is often felt rather than heard, creating a visceral experience for the listener.
To enhance this further, experiment with the noise source selection. Flip through the options until you find one that resonates with the idle gear noise profiles. Each one will imbue the track with gritty realism—a digital tribute to the analog noise inherent in electronic gear.
Once you have the static texture shimmering with life, it's time to sculpt these infrasonic waves into a more dynamic performance piece using Push integration. Map the sequencer start and stop to your Ableton Push, allowing for spontaneous engagements of the sequence. Improvising with the rate and envelope can yield pulsating beats or a choppy sea of infrasound.
Front and center in this aural sculpture garden is the concept of space—use the device to carve out the negative space in your sound. Insert a return track with a high-pass filter, sending snippets of your drone through to only allow higher frequencies to pass. Then, automate the send levels to create pockets where the infrasonic qualities are starkly absent, highlighting their presence through contrast.
For a final touch of texture, let's artfully disrupt the serene landscape you've cultivated. Automate abrupt changes in the sequencer rate and dive into the noise source envelopes mid-performance like sonic tectonic plates shifting beneath an ocean of sound, creating infrasonic ripples that evoke the physicality of a quake.
The Infrasound Generator 2.3 transforms into an instrument of profound depths, allowing you to capture the essence of spaces both immense and infinitesimal, external and within. By combining the raw elements of noise with the precision of its envelope-driven sequencer, your Ableton Live set becomes a crucible for the kind of sonic experimentation that speaks—or rather, whispers—to the most elemental parts of our perception.