Born from the mind of MaxForLove, the Range-Mappable Shaper MIDI 1.2, is more than just a Max4Live device. It is a sonic playground. Simply put, it pushes MIDI manipulation boundaries way beyond imaginable horizons, allowing you to automate and map the minimum and maximum ranges of each parameter. And no, it's not an overstatement to say that this feature indeed ushers an unseen level of dynamic control.
Now, let's talk about the newest iteration, designed explicitly for Live Version 11.3.21 and Max Version 8.5.6. Beyond fixing bugs, it introduces a game-changing independent X and Y snap feature. With this on board, precision and flexibility in sound design get a turbo boost. Not to forget the Y Grid Line Control and extended grid line ranges, making modulation ultra-precise! The snap functionality works for both axes, marking the finetuning endeavors a breeze.
How can we deny the device its due recognition for being an indispensable tool for performers and composers, with all these attributes? Whether you're into creating intricate, evolving soundscapes, or merely want to add spice to your melodies and rhythms, the Range-Mappable Shaper MIDI 1.2 stands solid.
The majority of users have awarded it a full 5-star rating, attributing to its reliability and practicality. Take it from them. The device is your gateway ticket to mastering modulation in Ableton Live's ecosystem. Don't just take our word for it. Download it, and experience it firsthand. Hello, modulatory mastery.
Discover more about the device and download it at https://maxforlive.com/library/device/10102/range-mappable-shaper-midi. Why wait when you can imbibe the inspiration today? After all, isn't that why we live and breathe music?
Example Usage
Picture this: you're creating a chill, ambient soundscape in Ableton Live and you want to add an evolving nature to your pad sound. We're going to use the Range-Mappable Shaper MIDI 1.2 to dynamically control the filter cutoff frequency on your soft-synth pad sound, along with varying the resonance parameter to provide a sense of movement over time.
First, load up your favorite soft-synth pad patch. Let's say, for illustration purposes, it's Wavetable. Create a MIDI track and load the Range-Mappable Shaper MIDI device onto it. Now, set up two dummy clips in this MIDI track. Name one clip "Low Cutoff" and the other "High Cutoff".
In the "Low Cutoff" clip, draw a MIDI CC automation for the Min value range you want for your synth's cutoff frequency. Let's say, MIDI CC 20, starting from a value of 20 and moving up to 40 over 8 bars to create a slow rise. For the "High Cutoff" clip, create another MIDI CC automation, perhaps MIDI CC 21, this time with a value range moving from 70 to 90 to represent the upper limit of the filter's cutoff frequency.
Now, map the Range-Mappable Shaper MIDI's Min and Max parameters to the corresponding MIDI CCs you've automated. Then, map the Shaper's output to your Wavetable's filter cutoff frequency.
As your track plays, launch the "Low Cutoff" clip to start modulating the lower range of the cutoff and then the "High Cutoff" clip to vary the upper range. By launching these clips in your arrangement or during live performance, you can create an organic, breathing effect as your pad's filter sweeps through the modulating range you've mapped.
Lastly, to add an extra dimension, automate the X and Y grid parameters within the Range-Mappable Shaper MIDI device itself to further shape how the LFO's fluctuations interact with your cutoff frequency range for even more evolving textures.
Voila! You now have a dynamic, modulating soundscape, all controlled by the ingenious Range-Mappable Shaper MIDI 1.2. Keep experimenting with different parameters to map and automate to bring your Ableton Live projects to life in new and creative ways.
Intermediate-Level Usage Example: Modulating Reverb Decay Time with Vocal Input via Range-Mappable Shaper MIDI 1.2
For a dynamic live performance or an engaging production trick, we can control the decay time of a reverb effect based on the amplitude of a vocal performance. This creates a feeling that the space responds to the intensity of the singer.
- Load a Reverb device onto your vocal track in Ableton Live.
- Place the Range-Mappable Shaper MIDI 1.2 before the Reverb in the same track.
- Map the Shaper MIDI's output to the Decay Time of the Reverb.
- Now, map the Min and Max range parameters of the Shaper MIDI to the amplitude of your vocal track. This can be done by routing a sidechain signal from your vocal track to the Range-Mappable Shaper MIDI 1.2, which will be used to adjust these range parameters automatically.
- Set the input type for the sidechain in Shaper MIDI to track the amplitude (volume) of the incoming signal and ensure the mapping responds to the dynamics of your vocals.
- Set the modulation shape in the Shaper MIDI to an exponential curve, which will make the decay time react more naturally to the dynamics, with shorter decay times at low amplitudes and longer decay times as the vocal gets louder.
- Utilize the Independent X and Y snap from the version 1.2 update to finely tune the response curve you've created between the amplitude of your vocal track and the Decay Time of the Reverb.
- Test the setup by singing or playing back a recorded vocal performance, so the decay time of the reverb swells and dwindles in harmony with the vocal dynamics.
This setup allows real-time modulation of the reverb decay based on the intensity of the performance and can add an immersive, expressive effect to your production or live set.
Further Thoughts
Imagine you’re crafting an evolving soundscape for a live performance using Ableton Live. You want the sound to evolve gradually and become richer as you progress. The Range-Mappable Shaper MIDI 1.2 offers unparalleled control to achieve such dynamic MIDI manipulation.
Let's set up a scenario where we're working with a lush pad sound generated by Wavetable, and we want to add texture and movement over time without manually adjusting parameters during the performance. Instead, we’ll employ LFO-like modulations with nuanced control using the Range-Mappable Shaper MIDI 1.2.
Start by loading the device onto a MIDI track and mapping the 'Rate' parameter of the Range-Mappable Shaper to the 'Position' control in Wavetable. Your first goal is to create a sense of motion in the pad's texture, which is achieved by modulating the Position over time.
To add depth to this modulation, let’s set the Min and Max ranges for 'Position'. Initially, the Min is set at 20% and Max at 40%, ensuring the wavetable scans through a smaller window. As your set progresses, you want the range to open up, allowing the wavetable to explore more of its capabilities.
Automate the Min range to slowly expand from 20% to 10% and the Max from 40% to 60% over a ten-minute frame. Now, the modulation will grow more dramatic as your live session continues, exploring a wider tonal range and introducing newer harmonics into the soundscape without you turning a single knob.
Next, incorporate Y Grid Line Control to introduce variations in the LFO’s amplitude. During quieter moments of your performance, you could reduce the Y Grid Line, limiting the modulation depth for a subtler effect. As the energy increases, automate the Y Grid Line to allow for a full range motion, granting the Wavetable modulation full power to sweep across its entire spectrum, thus dynamically contributing to the rising tension in your soundscape.
Finally, use the Independent X and Y snap functionality to lock onto musical rhythmic subdivisions. Initially, let the LFO wave undulate in an unsynchronized floating pattern. As the climax approaches, snap the X axis to a quarter note pulse, locking the modulation to the tempo of your track, providing a rhythmic surge that aligns the modulated texture with your beats.
By leveraging the Range-Mappable Shaper MIDI 1.2, we’ve created an organic and evolving element to our performance, tailored to unfold over time. Automated modulation range adjustments empower us to design complex changes in sonic character, while grid line controls and snapping functionality align our sonic manipulations with the musical context—all in real-time, without missing a beat.