The MPE Modifier 1.0 device converts incoming Slide and Pressure MPE messages into Control Change (CC) messages per voice. It also replicates global messages like ModWheel, Pitch Bend, and Aftertouch to all MIDI channels. Its primary purpose is to change default MPE messages to other CC numbers commonly used by virtual instruments.
While originally intended for use with the MPE Trackpad option in AudioSwift for macOS, the device is compatible with any MPE controller, such as Ableton Push 3. It is also optimized for use with U-he synths, but can be utilized with other plugins like Native Instruments Kontakt or Spectrasonics Omnisphere. Importantly, MPE Modifier allows other MPE MaxForLive devices preceding the instrument to continue responding to the default Slide CC74 and Pressure messages.
This article explores the capabilities and benefits of the MPE Modifier 1.0 device, providing insights into its usage with various MPE controllers and virtual instruments. If you're looking to unlock the potential of MPE and enhance your creative workflow, this Max4Live device is a must-have.
Check out the full article for details and download the MPE Modifier 1.0 Max4Live device for free from the provided link: [MPE Modifier 1.0 Download](https://audioswiftapp.com/mpe-modifier-a-new-maxforlive-device/). :internal_private_article_id: mpe-modifier
The MPE Modifier 1.0, created by GoldenFrog is a free utility tool that seeks to expand the musical horizons of artists and producers by enhancing the functionality of MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) controllers and virtual instrument plugins. This Max4Live device has garnered extensive recognition and praise in the music industry for its flexibility and versatility.
Its primary functionality rests on transforming the incoming slide and pressure MPE messages into control change (CC) messages per voice, thereby allowing virtual instruments that are not fully MPE-capable to interact positively with MPE controllers. Up until this ingenious invention, this sort of interaction had been severely limited at best. Now, artists stand to gain a lot more control over their virtual instruments, marking a significant leap in the pursuit of articulate musical expressions.
Further, the MPE Modifier replicates global messages like ModWheel, Pitch Bend, and Aftertouch to all MIDI channels, a feature that is particularly important in ensuring coherent musical flow and consistency across all channels. While it was originally engineered with the MPE Trackpad in AudioSwift for macOS in mind, the MPE Modifier has proven to be highly adaptable and versatile, pairing well with any MPE controller, including the popular Ableton Push 3.
More impressively, this Max4Live device also syncs well with U-he synthesizers, one of the prerequisites that the author had in mind during its development stage. However, its popularity hasn't been restricted to just U-he synths. The MPE Modifier has been surprisingly effective with other virtual instrument plugins that operate with multichannel MIDI, such as Native Instruments Kontakt or Spectrasonics Omnisphere.
Indeed, the ingenuity of the MPE Modifier lies in its ability to seamlessly switch the standard MPE messages to other CC numbers that the virtual instrument commonly operates with. This change doesn't affect the functionality of other MPE MaxForLive devices. They will continue to respond to the default Slide CC74 and Pressure messages even when the instrument is in operation.
The MPE Modifier 1.0 offers significant advantages to artists and producers. It allows enhancing the creative workflow and unlocking the full potential of MPE. This Max4Live device was added to the toolset in October 2023 and functions well with Live version 11.3.12, and Max version 8.5.5.
Considering its rich features and the ease they bring to virtual instrument control, the MPE Modifier 1.0 is an indispensable tool for any producer or artist looking to explore the depths of music expression. To experience the transformative power of the MPE Modifier 1.0 Max4Live device, follow the provided link to download and install the tool for free: [MPE Modifier 1.0 Download](https://audioswiftapp.com/mpe-modifier-a-new-maxforlive-device/). This tool is a game-changer in the world of electronic music production, and every artist or producer ought to leverage its functionality to unlock the full potential of their craft.
Example Usage
To showcase the novice-level usage of the MPE Modifier 1.0 Max4Live device, let's consider a scenario where a user wants to incorporate expressive MPE capabilities into their music production using a non-MPE compatible virtual instrument plugin like Native Instruments Kontakt.
Download and Install MPE Modifier: Visit the download URL provided (https://audioswiftapp.com/mpe-modifier-a-new-maxforlive-device/) and download the MPE Modifier 1.0 Max4Live device. Follow the installation instructions to integrate it into Ableton Live.
Load MPE Modifier in Ableton Live: Open Ableton Live and create a new MIDI track. Locate the MPE Modifier device in your Max4Live devices library and drag it onto the empty MIDI track.
Set up MIDI Routing: Since Native Instruments Kontakt doesn't support MPE natively, we will use MPE Modifier to convert the incoming MPE messages into Control Change (CC) messages compatible with Kontakt.
- In Ableton Live, create a new MIDI track and load Kontakt as a virtual instrument on that track.
- Enable multi-channel MIDI output from MPE Modifier by clicking on the device's "Output Channels" tab and selecting the appropriate number of channels required by Kontakt.
- Assign the output channels of MPE Modifier to the corresponding MIDI input channels in Kontakt. This can be done within Ableton Live's track routing settings.
Configure MPE Modifier for Kontakt: MPE Modifier allows us to remap the MPE messages to different Control Change (CC) numbers that Kontakt recognizes. We'll configure this for a smooth integration with Kontakt.
- In the MPE Modifier device, navigate to the "MPE to CC" tab.
- Determine which Control Change numbers are used by Kontakt for expressive parameters like slide and pressure. For example, Kontakt may utilize CC1 for modulation and CC11 for expression.
- Use the dropdown menus in the MPE Modifier device to select the desired CC numbers for Slide and Pressure that match the parameters used by Kontakt.
Experiment and Compose: With the MPE Modifier set up, start playing your MPE controller, like the Ableton Push 3, taking advantage of its expressive capabilities. The MPE Modifier will convert the Slide and Pressure messages into the designated Control Change messages, allowing Kontakt to interpret and respond accordingly.
Feel free to explore other parameters within MPE Modifier, such as replicating global messages, to enhance your compositions and take full advantage of MPE capabilities with non-MPE compatible virtual instruments.
Remember to save your Ableton Live project and MPE Modifier settings for future use.
By following these novice-level steps, you can unlock the potential of MPE with Kontakt or other non-MPE compatible virtual instrument plugins using the MPE Modifier 1.0 Max4Live device. Happy exploring and experimenting!
In order to better understand how to utilize the MPE Modifier 1.0 Max4Live device, let's consider an intermediate-level usage example. Imagine you have an MPE-compatible controller, such as the Ableton Push 3, and you want to use it with the MPE Modifier device to enhance your music production experience.
First, make sure you have the MPE Modifier device installed and set up in your Max4Live library. You can download it for free from the following link: [MPE Modifier 1.0](https://audioswiftapp.com/mpe-modifier-a-new-maxforlive-device/).
Next, open Ableton Live and create a new MIDI track. Insert the MPE Modifier device into the track's MIDI effects rack. Now, configure your Ableton Push 3 to send MPE messages.
With the MPE Modifier device in place, you can start exploring its capabilities. By default, the device converts incoming Slide and Pressure MPE messages into Control Change (CC) messages per voice. This means that instead of using the typical MPE CC numbers, you can assign custom CC numbers that are more compatible with the virtual instrument you're using.
For instance, let's say you're using a U-he synth that responds to CC1 for filter cutoff control. With the MPE Modifier, you can map the incoming Slide message to CC1, resulting in smooth and expressive control over the filter cutoff for each individual voice. Similarly, you can assign the incoming Pressure message to another CC number that precisely modulates a different parameter in your chosen synthesizer.
Furthermore, the MPE Modifier also replicates global messages like ModWheel, Pitch Bend, and Aftertouch to all MIDI channels. This ensures that any MPE Max for Live devices used before your instrument will still respond to the default Slide CC74 and Pressure messages, allowing for compatibility with other MPE-enabled devices and plugins.
Remember, the MPE Modifier is compatible not only with U-he synths but also with other virtual instruments that support multichannel MIDI, such as Native Instruments Kontakt or Spectrasonics Omnisphere. Feel free to experiment and find the perfect combination of CC assignments to suit your creative needs.
By using the MPE Modifier 1.0 Max4Live device in conjunction with an MPE-compatible controller like the Ableton Push 3, you can truly unleash the potential of MPE and take your expressiveness and control over virtual instruments to the next level.
Further Thoughts
Imagine you're performing live and want to use your MPE controller to control multiple parameters in different virtual instruments simultaneously. However, some of your favorite plugins don't have full MPE support, and you're looking for a solution to overcome this limitation. This is where the MPE Modifier 1.0 Max4Live device comes in handy.
By utilizing the MPE Modifier, you can easily unlock the full potential of your MPE controller with any virtual instrument plugin that supports multichannel MIDI input. Let's say you're using Native Instruments Kontakt, which doesn't have native MPE capabilities but can respond to Control Change (CC) messages.
First, load the MPE Modifier device as the first device in your MIDI effects chain in Ableton Live. Connect your MPE controller to the MPE Modifier's MIDI input. Make sure the MIDI output of the MPE Modifier is connected to the virtual instrument you want to control.
Now, let's create an expert-level usage example to demonstrate the power of the MPE Modifier. In this scenario, you want to control the filter cutoff, resonance, and LFO rate of a synth patch in Native Instruments Kontakt.
- Open the MPE Modifier device and locate the "Slide CC" and "Pressure CC" parameters. These parameters determine the CC numbers that the device will convert the incoming MPE slide and pressure messages into.
- Set the "Slide CC" parameter to 16 and the "Pressure CC" parameter to 17. These CC numbers correspond to the filter cutoff and resonance parameters in Native Instruments Kontakt.
- Now, locate the "Global MPE Messages" section in the MPE Modifier. Here, you can select which global MIDI messages you want to replicate to all MIDI channels. In this case, you want to replicate the ModWheel, Pitch Bend, and Aftertouch messages to control various aspects of the synth patch.
- Enable the "ModWheel" option and set its CC number to 1. This will ensure that any modulation applied through your MPE controller's gestures will be replicated to all MIDI channels.
- Do the same for the "Pitch Bend" and "Aftertouch" options. Assign suitable CC numbers based on the parameters you wish to control in Kontakt.
- Finally, start playing your MPE controller and witness the magic. As you slide your finger across the controller's surface, the MPE Modifier will convert the slide and pressure messages into CC messages that correlate to the filter cutoff and resonance parameters in Kontakt. Simultaneously, your gestures on the ModWheel, Pitch Bend, and Aftertouch will be replicated across all MIDI channels, adding expressive control to your performance.
With the MPE Modifier 1.0 Max4Live device, you've managed to extend the capabilities of your MPE controller and overcome the limitations of plugins without full MPE support. Now you can fully immerse yourself in the expressive world of MPE, even with your favorite non-MPE virtual instruments.