This time within the With a Little Help from Max for Live video series I have found three quite unique and cool Max for Live sequencers. All of them free, and all of them from a developer called Gross9978. He or she actually has two other free and fun sequencers worth checking out. Two of the sequencers we’re going to have a look in the video are MIDI effects. The other one is an audio effect that works with clips. All these Max for Live devices require Live 11 plus Max for Live.
TreeSEQ
This Max for Live MIDI effect is called this way because of the shape of the graphic, which indeed looks like a tree. Together with the colours like a Christmas tree actually. TreeSEQ is an 8 step sequencer that includes a randomisation range as well as Euclidean gates. Step one only has one note choice, step two has two, step three three and so on. This is what gives it the tree shape.
You can set a scale and if the notes should be transposed up or down by one or two octaves. The note choices can either be set or randomised. Additionally you can set the amount of steps, the maximum being 16, the rate, direction, as well as velocity and duration of the generated notes. Then you can decide how many notes should be hit or left out to add pauses. And last, but not least, it’s possible to set the tree to be rotated which creates new patterns on the fly.
SliceSEQ
This next Max for Live step sequencer is another MIDI effect. SliceSEQ should be added in front of a Simpler in slice mode, which can create pretty awesome sounds. The dev originally made it to misuse melodic or noise loops, but it also works well for drum breaks. Press Sync to let the MIDI step sequencer find out how many slices are in the sample, which are then added as the number of steps plus the corresponding notes for the slices. The Simpler setting Beat is best, but you can always play around to see what gives you the desired results.
While Normal plays each step through in order repeatedly, Random plays the same amount of steps, but in random order. RandomEveryNth can either play a random bar every Nth bar or a random step every Nth step, depending on the setting. You can set a minimum and maximum for velocity and duration of notes, and the sequencer will select a value in between by chance. The circles at the bottom are gates, which apply to any set mode.
ClipSEQ
This last Max for Live sequencer I’m showing you in the video is an audio effect and it pretty much replaces the work setting up Follow Actions. Not only that, the settings can be changed on the fly and there are some bonus features includes. ClipSEQ is an up to 16 step sequencer that can sync each coloured row to a matching clip on an audio track when you click on Refresh. The maximum amount of clips is eight, and the rows are coloured like their responding clip. If you make any changes to the clip order or use different ones, clicking on Refresh is needed.
You can set the launch mode just like the ones in Live’s Follow Actions, the launch quantisation as well as if the clips should be played in legato, so continuing in the same play position with the next clip. Of course you can also set the sequencer rate and steps. The dials are controlling the pitch of the clips. Press R and then move the dial to start recording its movement. Once you stop it’ll begin to play back the pitch recording. C clears the recording.
You can use drum clips or any kind of clips really, whether melodic, harmonic or noisy. The pitch recording is not saved with the Live Set, so it’s best to resample your results.
This way for heaps more Max for Live devices & tips.
Let me know how you like these sequencers and which one you like best. If there are certain types of devices you’d like me to cover you can tell me in the comments below as well.
