While there are many methods to move MIDI and audio data between programs on a computer, ReWire (developed by Propellerheads) has become the most popular system. It allows a fairly seamless integration of client and host applications, and is also well supported by most major DAW applications.
Launch the DAW you intend to use as ReWire Host first. Enable ReWire in the DAW using our guide: How to enable ReWire in other DAWs. It should correctly detect that a ReWire application is already running and will switch to ReWire Host mode; Limitations of using Live as ReWi re Device. Labeljoy mac full. When Live is running as ReWire Device. Using Panorama with ReWire: Ableton Live. When Reason is ReWired to another DAW, Panorama's Internal mode can be used to control the host DAW. In the following example we'll set up Panorama to control Ableton Live in Internal mode while still using the Mixer, Instrument, Transport and Fader modes to control Reason. Rewiring Live through Pro Tools can open up a world of new possibilities for both applications. Ableton Live might be gaining ground as a tool for composition and recording as well as live work, but in the pro studio Digidesign's Pro Tools remains the dominant platform. Luckily, Live can work alongside Pro Tools using Rewire, enabling you to bring Live 's special talents to a pro.
- From Max/MSP to Your Host (Part 1)
- Host ReWire Client Applications (Part 2)
- Subversion with ReWire (Part 3)
- Using Max with Reason (Part 4)
In this tutorial, we will show connections to two major software packages: Ableton Live and Digital Performer. However, if you use a different application, you should check the documentation to learn more about its ReWire implementation. In most cases, the process is the same:
- You set up Max/MSP to speak to ReWire.
- You start your host application.
- You create a channel in the host to accept Max/MSP input.
- You create (or load) a Max/MSP patch and turn on the DSP output.
- Download the Max patches used in this tutorial.
In order to allow Max/MSP to speak to your ReWire host, you have to use a special output driver named ad_rewire. This output driver provides a connection to the host for routing audio, MIDI and timing information between the client (Max/MSP) and the host (your DAW application). You select this driver in the DSP Status dialog (available from the Options menu). When selected, you are also given the option to select the number of virtual MIDI ports that will be exposed by the ReWire interface. In this case, we will leave the number of ports set to '1'.
In order to create a simple test patch for our ReWire connection, I've created the most simple audio patch possible: a cycle~ object connected to an ezdac~ object. Since I will want to control the volume in my host application, I've avoided adding any other controls to this simple patch. Once created and locked, I can click on the output object to begin audio generation.
Within Ableton Live, I need to set a channel that will receive the ReWire audio input sent from my Max patch. Selecting an audio channel, I've changed the 'Audio From' menu to select MaxMSP, and verified that I am using the first two outputs (the default output of the ezdac~ object). Now, if I change the Monitor setting from Auto to In, I can see the level meters light up, and will hear a 74 Hz tone coming through Live's audio output.
Connecting a Max/MSP patch into Digital Performer is equally simple. Since Max (and my patch) is already operating as a ReWire client, there is no need to change anything there. I start DP and change to the Mixer view of my project, then create a new Aux channel – making sure it is routed to an appropriate audio output. I then select MaxMSP 1-2 from the 'New Stereo Bundle' list to complete the setup. If I start the output of the patch, I will see that the audio is routed into the Digital Performer channel, and I can change volume, pan or add effects.
Interacting with the Host DAW
While it is nice that we can get audio from Max/MSP into our host application, anything beyond the most basic patch will need to get some information from the host – particularly timing and transport information. This is one of the powerful features of ReWire: it not only pipes audio, but also provides the necessary data to create host-aware patches. In order to access this data within Max/MSP, we need to learn about the hostsync~ object.
The help patch for hostsync~ is very informative; it shows the object retrieving the transport status, current time, current 'musical' settings (like time signature and tempo) and even the current loop settings. This is most of the information necessary to make a custom patch interact with the host in a more predictable way.
You have probably noticed that there is a metro connected to the input of the hostsync~ object. Why? Because data streaming in from a ReWire connection happens very fast, and using this data would, in most cases, require more conversion than necessary. By having all of the output as standard Max data types (integers, floats and lists) and using an input bang to 'sample' the high-speed datastream, we can reduce the amount of conversion necessary to make use of the output data.
Using the hostsync~.help patch, then running it while connected to our host, we can see the interaction between the host program and a Max patch.
Each time metro generates a bang message, hostsync~ reports the current state to the connected display objects. The next step is to use this information to create a host-aware patch.
To create this patch, I'm going to use a subset of the hostsync~ data: specifically, I'm going to use the beat output to trigger random frequency settings, and the bar output to trigger random filter changes. It's a simple patch, but you should be able to see some of the possibilities when using the hostsync~ object.
The output of the bar and beat outlets are used to drive two random objects, scaled to an easily audible note range, changed into frequencies (using the mtof function) then routed to audio objects. If you turn on the ezdac~ and metro objects, then start the transport of your ReWire host, you will hear the output of the patch match the timing of the host.
This patch could easily be improved by turning off the output when the transport is stopped (by using the transport state outlet to control the ezdac~ object), or by speeding up the output (using the fraction beat outlet). But this patch is a good example of using the host information for musical/compositional purposes.
While the output of the hostsync~ object can be useful, sometimes you need a faster or more precise output. This is the domain of an object named hostphasor~, which provides a synchronized phasor-like output tied to the host transport. Altering the above patch to use hostphasor~ (in this case, for filter cutoff animation) is fairly simple:
Since the one-cycle-per-quarter-note movement of the filter may not be to your liking, you may want to use the rate~ object to speed up or slow down the movement of the waveform, or even use the hostphasor~ output to drive a different waveform (using it as a phase driver, rather than a direct output).
In this case, we've used the hostphasor~ object to drive a triangle~ object (tweaked to our liking), at a rate 16x slower than the typical beat cycle. We've also scaled the output to 0-8000 Hz, giving us a basic filter sweep that occurs in time with the host's timing.
At this point, you are probably getting a little tired of the random note generation, and would like to control the notes from a MIDI channel in the DAW. You might also like to make the sound of the oscillator a little more interesting, so we will use frequency modulation (FM) to make the sound more complex. These two changes will make up the last patch of this tutorial.
In order to create and access incoming MIDI, we need to start at our host. Create a MIDI channel with some notes in it, and route the output to the Max/MSP ReWire MIDI output. In Ableton Live, this means selecting the 'MaxMSP' MIDI output (not the 'to MaxMSP' outputs!). You will see that the port changes to 'ReWire 1', indicating that the first (and only) ReWire MIDI channel will be used for output.
Within our patch, we need to disconnect the random system from controlling the saw~ object, and use the output of the notein object instead. In order to choose the MIDI port, we use the common 'midiinfo-to-menu' selection objects that you will see in most MIDI-based patches. We follow it up with a stripnote object (to remove the note-off messages), and route the note number through an mtof object to control the sawtooth waveform frequency.
To make the patch more interesting (and to use that forlorn hostsync~ object), we will extend the patch to use the 'fractional position' output of hostsync~ to drive a second oscillator, and have it frequency modulate the main oscillator. The output of hostsync~ is scaled (to +/- 4.0), then combined with the note value to create a fractional note value that is constantly changing. This value drives a cycle~ object, which in turn is scaled and used to drive the sawtooth oscillator. Initially, there won't be any difference in the sound, but if you increase the 'FM Depth' number box (especially past a value of .25), you will hear the sound become more uncontrolled and harsh. Large setting will drastically change the timbre and perceived pitch of the base notes.
Finally, in order to make it even less irritating, we can set up the velocity part of the note message to trigger a line~ object, which in turn closes down the output when no MIDI messages are being received. This prevents the patch from squawking when the ReWire transport is turned off.
What we did, what you can do..
In this article, we've created a ReWire connection to a host, and used the hostsync~, hostphasor~ and ReWire MIDI connection to create a Max/MSP patch that is controlled by the host. There are many ways you could extend this patch: you could add a synchronized sequencer for the note or filter settings, use the hostphasor~ for adding LFO-like modulations or add time-sync effects. One of the great side effects of the ReWire interface is the ease of creating patches that are responsive to the host environment.
In our next ReWire tutorial, we will look at having Max/MSP be the ReWire host, and using the rewire~ object to create a connection to several commercial ReWire clients. But until then, patch up a storm!
this tutorial was written in 2006, and it really solved my problem today in 2012.thanks
J
..and still in 2018..vital resource for beginners. Thanks Darwin! :thumbsup
I cannot get a MaxMSP 1-2, or any MaxMSP to show up in New Stereo Bundle in DP!There is a Propellerhead Software folder with a Rewire folder in it under my Mac hard drive icon/Application Support/Propellerhead Software.Is this is the wrong place?Can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.
Max supports ReWire, a software protocol developed by Propellerheads that allows data transfer and remote control among audio software applications. In addition to being able to route audio between Max and ReWire compatible applications, ReWire supports sending synchronization, transport, and tempo information both to and from Max and the host application. How to open a pcb file in android.
You can use Max as a ReWire client and route audio from Max into another application (such as Ableton Live or Digital Performer) using ad_rewire, a special audio driver.
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You can also use Max as a ReWire mixer using the rewire~ object and route audio to Max from other applications.
You cannot use both the ad_rewire audio driver and the rewire~ object simultaneously; When you try to use them at the same time, you won’t get any audio output because each is waiting for the other: the ad_rewire driver is waiting for the rewire~ object to ask it for an audio stream, but the rewire~ object can't do anything unless given processing time by an audio driver.
You can also use the ad_rewire driver when creating standalone applications.
Using Max as a ReWire client
To use Max as a ReWire client and route audio to another application the Max ad_rewire driver is used.
Enabling the ad_rewire driver
- Choose Audio Status from the Options menu to show the Audio Status window. Click in the Value column for the Driver setting and choose ad_rewire from the Driver pop-up window. The ReWire driver will be selected, and you will see Max listed as a ReWire device the next time you launch your host application.
With ad_rewire selected as the audio driver for Max, there are three MSP objects you can use to provide this information and to control the host’s transport:
- The hostcontrol~ object allows you to send commands to the ReWire host to start and stop the transport, set the transport position, change the tempo, change the time signature, and set loop points.
- The hostphasor~ object will output a beat-synchronized ramp (like the phasor~ object) when the host's transport is playing,. You can use this ramp output to drive your synthesizer in a beat-synchronous fashion or to trigger events on the beat.
- The hostsync~ object provides synchronization, transport, and tempo information about the current state of the ReWire host.
Connecting from Max to a host application using ReWire
- If you have not already done so, enable the ad_rewire driver as described above.
- Start the application you want to send Max audio output to.
- Create a channel in the host application to accept input from Max
- Open your Max patch and turn on the DSP
Hosting a ReWire client
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The rewire~ object is used when Max is used as a ReWire host, routing audio from other host applications to Max. The rewire~ object allows you to select a ReWire client, use the available audio outputs, send and receive MIDI messages and control the connected device’s transport controls.
Creating a connection from a ReWire client to Max
- Add a rewire~ object to your Max patch, connect the second outlet from the right to a umenu object, and add a second connection from the middle outlet of the umenu object to the rewire~ object. You will also need to add a button or loadbang object to send a bang message to the rewire~ object to populate the menu.
- Close the patch and click on the button. The umenu will be automatically populated with a listing of all available ReWire clients which can send audio to Max. Click on the umenu and select the client you want from the pop-up menu. You will see the message rewire~: opened deviceXXX in the Max Console.
Routing ReWire client audio outputs to Max outputs
- Connect the rightmost outlet of the rewire~ object in your Max patch to each of a pair of umenu and message box objects which are connected back to the rewire~ object.
- Close the patch and click on the button. The umenu objects will be automatically populated with a listing of all the ReWire audio outputs from the client application. Click on both umenu objects and select the clients you want from the pop-up menu.
- Clicking on a umenu selection will send the message map 1|2<client output> to the rewire~ object, routing the audio from the client application to the rewire~ object’s audio outlets for use in your Max patch.
In addition to routing audio from other applications through Max, the rewire~ object also lets you control the transport mechanism of any client application to which it is connected, and to send and receive MIDI messages. See the rewire~ help file and the rewire~ object Reference page for more information.
ReWire and MIDI
Rewire 2 also supports MIDI communication to and from ReWire Devices. Currently both the rewire~ object and the ad_rewire~ driver support MIDI, although they work in different ways.
When you use the ad_rewire driver, Max MIDI ports are automatically created so you can use the standard Max MIDI objects to send and receive MIDI. After you choose the ad_rewire driver in the Audio Status Window, MIDI ports will appear in the MIDI Setup window the next time it is opened.
Using MIDI with the ad_rewire driver
Dinot bold font free download mac. By default, the ad_rewire driver has two MIDI input channels and two MIDI output channels available for your use.
Setting up MIDI ports with the ad_rewire driver
- If you have not already done so, enable the ad_rewire driver as described above. Add a midiin object to your Max patch and Command-double-click (Macintosh) or Alt-double-click (Windows) on the midiin object to show the MIDI sources pop-up menu. The ReWire MIDI ports will be shown and you can choose them.
You can use the same procedure to set up an output port using the midiout object.
Adding MIDI ports to ReWire
- Choose Audio Status from the Options menu to show the Audio Status window. Double-click in the Value column for the Input Channels or Output Channels setting in the Audio Status window to get a text cursor, Type in the number of input or output channels you want followed by a carriage return. The new values will appear in the Value column, and the new number of MIDI input or output channels will be available via Max MIDI objects.
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Using MIDI with the rewire~ object
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When you use Max as a ReWire host using the rewire~ object, MIDI messages are automatically sent and received using the rewire~ object—it includes a dedicated outlet for MIDI messages, and you can use the midi message to the rewire~ object to send MIDI data to the ReWire clients. For more information about the format that the rewire~ object understands, see the rewire~ object Help file or the rewire~ object Reference page.
See Also
| Name | Description |
|---|
| Sharing Max Patchers | Sharing Max Patchers |
| Using Max with other applications | Using Max with other applications |
| MIDI | MIDI |