Scalomat

[Mat]

Hi,
i just added a new module in the user area: the "Scalomat"
http://www.jazzmutant.com/lemuruser_moduledetails.php?id=92

It is another kind of masterkeyboard playing Midinotes by Pads. 5 Octaves, 7 Tones each. Midiport:0

Why only 7 tones instead of normal 11?
Because most usual scales use only 7 tones each octave - so it provides you from hitting the wrong key while jamming along. (If you are a Jazzmusican you might laugh at that, but for musicans who are not into scaling it might be quit usefull)

You can choose the Midichannel on the upper left. The Key-velocity is the big fader at the right.

Choose Mainscale at the red knob (default=0=C; 2=D; 3=D#;...like semitones on a "real" keyboard).

All other(6) semitones are RELATIVE to the main scale. For a minor scale (default) it would be 2-3-5-7-9-11. For a major scale the semitone-steps will be 2-4-5-7-9-11. (simpley change tone number3 from 3 to 4)

Advantage: If you change "Mainscale" from C(0) to F(5) the Pads will still present that kind of scale (major/minor...etc) you choosen for them. (Well..it sound more complicated than it is - just have a try)

I added 4 Multisliders for Controls like Filter or FX (Midich2; CC 31-34). You can remove them, they are not part of the Scalomat.

If you change the tone while playing its pad, it will hold the last tone, because it misses the midioff-message (send if leaving the pad). So don´t do it

There´s one bug i´ve got: Sometimes the pads in the middle column flicker if you press them (and therefore sending midi on/off). I don´t know if that is due to the programming or due to my personal lemur. So please give a feedback on that point.

Thanx and have fun *Mat

[Mat]

Anyone tried it out so far?

What do you think about the concept?
...and did you have that flickering of pads sometimes?

G*Mat

[Hugues]

Hello Mat,

I like the concept, it's very flexible and it's fun to play with it.

I didn't experience the flickering pads in the middle column while checking it out, but perhaps I didn't play with it long enough. How often is it happening on your Lemur ? What happens if you decrease the size of your pads and move them to the right or to the left so that the middle coumn does not correspond to the center of the Lemur screen ? Does changing your touchscreen filtering to high make a difference ?

[Mat]

Dear Hugues,

thanks for your comment on the concept

The flickering of the pads sometimes accured really frequent and other times nearly not ... strange...
Changing the size or position of the pads did not matter. But reducing (!) the touchscreen filtering helped a lot - so now it happens less often. You can still experience it, if you press more pads near to each other at once....hm.... it is not as bad as before, but it would be nice to get rid of that... any ideas?

[Mat]

Hi,
i updated the scalomat to version 2 and fixed a real bad bug:
The flickering of the pads was due to the variable-programming in version 1
(the pitch, which always changed +1 if you pressed a pad, triggered the midi message .. some kind of... what was completely wrong...)

But now everything works fully reliable !
(the midi message is now triggered by the x of the pads and the pitch is independent)

I also added a notelength function, which sends a delayed note-off message. The notelength is indicated by the glowing pads.

Furthermore you can add 2 tones now, alway relative to the pad you play - like a fifth e.g.

Hope you enjoy it *Mat

[Mat]

I´ve uploaded a video on youtube, where i play around a little with the module and explain it at the end of the video for those who are interested in.....

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=ny_lxU3ClKY

If you got any problems with the patch or some suggestions to make it better feel free to leave a comment....

[djthopa]

Good work mate, will try this afternoon, looks really good

[gato]

Great work Mat!

i use a similar approach in my setup, but with the scales being controlled by Scale midi plugs in Live. THis is much more elegant!

I'm trying to implement a feature that i use a lot, because i play some improv sessions in a jazz infected project:

would it be possible to have a number of presets for the values that are in the semi knobs? my understanding of the lemur parser is very limited, i'm messing with the "set" vector, but not getting anywhere really!

my idea is to have say 5 or 6 custom buttons (or pads) that reset the semi knobs to certain modes

what do you think?

cheers and keep up the good job!
_________________
Rui Gato
www.ruigato.info
www.how.pt

[Mat]

Thanks
(it really gives me a big smile, that you like especially this module. Because i had the idea for that even before buying the lemur.... and it took me some time to realise it...)

@gato:
some presets would be really nice! But for the moment i don´t know how to do that - particulary:the indicated value of the (semitone) knobs have to jump into the preset-chosen position/meaning... and - as far as i know - "saving" a preset is up to MAX.... but if i find a solution i will shure update.
Thanks for your comment and have a nice jam .... Mat

[jmeager]

Hi Mat,

Just wanted to say how much I am enjoying your patch.The concept is great - I find it really intuitive, and expressive. It is proving very useful as a page in my Lemur set up.

I have watched your YouTube video also - very good again, I especially like the walkthrough.

[Mat]

@ jmeager: really nice to hear thanx!

I updated the scalomat. But no big changes: I just figured out that by the version-skip from 1.6 to 2.0 of the Jazzeditor the color turned dark blue, so I uploaded it with the original color (like in the picture). Also i added a monitor for notelength in seconds.

[jmeager]

Great - I'm pleased with the update - it's been a bit hard to see in blue!

I have a quick question:

I'm building a step sequencer and I'd like to set a note length parameter for it that sets the length of each step.

I've tried pulling yours apart a bit, and I can see some important bits in, but I can't figure out how to apply them in my own scenario. Do you have any ideas?

[Mat]

@ jmeager

The notelength at the "Scalomat" is done by 2 separate Custommidimessages.
Note on is triggered if a pad is going to 1. Note off is triggered if the pad reaches 0 ("ceil" the value so it is only triggered if it is really 0 and not if it is 0.2 for instance) So the notelength is done here by the sustain of the pads...
That is also what leads to the "bug" that if you change a pitch while the corresponding pad is played, it will play the old note for ever. Because the note off is now send on the new pitch.
In the last update I set it that a change in pitch will do a automatically Note off. But you still have to move the pitch across your hanging note...well. If you don´t like that behaviour change the triggertype of the pitch in the noteoff messages from "any" to "none" again....

In general: I don´t know if it is good to start with the "Scalomat" for doing a stepsequencer, cause there is no sequencing or midiclock in it. But I uploaded a Stepsequencer called "Stripe":

http://www.jazzmutant.com/lemuruser_moduledetails.php?id=120

...maybe that help a little. But don´t ask me into deep about the scripting there. I had done it in the old V1.6 without Multilinescripting so it is some kind of nasty.... also I didn´t understand every line. Some of them are just copies of the Jazzmutant Stepsequencer that turned out to work without me understanding them.

I stopped developing stepsequencers on the Lemur because they are not tight. This is because the clock on the Lemur depends on the scanning through the pages and the more work he got to do he gets out of time

So for a reliable stepsequencer you have to go into Max/Msp or use a Maxpatch like the "Instamatic" for instance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2cPKwp6U3k well.... at the moment this is not online on LoFis page: http://lofimassahkah.net/.....

But good news: At the Musikmesse a few days ago Hugues showed me a stepsequencer in Max that should be published in the next weeks on the Lemur-homepage. So hold on.....

[fdevil]

Hi mat,

I've just seen the video, thanks for the work and the explanation.
The scalomat seems a good alternative to a real keyboard, like the idea of scales to play with synths live ... I really like the behaviour of the note length with the lights too ... well ... I'll try it !
_________________
Franck

http://www.franckdevilleneuve.com

[Mat]

Hey mutants,

I just updated my Scalomat:
http://www.jazzmutant.com/lemuruser_moduledetails.php?id=92
(don´t mind the picture, it is an old one i´ve accidently uploaded)

Beneath all the other features mentioned above it got now a real switch mode in Version 4.
The "hold mode" in prior versions just held all indicated note as long as the hold mode button was pressed again. But if the new switch mode is activated you can switch notes individually on and off! These switched on notes stay on even if you return to normal mode - so you can play along while some notes are still hold on - as long as you press their pad again. (thanks to Antonio Blanca for the tip how to change between switch and normal pad mode with a little script)

For all who are interested in, the script is like