Using Processing with Ableton for midi output (HELP)

littlebrain

Hi, a noob here

I have a Arduino Project that uses sensors like motion and sound to trigger sound. I have a lack of time to learn Max just because of a deadline and was told Processing can be used to trigger midi generation with Ableton. Currently I've got the hardware component of Arduino settled and is working. My real problem has to do with the software side on how to use the Ableton and Arduino to trigger my midi (KONTAKT) from the laptop.

I'm basically stuck here on this part, not knowing how to start from using Midi processing library to hook it up ableton. Can you advise me on guideline or a roadmap on how to get started

Would appreciate your feedback, cause i'm on a dead line. Thanks

colouredmirrorball

The problem with MIDI is that it only works with hardware devices which you connect to the computer. Fortunately some people made emulators which trick the software into thinking there is a MIDI device connected while in reality the device is fully virtual. It appears as a MIDI in or out port in programs and simply sends MIDI signals it gets on its out port (as if the program was sending them to a device) and returns them to its in port. You'll have to do a search for virtual MIDI device on your OS. Then you can send MIDI signals to the virtual device from Processing and retrieve them in Ableton.

• Install virtual MIDI port
• Assign MIDI library in Processing to use the virtual MIDI port as output
• Convert Arduino signals in Processing to MIDI signals (eg CC commands)
• Set the virtual MIDI device's output port as input in Ableton
• Enjoy your home made MIDI device!

I think Ableton supports OSC (I would be surprised if it wouldn't). Maybe that's an easier solution: it's more flexible than MIDI and has no problem sending data to a program on the same computer. There is a Processing library which works quite well. Might be worth checking out if you run into trouble with the virtual MIDI device.

littlebrain

I got my Arduino and Processing talking

but how do i set up my midibus to Ableton and trigger my KONTAKT channels?

colouredmirrorball

What is KONTAKT?

As I said, you need to install a virtual MIDI device. This is software from a third party (like LoopBe) or maybe your OS has something installed by default. You'll need to sort that out for your own situation or give more information about your system. If everything goes right, you'll see this when you do MidiBus.list():

Available MIDI Devices:
----------Input----------
[0] "LoopBe Internal MIDI"
[1] "Real Time Sequencer"
----------Output----------
[0] "Gervill"
[1] "Microsoft MIDI Mapper"
[2] "Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth"
[3] "LoopBe Internal MIDI"
[4] "Real Time Sequencer"

(with no other MIDI devices attached). I have the LoopBe virtual MIDI device installed, use the one you have.

Then you set it up like this:

myBus = new MidiBus(this, "LoopBe Internal MIDI", "LoopBe Internal MIDI");

and whenever you get something from the Arduino (this part is entirely up to you):

myBus.sendControllerChange(0, channel, value);