Introducing Max for Live MIDI Tools: Generative Powerhouses from Meyer Devices and Manifest Audio – now in our Max for Live store.
Attack Magazine is expanding its Max for Live lineup with a new category: MIDI Tools. Launching with the complete collections from acclaimed developers Meyer Devices and Manifest Audio, these devices mark an exciting evolution in generative sequencing and MIDI manipulation—purpose-built for Ableton Live 12 and above.
But what exactly are MIDI Tools? Introduced in Live 12, they’re not Max MIDI Effects or conventional devices you drag onto tracks. Instead, they integrate directly within Live’s MIDI clip editor, accessed through dedicated Generator and Transformation tabs.
Generators spark new musical ideas from scratch—whether intricate rhythms, algorithmic melodies, or polyrhythmic patterns. Transformations, on the other hand, reshape and recontextualize existing MIDI data, turning familiar clips into fresh material.
It’s a paradigm shift for workflow. No need for cumbersome routing or external plugins—just load a MIDI Tool into a clip, dial in a few parameters, and you’re off exploring new rhythmic and melodic territory.
For Philip Meyer of Meyer Devices, the philosophy is simple: MIDI tools shape music production much like a new synth would—by creating a fresh playground for experimentation and discovery. As he puts it, “Sequencers are basically pattern synthesizers.” Rather than generating audible waveforms, they generate streams of MIDI or CV data that we can feed to our sound-making devices. As makers of machine music, we’re used to tweaking the knobs and sliders of our favorite synths and audio effects. In my mind, the sequencer can also be a playful, intuitive music-making tool as a synth.”
Meyer’s full suite dives deep into rhythm, melody, and creative MIDI transformation. Standouts include:
- Blocks: A rhythmic generator built on proportional divisions, capable of crafting uneven, additive grooves well beyond typical grid-based sequencing.
- Even Seed: An improved take on random note clouds, ensuring more balanced, evenly spaced note events.
- Phrase Shuffler Pro: A surgical tool for rearranging MIDI fragments—ideal for resequencing breaks and adding controlled chaos.
- Pattern Transform: Dubbed by Meyer as “probably the most powerful of all of my MIDI Tools,” it excels at thinning, densifying, or harmonically altering patterns, all within key.
The key to Meyer’s design approach is accessibility without sacrificing depth. “My favorite instruments are the ones that deliver immediate results to the first-time user while also rewarding those that take the time to develop a relationship with the instrument,” he explains. Each tool is purpose-built to do one thing exceptionally well, allowing producers to chain and combine them as modular components in their workflow.
Manifest Audio’s contribution further enriches the offering. Their two Toolsets combine eleven MIDI Generators and fourteen Transformations, delivering a wide range of devices designed to enhance creative flow. Highlights include:
- Converser: Generative call-and-response generator for compelling rhythms and melodies.
- Metaflux: A melody and chord generator armed with seven distinct randomization algorithms.
- Metapulse: A pulse-based generator capable of intricate rhythmic patterns and melodic gestures.
- Typewriter: Converts ASCII text into MIDI patterns, transforming written words into musical ideas.
All tools from both developers are fully scale-aware, annotated in Ableton’s Info View, and ready to slot into any creative process, regardless of technical background.
In Meyer’s words: “When I’m making music, I want to think about music, not technology.” The arrival of MIDI Tools in Attack Magazine’s Max for Live collection ensures you can do exactly that—think less about programming, and more accessing new musical ideas.
MIDI Tools require Live 12.1.5 Suite or higher running Max 8.6.5 or above on Mac or PC.
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