re-synth project

May 2024

Solving the Infrastructure Puzzle

I have used Sibelius as my notation software for more years than I can remember.

And Ableton Live will be the program that the "Techs" keyboards will be connected to.

The 4 "Tech" soloists in re-synth will read standard music notation. When they play a note, a looped sample, known as a clip in Ableton Live, will be triggered in tempo. Playing the same note again will end playback of the clip.

When I compose, I like to hear how things flow in context.

I thought it would be relatively simple to send the Techs' note triggers and FX controls from Sibelius to Ableton.

That turned out to be neither simple nor obvious!

Apple's macOS includes a function to send MIDI data across programs. Inter Application Communication (IAC) has been around for years. Testing the IAC driver seemed, at first, to be the solution. However, when I started editing notes assigned to the IAC output in Sibelius a MIDI feedback loop was triggered and the program would usually crash after 20 to 30 seconds.

Over the period of a week or so, I tried all sorts of third party solutions which also seemed promising only to eventually fail the same way IAC did. (Thanks to Audeonic Apps for a promo version of MIDIFire!)

What I needed to do was separate the input to Sibelius from its output.

I connected my Novation LaunchKey Mini controller and mapped it as the Sibelius input device.

I connected a Bluetooth MIDI adapter (Yamaha BT-01) to a Casio Privia PX-560M keyboard and set its MIDI Out channel to MIDI Thru.

With the input and outputs now separated the issue was finally resolved.

The video below demonstrates Sibelius communicating with Ableton in real-time with zero latency.

Top line is a clarinet sound playing a virtual instrument from NotePerformer

Next are 3 sets of 2 staves representing channels 01 through 03 in Ableton.

The first staff in the group is the note that Sibelius sends to Ableton to trigger the loop on / off.

The second staff is sending the MIDI Control Messages that simulate the player turning the knob on their keyboard.

Watch the Ableton screen (right) as the the clips (Red, Green, Blue) turn on and off as Sibelius "plays" their notes.

You can also see the FX controls moving in the bottom left area of Ableton when the clip is triggered.

(Note, the green playback line in Sibelius is not in sync, but this isn't much of an issue as long as the playback is!)

Dorian or Phrygian?

Following the standard concerto grosso form, re-synth will be in 3 movements – Fast - Slow - Fast. Instead of simply moving from major to minor and back to major, I decided "go modal" instead. I selected the modes of the outer movements (1-Lydian and 3-Mixolydian), then asked the WSU students to vote on whether Dorian or Phrygian mode sounded "more minor" or simply which mode they preferred and why.

With 32 votes, the winner by 12.5 % is DORIAN!

Here are some of the comments students made in choosing one or the other:

Dorian

"Sounds a little less chaotic", "Sounds like a sad folk song", "I enjoy how it feels in my brain over Phrygian"

Phrygian

"It sounds cooler and more complete", "Darker", "This mode felt more soulful and exotic"

The students (and a few faculty) have spoken – movement two will be in Eb Dorian mode … 6 flats!

Consulting the Guru

Dr. J. Anthony Allen and I met some years ago at the MN Music Educators Association (MMEA) Mid-Winter conference. He is a certififed Ableton instructor and founder of Slam Academy in the Twin Cities.

We met via Zoom recently to discuss the re-synth project. My main question to him was, "What am I missing?" He had some excellent suggestions about how to structure the Ableton set and also put my mind at ease that my concept wasn't impossible. As I begin working with the samples in June, I'm sure there will be more Zoom calls.

Taking a short break

Before I got the good news from MN State Arts Board that the grant had been approved, my wife and I planned a trip to visit family in Germany. I believe it is fortunate that I will have some time away from the project later in May and come back refreshed and ready to do the real work of composing in June and July.

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