Description

If you're in the habit of working with rather extensive Ableton Live projects and multiple MIDI controllers, you are undoubtedly familiar with the problems caused by having to adjust Live's internal routing while being in the middle of a jam or recording session:

You've just been sequencing a drum clip using e.g. your Ableton Push, but then you want to switch over to e.g. your QuNeo to add some live percussion, but since e.g. your Bass Station II is running a sequence of it's own, just setting the drum-track's 'MIDI From' to 'All Ins' is simply not an option. So, as you probably know all too well, the only option left is assigning a dedicated track to the QuNeo and then change it's 'MIDI To' settings on the fly to match with whatever you want to do next. However, changing this routing unfortunately causes Live to freeze for a second, potentially messing up the sync between Live and some of your external hardware instruments and generally causing a whole bunch of anger, vexation and despair...

Which is exactly what drove me to create a Max for Live device that would once and for all get rid of this problem: a really astonishingly simple yet quite ingenious 32 track MIDI router and receiver that allows you to assign any MIDI controller to any instrument track on the fly without ever having to worry about potential freezes or losing sync with your external hardware again, imaginatively called Live MIDI Router / Receiver.

Just create a dedicated MIDI channel for each controller (set it's 'MIDI From' to the controller in question, set 'MIDI To' to 'No output' + arm the track) and drop an instance of the 'MIDI_Router' device on it, create as much instrument tracks as you need (set the 'MIDI From' to 'No Input') and drop an instance of the 'MIDI_Receiver' device on every single one of them: You are now able to assign a MIDI controller to an instrument by making a one-on-one connection between a router and a receiver by selecting a track number on both the router and receiver, et voila...

Oh, and if you think these devices look somewhat strange when compared to other Max for Live devices you know, that is because I believe in the idea of 'transparent software': by letting the user actually see how a given program or patch works, one is able to both demystify the realm of software and empower the user to modify, tweak and gain mastery over the software he or she uses, instead of being hopelessly subjugated by it. And after all, is that not exactly what life is about? ;-)

P.S.: As the device actually consists of two devices (Router and Receiver), the download is a .zip-file, just containing the two .amxd- files.

Enjoy!