Using Max/MSP as a DAW for Emote

[John Baylies]

I've developed a version of this Max patch to help me find the ideal way to control an H9000 with a PS4 controller that's velcro'd to the side of my tuba. This patch puts all of the H9000's Functions on one page, allows you to name Functions, includes a comprehensive way of attaching modulation sources to Functions, and it can save everything as presets. I'd recommend having an intermediate understanding of Max/MSP (pattr, hi, midi, abstractions in bpatchers with replaceable arguments) before using this patch.

Download: https://etide.io/p00Ge (works best with Max 8.1.11)

Here are the steps to get the patch up and running:

1. Connect your H9000 to your computer via Ethernet and USB-B.

2. Open "Emote Control.maxproj". Emote should automatically open. If it does not, then in the "H9000 Controls" max patch, click the `open emote` button.

3. In the Emote plugin, connect to your H9000.

    Note: Emote must be connected to your H9000 in order to control it via Functions.

    Another note: to save GPU, leave Emote on Devices View when you're not looking at it.

4. Emote menubar > Session > Open > select the "Emote Control" session in the folder named "other".

5. In Emote's Setup View, make sure `tempo mode` is set to `DAW`

6. Make sure all FX Chain outputs are going to your monitors.

7. Make sure all FX Chain inputs are the same, and set to wherever you'd like you receive audio from. If you would like to receive audio from prerecorded guitar stems from within Max/MSP, then in the "H9000 Controls" max patch, click Max menubar > View > Presentation, and scroll to the top right of the patch. The green panel highlights audio that can be used for testing.

    Note: In the "H9000 Controls" max patch, each row corresponds to an FX Chain, and each row has 8 containers that correspond to Emote's Functions. Each container has 12 dials that can be adjusted by clicking and dragging up or down, which control how much the associated modulation paths affect the function. Modulation paths include the PS4 controller's joysticks' axis's: L.H. ( left horizontal ) L.V. ( left vertical ) etc. The PS4 controller buttons X, square, triangle, circle. And four audio envelopes. The colors behind the dials correspond to the colors elsewhere in the GUI.

    Another note: The containers each have three useful buttons. Red resets the container. Blue fullscales the container. White opens the taper edit window. There's also the Inv button, which inverts the taper before it reaches the blue bar. This blue bar scales the taper's min and max. the numbers on the left and right sides of the containers are the blue bar's min and max. The control signal flow is: modulation paths > dials > taper window > Inv > blue bar > emote.

8. Pair your PS4 controller with your computer.

9. in the "H9000 Controls" max patch, click the `reset controller` button. The "PS4 MIDI Controller" patch will appear. If your controller is connected properly, then the X, square, triangle, and circle buttons should make the associated buttons in the "PS4 MIDI Controller" patch blink. If they do not all blink, then you will have to edit the "PS4 MIDI Controller" patch yourself, and adjust the route object so that it routes the PS4 controller's parameters appropriately. Unfortunately different model #s of PS4 controllers may require different routing.

    Note: `poll` determines how often (in ms) data is sent from the PS4 controller to the H9000.

    Another note: The `reset controller` button exists because the PS4 controller will disconnect from Big Sur after 15 minutes of inactivity. After reconnecting the controller to Big Sur, click the "reset controller" button to reconnect the controller to the patch.

10. in the "H9000 Controls" max patch, click the number "1" above "store a preset:", type "2", then hit the `enter` key. This should load a pattr preset I've made for the "Emote Controls" session.

11. At the bottom of the "H9000 Controls" max patch, make sure the menu is set to "H9000 USB Audio". This allows the d-pad to use Scenes to activate FX Chains by unmuting the first alg in the selected chain and muting the first alg in the last selected chain. The d-pad is also simultaneously used for tap tempo.

GLHF!

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