These plugins can be downloaded here
The idea and technique behind it is originally developed for use in EboSuite, but it can be useful in other situations as well.
Examples:
- playing chords live on various internal or external synth voices that are monophonic.
- control your modular synth polyphonically, e.g. together with Ableton’s CV Tools
- easily record chords with only one synth voice in different takes
- playing one melody or chords with a bunch of variations of one sound to make it more lively
Here is a video showing some of these use cases:
Requirements:
- Live 9 or higher with Max for Live
- Mac OS 10.12 or higher or Windows 10 (64 bit versions only)
Manual:
First, check this video to get an idea (this is an explanation for use with EboSuite, but most applies to the standalone version as well).
Install the plugins by placing it in your User Library.
To add the ePoly plug-in to your Live set just drag the plug-in from the browser within Ableton Live to a MIDI track.
The ePoly plug-in distributes incoming MIDI notes over ePolyVoice devices (and eSimplers and eSamplers if you use it with EboSuite) on the same track and to MIDI tracks to the right side of the MIDI track it is loaded on. (You always need both devices to let this function properly.)
This way you can control multiple sounds on different MIDI tracks at the same time to create harmonies (polyphonic).
ePoly will automatically look for ePolyVoice plug-ins on MIDI tracks to the right side of the track it is loaded on. ePoly will show these tracks in the interface, represented as green dots.
Polyphony pop-up menu
Use the polyphony pop-up menu to set the maximum number of notes that are allowed to play simultaneously (and are distributed over an equal number of eSamplers). According to the selected Mode.
Mode
This parameter determines how the incoming notes are distributed. The following allocation modes are available:
- First: incoming MIDI notes will be send to the first non playing voice (eSampler on MIDI track to the right side)
- Up: incoming MIDI notes will be send to the first non playing voice increasing from previous
- Up/Down: incoming MIDI notes will be send to the first non playing voice increasing from previous and going
back down from max (outer voices are used less) - Random: random, but without repetition
- Oldest: available note with longest of time
Stealing
If you play more than the maximum number of notes you can choose to overtake running notes in various ways.
(There is one exception: if the value of this parameter is ‘Mode’ then the Mode parameter has priority and can overtake notes before the maximum number is reached). The following stealing modes are available:
- Off: no stealing, if maximum notes are reached new notes are ignored
- Highest: highest playing
- Lowest: lowest playing
- Mid: NOT highest/lowest playing
- Random: random
- Oldest: longest on
- Closest: closest note number
- Mode: using allocation mode without checking if it is playing or not
Reset
Allows you to reset the Mode and Stealing history in order to be able to have a reproducible result.
ePolyVoice
The note data is received through this device. An indicator will be on if a note is active. It is also possible to allow midi data that is on that track to pass through (e.g. to have different midi cc automation per voice or to route the same midi data to all playing voices).