Max for Live

Device Details


Overview

Name | Version: XO-DrumRack for Push 2 or Arturia Minilab MKII 1.0
Author: xanadu
Device Type: Instrument
Description: XO Drum Rack for Push 2 or Arturia Minilab MKII

The XO VST drum machine from XLN is very popular, mainly because it lets you quickly find exactly the right sound for each drum pad. This device transforms it into an Ableton Live Drum Rack. You can add your own effects to each drum pad, each with 16 macros. There are also 6 send/return tracks, each with its own 16 macros, as well as a mixer to control the volume and balance of the 8 pads. Finally, you can add effects with macros to the track’s output. In total, there are 15 chains.

You can manage the XO VST’s sound configuration and all Drum Rack parameters using a Push 2, while the Push 2’s built-in sequencer continues to work. It uses the personal version of P2D from Sigabort for this, which needs to be installed separately. For a more affordable alternative, you can also fully control this device with an Arturia Minilab MKII keyboard.

Although you can control the device with a mouse, that’s not really the intention. This software is inspired by a “DAW-less” approach, where you don’t want to stare at a complex computer screen but instead want to physically turn knobs with minimal distractions. If you’re using a Push 2, you’ll see all the necessary information on its LCD screen. For the Minilab, there’s a screen tailored to an iPad running apps like Duet or Twomon, so you can place the iPad right next to your Minilab.

In a genuinely DAW-less setup, you’d also need a groovebox to combine all your sounds. These can easily cost 500 euros, pounds, or dollars, and they always have fewer capabilities than Ableton Live. That’s why I’m still using Live, but I aim to keep my focus on the individual sounds without constantly looking at Live’s complex interface.

This is the first version of this Drum Rack. It’s quite extensive, offering more than 30 parameters per drum pad. If there’s enough demand, I may create a smaller variant with 16 or 8 parameters per pad.

Developing this device took a considerable amount of time and was an enjoyable process. I’m not much of a musician myself, but I hope others will enjoy using this Drum Rack. Suggestions for improvement are always welcome.

Details

Live Version Used: 11.3.35
Max Version Used: 8.5.8
Date Added: Jan 19 2025 13:43:00
Date Last Updated: Feb 26 2025 21:54:45
Downloads: 191
ⓘ License: None
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Files

Device File: XO_DrumRack.zip
 


Comments

Hi,
I am always amazed to see devices use the push screen. And I would love to give it a try but I don’t know where I can still get P2D. I think the option to download it from the linked side is gone. 
Any help would be very welcome. 
Posted on January 22 2025 by n0ael | Report Issue
Sigabort is still alive and kicking! The url is https://www.sigabort.co/p2d.html . I had to contact Sigabort the other day for another matter and got a reply email within 2 hours!

I would not have published my device if P2D was no longer available. But it is available for 5 euro and it is working with Live 11 and 12, MaxForLive 8 and Max 9.0.

Greetings, Willem (aka Xanadu)
Posted on January 22 2025 by xanadu | Report Issue
BTW: the link is also in the manual that comes with the device.
Posted on January 22 2025 by xanadu | Report Issue
Thank you 🙏 
Posted on January 22 2025 by n0ael | Report Issue
Hello guys ! On the website P2D seems to be temporarily unavailable...
Posted on January 27 2025 by mrka | Report Issue
Hi, I reached out to Sigabort. They aim to get P2D back on their website https://www.sigabort.co/p2d.html before next tuesday February 4. Willem (AKA Xanadu)
Posted on January 30 2025 by xanadu | Report Issue
On the website Sigabort says P2D will be available for purchase again on 31/01/2025. But today, 02/02/2025 it's still unavailable. So we can't trust the little company. I'm trying to create my own driver for the Push2 LCD screen. It must be coded in C on a pretty low level. No success yet. I haven't touched C or C++ for 20+ years, but ChatGTP is helpfull. If I can get this job done the driver will be integrated into the download. No promiss though.

Willem (aka Xanadu)
Posted on February 05 2025 by xanadu | Report Issue
Thank you Xanadu!
I hope you will be able to figure this out. I would love if I could help you but I don’t now anything about programming software (I prefer programming beats) 
Posted on February 05 2025 by n0ael | Report Issue
Today I've reaches a major breakthrough. I can blend frames for the Push2 from MaxForLive with frames coming from Ableton Live. For every pixel I can set a mask that determines if pixels from Live will reach the Push2 or pixels from MaxForLive. There also is a blend mode that determinse per pixel the brightness for both streams with a factor from 0.0 to 1.275.

This was a major task for me: creating two dynamic link libraries in C/C++. I did not program C++ anymore since about 2000. With the help of ChatGTP I reached success on all critical parts of thsi project. ChatGTP is not a great programmer, but it has an enourmous knowledge of program code that can be found on the internet. It also is a nice buddy that always stimulates me to go on.

This is how it's gonna work. The libusb-1.0.dll file that came with Live is renamed to libusb-1.0.original.dll. I created a new libusb-1.0.dll which comes in between Live and the original one. My libusb-1.0.dll can:
1. blend frames from Live and MaxForLive on a per pixel basis. The brightness for both streams can be set from 0 to 1.275.
2. Send the frames from Live to MaxForLive as jit.matrices.
3. Adjust the blend mask on command from MaxForLive.

There also is a wjl_push2_lcd external for MaxForLive.
This device:
1. Sends jit.matrices to libusb-1.0.dll.
2. It also sends display commands to control the blending for each pixel of the display. You can set the blend mode for any reagin defined by xPos yPos width height or the whole display. Blend modes include Live only and MaxForLive only.
3. Receive the frames from Live as jit.matrices. I don't know if this is very usefull, but using thsi feature we can have parts of the Live stream to the Push2 in our MaxForLive patchers..

I'm sorry this is Windows 10 or 11 only, no MacIntosh/Apple. I don't have a Mac.

I'm so glad I could solve the puzzle after about 2 weeks!

Greetings,

Willem (AKA Xanadu)
Posted on February 26 2025 by xanadu | Report Issue
So does this mean it is working now without any third party help? Congratulations 
Posted on February 27 2025 by n0ael | Report Issue
yes from MaxForLive we can control the LCD on the Push2. We can send the frames from Live or a jit.matrix from Max or blend the streams as like, on a pixel by pixel basis. Some work has still to be done before I can publish this solution. It we be free and open source.
Posted on February 27 2025 by xanadu | Report Issue

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