Lemur: now one of the best reasons to own an iPad

I don't know if people are using Ableton Live, but if you are and have an Ipad, Lemur with the Mu template is amazing. I just got it hooked up briefly last night after a little struggle (If I'd just RTFM more clearly, it would've taken 10 minutes). Wow!!! Basically, you need get the Ipad generating midi via wireless network or wired (CC kit or other method), copy the Mu 1.2 folder to your Max folder, drag the Mu max object into a Live set and the template appears on the Ipad. It's sort of like Touch Osc or Touchable, but there are custom templates for all?most? Live effects and instruments that automatically show up when the effects are used which have some amazing features like x/y controls with adjustable friction assignable on the fly to parameters of whatever effect you're working on. I was immediately getting some really cool results and it's worth the $50 just for that.

There's a huge library of templates already available for Lemur/Ipad and I bet they will expand greatly given the huge increase in the use of Lemur that porting to the Ipad should bring.

I do look forward to what people come up with specifically for the Axe. I haven't had a chance to look into creating anything myself yet, but the possibilities seem immense. I love the look of the amp tweaking pages I saw here. Thanks for sharing what you discover. It's a great time be a somewhat techy guitar player.
 
I hope these links work.

Here's my AxeFX Ultra/Standard AMP1/AMP2 parameter editor, and it includes the "Extball" template (see below).
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/54889552/ultra_amps_extball_01.jzml

Here's a fun template I call "Extball". This is for controlling EXT1 thru EXT8 using Lemur multiball objects.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/54889552/extball_01.jzml

Extball features:
- Two Multiball objects, each with two balls
- Tap the 'Assign' pad to switch between assign mode and range mode.
- Each ball generates X and Y values that can be mapped to one or more EXT1-EXT8 controllers. Assign mode is where you map the X or Y value to one or more EXT1-EXT8 controllers.
- Each ball has two Range objects which can be used to modify the range of CC values transmitted. For instance, if you want a bouncing ball to generate CC values in a range between to values (other than the default 0-127), it is easy to do using the Range objects.
- When multiple balls are controlling the same EXT1-EXT8 controller, the template computes the average value.
- The bottom row of switches allows one to enable or disable the transmission of CC messages.
 
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Hi Folks

Has anyone tried Lemur with the Jabrudian Industries, Wireless OSC/Midi converter yet? This little box is a stand-alone wifi to midi converter. As far as I can see you can just plug it into the standard midi ports on the Axe and communicate to and from your iPad via wifi, NO PC NEEDED :) How cool is that. It can be permanently mounted in your rack and powered via a 9VDC plug-pack. Put the iPad on a microphone stand in front of you and tweak away while playing, or walk around the venue at sound-check and adjust your tone (if you have wireless guitar T/X, if you don't, check out Brace Audio, best wireless in the world :)). I gotta have one :)
Cheers S ( 0 )===:::
 
Simon,

I bought the Jabrudian Missing Link and although I haven't spent too much time messing with it (I prefer to play guitar when I get a chance...), I think it's pretty cool. I posted about it, so please do a search on the forum. I'm using TouchOSC cause it's much cheaper than Lemur. There's a couple of downsides like the lack of feedback from the Axe to the iPad (fx block states are not correct, can't display tuner info etc.) but all in all it works. Expression fx like wah will not sound smooth but stutter...

Cheers,

M.
 
...I'm using TouchOSC cause it's much cheaper than Lemur. There's a couple of downsides like the lack of feedback from the Axe to the iPad (fx block states are not correct, can't display tuner info etc.) but all in all it works.
Are you saying that you can update the fx block states and display the tuner when using a different interface?
 
Are you saying that you can update the fx block states and display the tuner when using a different interface?

Everything you can do with a MFC using the standard midi cable can be done with something like Lemur. Same goes for Axe-Edit. I don't think MidiOSC has quite the power, I think there are some things like the status of the blocks that are only accessible via the RJ45 link to the MFC. Go and have a look on the wiki at all the midi commands available on the Axe and that will give you an idea of what can be achieved via a third party device. I am still waiting for my midi interface but have read the Lemur manual and can't see any real issues with controlling and monitoring pretty much everything. I will certainly let you know next week when the interface arrives and post the templates.

Cheers Simon ( o )===:::
 
Everything you can do with a MFC using the standard midi cable can be done with something like Lemur.
So far I've just scanned through the Lemur manual, but it's not clear whether it can parse the sysex messages coming back from the Axefx. I know about the commands documented in the wiki--I'm one of the people who figured that stuff out and documented it. My question was specifically whether someone had that functionality working on an iPad.

As to block states, it doesn't matter whether you use MIDI or rj45, the same functions are available. Dump/load is only available via MIDI straight to the computer.

Edit: Did some more reading and the current version of Lemur is limited to a maximum message size of 127 bytes. I haven't monitored all the messages back and forth to the MFC, but the get patch request is shown in the wiki as being over 2 kB long. Even if they extend the array size in the next version as expected, we don't know if they will handle that much data for one response.

I'm guessing you are further along with this since you are stating Lemur can handle the MFC message traffic, so I'm curious as to the missing details.
 
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Hi Folks

Has anyone tried Lemur with the Jabrudian Industries, Wireless OSC/Midi converter yet? This little box is a stand-alone wifi to midi converter. As far as I can see you can just plug it into the standard midi ports on the Axe and communicate to and from your iPad via wifi, NO PC NEEDED :) How cool is that. It can be permanently mounted in your rack and powered via a 9VDC plug-pack. Put the iPad on a microphone stand in front of you and tweak away while playing, or walk around the venue at sound-check and adjust your tone (if you have wireless guitar T/X, if you don't, check out Brace Audio, best wireless in the world :)). I gotta have one :)
Cheers S ( 0 )===:::

Simon,

I bought the Jabrudian Missing Link and although I haven't spent too much time messing with it (I prefer to play guitar when I get a chance...), I think it's pretty cool. I posted about it, so please do a search on the forum. I'm using TouchOSC cause it's much cheaper than Lemur. There's a couple of downsides like the lack of feedback from the Axe to the iPad (fx block states are not correct, can't display tuner info etc.) but all in all it works. Expression fx like wah will not sound smooth but stutter...

Cheers,

M.

WHOA! This missing link looks bad ass & *MIGHT* be exactly what I'm looking for! I've been trying to figure out a way to omit a PC on stage. I want this for live use & keep it minimal.
 
Just had a thought....

Lemur supports multiple targets for midi comm. So it should be possible to connect:
iPad + camera connection kit + powered USB hub + 2X2 MIDI interface

No computer. If Lemur can handle the large sysex messages, there's the solution.

EDIT: Does not work with either MidiSport2X2 or MOTU MicroLite. I tried a DLink and a Belkin powered hub with both. Bummer.
 
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One more thing... I'm seeing some posts indicating the core midi wireless network connections are limited to something just over 1 kB message length. If you are thinking about a wireless setup it's probably worth checking this out to see if it will be an issue.

When I get a chance I'll hook up my MFC via MIDI in merge mode and see what the message sizes are.
 
Hi Folks
Sorry folks, got ahead of myself, I realize there is still an issue with parsing hence my comment "something like Lemur".
I have a few ideas I'm working on and I'll keep you posted. I don't have my MFC manual here but I am sure there is a comment about not being able to update the states of the IA buttons when using the standard midi cable as opposed to the RJ45.
Cheers S
 
As far as I can determine, if Lemur can't support this then nothing currently available can. Anyone know of any other possibilities?
 
Regarding sysex message size, I created a simple Lemur template to display the size (number of bytes) and contents of the incoming sysex message. The results are not good.

  • Sysex messages up to 31 bytes in length can be received successfully
  • For sysex messages between 32 and about 48 bytes, sometimes I see the full message and sometimes only the first 31 bytes
  • For messages larger than about 48 bytes, only the first 31 bytes are appearing
 
I took a quick look at the messages going back and forth between the MFC and Axe-Fx during a preset change in AxeFx mode. In this mode the longest messages are 202 bytes in length, so it's not as bad as the old message formats suggested. Perhaps we can get there in an update.
From MFC-101 Control 1 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 1 5
From MFC-101 SysEx 8 bytes
From Axe-Fx II SysEx 40 bytes
From MFC-101 SysEx 8 bytes
From Axe-Fx II SysEx 42 bytes
From MFC-101 Control 2 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 2 5
From MFC-101 Control 3 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 3 5
From MFC-101 Control 4 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 4 5
From MFC-101 Control 5 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 5 5
From MFC-101 Control 6 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 6 5
From MFC-101 Control 7 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 7 5
From MFC-101 Control 8 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 8 5
From MFC-101 Control 9 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 9 5
From MFC-101 Control 10 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 10 5
From MFC-101 Control 11 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 11 5
From MFC-101 Control 12 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 12 5
From MFC-101 Control 13 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 13 5
From MFC-101 Control 14 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 14 5
From MFC-101 Control 15 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 15 5
From MFC-101 Control 16 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 16 5
From MFC-101 SysEx 10 bytes
From Axe-Fx II SysEx 12 bytes

From Axe-Fx II SysEx 202 bytes
... repeats for a total of 32
From Axe-Fx II SysEx 202 bytes

From Axe-Fx II SysEx 11 bytes
From MFC-101 Control 1 $00 0
From MFC-101 Program 1 5
 
Regarding sysex message size, I created a simple Lemur template to display the size (number of bytes) and contents of the incoming sysex message. The results are not good.
  • Sysex messages up to 31 bytes in length can be received successfully
  • For sysex messages between 32 and about 48 bytes, sometimes I see the full message and sometimes only the first 31 bytes
  • For messages larger than about 48 bytes, only the first 31 bytes are appearing
This seems to be in conflict with posts in the Liine Forum. I've asked there for clarification and will post here if I learn anything.
 
Oh yeah.
View attachment 8892
Lemur recognizes the Teensy plugged into the iPad via the Camera Connection USB adapter, after I changed the reported maxPower to 20mA (from 50mA).

This could get interesting.
 
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