Somehow, it started as an arpeggiator. But this Max for Live tool by K-Devices is now an advanced, polyphonic, polymetric tool for dreaming up rhythms and melodies.
We’ve got you set up for your new year’s food coma / hangover / days off / whatever, with a series of Max for Live tools to tinker around with into the winter (southern hemisphere summer) evenings of January.
HEXO is an important departure for K-Devices. If all you want is a tool that lets you generate rhythms and melodies parametrically or even randomly, HEXO does this – just like its predecessors.
But if you prefer to play live, HEXO can do that, too. In ARP mode, all its pattern generation is built live on incoming notes, meaning you can feed your own patterns or jam on a keyboard or other controller.
In RIFF mode, the tool is a polyphonic step sequencer. But that has a Thru function, too, meaning you can add notes live to the pattern.
Here’s a view of what that means – in ARP mode, you’ll see the pitch tracks are relative; in RIFF mode, they represent specific notes. It’s to me the best interface K-Devices has done yet – an intuitive brick grid giving you independent access to multiple tracks of notes with velocity, length, and probability controls always visible and editable.
Either way, HEXO is a great way of generating complex and even polymetric patterns. K-Devices keep topping themselves with each new creation, making advanced IDM-ish sequencer generators to spawn new ideas or elaborate live. This time, they’ve even added some unique instruments to play right inside the package.
But by the way, the K-Devices creations are ideal for sequencing software modulars – routing into tools like Reaktor Blocks or VCV Rack, you get some really beautiful sound generation facilities. It’s all working via MIDI, so any software, plug-in, or hardware will work.
Impressively, this works in both Live 9 and Live 10, so even if you’re putting off that Live upgrade, you can get to work.
Features:
Per-step probability, on-the-fly variations
Six tracks, 2-32 steps independently per track
4 snapshots with modulation
AutoSnaps with probability-driven variation
Each track has independent number of steps and time resolution for polyrhythms and polymeters
Global velocity, length scaling, and delay per track
Bend parameter (which lets you bend out of the Live grid)
Rule-based randomization of note, velocity, chance, and length
Included presets, Ableton clips, and two Simpler-based instruments (the “atmospheric” Pluck and “acid stab” Hyperism)
There’s an intro sale on now with steep discounts on everything they make – or 24EUR (regular 39EUR) for this instrument individually. Everything is here: