How to……

by ian on april 18, 2009

……generate musical phrases within Ableton live for full compositions using pure algorithmic processes.

• Windows : download Noatikl V1.5 30 day trial software now! [1,933,495 bytes]
• Mac OS X : download Noatikl V1.5 30 day trial software now! [7,466,421 bytes]

Noatikl is a powerful, easy to use generative music tool that helps you come up with new musical ideas – and your own generative music.

It uses techniques developed over the last 17 years through our work on the award-winning Koan generative music system, techniques now used in the all-new and superior “Noatikl”.

Ableton Live and the Noatikl VSTi

The steps for using Noatikl VSTi under Ableton Live are as follows; these steps apply to both the Windows and Mac versions of Ableton Live.

Configuring the Noatikl VSTi the first time, for use with Ableton Live

When you’ve first copied the Noatikl VSTi to your computer, be sure to scan for the VSTi from Ableton. Once done, you should see noatikl_VSTi_win (Windows) or noatikl_VSTi_mac (Mac) in Ableton’s list of “Plug-In Devices”.

Using the Noatikl VSTI within your Ableton Live Project

Step 1: Add the Noatikl VSTi to your project
Add the Noatikl VSTi by selecting the plug-ins view, and dragging noatikl_VSTi_win (Windows) or noatikl_VSTi_mac (Mac) from Ableton’s list of “Plug-In Devices” on to a MIDI track.
Show the input/output options for your tracks; set the track with Noatikl on it, such that input is set to “No Input”.
Show the Noatikl editor window, and set-up a file to play (e.g. create a couple of voices).
Set the Noatikl MIDI Output to be a spare MIDI port; such as MIDI Yoke NT 1 (Windows) or IAC Port 1 (Mac); you can then hide Noatikl if you want to clear some screen space.

Step 2: Add some Software Synths!
Create another MIDI track.
Drag a VSTi synth onto that track.
Make that track’s MIDI Input to be the MIDI Port to which Noatikl is sending its data; such as MIDI Yoke NT 1 (Windows) or IAC Port 1 (Mac) in this example.

Step 3: play and enjoy!

Start it all playing!
If you can’t hear anything, make sure that the green “on” button was set in the bottom panel in Ableton where Noatikl is shown. If this isn’t enabled, you won’t see Noatikl flash away when playing notes; so that is a clue to if you need to press this button or not!