Eigenharp Google+ Community Archive

An aside:  Wonder if there is a series of Belcanto that we could run as a script that would make EigenD able to switch between setups quicker?  To counter this, I often just quit EigenD and restart.  Much quicker and less prone to problems than loading in a new script when one is already loaded. Wonder if a series of 'uncreate [x]' in a script would do the trick? This is probably too impractical as we would need a unique 'close' script for each setup.

Executing belcanto scripts from command line Edited: (thanks to input from Randy Brown ) Did you know you can execute belcanto commands from a file, without them being proper scripts, and without them residing in the Eigenlabs scripts directory. (proper script means with the normal script header) Well you can,  using bscript, example: bscript --verbose " "  myscript.bc The only 'issue', is that bscript does not parse the normal script header properly (it trips up on descriptions, and the script keyword). So in my github, Ive created a  wrapper script, called edScript which will strip these headers and then execute bscript. example: edScript myscript.bc  Original post:    im thinking of making a slight change on my github scripts. Rather than storing them as scripts directly loadable from commander, I want to store them as 'bscripts' Whats the difference? quite simple, Commander needs the 'name and script' header, whereas bscript does not parse this cor...

Thoughts on my "ideal" performance setups? MIDI Setup (for Live) Multi-instruments (each on separate MIDI channel) Single split (full) plus percussion (Alpha/Tau) Major CC params Octave/tonic keys Scale selector (4) Metronome w/sync Patch change keys (4) (may need combination with Live) MIDI controls in Stage Illuminator scroll keygroup (Alpha/Tau) Non-MIDI Setup (Alpha/Tau) Single instrument Splits (full, 50/50, 33/33/33) plus percussion 6 AU/VSTs (or combination AU/VST and sf/synths) 2 Arrangers Recorder on each AU/VST, etc. Major CC params Octave/tonic keys Recorder keys Scale selector (4) Metronome w/sync Patch change keys (4 per AU/VST) Illuminator scroll keygroup (Alpha/Tau) Stage controls

Curious:  Did anyone here purchase the Tau from eBay?  I noticed the auction ended last night.  Whoever got it got a very good deal.

Working on setup with 3 keygroups in addition to main and percussion. Was able to use the keyboard select to select the keys for keygroup 1. But I can't get the keys to light red so I can select for keygroups 2 and 3. All keygroups are wired to main. I've even tried deleting the keyboards and re-adding them to the setup. Suggestions?

Was out and about with the pico on the weekend at the Brisbane Ableton Live User Group meetup.  We had a whole lot of different stuff with Tractor, Pico, Ableton Push, a ukelele and percussion.  Made for quite an enjoyable jam session.  Figuring out what key we were in was the hardest bit.  By the end, we had it figured out to leave the melodic and harmonic stuff to me, with other samples and sequencing coming from left and right int he photo.

Back to basics... ALPHA setups Starting with a blank setup and build up, a script for everything , then using rigs! Added scripts: -alpha manager (has to be the first one) -alpha base (basic agents) ::choose what rig to use:: -alpha link AU to alpha base (connect AU) More "links-alpha" for other rigs will follow. Recently also bin adding "rigs without recorder"   https://github.com/TheTechnobear/Eigenharp/tree/master/Scripts/alpha

Will Stage work on an ad hoc network?  I did a test and Stage could not locate the network.  (The iPad was connected to the ad hoc.)

"Server undergoing maintainence The Eigenlabs server is undergoing maintainence and repairs. Please check back later." Hmmmm.  Updates regarding the charitable setup, good old fashioned technical error, or something else? http://www.eigenlabs.com/

Hi All, Does anyone have experience with using Stage on an iPad Mini?  Fairly shortly I'll be getting an iPad for purposes mainly other than music, but I know that it will very quickly become part of my audio setup.  Any thoughts? Rumours on when the next one is being released?

OK, so I've been thinking about trying to use one of the arrangers with some of the drum sounds in Omnisphere for variety. However, to have multiple drum sounds in Omnisphere, you have to load each sound into a separate part. Thus the arranger needs to fire triggers on each course via a separate midi channel. Am I correct in this? And if so, how can this be accomplished in Workbench?

Geert Bevin , António Machado  , or anyone else.  I've been playing with a simple setup that has both the Pico and Alpha Manager agents.  It's a straight line setup, no frills.  I've double-checked wiring, etc. and have actually built the setup again. I can get audio from the first Manager agent I add to the setup.  Example:  If I add the Alpha Manager agent, then add the Pico Manager agent, and hook everything up, only the Alpha plays.  Reversing this, e.g.: adding Pico then Alpha, only the Pico plays. I get lights back to both instruments from their respective Scalers.  Even hooking the 2nd Manager into the 1st Audio Unit agent does not solve this. What step am I missing in this?  Thanks in advance.

I had a brainstorm over the weekend.  Let me share it with you and ask for comments. Problem:  EigenD loads setups quite slow.  For live performance, most have taken to loading up one huge setups with everything they need. But what if you wish to perform with multiple Eigenharps, say and Alpha and a Pico? Solution:  Two PCs/Macs running EigenD.  One instrument plugged into one, the other into the other.  Then, when finished with one piece, you can load in a new setup and simply switch instruments.  While you perform a new piece on the other instrument, the setup loads and is waiting for you. I'm considering getting a Mac Mini for the 2nd unit.  I can setup an ad hoc network and actually control it with the iPad, run Stage on the iPad for both instruments. OK.  Pick apart or commend my creative problem solving.  :)

As mentioned in Randy Brown's thread about his FCB1010, I'm trying to setup an Ableton Live Control Surface specifically for the Eigenharp.  However, I've hit a slight snag with Talkers.  I know how to trigger a talker based on a specific MIDI note input by linking the MIDI input agent to the talker and using the key row number to indicate the note number, but I'd like to do something slightly more complicated.  I want to trigger different actions, not just based on the note, but also based on it's velocity.  For example, turning a specific light off if the velocity is zero, green if 10, amber if 20 and red if 30.  Is there any way to do this, either by filtering the midi input and sending to different talkers based on the note velocity, or by triggering the same talker, but making a decision on colour based on the value received, rather than hard-coding it in the action script?  If not then I'll look at rolling my own code, but I spent most of yesterday looking...

I've been looking for a bass VST to use with EigenD (on MacOS) and happened across 4-front bass: http://www.yohng.com/software/bass.html However, I can't get EigenD to recognise it.  I've dug into the .vst file and the binary claims to be universal (ppc, 64-bit and i386), so I feel it ought to work...  has anyone else tried and succeeded (or tried and failed so I know to stop :) ? http://www.yohng.com/software/bass.html

So, I'm trying to hack up a cello spike for the Tau, since Eigenlabs has said they don't have any more in stock and that they have no intentions of ever making any more.   It appears that the spike would attach to the two little screw slots on the back, at the base.   I'm thinking that I could probably attach some kind of bracket to this with a couple panhead screws with thumbscrews/wingnuts on the other side.   One can get a variety of replacement cello endpins.  These all appear to be, more or less, press-fit into a hole.    I might be able to mill a sort of L shaped flange out of metal strip to hold the two screws and a generic cello endpin.    I think the weight might be managable; that lump of metal that passes for an endpin on the Tau weighs a ton, and seems to be steel.  Anyone done this? anyone have a better idea?

I've really been enjoying using the FCB1010 foot controller to control Ableton Live. It's very convenient for Eigenharp composing and looping. I'm not very coordinated between hand and feet, but it didn't take much practice to get the hang of it. Live allows for better aligning loops to beats and bars than the Arranger. Plus with the FCB1010 I can control track volume independently. Useful when composing on the fly. I've jumped back and forth between a couple configs, but think I've settled on the one that comes with the iFCB editor. In addition to arming, selecting, muting tracks, it allows moving from track to track and from clip to clip.

By request of Randy Brown, my Tau harness prototype.   In picture 2, you see that I'm using a 1/2" grommet in the hole of the nylon web portion scavenged from the original tau web strap (which is just a guitar strap attached to this piece.)  It's a rubber grommet because that's what I could find in the shop; but a brass one will work much better.  I have to run out to the hardware store at some point and pick one up.    You can see that it sits properly such that the breath pipe is at mouth level.   It's pretty comfortable; the grumpy look is lack of sleep. ;-)

Hey, do you hate your Tau web strap?  Is having a guitar strap around your neck terribly uncomfortable, and having it around one shoulder insecure? Does it just sit wrong if you wear it like a guitar? Solution: a neotech nylon web alto sax harness and a brass grommet.

Folks - I know it's difficult, but we should make an effort to try to get Eigenharp players involved in this forum. I fear with the recent changes at the company that there may be many players who feel abandoned. I am not the strongest of community builders; some of you are more adept than I. The Eigenlabs forum has really dried up and it may be time to move the community aspect of the instrument elsewhere. Frankly, I don't know that G+ is the best place, but it is fairly active. Thoughts?

Tip:  Add a reverb AU/VST to the Sampler 1 mixer channel.  It really adds a nice realism to the Eigenharp's built-in piano.  Don't use too much - just enough to produce a nice room ambience. I use the reverb that came with my Focusrite audio interface, but there are several freebies/low-cost units available. Below is a list that could get you started: http://audio.tutsplus.com/articles/web-roundups/15-totally-free-reverb-plug-ins-that-rock/

Tau to be, or not to be - that is the question... My search for a larger eigenharp is not going well, new would be October and Ive not been able to sort out a secondhand one. In the meantime, Ive playing alot with Reason recently, and really getting in to sound design and synths again.  Id  forgotten how much Id love fiddling with synthesizers (as a kid had a little Jens SX1000), and realized Im rather missing something that has proper knobs and dials and can be used without a computer. Got me thinking, perhaps I might put off a tau, and buy a hardware synth instead. Some keys and the pico might go nicely together -  pico works quite nicely for leads when using fingerer agent (which I'm practicing with at the moment) Currently top of list is an Access Virus ti2 keyboard, i know its a VA, but sounds excellent and is really flexible and could make a pretty good master keyboard.  Other options, Prophet 08 PE, or perhaps a King Korg... but the virus is very tempting :) thoughts, anyone...

It came. More beautiful than I thought it would be.

Geert Bevin Didn't you do another writeup or video on the Illuminator?  I can't seem to locate it? http://www.eigenzone.org/2012/03/21/lights-control-on-the-eigenharp http://www.eigenzone.org/2012/03/21/lights-control-on-the-eigenharp

The 'you don't have a current valid license' strikes again.  I have this idea in my head that everything would be fine if I'd been able to buy an Alpha, but I'm not so sure anymore.  I really wish that I could change the AU slot 2 via the internal menu on the pico, or from stage.  Also I wish that cmd B, cmd G, and cmd W would work from any of the windows, and not just EigenD.  /end rant...

BOOK LAUNCH Here, as promised by May 1, is "A Belcanto Cookbook" (First Edition). Download it from: www.maxclark.me.uk/cookbook/ The Acknowledgements page says: "Grateful thanks to all reviewers, and to all contributors of code and explanations, in particular Geert Bevin, Duncan Foster, Mark Harris, António Machado, Mike Milton, Torsten Anders and Jim Self, to mention only a few, and not in any particular order." If you've had your Eigenharp a year, then don't expect to see anything you don't know already. But though I say it as shouldn't, I wish I'd had something like this a year ago. The format is for the busy musician who doesn't want to read a whole bible, but just something to dip into for answers, like a kitchen recipe book. So each recipe is self-contained. If it needs you to read another recipe then it says so, and tells you which one. For the non-techie there's an Appendix of technical terms, all carefully italicized in the main...