July 15, 2015
QuNexus CC to Note is a MaxForLive MIDI effect designed to be used when using the QuNexus as a CV to MIDI converter, but it can also be used for any application where CC values need to be converted into MIDI notes within the Pitch-CV / Gate-CV paradigm.
This should be considered an experimental device because of the limitations of the QuNexus input conversion hardware and because scaling is not possible without the loss of resolution. The 128 MIDI CC values are directly translated to note number, therefore you will find that this is not a perfect conversion; your sequences will not translate to the same pitch that comes from your analog sequencer or CV keyboard. In addition, slew or glide added to notes will increase double notes and other glitches. To combat these issues you may wish to use Ableton’s Scale plug-in to quantize your sequence to the desired notes. That said, if you approach this MIDI effect with the expectation of some volatility you may find yourself pleased by the analog aliveness you can bring to your digital soft synths.
To use, connect your gate output from your CV source, such as an analog sequencer, to the CV 1 input on the QuNexus using the input cable from the QuNexus CV Cable Kit. Next connect the pitch CV output from your CV source to the CV 2 input on the QuNexus. By default, all QuNexus presets have assigned CV inputs 1 and 2 to the CC#s 112 and 113, leave this assignment for correct operation. With the QuNexus connected to your computer, open Ableton Live and drag the “QuNexus_CC_to_Note.amxd” file onto a MIDI track. Set the MIDI input to QuNexus (Port 3) and set Monitor to “In”. Now drag an instrument plug-in after the QuNexus_CC_to_Note device. You should now be able to have notes from your CV source trigger your software instrument.
The QuNexus_CC_to_Note MaxForLive device has two modes, Weak and Strong. In Weak mode, new notes are created only when the gate input goes from off to on. This is generally the more well behaved mode. Strong mode behaves the same as Weak mode except it also creates new notes when the pitch CC value changes while the gate is on. This mode can sometimes cause strange behavior, especially when glide or legato is applied the pitch CV source because it will trigger a fast string of notes that can sometimes sound harsh or clicky. In some setups however, the Strong mode can be the ideal mode. Try both modes for each sequence and see which works best.
KMI hopes you enjoy this quirky CC-to-note device!
