BTDSys LiveJumpHACK 1.0

Installation

Unzip all files into your Gear\Generators folder.

What is it?

LiveJumpHACK lets you jump to any song position assigned to specific keys on your MIDI or computer keyboard. For example, press C-4 and jump to tick 256, press the 'a' key and jump to tick 512, etc.

Similiar in function, but not identical to performance tools like Abelton Live.

LiveJumpHACK is a "hack" machine based on P. DooM's BUZZHACK with some additions by Ed Powley. Basic setup and operation is simple, right click the LiveJumpHACK machine and click 'settings'.

Settings Dialog

Settings Dialog screenshot

For the most part, this dialog is self-explanatory. To assign a jump to a MIDI key, simply press the key so that it is displayed in the button in the top right corner, choose the tick and jump mode, and click Add. To assign a jump to a key on the computer's keyboard, click the button in the top right corner, press the desired key, and add the jump as before. To remove an assigned jump, highlight it and click Remove. For explanantion of the jump modes (the "Absolute" dropdown in the screenshot), see the parameter descriptions below.

Key capture window

To trigger jumps from the computer keyboard, the key capture window must be active. This is not required for MIDI operation.

The key capture window also displays useful information regarding the state of the machine:

  • ready to rok: the machine is ready to receive jump commands.
  • press play: the machine does not do anything if the song is not playing.
  • machine is off: the On/Off parameter is in the Off position, so the machine is inactive.
  • goto x in y: the machine will jump to tick x in y ticks' time.

Parameters

  • Tick snap: This allows you to quantise your jumps. All jumps will be delayed until the current song position is divisible by this quantity. For example, with the default setting of 16, if you press a key at 7 ticks into a pattern, it will wait until the 16th tick (9 ticks later) before it jumps.
  • Note trigger: Entering values for this parameter acts exactly as if the corresponding MIDI key had been pressed, so any assigned jumps are triggered.
  • Tick number trigger: Allows you to trigger a jump to an arbitrary song position. Used in conjunction with the tick jump mode parameter.
  • Tick jump mode: Sets the meaning of the number entered for the tick number trigger. This has no effect on jumps triggered by keypresses or the note trigger -- the modes for these are specified in the Settings dialog.
    • Absolute: jumps directly to the specified tick, no matter where the jump is triggered from.
    • Relative back: jumps backwards the specified number of ticks. Note that this is counted from the point where the jump actually takes effect, not where the jump is triggered.
    • Relative forward: as relative back, but jumping forwards by the specified number of ticks.
  • On/Off: Allows you to completely disable the machine.

Attributes

  • MIDI Channel: self-explanatory. Note that channel numbering starts at zero, which may be contrary to other machines or hardware.
  • Keep jumping until note off: If this is set to 1, jumps will be continually triggered for as long as you hold a key down.

Hints

Looping

You can use LiveJumpHACK to set up "loop zones" within your song. This is useful for live performance, as you can effectively assign certain patterns to specific keys.

For example: let's say you want to loop ticks 0 to 32 with key C-4, and ticks 64 to 128 with key D-4.

  • Assign C-4 to jump to tick 0, and D-4 to jump to tick 64.
  • Create a pattern for LiveJumpHACK. In the first row, enter 0000 for the tick number trigger and 00 for the jump mode. Alternatively, enter C-4 for the note trigger.
  • Create another pattern as above, this time entering 0040 for the tick number or D-4 for the note.
  • Place these two patterns in the sequence editor, on ticks 16 and 112 respectively (assuming you left the tick snap setting at 16).
  • Play your song, and notes C-4 and D-4 should function as desired. Note that to jump between regions, you must press the key after the sequenced jump has been triggered, but before the jump occurs (ie in the last 16 ticks of the loop).

Alternately, if all your loops are the same length, simply set the tick snap parameter to your loop length, set the "keep jumping until note off" attribute to 1, and hold down the keys.

Computer keyboard control

Don't forget, for this to work, the key capture window must be open and active. Depending on demand, a future version may remove this restriction. In contrast, MIDI functionality works all the time.

Thanks

Thanks to mute for ideas and testing. Also thanks to Paul Eye, silicon/silicium, Spark, nool, and anyone else who tested this machine and gave me feedback.

EOF/legal

Code ©2004 Ed Powley, apart from 'HACK' source code ©2001 Peter Kaufmann
Required compatibility note: this machine will only work with the October 2000 beta of Buzz
Docs ©2004 Aaron McCammon and Ed Powley
This machine is freeware and freely distributable, provided no money is charged and all files are present and unchanged.