Key Arranger by XY Studio Tools
ARRANGE YOUR CLIPS IN REAL TIME WITH YOUR MIDI KEYBOARD
TRIPLE PACK SAVINGS: Add any three or more XY Studiotools products to your cart and save 20% automatically at checkout!
Key Arranger is a Max for Live device for arranging songs in Live’s Arranging view just by pressing keys on a Midi Keyboard. The Key Arranger workflow makes it easy to try out different combinations of parts and progress at your own pace. In that way, it merges the intuitive experience of the Session View with the linear workflow of the Arrangement View.
USER GUIDE: Key Arranger User Guide
Key Arranger by XY Studio Tools
ARRANGE YOUR CLIPS IN REAL TIME WITH YOUR MIDI KEYBOARD
TRIPLE PACK SAVINGS: Add any three or more XY Studiotools products to your cart and save 20% automatically at checkout!
Key Arranger is a Max for Live device for arranging songs in Live’s Arranging view just by pressing keys on a Midi Keyboard. The Key Arranger workflow makes it easy to try out different combinations of parts and progress at your own pace. In that way, it merges the intuitive experience of the Session View with the linear workflow of the Arrangement View.
USER GUIDE: Key Arranger User Guide
Additional information
| MaxforLive | Control Devices |
|---|---|
| Ableton Live Compatibility | Ableton Live 11 Standard with MaxforLive, Ableton Live 11 Suite, Ableton Live 12 Standard with MaxforLive, Ableton Live 12 Suite |
| Min. Requirements | Ableton Live 11 Standard with MaxforLive Installed or Ableton Live 11 Suite |
| OS | Mac, Windows |
PRICE: £21.00
Product reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to review this product.
Key Arranger by XY Studio Tools
Key Arranger is a MaxforLive Device designed for situations when you’d like to arrange in Live’s Arrangement View. The tool combines the intuitive qualities that you normally only get in the Session View with the linear workflow of the Arrangement View.
Key Arranger lets you try out and create sections solely by pressing keys on your keyboard. While it is already possible in Live to map clips to Midi controller keys, the Key Arranger workflow makes it easier to try out different combinations and progress at your own pace.
How it works
When adding the Key Arranger to Live, your clips will be mapped to keys on your controller. Next, select a section length of your choice and enable your clips for arrangement in the Arrangement View. Midi clips as well as audio clips of any length can be used.
By pressing keys on your keyboard your clips will unmute or mute. This makes it possible to quickly hear how different parts sound together, and what it sounds like if you add or remove parts to what is currently playing.
When you have a combination that you want to keep, use a dedicated key on the keyboard to keep the section and get a duplicate to work with in the following section.
Note that the Key Arranger is not a performance tool, since it does not launch clips in a quantized manner like you can in Live’s Session View. It is a tool that uses the Live API to move, copy, mute and unmute clips as you press keys on your keyboard, making it useful for quickly creating arrangements. You’ll get the benefits of a linear workflow, as well as inspiration and speed.
Additional Features
With the Key Arranger you can sketch out a full arrangement just by using your keyboard and one function key. There are also additional features such as:
- switch scenes
- adapt section lengths
- capture more detailed arrangements within your current section length
- map a group of tracks to one key, and map individual sounds from a drum rack to separate keys
Basic Workflow
Hold some keys on your Midi Keyboard. When a key is held, the corresponding clip will unmute and you will hear the sound of the selected clips.
By trying different combinations of keys, you can quickly hear different alternatives for how the arrangement should start.
Whenever you hear a combination of clips that you want to keep, you have 2 options:
- Option 1: Press and release the “Keep Section” key (C#)
This option keeps the playing clips, and you get a new copy of the current section. Live continues to the new section.
- Option 2: Hold the “Keep Section” key (C#)
This option saves the playing clips and Live keeps looping the section.
When using this option, you can add more tracks by pressing new keys, (or mute clips if you press keys for clips that are currently playing). Hold the “Keep Section” key to save any changes, or press the “Keep Section” key to save and continue with a copy.
For both these options, the playing keys are “printed” so you no longer have to hold any keys on your Midi Keyboard
BUILD YOUR OWN BUNDLE: Purchase any 3 XY Studio Products at the same time and claim a 20% Discount automatically applied at checkout!
ALSO AVAIALBLE: SONG SKETCH | LOOP FLIP | KEY ARRANGER
Frequently Asked Questions
Key Arranger requires Ableton Live with Max for Live installed. It is recommended to use a recent version of Live Suite, or Live Standard with the Max for Live add-on, to ensure full compatibility.
When you add Key Arranger to your Live set, it automatically maps your clips to keys on your connected MIDI keyboard. You then select a section length and start pressing keys to trigger and arrange those clips directly into the Arrangement View.
Yes, Key Arranger works with both MIDI clips and audio clips of any length, giving you full flexibility regardless of how your session is built.
While Live does allow you to map clips to MIDI keys, Key Arranger adds a more structured workflow on top of that, making it easier to experiment with different section combinations and progress through your arrangement at your own pace.
Any standard MIDI keyboard or controller that is recognised by Ableton Live should work with Key Arranger, as the device maps to incoming MIDI note data.
Key Arranger is primarily designed for studio arrangement workflows, helping you build up linear arrangements in the Arrangement View in an intuitive, performance-style way. That said, it could also suit live set building and rapid prototyping of song structures.
Key Arranger is a single Max for Live device file. Installation is straightforward: download the device and drag it into your Ableton Live set, or save it to your User Library for easy access in future sessions.
Important Information
V1.0.0 – Initial Release – May 2023
Our Products are generally provided as Zip file downloads which in all cases will need to be extracted and saved to your hard drive prior to installation. Details on the different file type provided and what to do with them are below.
.alp Files – These are Ableton Live Packs and will either install directly into the Packs Section of the browser of Ableton Live or ask you to save them to your hard drive. For packs that install to the library, when you double click on them you will see a pop up window asking you to confirm that installation is ok as the files are described as “Legacy”. This is fine and you are ok to proceed, the packs are created using the format for an earlier version of Live and so remain compatible with the current version.
.amxd files – These are individual MaxforLive Devices and can be stored anywhere on your hard drive. We’d advise creating a folder for them and then adding that folder as a location within the Places section of Lives Browser.
END-USER LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR ISOTONIK STUDIOS SOFTWARE PRODUCTS.
PLEASE READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS LICENSE AGREEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE CONTINUING WITH THIS PROGRAM INSTALL.
This End-User License Agreement (referred to as “EULA”) is a legal agreement between an individual or a single entity (referred to as “LICENSEE”) and Isotonik Studios for the Isotonik Studios software product(s) which may include associated software components, media, printed materials, and “online” or electronic documentation (referred to as “SOFTWARE PRODUCT”). By installing, copying, or otherwise using the SOFTWARE PRODUCT, the LICENSEE agrees to be bound by the terms of this EULA.
This EULA represents the entire agreement concerning the program between the LICENSEE and Isotonik Studios and it supersedes any prior proposal, representation, or understanding between the parties. If the LICENSEE does not agree to the terms of this EULA, the LICENSEE should not install or use the SOFTWARE PRODUCT.
The SOFTWARE PRODUCT is protected by copyright laws and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties. The SOFTWARE PRODUCT is licensed, not sold.
- GRANT OF LICENSE.
The SOFTWARE PRODUCT is licensed as follows:
(a) Installation and Use. Providing that the LICENSEE has paid any applicable license fees, Isotonik Studios grants the LICENSEE the right to install and use copies of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT on up to two computers in the LICENSEE’s possession that are running a validly licensed copy of the operating system for which the SOFTWARE PRODUCT was designed [e.g., Windows 10, macOS]. The computer(s) must be owned by the LICENSEE.
(b) Backup Copies. The LICENSEE may also make copies of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT as may be necessary for backup and archival purposes.
- DESCRIPTION OF OTHER RIGHTS AND LIMITATIONS.
(a) Maintenance of Copyright Notices. The LICENSEE must not remove or alter any copyright notices on any and all copies of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT.
(b) Distribution. The LICENSEE may not distribute registered copies of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT to third parties.
(c) Prohibition on Reverse Engineering, Decompilation, and Disassembly. The LICENSEE may not reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the SOFTWARE PRODUCT, except and only to the extent that such activity is expressly permitted by applicable law notwithstanding this limitation.
(d) Rental. The LICENSEE may not rent, lease, or lend the SOFTWARE PRODUCT.
(e) License transfer The LICENSEE may not transfer their license to the SOFTWARE PRODUCT to any third party. Any attempt to do so will be considered a violation of this EULA.
(f) Support Services. Isotonik Studios may provide the LICENSEE with support services related to the SOFTWARE PRODUCT for a period of 12 months following the date of purchase. Any supplemental software code provided to the LICENSEE as part of the Support Services shall be considered part of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT and subject to the terms and conditions of this EULA.
(g) Compliance with Applicable Laws. The LICENSEE must comply with all applicable laws regarding use of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT.
- TERMINATION Without prejudice to any other rights, Isotonik Studios may terminate this EULA if the LICENSEE fails to comply with the terms and conditions of this EULA. In such event, the LICENSEE must destroy all copies of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT in the LICENSEE’s possession.
- COPYRIGHT All title, including but not limited to copyrights, in and to the SOFTWARE PRODUCT and any copies thereof are owned by Isotonik Studios or its suppliers. All title and intellectual property rights in and to the content which may be accessed through use of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT is the property of the respective content owner and may be protected by applicable copyright or other intellectual property laws and treaties. This EULA grants the LICENSEE no rights to use such content. All rights not expressly granted are reserved by Isotonik Studios.
- NO WARRANTIES Isotonik Studios expressly disclaims any warranty for the SOFTWARE PRODUCT. The SOFTWARE PRODUCT is provided ‘As Is’ without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including but not limited to any warranties of merchantability, noninfringement, or fitness of a particular purpose. Isotonik Studios does not warrant or assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within the SOFTWARE PRODUCT. Isotonik Studios makes no warranties respecting any harm that may be caused by the transmission of a computer virus, worm, time bomb, logic bomb, or other such computer program. Isotonik Studios further expressly disclaims any warranty or representation to the LICENSEE or to any third party.
- LIMITATION OF LIABILITY In no event shall Isotonik Studios be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, lost profits, business interruption, or lost information) arising out of the LICENSEE’s use of or inability to use the SOFTWARE PRODUCT, even if Isotonik Studios has been advised of the possibility of such damages. In no event will Isotonik Studios be liable for loss of data or for indirect, special, incidental, consequential (including lost profit), or other damages based in contract, tort or otherwise. Isotonik Studios shall have no liability with respect to the content of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT or any part thereof, including but not limited to errors or omissions contained therein, libel, infringements of rights of publicity, privacy, trademark rights, business interruption, personal injury, loss of privacy, moral rights or the disclosure of confidential information.
