A: Subtraction Engine is a MaxforLive MIDI generator that strips down patterns to their essentials, creating space and dynamics by algorithmically removing notes for minimal, evolving rhythmic textures.
Subtraction Engine by Manifest Audio
Created by Ableton Certified Trainer Noah Pred, the Subtraction Engine generative MaxforLive MIDI performance effect is designed to mute steps of incoming MIDI drums, melodies, and harmonies to create variations, build tension, or experiment with different expressions of rhythmic and musical phrases. You can do this manually for full control – or just enable Auto Dice and let the good times roll.
USER GUIDE: MFA Subtraction Engine Manual + License
Subtraction Engine by Manifest Audio
Created by Ableton Certified Trainer Noah Pred, the Subtraction Engine generative MaxforLive MIDI performance effect is designed to mute steps of incoming MIDI drums, melodies, and harmonies to create variations, build tension, or experiment with different expressions of rhythmic and musical phrases. You can do this manually for full control – or just enable Auto Dice and let the good times roll.
USER GUIDE: MFA Subtraction Engine Manual + License
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Subtraction Engine by Manifest Audio
Use Subtraction Engine to easily mute all notes on any given step of a MIDI pattern via any mappable MIDI controller to create compelling variations of your patterns while performing, or to experiment in the studio. Instantly disable or enable all steps with dedicated controls, or use the invert button to swap the mute state of all unlocked steps with a single gesture.
Subtraction Engine’s large Dice button randomises all eligible step states to instantly produce unique variations on a MIDI sequence. The Global Probability Amount slider governs the chance of step states flipping for all steps simultaneously — but step probabilities can also be controlled individually. By reducing a step’s probability to 0% you can lock it, thereby excluding it from randomisation for highly programmable control.
Enbabling Auto Dice mode allows you to create infinitely evolving permutations of any MIDI fed into Subtraction Engine, randomising all unlocked steps at the specified Interval, set in bars. This could be used to generate new melodic riffs at, for example, Intervals of 2 or 4, or to create continuous variations on percussion patterns (with locked steps perpetually exempt, of course). Adjust cycle settings to impose polymetric note gating on patterns of any length. Use the reset function to restart the cycle at a given interval also set in bars. You can also user the included X-Relay to route Muted steps to any other MIDI device in your set.
Optimized for Push with full automation labels and Info View annotation, Subtraction Engine is ready for high-level play straight away. Experiment, have fun, and capture results to new MIDI or Audio Clips by recording them to other tracks in Live.
HOW DOES SUBTRACTION ENGINE DIFFER FROM LIVE 11’S NOTE PROBABILITY?
- New step activation states can be generated automatically at specified intervals, for example creating a new variation every 2 bars, 4 bars, etc., producing continuous yet coherently phrased variations.
- Chords are toggled as a single unit — as opposed to Live 11’s probability, which treats all notes individually
- Shorter step activation cycles layered with longer MIDI phrases easily create dynamic yet hypnotic rhythmic patterns while adhering to the melodic contour of the original MIDI input
- All steps can be toggled on, off, or inverted simultaneously for highly engaging performance control
- Parameters are available for automation and MIDI or key mapping
- Works with Live 10 Suite
Includes: Subtraction Engine device, 16 presets, PDF user guide.
Note: Subtraction Engine does not produce MIDI notes — notes must be fed into it.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to an apparent bug with Max 8.6.x, our presets are no longer working with older versions of Live and will require Live 12.2 with Max 9.0.5 until further notice
BUILD YOUR OWN BUNDLE: Purchase any 3 Manifest Audio Packs at the same time and get a 20% Discount automatically applied at Checkout!
ALSO AVAILABLE: MIDI TOOLSET 003 | MIDI TOOLSET 002 | MIDI TOOLSET 001 | OCTOPULSE | PATTERN ENGINE | X-FX 2 | TRIFECTA
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Yes.
A: MaxforLive integrates the creative capabilities of Max into Ableton Live, letting you design, modify, and perform with custom MIDI, audio, and modulation devices seamlessly.
A: You can explore more of Manifest Audio’s tools and devices here:
Manifest Audio
A: To use this product, ensure the following requirements are met:
- Ableton Live 10 Standard with MaxforLive installed, or Ableton Live 10 Suite
- Mac or Windows operating system
Important Information
V1.8 – Released May 2025
-
Subtraction Engine now gets an Interval divisor for those wishing to auto-randomize more frequently than one bar.
v1.7 – Released May 2025
- Added a output mode option to either Mute disabled notes by default — or instead now send deactivated MIDI notes anywhere else in your set via the included X-Relay utility
v1.6
- Added a new play direction slider that you can click and drag to select between the default forward, reverse, circular, or randomized playback options
v1.5
- Added a new toggle that allows you to switch from the default legacy Random behavior, in which the randomization sliders would simply indicate the likelihood of randomization, to a new Weighted behavior in which the randomization sliders correspond instead to a step’s likelihood of being randomized to On (at higher values) or Off (at lower values)
- Bug fixes and optimizations
v1.2
- Added Cycle Reset option to reset polymetric masking at intervals measured in bars
- Updated GUI for consistency with other Manifest Audio devices
- Bug fixes and optimizations
v1.1
- Bug fixes and optimizations
V1.0.1 – Initial Release – January 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.
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