REQ: Valery Kondakoff xFDR Max4Live

Use this Max For Live device to crossfade between up to four Ableton Live tracks (MIDI/Audio tracks and hardware inputs can be crossfaded).

Usage: drop xFDR to an Ableton Live track and select MIDI/Audio tracks or hardware inputs in four available track choosers (1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8). Set “Audio To: Sends only” in the corresponding tracks “In/Out Section” to make sure audio of the tracks is routed to xFDR only.

Start audio playback and move the yellow knob in the 2D crossfader to crossfade between the tracks. If the yellow knob is in the center of 2D crossfader all four tracks are mixed equally. Move yellow knob closer to any of the 2D crossfader corners (labeled 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8) to make the corresponding track sound louder. When the yellow knob is exactly at any of the 2D crossfader corners, the corresponding track is soloed (other tracks are muted).

Press the yellow round knob labeled “+” to access additional parameters.

Use “Horizontal” and “Vertical” dials to record 2D crossfader yellow knob movements into Ableton Live. The “Corners” dial is a handy shortcut to quickly move yellow knob to the center of 2D crossfader (0), upper left corner (1), upper right corner (2), lower left (3) and lower right (4) corners.

Press “Start” toggle to start automatic yellow knob movement. Set the speed of the movement using the “Speed” dial.

Usage hints:

Leave one (or more) of the tracks that you want to crossfade empty to be able to crossfade with silence
Group crossfaded tracks and drop xFDR to the main Group Track to save some screen space
xFDR is an audio M4L device, but you can drop it on MIDI tracks as well
You can drop xFDR to one of the tracks that you are crossfading and set this track “Audio To: Master” to get interesting feedback effect on this track
Use “Corners” dial as a shortcut for quick soloing the tracks by putting the yellow knob in the corners of the 2D crossfader. This knob can be automated.

xFDR was tested to work in Ableton Live 10.1/Max 8.1.1 (macOS Catalina/Windows 10).

Short videos:

https://youtu.be/1QHBAHuSBgU (introduction)

https://youtu.be/86A1MYEKDtg (record automation into Ableton Live)

https://youtu.be/EE_DZ4B_aHg (automate using LFO)

Version 1.0 (Nov 2019)

Initial release

Version 1.1 (Nov 2019)

Nodes knob saving bug fixed
Code optimisation