Total Rando

Total Rando is a Max for Live utility to add configurable control change messages to incoming MIDI data such as keyboard playing or sequencing.

Basic Use

The effect is easiest to hear when randomizing the entire range of values. Choose a CC number to randomize. It is common for synthesizers to implement CC 1 as the Mod Wheel control and CC 74 is often Filter Cutoff. For best results, check the manuals of your instruments to find the most appropriate and interesting parameters.

Set Minimum to 0. Set Maximum to 127. This will allow the entire range of modulation.

Ensure that Retrigger mode is on. The button will display "Retrigger". A new random CC message will be created with each incoming note.

Retrigger or Legato Mode

Retrigger mode is simple: each new note will have a new random value. Legato mode is more sophisticated and is better for "classic" playing styles where each new note is not necessarily independently articulated. In legato mode, random values are chosen only when a new note is articulated. This is ideal because sometimes too much emphasis in parameters will sound like new articulations.

Advanced Use

Total Rando allows incoming CC messages to pass thru and it will add the random values to the incoming values. For this reason, it's helpful to reduce the maximum range.

If you set the minimum range greater than the maximum range, don't worry: Total Rando always uses the smaller value for the minimum and the larger value for the maximum.

Sequencing the parameters can lead to fun and surprising results, especially by raising and lowering the minimum and maximum parameters.

Multiple instances of Total Rando can be used and it's fun to mix Retrigger and Legato playing styles with different Control Change numbers.