Dillon Bastan Coalescence is a new M4L sampler device that smartly analyzes your slices and then sorts them into editable, playable clusters
Max For Live is an often underestimated platform for synthesizers, effects, and other tools. Many people opt for plugins, although there are tools in M4L that can do similar things and are natively integrated into Live. This year was a strong year of exciting M4L that showed how deep developers can go.
Dillon Bastan, one of the stars of the M4L scene, returned with a fascinating device before the end of the year. Coalescence is a new Max For Live (M4L) multi-sampler device of a special, crazy kind.
Dillon Bastan Coalescence
Instead of being another more of the same sampler, Coalesence hosts a SOM neural network (machine learning) that can organize similar sample slices into clusters using spectral techniques.
The device supports individual, multiple, or complete folders with up to 2000 samples. Important: protected samples from Ableton packs cannot be loaded due to internal code restrictions. Powerful is that each sample has its own parameters for the pitch, volume, direction, and transient sensitivity.
Coalesence’s internal SOM neural network uses spectral analysis to create the clusters. This process is fully customizable using different spectral features:
- Chroma (chromatic scale),
- Mel and Bark describe the slices with intensities from low to high frequencies based on psycho-acoustic perceptions
- Speech uses MEL Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) for speech recognition
- and more
Next to this, you can also adjust the training process with various parameters. Besides classic samples, you can also work only with transients, giving you other results. After the spectral analysis, the neural network organizes the sample slices in a 2D circle. It looks a bit like XLN XO in a M4L device.
Dillon points out that he didn’t aim to create the best, most robust network with this M4L device. It is not suitable for analyzing a huge sample catalog with TBs of sounds
Three Playback Modes
Then, there are three unique playback modes with which you can use the results musically.
- Point is the closed mode to a classic sampler that allows you to play a single sample slice point from your MIDI controller.
- Rings lets you trigger circular ranges using MIDI pitches. When a ring is triggered, it plays a random sample within its range. It offers auto and manual ring creation.
- Paths mode allows you to create sequencer-like movements. MIDI pitches trigger customizable playback paths that can glide/jump through the sample slices.
That wasn’t all. The sample slices can then be played like in a sampler using classic features: playback direction, one shot or loop including size, pitch… Or more esoteric with a phase vocoder mode where you can time stretch the result with various spectral features (blur, morphing…)
You can also work with a multimode filter with bi-quad, a ladder, and vowel/formant modes per voice.
Dillon Bastan also added a mighty modulation engine in Coalescence. There are two LFOs, two envelopes, two random spray value generators, and also standard MIDI sources available for modulation. Each source has two mappable destinations, giving you good flexibility to add movement.
Could it be a little wilder? Yes! Additionally, external audio input can be routed for modulations and to control what audio slices play based on their similarity. These are very wild sound design possibilities.
First Impression
Dillon Bastan shows once again what is possible in M4L. Coalescence is wild, unique, and fascinating at the same time. It’s not a sampler device that you already have in your M4L library.
The playful way you can generate new sounds or soundscapes by marrying with one another is super fun. Certainly not a one-trick pony or instant mega-results device. You have to deal with it and explore the engine. This is up there with one of the best M4L devices of the year, for me at least.
Dillon Bastan Coalescence is available now for $30 + VAT/38,50€ (VAT included). It requires Ableton Live 10/11/12 Suite or 10/11/12 Standard with a license of Max For Live.
More information here: Dillon Bastan / Isotonik Studios
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