Introducing The Schwarzonator, A Max For Live Plugin Designed To Help You Play

Ableton Live 8: This is an introduction to the Schwarzonator – a new Max For Live patch designed to help you play music. 

“The Schwarzonator is a note twister,” explains creator Henrik Schwarz. “It’s all about helping musicians (or non-musicians) find the right notes and chords in real time. It turns one finger playing into chords that fit together well. Choose from a list of Chord Sets in a drop down menu. Then all notes you play on your keyboard will fit into the selected Chord Set.”

You could argue that Schwarzonator is dumbing things down, hiding music theory or correcting for poor musicianship. For the cybermusician, though, the Schwarzonator is a tool for creating music that would not be possible for either the musician or the computer alone.

7 thoughts on “Introducing The Schwarzonator, A Max For Live Plugin Designed To Help You Play

  1. I pretty much don't care about the music theory part since I can play the piano. You would be short-sided to see this plug-in as a composer crutch and not as a midi keyboard killer. This makes those nano-Controllers that much usable (even the pads!). Also I'm a fan of music so anything that will make music making easier should lead to better written songs. Now live performance-wise it is the ultimate cheat lol.

  2. I pretty much don't care about the music theory part since I can play the piano. You would be short-sided to see this plug-in as a composer crutch and not as a midi keyboard killer. This makes those nano-Controllers that much usable (even the pads!). Also I'm a fan of music so anything that will make music making easier should lead to better written songs. Now live performance-wise it is the ultimate cheat lol.

  3. I play jazz piano, classical, funk, etc… and see why this would be very useful, not just for people who lack a basic knowledge of music theory. For learning and composition, I think this would let me hear things I would not have tried or thought of myself. That alone makes it an invaluable resource. Way to go Ableton!

  4. other than the Spread function (even that one) everything can done with ableton live's own midi tools. I dont understand why ableton is making such a video, maybe because he is famous or hes encouraging non musicians. but the spread function is nice.

  5. other than the Spread function (even that one) everything can done with ableton live's own midi tools. I dont understand why ableton is making such a video, maybe because he is famous or hes encouraging non musicians. but the spread function is nice.

  6. first of all, it's not something ableton did. It's a plug in createdusing MAX DSP which has now been added partly to ableton so people can take advantage of the endless possibilites of plug in creation that MAX MSP offers.

    On the other hand I think it's brilliant what he Henrik has done. It let's non musicians bring to life big ideas on their head that coulndt be put together 100% perfectly for lack of knowledge. Not everyone plays piano this or that, or have time to learn or accesibility to good music training, but have passion for music.

    Way to go Henrik Schwarz for taking the time to do these things and help other out!

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