Today we’ve released version 2.5 of both Cell and CellDNA. Version 2.5 builds on the same core architcture of previous version, and also adds a lot of functionality, features, and integration. One of the main features that they both share is a powerful SQLite database built into the browser so producers can tag, comment, and search for clips on any drive for immediate recall and playback.
CellDNA has some extra control features. On OSX computers, the output can be sent and received via Syphon to other Syphon-enable software for projection mapping or additional mixing. Networking is built-in allowing for multiple computers running multiple screens. For Ableton Live users, the free CellDNA-Control Max for Live plugin provides tightly integrated video with their audio tracks, using audio, MIDI, automation, and controller data from Live to remotely control CellDNA on the same machine, or over a network.
CellDNA can also be expanded by users by using the intuitive visual programming environment, Max from Cycling74. All effects and extras in CellDNA are open source and can be modified by the user, or used as an educational tool. Video and control patches can be created using the CellDNA SDK, offering an unprecedented level of user customization.
Both programs feature extensive MIDI integration. A user-editable template system means any Livid MIDI controller and the Akai APC20 and APC40 can be plugged in and mixing instantly. More controllers will be added throughout the year. Up to six MIDI controllers can be mapped to almost anything, so any pile of controllers can be turned into a sophisticated video mixer.
We’ve seen a lot of iterations with mixing realtime audio and visuals in the past ten years. Our controllers for one are built as generic ”instruments” for media mixing, and there are many different uses from Live to Resolume. The marriage of visualist and musician in one software package (or one person) hasn’t really materialized on a large scale yet. Up to this point our own VJ software Cell and Cell DNA work well with our controllers and Live, but we wanted to take it a step further and make them work well in Live.
We’ve built a suite of Max for Live devices to go between Ableton Live and CellDNA video software that can expand your musical ideas into the visual realm. CellDNA VJ software is incredibly easy to use, with a big grid of 64 clips (with 32 presets, that means over 2000 clips to play with!), dozens of OpenGL effects, live camera input, live video sampling, recording, and is even extensible with Max 5 patches. With these devices you can totally control your visuals within Live, and let your music completely control the visuals.
With Livid CellDNA and our Max For Live devices, you can turn Ableton Live into your own automatic VJ.
Use your controller in Live to trigger video and effect
Link audio clips to video clips
Use MIDI clips to sequence videos
Use audio from your tracks to play clips and control visual effects.
Collaborate with your VJ over a network
Control multiple computers for multiple screens.
Cell DNA’s Max for Live devices are free and can be downloaded from the downloads section of lividinstruments.com. If you don’t already own CellDNA, you can install and try the demo on your computer. If you are ready to dive in and learn all about it, take a look at the extensive tutorial on our vimeo page.
We’re also offering a special right now on CellDNA to celebrate this release – use the coupon “maxfordna” when checking out from our online store.
Union was our first product, and launched our way of thinking about media and media control, and came from our exact performance needs for live video. We were one of the early entrants to the live video software market, and it’s what defined us for many years. We took musical ideas, and appropriated them for controlling pixels, but this move has proven more circular than progressive, as the broader thinking about media control has infected the audio world.
As our focus and efforts have moved to making hardware that speaks more to music, we’re dedicating more of our time and energy to that world. Given the crossover between Union and DNA, and that DNA occupies a more distinct niche in the live visuals world, it made cruel sense for Union to get the “deprecated” label.
We’re pretty excited, though. We can focus on making simpler software and better hardware that can be tied together in creative ways. With less proprietary software to maintain, we can open up more code so people can learn and expand for their own unique expressions. And because DNA is pretty easy to extend, we can also port over some of the cool features that Union has, like sound trigger, recording, automator, and waveform modules.
For current Union users, we are offering a $25 crossgrade to DNA. For Union purchases over the last six months, it’s free. We’ll still support existing users of Union for some time, too.
I made a quick video showing the block controller being used with our Cell DNA video software. DNA was designed for the Ohm64, but many of the features can be accessed with the block. The integration is pretty straightforward as their interfaces are very similar. Cell DNA also automatically recognizes the controller and maps the functions on startup. I could go on and on about it, but the video explains it all…
Andrew Benson, Jitter teacher extraordinaire, recently posted some incredible effects that emulate compression artifacts, a technique called “datamoshing.” Here is an overview of some videos using this effect. In the popular realm, Chairlift and Kanye have exploited this effect.
Now it’s your turn!
Here’s a tutorial video explaining how you can integrate this patch into DNA to use as an effect. The bigger picture is that you can take pretty much any video effect patch, and with a few modifications, have (yet) another effect in DNA.
Some notes about this video:
1.) The patch was originally a Max5 patch – I used a super collider extension to convert the Max5 patch into a Max 4.6 patch – DNA only works with Max 4 patches. Feel free to ask for help on how you can do this in the comments or by email. It seemed too distracting to go through that in the video.
2.) You can download the converted patch and supporting files here.
3.) Yes, I received Andrew’s permission to do this!
Today we’ve released version 2.5 of both Cell and CellDNA. Version 2.5 builds on the same core architcture of previous version, and also adds a lot of functionality, features, and integration. One of the main features that they both share is a powerful SQLite database built into the browser so producers can tag, comment, and search for clips on any drive for immediate recall and playback.
