Wire the Max for Live device to the keyboard

Step 3 of the brief: the device now holds a ScaleLighting and pushes every scale Live reports to the Apex 7, instead of only printing it. The controller is created lazily and injected (start(max, { createLights })), so the device stays testable with no Max and no hardware. Around the call: lighting work is serialized on one queue so a burst of LOM changes cannot interleave two POSTs, an unchanged scale is never re-sent, and a GameSense that is missing or restarted is printed once rather than on every scale change — the scale keeps being tracked so a later retry lands on the right one. New messages: lights 0|1, retry, address <host:port>, shutdown. The patcher gets boxes for them plus closebang -> shutdown, and the launcher blanks the board on SIGTERM/SIGINT, so deleting the device hands lighting back to GG. The test runner now supports async tests, since the lighting half is async. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-08-15 09:00:42 +00:00
parent 2f0d5841c6
commit b8d01e3f59
5 changed files with 632 additions and 67 deletions
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -3,15 +3,16 @@
 Light the notes of a musical scale on a **SteelSeries Apex 7** using the
 GameSense SDK, mapped to Ableton Live's computer MIDI keyboard layout.

-Two of the four build steps in
+Three of the four build steps in
 [`apex7-ableton-scale-lighting.md`](./apex7-ableton-scale-lighting.md) are done:

 1. **Done** — a standalone CLI that lights a scale via GameSense. You pass the
   scale on the command line; Live is not involved.
 2. **Done** — a Max for Live device that reads the scale from Live's Object
-   Model and prints the computed key set to the Max console. No lighting yet.
-3. Next — wire the two together so the board follows Live.
-4. Then — polish.
+   Model and prints the computed key set to the Max console.
+3. **Done** — the two are wired together: change the scale in Live and the
+   keyboard follows.
+4. Next — polish (colors on the device face, handling scale mode being off).

 TypeScript, no runtime dependencies. Node 16+.

@@ -73,8 +74,8 @@ One GameSense event (`SCALE`) with **14 handlers**, all in `context-color` mode:
 | 13 × note key | one key each, by HID code | `note-a` … `note-k` |

 Because every handler pulls its color from the event's `frame`, the handlers are
-bound **once** at startup and a scale change is a single POST. That is what
-step 3 needs when the scale changes mid-set.
+bound **once** at startup and a scale change is a single POST — which is what
+makes following Live mid-set cheap.

 Two design notes:

@@ -100,19 +101,26 @@ node bin/apex7-scale.js --address 127.0.0.1:51000 --root F# --scale dorian   # t
 `--address` (or `GAMESENSE_ADDRESS`) skips `coreProps.json` discovery entirely,
 so this works on Linux too. `--dry-run` prints the payloads without sending.

+The M4L device can be pointed at the stub too, with the `address` message box in
+the patcher — useful for watching what Live's scale changes actually send.
+
 Unit tests for the scale math, key mapping, handler shape and frame colors —
-plus the LOM parsing and the device's message handling, driven through a fake
-Max:
+plus the LOM parsing, the device's message handling and its lighting behaviour,
+driven through a fake Max and a fake controller:

 ```bash
 npm test
 ```

-## The Max for Live device (step 2)
+## The Max for Live device

-`max/` holds a device that watches Live's scale and prints the keys it computes.
-It does not light anything yet — that is step 3. Its job is to prove the LOM
-half of the chain against the mapping table in the brief.
+`max/` holds a device that watches Live's scale, prints the keys it computes,
+and lights them on the Apex 7. With it loaded and SteelSeries GG running, the
+whole chain from the brief is live:
+
+```
+Live 12 → js (LiveAPI) → Node for Max → GameSense → Apex 7
+```

 ### Installing it

@@ -132,10 +140,14 @@ born inside Live:
 Add this repo's folder in Live's browser (**Add Folder…**) to load the device
 from there in future sets.

-### What it prints
+### What it does

-Open the Max console (Cmd/Ctrl-Shift-M). Change the scale in Live's control bar
-and each change prints:
+Change the scale in Live's control bar and the board follows: scale notes in
+blue, the root in orange, everything else near-off. The keyboard is only touched
+when the scale actually changes, and the device heartbeats in between so the
+lighting sticks.
+
+The same change prints to the Max console (Cmd/Ctrl-Shift-M):

 ```
 C Major — from the song
@@ -163,6 +175,25 @@ both. Click the message boxes in the patcher:
 - `refresh` — re-read and re-send.
 - `debug 1` / `verbose 1` — log every LOM read / every commit, not just changes.

+### Controlling the lighting
+
+The device takes the board as soon as Live reports a scale. The other message
+boxes in the patcher:
+
+- `lights 0` — stop driving the keyboard and hand it back to SteelSeries GG.
+  Live is still followed, so `lights 1` picks up at the current scale.
+- `retry` — re-connect to GameSense and re-send. Use it after starting GG, or
+  after GG restarts.
+- `address 127.0.0.1:51000` — talk to `tools/fake-gamesense.ts` instead of the
+  real thing. Send `address` with no value to go back to `coreProps.json`
+  discovery.
+- `shutdown` — blank the board now. `closebang` sends this for you when the
+  device is deleted or the set is closed.
+
+If GameSense is not there the failure is printed once, not on every scale
+change, and the device keeps tracking Live so that a later `retry` lands on the
+right scale. `node.script`'s outlet also reports `lighting 1` / `lighting 0`.
+
 `scale_intervals` only exists from Live 12.1. On earlier versions the device
 resolves Live's `scale_name` against a table of Live's built-in scales
 (`LIVE_SCALE_INTERVALS` in `src/live.ts`); when Live does send intervals, they
@@ -173,9 +204,9 @@ win, so a scale you edited in Live is followed exactly.
 `LiveAPI` exists only inside Max's `js`/`v8` objects — Node for Max cannot see
 it. So `max/scale-observer.js` (plain ES5, the one uncompiled file in the repo)
 observes the LOM and forwards raw values as flat messages, and
-`src/max/device.ts` resolves them. That keeps every decision in TypeScript, and
-means step 3 only has to call `ScaleLighting` from a place that already has the
-scale.
+`src/max/device.ts` resolves them and calls `ScaleLighting`. That keeps every
+decision in TypeScript: the `js` object only reads the LOM, and the HTTP half
+never has to know about Live.

 ## Layout

@@ -188,9 +219,9 @@ src/scale.ts            scale presets, root/interval parsing, pitch class -> QWE
 src/gamesense.ts        GameSense REST client (coreProps discovery, heartbeat, cleanup)
 src/lighting.ts         handler + frame construction
 src/errors.ts           `catch (err: unknown)` helpers
-src/index.ts            ScaleLighting — the API step 3 will call from Node for Max
+src/index.ts            ScaleLighting — the API the M4L device drives
 src/live.ts             LOM values -> a resolved scale, and how to print it
-src/max/device.ts       the Node for Max device: messages in, key set out
+src/max/device.ts       the Node for Max device: Live's scale in, lighting out
 max/scale-lighting.maxpat  the M4L patcher (paste into a device created in Live)
 max/scale-observer.js   the `js` object that observes the Live Object Model (ES5)
 max/scale-device.js     `node.script` launcher — runs dist/src/max/device.js
@@ -203,14 +234,10 @@ dist/                   compiled CommonJS + .d.ts (gitignored)
 `tsconfig.json` emits CommonJS at ES2020, because Node for Max loads CJS on a
 Node version we do not control.

-## What step 3 has to do
+## The seam: `ScaleLighting`

-Both halves now exist and neither knows about the other. Step 3 is joining them
-inside `src/max/device.ts`: it already resolves a `LiveScale` on every `commit`,
-so it needs to hold a `ScaleLighting`, start it on load, call
-`showScale(scale.root, scale.intervals)` where it currently prints, and stop it
-on `notifydeleted`. `src/index.ts` is that seam — no CLI concerns in it, and it
-ships type declarations alongside the compiled JS:
+`src/index.ts` is what joins the two halves, and it is usable on its own — no
+CLI concerns in it, and it ships type declarations alongside the compiled JS:

 ```ts
 import { ScaleLighting } from 'steelseries-live-scale';
@@ -224,7 +251,15 @@ await lights.stop();
 ```

 `showScale(root, intervals)` takes exactly what Live 12's `Song` object exposes
-as `root_note` and `scale_intervals`.
+as `root_note` and `scale_intervals`, which is why the device can hand it the
+resolved scale untouched.
+
+`src/max/device.ts` wraps that with the things a device in a running set needs:
+lighting work is serialized behind a queue so a burst of LOM changes cannot
+interleave two POSTs, an unchanged scale is never re-sent, and a GameSense that
+is missing or restarted is a printed message rather than a dead device. Both
+Max and the controller are injected (`start(max, { createLights })`), so
+`test/live.test.ts` drives the whole device with no Max and no hardware.

 ## Troubleshooting

@@ -245,3 +280,12 @@ as `root_note` and `scale_intervals`.
  scale set. Click `refresh` in the patcher.
 - **Nothing changes when you pick a clip** — the device follows the Song by
  default; click `source clip`.
+- **The console shows the scale but the board does not** — the lighting half
+  failed; the reason is printed once, right after the first scale. Start
+  SteelSeries GG and click `retry`. `status` re-prints the last failure.
+- **The board keeps the last scale after you delete the device** — the blackout
+  is best effort (`closebang`, then a signal to the Node process). GameSense
+  drops the effect ~15s after the heartbeat stops either way; `node
+  bin/apex7-scale.js --off` blanks it immediately.
+- **Two things fighting over the board** — the device and a running
+  `bin/apex7-scale.js` register the same game. Quit the CLI.
--- a/max/scale-device.js
+++ b/max/scale-device.js
@@ -26,5 +26,23 @@ if (!fs.existsSync(compiled)) {
    Max.POST_LEVELS.ERROR
  );
 } else {
-  require(compiled).start(Max);
+  const device = require(compiled).start(Max);
+
+  // Node for Max kills this process when the device is deleted or the Live set
+  // is closed. Blank the board on the way out so the Apex 7 goes back to its
+  // SteelSeries GG profile rather than sitting on the last scale. Best effort:
+  // if the signal never arrives, GameSense drops the effect ~15s after the
+  // heartbeat stops anyway. The patcher's `closebang` covers device deletion,
+  // which is the case Live does not signal.
+  let leaving = false;
+  const leave = () => {
+    if (leaving) return;
+    leaving = true;
+    device
+      .shutdown()
+      .catch(() => {})
+      .then(() => process.exit(0));
+  };
+  process.on('SIGTERM', leave);
+  process.on('SIGINT', leave);
 }
--- a/max/scale-lighting.maxpat
+++ b/max/scale-lighting.maxpat
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
 					"numoutlets" : 0,
 					"patching_rect" : [ 20.0, 15.0, 420.0, 20.0 ],
 					"fontsize" : 13.0,
-					"text" : "Ableton Scale Lighting — step 2: read the scale, print the keys"
+					"text" : "Ableton Scale Lighting — the Apex 7 follows Live's scale"
 				}

 			}
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
 					"numoutlets" : 0,
 					"linecount" : 3,
 					"patching_rect" : [ 20.0, 40.0, 480.0, 47.0 ],
-					"text" : "The js object is the only part that may touch the Live API; it forwards raw root_note / scale_name / scale_intervals to node.script, which resolves them and prints the QWERTY keys to the Max console."
+					"text" : "The js object is the only part that may touch the Live API; it forwards raw root_note / scale_name / scale_intervals to node.script, which resolves them, prints the QWERTY keys to the Max console and lights them on the keyboard through GameSense."
 				}

 			}
@@ -168,6 +168,90 @@
 					"text" : "verbose 1"
 				}

+			}
+, 			{
+				"box" : 				{
+					"id" : "obj-18",
+					"maxclass" : "message",
+					"numinlets" : 2,
+					"numoutlets" : 1,
+					"outlettype" : [ "" ],
+					"patching_rect" : [ 326.0, 185.0, 56.0, 22.0 ],
+					"text" : "lights 1"
+				}
+
+			}
+, 			{
+				"box" : 				{
+					"id" : "obj-19",
+					"maxclass" : "message",
+					"numinlets" : 2,
+					"numoutlets" : 1,
+					"outlettype" : [ "" ],
+					"patching_rect" : [ 390.0, 185.0, 56.0, 22.0 ],
+					"text" : "lights 0"
+				}
+
+			}
+, 			{
+				"box" : 				{
+					"id" : "obj-20",
+					"maxclass" : "message",
+					"numinlets" : 2,
+					"numoutlets" : 1,
+					"outlettype" : [ "" ],
+					"patching_rect" : [ 454.0, 185.0, 44.0, 22.0 ],
+					"text" : "retry"
+				}
+
+			}
+, 			{
+				"box" : 				{
+					"id" : "obj-21",
+					"maxclass" : "newobj",
+					"numinlets" : 1,
+					"numoutlets" : 1,
+					"outlettype" : [ "bang" ],
+					"patching_rect" : [ 430.0, 100.0, 66.0, 22.0 ],
+					"text" : "closebang"
+				}
+
+			}
+, 			{
+				"box" : 				{
+					"id" : "obj-22",
+					"maxclass" : "message",
+					"numinlets" : 2,
+					"numoutlets" : 1,
+					"outlettype" : [ "" ],
+					"patching_rect" : [ 430.0, 140.0, 66.0, 22.0 ],
+					"text" : "shutdown"
+				}
+
+			}
+, 			{
+				"box" : 				{
+					"id" : "obj-23",
+					"maxclass" : "message",
+					"numinlets" : 2,
+					"numoutlets" : 1,
+					"outlettype" : [ "" ],
+					"patching_rect" : [ 20.0, 320.0, 175.0, 22.0 ],
+					"text" : "address 127.0.0.1:51000"
+				}
+
+			}
+, 			{
+				"box" : 				{
+					"id" : "obj-24",
+					"maxclass" : "comment",
+					"numinlets" : 1,
+					"numoutlets" : 0,
+					"linecount" : 2,
+					"patching_rect" : [ 204.0, 317.0, 400.0, 33.0 ],
+					"text" : "Only for testing against tools/fake-gamesense.ts — leave it alone and the device finds SteelSeries GG through coreProps.json. Send \"address\" with no value to go back to discovery."
+				}
+
 			}
 , 			{
 				"box" : 				{
@@ -200,7 +284,7 @@
 					"numoutlets" : 0,
 					"linecount" : 2,
 					"patching_rect" : [ 104.0, 272.0, 400.0, 33.0 ],
-					"text" : "Open the Max console (Cmd/Ctrl-Shift-M) to watch the scale change. node.script needs dist/ built: npm install in the repo root."
+					"text" : "Open the Max console (Cmd/Ctrl-Shift-M) to watch the scale change. node.script needs dist/ built: npm install in the repo root. SteelSeries GG must be running for the keys to light."
 				}

 			}
@@ -294,6 +378,48 @@
 					"source" : [ "obj-11", 0 ]
 				}

+			}
+, 			{
+				"patchline" : 				{
+					"destination" : [ "obj-12", 0 ],
+					"source" : [ "obj-18", 0 ]
+				}
+
+			}
+, 			{
+				"patchline" : 				{
+					"destination" : [ "obj-12", 0 ],
+					"source" : [ "obj-19", 0 ]
+				}
+
+			}
+, 			{
+				"patchline" : 				{
+					"destination" : [ "obj-12", 0 ],
+					"source" : [ "obj-20", 0 ]
+				}
+
+			}
+, 			{
+				"patchline" : 				{
+					"destination" : [ "obj-22", 0 ],
+					"source" : [ "obj-21", 0 ]
+				}
+
+			}
+, 			{
+				"patchline" : 				{
+					"destination" : [ "obj-12", 0 ],
+					"source" : [ "obj-22", 0 ]
+				}
+
+			}
+, 			{
+				"patchline" : 				{
+					"destination" : [ "obj-12", 0 ],
+					"source" : [ "obj-23", 0 ]
+				}
+
 			}
 , 			{
 				"patchline" : 				{
--- a/src/max/device.ts
+++ b/src/max/device.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 /**
- * Build step 2: the Node for Max side of the M4L device.
+ * Build step 3: the Node for Max side of the M4L device — Live's scale on the
+ * keyboard.
 *
 * `max/scale-observer.js` (a `js` object, the only place that can touch the
 * Live API) watches the LOM and forwards raw values here; this module turns
- * them into a scale and prints the computed key set to the Max console.
+ * them into a scale, prints the computed key set, and pushes it to the Apex 7
+ * through `ScaleLighting`.
 *
 * Wire protocol from the observer, one field per message:
 *
@@ -13,21 +15,29 @@
 *   mode    0|1              Song `scale_mode`
 *   name    <symbol>         `scale_name`, e.g. "Whole Tone"
 *   intervals 0 2 4 ...      `scale_intervals` (absent before Live 12.1)
- *   commit                   resolve everything above and report
+ *   commit                   resolve everything above, report, and light it
 *
- * Plus two for hand-driving it from a message box:
+ * Plus, for hand-driving it from a message box:
 *
- *   status                   re-print the current scale
+ *   status                   re-print the current scale and the lighting state
 *   verbose 0|1              log every commit, or only changes (default)
+ *   lights 0|1               stop / start driving the keyboard
+ *   retry                    re-connect to GameSense and re-send the scale
+ *   address <host:port>      skip coreProps.json discovery (empty = discover)
+ *   shutdown                 blank the board and hand it back to SteelSeries GG
 *
- * Max is injected rather than `require`d so the module stays testable outside
- * of Max; `max/scale-device.js` is the launcher that supplies the real one.
+ * Both Max and the lighting controller are injected rather than `require`d, so
+ * the whole device is testable outside of Max and off the hardware;
+ * `max/scale-device.js` is the launcher that supplies the real Max.
 */

 import { errorMessage } from '../errors';
+import { ScaleLighting } from '../index';
+import type { ScaleLightingOptions } from '../index';
 import * as live from '../live';
 import type { LiveScale, PartialLiveScale } from '../live';
 import { noteName } from '../scale';
+import type { PitchClass } from '../scale';

 /** The slice of the `max-api` module this device uses. */
 export interface MaxApi {
@@ -36,11 +46,36 @@ export interface MaxApi {
  addHandler(name: string, fn: (...args: any[]) => void): void;
 }

+/** The slice of `ScaleLighting` this device drives. */
+export interface Lights {
+  readonly isStarted: boolean;
+  start(): Promise<void>;
+  showScale(root: PitchClass, intervals: readonly number[]): Promise<unknown>;
+  stop(removeGame?: boolean): Promise<void>;
+}
+
+export interface DeviceOptions {
+  /** Build the lighting controller. Injected by tests. */
+  createLights?: (options: ScaleLightingOptions) => Lights;
+  /** Drive the keyboard from the start (default true). */
+  lights?: boolean;
+  /** Skip coreProps.json discovery, e.g. "127.0.0.1:51000". */
+  address?: string;
+}
+
 export interface Device {
  /** The last successfully resolved scale, or null. */
  readonly scale: LiveScale | null;
  /** Fields received since the last `commit`/`reset`. */
  readonly pending: PartialLiveScale;
+  /** The lighting controller, once anything has needed one. */
+  readonly lights: Lights | null;
+  /** Whether scales are being pushed to the keyboard at all. */
+  readonly lightsEnabled: boolean;
+  /** Resolves once the queued lighting work has settled. */
+  idle(): Promise<void>;
+  /** Blank the board and hand lighting back to SteelSeries GG. */
+  shutdown(): Promise<void>;
 }

 const PREFIX = 'scale:';
@@ -48,14 +83,29 @@ const PREFIX = 'scale:';
 /**
 * Register the message handlers on a Max API object.
 *
- * Returns a handle mostly so tests (and step 3) can look at the resolved
- * scale without going through Max.
+ * Returns a handle so the launcher can shut the lighting down, and so tests can
+ * look at the resolved scale without going through Max.
 */
-export function start(max: MaxApi): Device {
+export function start(max: MaxApi, options: DeviceOptions = {}): Device {
+  const createLights =
+    options.createLights ?? ((opts: ScaleLightingOptions) => new ScaleLighting(opts));
+
  let pending: PartialLiveScale = {};
  let scale: LiveScale | null = null;
  let verbose = false;

+  let lightsEnabled = options.lights ?? true;
+  let address = options.address;
+  let lights: Lights | null = null;
+  /** The scale currently on the keyboard, so an unchanged commit costs nothing. */
+  let shown: LiveScale | null = null;
+  /** The scale the keyboard should be showing — read when a queued push runs. */
+  let wanted: LiveScale | null = null;
+  /** Last failure posted, so a keyboard that stays unplugged says so only once. */
+  let lastFailure = '';
+  /** All lighting work is serialized: a burst of commits must not interleave. */
+  let queue: Promise<void> = Promise.resolve();
+
  const post = (msg: string) => max.post(`${PREFIX} ${msg}`);

  /** Any handler may be fed junk by a stray message box; never throw at Max. */
@@ -74,6 +124,68 @@ export function start(max: MaxApi): Device {
    max.outlet('scale', live.summarizeScale(resolved));
  };

+  /* --- lighting ---------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+  const failed = (what: string, err: unknown) => {
+    // Whatever went wrong, the board no longer shows what we think it does.
+    shown = null;
+    const msg = `${what}: ${errorMessage(err)}`;
+    if (msg === lastFailure) return;
+    const first = !lastFailure;
+    lastFailure = msg;
+    post(msg);
+    if (first) {
+      post('the scale is still being tracked — fix that and click retry');
+    }
+  };
+
+  const enqueue = (what: string, fn: () => Promise<void>): Promise<void> => {
+    queue = queue.then(fn).catch((err: unknown) => failed(what, err));
+    return queue;
+  };
+
+  const pushLights = (): Promise<void> =>
+    enqueue('lighting', async () => {
+      const target = wanted;
+      if (!target || !lightsEnabled) return;
+
+      const controller = lights ?? (lights = createLights({ address, log: post }));
+      if (controller.isStarted && live.sameScale(shown, target)) return;
+
+      if (!controller.isStarted) {
+        await controller.start();
+        post('lighting on — the board is following Live');
+        max.outlet('lighting', 1);
+      }
+
+      await controller.showScale(target.root, target.intervals);
+      shown = target;
+      if (lastFailure) {
+        lastFailure = '';
+        post('lighting recovered');
+      }
+      if (verbose) post(`lit ${live.summarizeScale(target)}`);
+    });
+
+  /** Blank the board and drop the controller, so the next push rebuilds it. */
+  const dropLights = (): Promise<void> =>
+    enqueue('lighting stop', async () => {
+      const controller = lights;
+      lights = null;
+      shown = null;
+      if (!controller) return;
+      await controller.stop(true);
+      max.outlet('lighting', 0);
+    });
+
+  /** Re-create the controller — for anything that only applies at startup. */
+  const restartLights = (): Promise<void> => {
+    void dropLights();
+    return lightsEnabled ? pushLights() : queue;
+  };
+
+  /* --- messages from the observer ---------------------------------------- */
+
  max.addHandler('reset', () => {
    pending = {};
  });
@@ -113,12 +225,25 @@ export function start(max: MaxApi): Device {
      const changed = !live.sameScale(scale, resolved);
      scale = resolved;
      if (changed || verbose) report(resolved);
+
+      wanted = resolved;
+      void pushLights();
    });
  });

+  /* --- messages from the patcher ----------------------------------------- */
+
  max.addHandler('status', () => {
    if (scale) report(scale);
    else post('no scale yet — is the device loaded in a Live set?');
+    post(
+      lightsEnabled
+        ? shown
+          ? 'lighting on'
+          : 'lighting on, nothing pushed to the board yet'
+        : 'lighting off'
+    );
+    if (lastFailure) post(lastFailure);
  });

  max.addHandler('verbose', (value: unknown) => {
@@ -126,6 +251,40 @@ export function start(max: MaxApi): Device {
    post(`verbose ${verbose ? 'on' : 'off'}`);
  });

+  max.addHandler('lights', (value: unknown) => {
+    const on = live.toBoolean(value);
+    if (on === lightsEnabled) return;
+    lightsEnabled = on;
+
+    if (on) {
+      lastFailure = '';
+      post('lighting enabled');
+      void pushLights();
+    } else {
+      post('lighting disabled — handing the board back to SteelSeries GG');
+      void dropLights();
+    }
+  });
+
+  // Deliberately keeps `lastFailure`: a retry against a still-broken GameSense
+  // stays quiet, and a successful one gets to say "recovered".
+  max.addHandler('retry', () => {
+    post('retrying');
+    void restartLights();
+  });
+
+  max.addHandler('address', (...args: unknown[]) => {
+    const value = args.map((a) => String(a)).join('').trim();
+    address = value || undefined;
+    post(`GameSense address: ${address ?? 'from coreProps.json'}`);
+    lastFailure = '';
+    void restartLights();
+  });
+
+  max.addHandler('shutdown', () => {
+    void dropLights();
+  });
+
  post('ready — waiting for the scale from Live');
  max.outlet('ready', 1);

@@ -136,5 +295,18 @@ export function start(max: MaxApi): Device {
    get pending() {
      return pending;
    },
+    get lights() {
+      return lights;
+    },
+    get lightsEnabled() {
+      return lightsEnabled;
+    },
+    idle() {
+      return queue;
+    },
+    shutdown() {
+      lightsEnabled = false;
+      return dropLights();
+    },
  };
 }
--- a/test/live.test.ts
+++ b/test/live.test.ts
@@ -20,24 +20,37 @@ import {
 } from '../src/live';
 import type { LiveScale } from '../src/live';
 import { start } from '../src/max/device';
-import type { MaxApi } from '../src/max/device';
+import type { Device, Lights, MaxApi } from '../src/max/device';
 import { SCALES } from '../src/scale';
+import type { PitchClass } from '../src/scale';

+/**
+ * Tests run in order on one promise chain: the device's lighting work is async,
+ * so a test may need to `await device.idle()` before asserting.
+ */
 let passed = 0;
-function test(name: string, fn: () => void): void {
+let chain: Promise<void> = Promise.resolve();
+
+function test(name: string, fn: () => void | Promise<void>): void {
+  chain = chain.then(async () => {
    try {
-    fn();
+      await fn();
      passed++;
      console.log(`  ok  ${name}`);
    } catch (err) {
      console.error(`  FAIL ${name}\n       ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : err}`);
      process.exitCode = 1;
    }
+  });
+}
+
+function section(name: string): void {
+  chain = chain.then(() => console.log(name));
 }

 const REPO = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..');

-console.log('Live scale names');
+section('Live scale names');

 test('Live scale names resolve, however they are spelled', () => {
  assert.deepStrictEqual(intervalsForScaleName('Major'), [0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11]);
@@ -84,7 +97,7 @@ test('name normalization collapses Live punctuation', () => {
  assert.strictEqual(normalizeScaleName('Dorian #4'), 'dorian #4');
 });

-console.log('coercion of Max atoms');
+section('coercion of Max atoms');

 test('atoms coerce the way Max sends them', () => {
  assert.strictEqual(toPitchClass(0), 0);
@@ -109,7 +122,7 @@ test('atoms coerce the way Max sends them', () => {
  assert.throws(() => toScaleSource('track'));
 });

-console.log('resolving what Live reports');
+section('resolving what Live reports');

 test('intervals from Live win over the name', () => {
  const scale = resolveScale({
@@ -153,7 +166,7 @@ test('scale equality ignores nothing that matters', () => {
  assert.ok(sameScale(null, null));
 });

-console.log('reporting');
+section('reporting');

 test('C major from the LOM lights the home row', () => {
  const scale = resolveScale({ root: 0, name: 'Major', intervals: SCALES.major });
@@ -184,7 +197,7 @@ test('describeScale flags scale mode being off', () => {
  assert.strictEqual(on.length, 6);
 });

-console.log('the Node for Max device');
+section('the Node for Max device');

 interface FakeMax extends MaxApi {
  handlers: Map<string, (...args: any[]) => void>;
@@ -212,6 +225,46 @@ function fakeMax(): FakeMax {
  };
 }

+/** A stand-in for ScaleLighting: records what the keyboard was asked to do. */
+interface FakeLights extends Omit<Lights, 'isStarted'> {
+  isStarted: boolean;
+  starts: number;
+  stops: number;
+  frames: { root: PitchClass; intervals: readonly number[] }[];
+  /** When set, every call rejects with it — a GameSense that is not there. */
+  fail: string | null;
+}
+
+function fakeLights(): FakeLights {
+  const lights: FakeLights = {
+    isStarted: false,
+    starts: 0,
+    stops: 0,
+    frames: [],
+    fail: null,
+    async start() {
+      if (lights.fail) throw new Error(lights.fail);
+      lights.starts++;
+      lights.isStarted = true;
+    },
+    async showScale(root, intervals) {
+      if (lights.fail) throw new Error(lights.fail);
+      lights.frames.push({ root, intervals });
+      return {};
+    },
+    async stop() {
+      lights.stops++;
+      lights.isStarted = false;
+    },
+  };
+  return lights;
+}
+
+/** The device, never touching real hardware. */
+function startDevice(max: FakeMax, lights: FakeLights = fakeLights()): Device {
+  return start(max, { createLights: () => lights });
+}
+
 /** What max/scale-observer.js emits for one scale. */
 function observe(max: FakeMax, fields: Record<string, unknown[]>): void {
  max.send('reset');
@@ -221,7 +274,7 @@ function observe(max: FakeMax, fields: Record<string, unknown[]>): void {

 test('the device registers every message the observer sends', () => {
  const max = fakeMax();
-  start(max);
+  startDevice(max);
  for (const name of ['reset', 'source', 'root', 'mode', 'name', 'intervals', 'commit']) {
    assert.ok(max.handlers.has(name), `missing handler: ${name}`);
  }
@@ -230,7 +283,7 @@ test('the device registers every message the observer sends', () => {

 test('a burst from the observer resolves to a scale', () => {
  const max = fakeMax();
-  const device = start(max);
+  const device = startDevice(max);
  observe(max, {
    source: ['song'],
    root: [2],
@@ -254,7 +307,7 @@ test('a burst from the observer resolves to a scale', () => {

 test('a multi-word scale name survives being split into atoms', () => {
  const max = fakeMax();
-  const device = start(max);
+  const device = startDevice(max);
  observe(max, { root: [0], name: ['Whole', 'Tone'] });
  assert.strictEqual(device.scale?.name, 'Whole Tone');
  assert.deepStrictEqual(device.scale?.intervals, [0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10]);
@@ -262,7 +315,7 @@ test('a multi-word scale name survives being split into atoms', () => {

 test('an unchanged scale is not re-reported, a changed one is', () => {
  const max = fakeMax();
-  start(max);
+  startDevice(max);
  const fields = { root: [0], name: ['Major'], intervals: [0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11] };

  observe(max, fields);
@@ -276,7 +329,7 @@ test('an unchanged scale is not re-reported, a changed one is', () => {

 test('verbose reports every commit', () => {
  const max = fakeMax();
-  start(max);
+  startDevice(max);
  const fields = { root: [0], name: ['Major'] };

  observe(max, fields);
@@ -288,7 +341,7 @@ test('verbose reports every commit', () => {

 test('garbage from a message box is reported, not thrown', () => {
  const max = fakeMax();
-  const device = start(max);
+  const device = startDevice(max);

  max.send('root', 99);
  max.send('source', 'track');
@@ -304,7 +357,7 @@ test('garbage from a message box is reported, not thrown', () => {

 test('status prints the current scale, or says there is none', () => {
  const max = fakeMax();
-  start(max);
+  startDevice(max);
  max.send('status');
  assert.ok(max.posts.some((p) => p.includes('no scale yet')));

@@ -314,7 +367,145 @@ test('status prints the current scale, or says there is none', () => {
  assert.ok(max.posts.length > before);
 });

-console.log('Max patcher');
+section('driving the keyboard');
+
+const C_MAJOR = { root: [0], name: ['Major'], intervals: [0, 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11] };
+
+test('a commit from Live reaches the keyboard', async () => {
+  const max = fakeMax();
+  const lights = fakeLights();
+  const device = startDevice(max, lights);
+
+  observe(max, { source: ['song'], root: [2], name: ['Dorian'], intervals: [0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10] });
+  await device.idle();
+
+  assert.strictEqual(lights.starts, 1, 'GameSense should be started once, lazily');
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(lights.frames, [{ root: 2, intervals: [0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10] }]);
+  assert.ok(max.posts.some((p) => p.includes('lighting on')));
+  assert.ok(max.outlets.some((o) => o[0] === 'lighting' && o[1] === 1));
+});
+
+test('an unchanged scale is not re-sent, a changed one is', async () => {
+  const max = fakeMax();
+  const lights = fakeLights();
+  const device = startDevice(max, lights);
+
+  observe(max, C_MAJOR);
+  observe(max, C_MAJOR);
+  await device.idle();
+  assert.strictEqual(lights.frames.length, 1, 'the same scale was pushed twice');
+  assert.strictEqual(lights.starts, 1, 'GameSense was re-registered');
+
+  observe(max, { ...C_MAJOR, root: [5] });
+  await device.idle();
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(lights.frames.map((f) => f.root), [0, 5]);
+});
+
+test('lights 0 hands the board back, lights 1 takes it again', async () => {
+  const max = fakeMax();
+  const lights = fakeLights();
+  const device = startDevice(max, lights);
+
+  observe(max, C_MAJOR);
+  await device.idle();
+
+  max.send('lights', 0);
+  await device.idle();
+  assert.strictEqual(lights.stops, 1);
+  assert.strictEqual(lights.isStarted, false);
+  assert.strictEqual(device.lightsEnabled, false);
+  assert.ok(max.outlets.some((o) => o[0] === 'lighting' && o[1] === 0));
+
+  // Live keeps changing scale while the lighting is off; nothing is sent...
+  observe(max, { ...C_MAJOR, root: [5] });
+  await device.idle();
+  assert.strictEqual(lights.frames.length, 1);
+  assert.ok(device.scale, 'the scale should still be tracked');
+
+  // ...but turning it back on catches the board up with the current scale.
+  max.send('lights', 1);
+  await device.idle();
+  assert.strictEqual(lights.starts, 2);
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(lights.frames.map((f) => f.root), [0, 5]);
+});
+
+test('a GameSense failure is reported once, and retry recovers', async () => {
+  const max = fakeMax();
+  const lights = fakeLights();
+  lights.fail = 'coreProps.json not found. Is SteelSeries GG running?';
+  const device = startDevice(max, lights);
+
+  observe(max, C_MAJOR);
+  await device.idle();
+  const complaints = () => max.posts.filter((p) => p.includes('coreProps.json')).length;
+  assert.strictEqual(complaints(), 1);
+  assert.ok(max.posts.some((p) => p.includes('retry')), 'no hint about how to recover');
+
+  // The same failure on every commit must not fill the Max console.
+  observe(max, { ...C_MAJOR, root: [5] });
+  observe(max, C_MAJOR);
+  await device.idle();
+  assert.strictEqual(complaints(), 1);
+  assert.ok(device.scale, 'a dead GameSense must not stop the device tracking Live');
+
+  lights.fail = null;
+  max.send('retry');
+  await device.idle();
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(lights.frames, [{ root: 0, intervals: C_MAJOR.intervals }]);
+  assert.ok(max.posts.some((p) => p.includes('recovered')));
+});
+
+test('address re-points the controller and re-sends', async () => {
+  const max = fakeMax();
+  const lights = fakeLights();
+  const addresses: (string | undefined)[] = [];
+  const device = start(max, {
+    createLights: (opts) => {
+      addresses.push(opts.address);
+      return lights;
+    },
+  });
+
+  observe(max, C_MAJOR);
+  await device.idle();
+  max.send('address', '127.0.0.1:51000');
+  await device.idle();
+
+  assert.deepStrictEqual(addresses, [undefined, '127.0.0.1:51000']);
+  assert.strictEqual(lights.stops, 1, 'the old registration should be removed');
+  assert.strictEqual(lights.frames.length, 2, 'the scale should be re-sent');
+});
+
+test('shutdown blanks the board', async () => {
+  const max = fakeMax();
+  const lights = fakeLights();
+  const device = startDevice(max, lights);
+
+  observe(max, C_MAJOR);
+  await device.idle();
+  await device.shutdown();
+
+  assert.strictEqual(lights.stops, 1);
+  assert.strictEqual(lights.isStarted, false);
+  assert.strictEqual(device.lights, null);
+});
+
+test('status says whether the board is being driven', async () => {
+  const max = fakeMax();
+  const device = startDevice(max);
+
+  observe(max, C_MAJOR);
+  await device.idle();
+  max.send('status');
+  assert.ok(max.posts.some((p) => p.endsWith('lighting on')));
+
+  max.send('lights', 0);
+  await device.idle();
+  max.send('status');
+  assert.ok(max.posts.some((p) => p.endsWith('lighting off')));
+});
+
+section('Max patcher');

 test('scale-lighting.maxpat is valid JSON with the objects we wired', () => {
  const raw = fs.readFileSync(path.join(REPO, 'max', 'scale-lighting.maxpat'), 'utf8');
@@ -327,7 +518,19 @@ test('scale-lighting.maxpat is valid JSON with the objects we wired', () => {

  const boxes = patch.patcher.boxes.map((b) => b.box);
  const texts = boxes.map((b) => b.text ?? '');
-  for (const expected of ['live.thisdevice', 'js scale-observer.js', 'midiin', 'midiout']) {
+  const expectedTexts = [
+    'live.thisdevice',
+    'js scale-observer.js',
+    'midiin',
+    'midiout',
+    // Step 3: the lighting controls, and blanking the board on device deletion.
+    'lights 1',
+    'lights 0',
+    'retry',
+    'closebang',
+    'shutdown',
+  ];
+  for (const expected of expectedTexts) {
    assert.ok(texts.includes(expected), `patcher is missing ${expected}`);
  }
  assert.ok(
@@ -349,4 +552,6 @@ test('the scripts the patcher names exist next to it', () => {
  }
 });

-console.log(`\n${passed} passed${process.exitCode ? ', with failures' : ''}`);
+void chain.then(() => {
+  console.log(`\n${passed} passed${process.exitCode ? ', with failures' : ''}`);
+});