UC-33 WITH ABLETON

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 22, 2003 11:56 am

Hi EneA,

compare the UC33 with a guitar (I know it's hard to do so but ... try).

Before you can play your guitar you have to tune it,otherwise it sounds like...
It's the same with EVERY midi-controller:
If you don't set it up right it will do nothing or maybe it sounds like...

regards,
PAD

EneA · Post by **EneA** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 6:07 am

Hi, Pad,

Thanks for your reply. The reason I ask questions about controllers lies in the fact that they are completely new to me. I've never used them before so I actually don't know what I'm buying. You know, it's still a lot of money.
Should I buy it anyway? What I do know is that I hate to do controlling with the mouse. That really s*cks.

red_wedge · Post by **red_wedge** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 7:33 am

EneA wrote:

Hi Red,

Can you compare them a little??

Well..- the Remote is certainly better made - it has a real high quality feel. The UC-33 is not 'cheap' as some others have suggested on this forum, but it is a notch down in quality from the Remote.

It basically depends on what you use it for. Obviously the remote has the keyboard, which is important if you're into that kind of thing. I'm not particularly, but the reason I bought it was that it give me the flexibility in the future to use it to, say, trigger samples, or just to input notes in a more convenient way than using the computer keyboard.

The Remote has a few things in its favour for Live users: 8 endless rotary controllers, and 24 buttons, all of which can be easily programmed from the very good LCD in usable on-board software. The UC-33 is not 'so' intuitive to use, but it is still easy. The faders on the Remote feel a little more responsive to me than on the UC-33

However, the UC-33 is smaller, cheaper, and has more rotary knobs (though not endless ones). It's basically perfect for 8 channels and pans, plus a master, then you can easily assign the other16 controllers to effects for example. I use this live because I don't need a keyboard and I like to travel light.

But on both units you could for example assign one rotary controller to select scenes, and a button to trigger the scene. You can do the same on both, you just have to think about what you'll use them for, and whether you'll need more rotaries or buttons. All the buttons on the remote do come in handy for starting/stopping clips.

Basically, if you'll use the keyboard on other software synths etc, then the novation is probably more flexible. If you only do 'laptop' stuff with things like Live, Max/MSP and Reaktor (like me) then you could get by withthe Uc-33.

red

EneA · Post by **EneA** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 8:22 am

Great Red!!

That's very useful info Red!! Thanks.

I really need this because I'm totally ignorant about this controllers stuff. So you're experience is highly appreciated, you don't read this kind of info in brochures, they're so technical and actually tell you nothing.

E.g. I did'nt realize the Remote has (volume) sliders (don't laugh). That was an important feature on the UC-33 to go for.

What I really want to do with it is this;

- Automate in real-time my recordings manually with the controller, so use it a bit like a mixer, that's why I liked the UC-33 so much for his volume sliders (Remote also??)
- Use it in a live perfomance with Live on a laptop
- The possibility to play a keyboard-solo myself accompanied by Live, that makes the Remote more interesting because of his on board keyboard, so I won't have to carry around heavy keyboards, just the laptop and the Remote, very efficient.

What can you do with "endless rotary controllers" ?? or does it mean that you can turn them 180 degrees??
Is it true the Remote only works on batteries??
What are the main differences between the Remote 25 Audio and the normal Remote 25?

I use Live and Reason in ReWire mode. Do you perhaps know how to play a synth in Reason with a keyboard through Live as a ReWiare Master?
It must be possible, I just can figure it out (yet).

Sorry Red, I hope I don't aks you too much questions, but you're such a great help.

Thanks,

EneA

red_wedge · Post by **red_wedge** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 10:42 am

EneA wrote: What can you do with "endless rotary controllers" ?? or does it mean that you can turn them 180 degrees??
Is it true the Remote only works on batteries??
What are the main differences between the Remote 25 Audio and the normal Remote 25?

With endless controllers you dont have the 'stop' at the bottom and top - ie, unlike pan controllers or 0-127 controllers which have a bottom and top position, endless ones just continually rotate. That is, you can turn them clockwise or anti-clockwise infinitely. This is usefull if the control you have it assigned to has many more than 128 steps.

The remote works on batteries, via an external (optional) power supply, and can also be powered by USB which makes it then act as a USB midi interface. If it has recharchable batteries in it, and you connect it to USB, they will charge, which is cool!

As far as I can tell the Remote Audio has an audio interface built-in, as well as MIDI, but you don't get so much flexibility with assigning the knobs and buttons, and they are all labelled on the unit with things like LFO, ADSR etc - so it is designed more for synth work I guess.

You can find out a lot more from their website:
http://www.novationmusic.com

All the info you'll need about the remote 25 / audio is there. You can even download the manual (which is very good by the way esp if you are a beginner - it even teaches you midi a bit)

EneA wrote:I use Live and Reason in ReWire mode. Do you perhaps know how to play a synth in Reason with a keyboard through Live as a ReWiare Master?
It must be possible, I just can figure it out (yet).

Not really sure about this, but it sounds reasonable. In theory you could use the remote to play reason, and at the same time (by programming the controllers appropriately) you shoulc be able to trigger Live. That's in theory - I might be wrong - somebody else will no doubt know more about this.

red

EneA · Post by **EneA** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 12:02 pm

Thanks very much Red. I think I'll go for it.

Bye

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Sep 23, 2003 4:45 pm

the deal on this site for the LIVe program and UC-33 was dope, making it very cheap.

the novation one is like £250 on its own

EneA · Post by **EneA** » Wed Sep 24, 2003 7:03 am

Hi Red,

I've been checking the Novation website like you suggested.

I've noticed that there is no pre-installed template for Cubase (VST). Does this mean that the Remote will not work in Cubase??

JazzT · Post by **JazzT** » Wed Sep 24, 2003 9:59 am

Frist.. Hello there guys, Im new here at the board, my name is Javier from Spain, I have an Acid Jazz band and I like to shoot my samples live so I decided get this wonderfull program to do it...
I got my UC-33 bundle package from Ableton yesterday. After install the soft and the controller my first impressions are very good. I didnt know nothing about controllers before, but at first look, my try to tweak and program the controller was excellent, very very easy way to do it.

Cant to say nothing by now couse I only was with it for some minutes. It was late but today I think I will get to program it all

Regards
JazzT
http://www.jazzt.net
http://www.mp3.com/dj_jazzt

EneA · Post by **EneA** » Wed Sep 24, 2003 1:06 pm

Hi Javier,

I'd like to know your experiences with the UC-33.

Please keep us posted as soon as you found out a little more of the stuff.

JazzT · Post by **JazzT** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:23 am

Hey EneA, I almost just finished to setup the UC-33 to work with Live, Only rest scene and launch buttons. All works ok. Btw I wrote to evolution stuff yesterday to ask for a preset for Live and they answered me today saying this:

Hi Javier

Yes. We're just about finished so it'll be up on the web site in a matter of
days. Especially made for the lazies!

Keep an eye on it for the new downloads.

Best regards

Mike Rutledge
Evolution Electronics Ltd.
www.evolution.co.uk

So stay tuned to the Evolution web site

Javier
JazzT
http://www.jazzt.net
http://www.mp3.com/dj_jazzt

EneA · Post by **EneA** » Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:48 am

Thanks Javier, keep us posted about new developments.

Bye

HEXMODE · Post by **HEXMODE** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 8:05 am

I just connected to uc33 via usb
and opened the abelton program now what do i do step by step to assign and use uc 33 with live
the book is some what confusing what do i do ?
help please step by step pleaase help .
HEX

JazzT · Post by **JazzT** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 6:56 pm

Hey HEX... Just go to the Evolution site, There is a preset for UC-33 and Live that works great. The link is...
http://www.evolution.co.uk/downloads/presets.htm

Hope this help

JazzT
www.jazzt.net
www.mp3.com/dj_jazzt

n8 dogg · Post by **n8 dogg** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 11:14 pm

the templates/presets available at the evolution site are ok, but you'll get more out of the uc-33 and live if you program/assign the device to fit your own workflow.

assuming you've got the uc-33 connected by usb and you have it selected as a midi controller in live's preferences, just

1) enable the midi learn mode in live by clicking the 'midi' button up near the cpu% meter.

2) click on whatever parameter you want to control (track faders, sends, panning, crossfader or effects parameters like a filter's shelving eq), then assign a slider, knob or button on the uc-33 to that parameter by sending a midi message (just twiddle a nob or move a slider).

you should see a number assigned to the parameter on the live screen (6/10, 7/13, etc) if all is working well. you can assign as many as you want without exiting midi learn mode. when you are done assigning, click the 'midi' button again and you should be ready to fly.

you can work similar magic with key assignments on the keyboard, which are handy for soloing individual tracks or other things like creating high, mid or low kill switches on the "EQ 3". just hit 'key' instead of 'midi' and assign away using your keyboard.

hope this helps. alternately, you can always consult the live manual. have fun, man.

- n8 dogg

UC-33 WITH ABLETON

im back and want info