how to automate CC's within ableton

conny · Post by **conny** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 12:59 pm

OK, I'm getting somewhere:
Controller data are captured if they are assigned to a knob etc.
So I can't record them in clips and have them assigned at the same time?

// C

zfigz · Post by **zfigz** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 6:18 pm

Ok, so I set Live exactly the way Ryan suggested (I'm on a pb g4). This tip allows you to record CC automation into the individual clips, correct? I thought this was already possible...Even without doing what was suggested I'm able to record automation into my clips. What does it exactly do? Sorry for the stupid question. I've been using Live for the past year and I thought I had a grasp on it, but maybe I should think otherwise.

So, if someone could clear up what this actually does in terms of making my live experience better, It'd be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Clearscreen · Post by **Clearscreen** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 11:21 pm

Conny, the idea is that you can record your controller movements into clips in a midi track. in workflow terms the midi controller (in your case the keystation) goes into a midi track and gets output to a midiyoke thats only set as a remote input in live. that way you can record clips of your controller movements into that track and let them loop as automation while you twiddle other knobs (so to speak..)

it sounds like you're merging two tracks in some way which isn't really whats going on here (although you can do it if you want to...)

zfigz, you can record CC's in midi clips in session view, but you can't record them into existing audio clips (very well... ). using the stuff in this post you can capture your controller movements live and loop them back effectively creating your own clip automation and leaving your hands free to do something else.
as far as your live experience goes, it means you record your automation once in a clip in a single track instead of turning record arm buttons on and off and changing where the control inputs get routed to and reassigning stuff per track... all things i know i like to avoid doing too much of when performing. it's probably not really useful for doing intricate stuff if you're working in arrangement view as you can take the time in that situation to reassign and tweak things, but for live work it can be a helpful thing to use.

the other thing to remember also is that you can take your controller in through as many tracks as you like and route them out through 16 midi channels on 16 different midi yokes meaning you could have up to 256 different assignments for each knob on your controller depending on which midi tracks you have muted and/or unmuted.... ie you can have 256 presets for your controller through routing in live...

smog g · Post by **smog g** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 2:38 pm

@ryansupak:
could you please provide a liveset with your settings?

ryansupak · Post by **ryansupak** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 2:39 pm

unfortunately, i don't know how helpful that will be since much of the complexity is in computer-specific stuff -- i.e., the routing options.

but, i'll see what i can do.

rs

plain · Post by **plain** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 3:43 am

can someone repost this picture?? im trying to record automation in clips..

ryansupak · Post by **ryansupak** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 4:20 am

i just fixed the picture link.

sorry - just switched domain names and i had forgotten.
rs

plain · Post by **plain** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 7:07 am

how do i do this with midiyoke?

conny · Post by **conny** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 12:13 pm

This may help?

USB device is midi ctr source.
Midi Yoke 4 is used for external control in, USB is not set so in prefs.

// C

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 1:33 pm

I do a lot of CC stuff with the IAC driver. I've got buttons for 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and even 64 beat automated smooth crossfades, as well as automatically setting up all BCR2000 settings (Click track volume, Deck A and Deck B volumes and sends to front and rear for main track, 4 loops, live percussion and IEM... lots of sends!) on scene launch. I'm still mesmerized watching the BCR LEDs jumping to their new positions, or automatically scrolling around the crossfade knob (I'm easily amused...)

It works great! I'm learning the BCR ergonomics, too. Don't put a track stop button near a crossfade button! I put the Deck A controls on the left, B on the right, common controls on the front row (scene scroll, tempo, crossfade, IEM), FOH sends on the middle row, and rear PA sends on the back row.

ryansupak · Post by **ryansupak** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 3:44 pm

i feel like there's a larger trend going on of people diving deeper and deeper into control ergonomics for ableton -- so that their hands can move as fluidly as the software does.

this isn't ready yet, but this is the Dashboard Widget that will handle all my midi control routing in Ableton. It allows the free assignment of piano keyboard ranges to different tracks. It allows each audio track to use Impulse (dr.sample icon), Simpler (xylophone icon), or Audio Track (tape machine icon). It also allows the association of the MIDI controller's knob ranges to a given track (notice the doorknob on top of one of the icons).

LOFA · Post by **LOFA** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 5:33 pm

Widget? I have not bothered with this function of tiger yet- I am still experimenting with agregate devices and oter things. If you don't mind telling me, how does this picture translate as a widget?

Also, thank you for posting this trick. I have already had luck with sending midi out of live to the iac, and back to live to start clips, but I don't have a grasp on all of this yet. Once I have exhausted all of the information on parallel, url'd threads, and had the chance to do a little research, I will post with a few more direct questions.

plain · Post by **plain** » Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:20 pm

conny wrote:This may help?

USB device is midi ctr source.
Midi Yoke 4 is used for external control in, USB is not set so in prefs.

// C

Im really bad at this stuff please bear with me.

Which track do i drop the vsti in? once i do that the ouput turns into audio.

so USB Device = hardware controller?

What is midi yoke 4?

plain · Post by **plain** » Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:49 am

dagnamit i got this thing working with midi cc only ,but not automation...

i tired both ryan and connies method with no luck..

martian · Post by **martian** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 5:38 am

wow this does look good!

will this work with reason too?

would love to run reason as a rack - so can do all my arranging in one window instead of 2!