[How-to Guide] Manually setting up an MPD24 with live!

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kaffein
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[How-to Guide] Manually setting up an MPD24 with live!

Post by kaffein » Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:39 am

Well I decided to make a handy how-to guide for manually setting up the MPD24 with live, after not finding any information on doing do so...
I hope someone can make use of this, because I know I could have!

If anyone would like to add to this, make corrections etc.. Please reply!
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// [How-to Guide] Manually setting up an MPD24 with live!
// Revision: 1.0 for v6.0.3 (PC)
// Some instructions taken from official texts, and modified to taste.
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Plug in your MPD24 to an available USB port.
2. Go to the folder - C:\program files\ableton\Live 6.0.3\Resources\MIDI Remote Scripts\_Tools
3. With the file 'UserConfiguration.txt'provided in this directory, you can create your own Instant Mappings.

Note: Since this mechanism relies on the scripts added for Live 6, you can solely map the given functions to your Control Surface.
You can neither add functions nor can you change the banks of device parameters.

Code: Select all

A) Create a directory in the 'MIDI Remote Scripts' folder.
	The name of the directory will show up in the list of Control Surfaces in Live. (Options > Preferences > Midi Sync)
	Naming: The name of the directory should NOT start with '_' or '.'.

	B) Copy 'UserConfiguration.txt' into the directory you made.
	The name of the file needs to remain unchanged.

	C) Edit the copy to adapt it to your needs.
	The comments in the file will tell you what to do.

4. The following select values are the default used with the Live Preset (Number 5) on the MPD24. Change what you need and save the file.

Code: Select all

[Globals] (If you want to use USB Audio Device 2 or 3, then change that here)
InputName: USB Audio Device
OutputName: USB Audio Device

[DeviceControls]
Encoder1: 15
Encoder2: 16
Encoder3: 13
Encoder4: 14
Encoder5: 11
Encoder6: 12
Encoder7: 10
Encoder8: 7

[MixerControls]
VolumeSlider1: 1
VolumeSlider2: 2
VolumeSlider3: 3
VolumeSlider4: 4
VolumeSlider5: 5
VolumeSlider6: 6

[TransportControls]
The MPD24 sends mmc messages, which are to my knowledge, not supported by live at the moment.
If you know a work around please do tell...

If you would like to assign the PADS to do something that is listed within the user config the CC values are 36-51. (pads1-16)

5. Open up live and go to 'Options > Preferences > Midi Sync.'

Code: Select all

A) Select the Control Surface template you just made. 
	The name of the Control Surface will show up as the directory name you made.
	
	B) Select the input and output devices. (I use 'USB Audio Device' for both)

	C) Turn on 'Track, Sync, and Remote' for whichever devices you're using.
6. Go back to any view in live in which you want to control something.

Code: Select all

A) Press the Midi Map button to the top right of Live.

	B) Select an item that you want to control with your MPD24.

	C) Turn a knob or fader than you want to assign, and then press the Midi Map button once more.

	D) Enjoy...

//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Special Notes
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to assign the PADS to control IMPULSE you will need to change the pads CC values on the MPD24 itself:

Hit pad 1 > press edit > (select note) > change the numbers to the following...

pad1 = 60
pad2 = 62
pad3 = 64
pad4 = 65
pad5 = 67
pad6 = 69
pad7 = 71
pad8 = 72

In Live make a midi track with an impulse set, change the midi channel to '1' (if you set the pads to use channel 1, should be by default) and change the monitoring to 'IN'...

bizzyfingers
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Post by bizzyfingers » Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:07 pm

what a qualityl peice of hardware this is when you understand it... cheers mate if ya on myspace check me out or even if ya not www.myspace.com/djstyles1983

bizzyfingers
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Post by bizzyfingers » Sat Dec 30, 2006 10:45 pm

still cant get my faders or knobs to work... i love making beats but im sh!te with computers

kaffein
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Post by kaffein » Sat Dec 30, 2006 11:59 pm

A) You do see the control surface selection in live correct?
B) Do you see USB Audio Device for input and out put selection aswell?
C) Do you see a little green light popping up on the midi devices using channel 1 and up at the top right?
D) How about an orange one?

Let me know...

bizzyfingers
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Post by bizzyfingers » Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:39 pm

i have the green but no orange

audiomesh
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Post by audiomesh » Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:45 pm

Hi!
I´m new to this forum but i might have figured something out that helps.

I use my mpd with live in a mix of BCR and Mackie-emulation mode.
I´ve uploaded a file that contains my 2 mpd Presets.

http://www.audiomesh.de/contents/MPD24.rar

Load them to your MPD24 using the uniquest-editor, then select a bcr and a mackie as a controlsurface in live. Both using the usb-audiodevice 2 as in and output.
the Preset Live 1-4 is for the first 4 tracks, the preset well live 5-8 is the same but for... well guess.
Fader 1-4 will control the Volume of track1-4
Fader 5-6 can be mapped individually i use 5 for scene select and 6 for mastering Volume (didn´t manage automap for this)
All the Knobs just send different cc´s but could be chnaged to control the sends for example (check the threat named MackieKontrol)

Now for the Pads:
Bank A:
1-4 Arms Track 1-4
5-8 Mutes tr- 1-4
9 move left
10 move down
11 move right
12 Play selected clip
13 Undo
14 Move Up
15 Redo
16 Play selected Scene

Bank B:
1-8 One set of Impulse on channel 1a
9-16 One set of impulse on channel2a but 14 Steps higher (use the midi fx pitch with -14 to play an instance of impulse) This way you´re more flexible when it comes to routing in Instrumentracks.

Bank C:
1-8 Arms Track 1-8
9-16 Mutes track 1-8

Bank D:
Just a bunch of different notes so far

Ok this is surely not perfect, but a bit quicker than mapping everything each time and i hope this helps

kaffein
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Post by kaffein » Sat Jan 06, 2007 12:34 am

bizzyfingers wrote:i have the green but no orange
Make sure you have remote enabled for the device you have selected.

kaffein
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Post by kaffein » Sat Jan 06, 2007 12:50 am

audiomesh wrote:Hi!
I´m new to this forum but i might have figured something out that helps.

I use my mpd with live in a mix of BCR and Mackie-emulation mode.
I´ve uploaded a file that contains my 2 mpd Presets.

http://www.audiomesh.de/contents/MPD24.rar

Load them to your MPD24 using the uniquest-editor, then select a bcr and a mackie as a controlsurface in live. Both using the usb-audiodevice 2 as in and output.
the Preset Live 1-4 is for the first 4 tracks, the preset well live 5-8 is the same but for... well guess.
Fader 1-4 will control the Volume of track1-4
Fader 5-6 can be mapped individually i use 5 for scene select and 6 for mastering Volume (didn´t manage automap for this)
All the Knobs just send different cc´s but could be chnaged to control the sends for example (check the threat named MackieKontrol)

Now for the Pads:
Bank A:
1-4 Arms Track 1-4
5-8 Mutes tr- 1-4
9 move left
10 move down
11 move right
12 Play selected clip
13 Undo
14 Move Up
15 Redo
16 Play selected Scene

Bank B:
1-8 One set of Impulse on channel 1a
9-16 One set of impulse on channel2a but 14 Steps higher (use the midi fx pitch with -14 to play an instance of impulse) This way you´re more flexible when it comes to routing in Instrumentracks.

Bank C:
1-8 Arms Track 1-8
9-16 Mutes track 1-8

Bank D:
Just a bunch of different notes so far

Ok this is surely not perfect, but a bit quicker than mapping everything each time and i hope this helps
Thanks, they work great!
I just wish Ableton would hurry up on the official control set for it...

audiomesh
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Post by audiomesh » Sat Jan 06, 2007 10:57 am

Yes can´t wait for the official automap aswell. And i Hope the transport Buttons will be supported. I would actually love the record button to enable/disable Overdub. So far I´m using a footswitch on my x-50 for that, but it would be nice to have both footswitch and button.

BlueInGreen
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Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:43 am

Post by BlueInGreen » Wed Jan 10, 2007 3:26 pm

Ok, I received my AKAI mpd24 3 days ago and soon iI realized it is not yet supported in Ableton Live. I read this post but I was not able to load the Audiomesh's files in the Uniquest Editor under Mac OsX. But I didn't read the manual of the editor so maybe it's my fault. I read also that at the moment there's no way to use the MMC controls in Live. So I wrote a patch in Max/Msp to do that. I finished to write this patch right now, and It seems work well udern Live 6 and Mac Os X 10.4.8.
I think this patch can work also under Win XP. Please let me know, and let me know if you found bugs. All controls works except the REC button. So for the moment you can use the REC button to switch from "Beat mode" and "Bars Mode". In beat mode, when you push ">>" or "<<" you move the position one beat at time. In bars mode you can move bar-by-bar.

To run this patch you just need the MAX MSP RUNTIME, that is free anche works both on mac and win.
You can download the runtime clicking on this link for the MAC VERSION:

:arrow: http://www.cycling74.com/download/maxmspruntime462.dmg


And here for the WINDOWS XP VERSION:
:arrow: http://www.cycling74.com/download/maxmspruntime462.zip


Then you can download my PATCH here:
(if it doesn't work simply copy and paste this link in you web browser).

:arrow: www.blueingreen.altervista.org/liveMPD24.zip

Hope this could be useful to anybody!

My 2 cents


:o

audiomesh
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Post by audiomesh » Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:29 pm

sounds good.
Haven´t had a chance to check it out though.
As you couldn´t open my files here are the Note nr. of the important pads, so you can program your mpd24 yourself:(I used channel 1b for the remote stuff and the port a to Track/Impulse)


Arm Track 1-8 (note 000-0007)
Mutes tr- 1-8 (note 016-023)
move left (note 098)
move down(note 097)
move right(note099)
Play selected clip(note 100)
Undo(note 076)
Move Up(note 096)
Redo(note 079)
Play selected Scene(note 101)
Cannel volume 1-8 (cc 097-104)

Control surface setup as in the first post.
Have fun

BlueInGreen
Posts: 11
Joined: Sat Jan 06, 2007 11:43 am

Post by BlueInGreen » Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:44 pm

Thanks audiomesh! I'll try to make my own setup as soon as possible (I'm busy with examinations at university). Your contribute was very precious.

I forgot to say that my patch works as a rewire client with Live. So all you need to do is:

1) Connect the mpd.

2)Launch Live.

3)Launch the patch (and be sure that is in "ad_rewire" mode).

It's just a temporary solution, waiting that the Ableton supports our controller.

Suggestions to improve the patch are welcomed, and If someone need the source patch he just have to ask! :wink:

xlr23
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:41 pm

Transport... easy as mpd !

Post by xlr23 » Fri Jan 12, 2007 2:51 pm

I find this patching solution quite heavy and i found a better solution for using that transport buttons under Windows:

-Install Bome's midi translator (http://www.bome.com/midi/translator/)
-After choosing your right midi I/O, assign each transport button to keyboard key (for me: P(lay),S(top),R(ecord).... whatever you like.
-Assign toses keys to the correspondant transport function in live (key not midi).
-Save that preset in bome's...

That's all; it takes 2min to do and you just have to launch bome 's before live (it stays in the tray and is very light!!!)

saitek
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Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2007 3:31 pm

Post by saitek » Fri Jan 12, 2007 3:37 pm

hi,

how do I use battery as a plugin in live. live detects it and the screen from battery appears, but I'm not able to get any sound out of it.

Battery works fine stand-alone.

could someone explain me step by step what to do?

I'm new to this.

thanks

bizzyfingers
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Location: newcastle uk
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Post by bizzyfingers » Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:55 pm

got it all sorted kaffein, only limit is my imagination now. really glad id bought it now

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