Live & SPD-S

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
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Crumpler512
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 10:08 pm

Live & SPD-S

Post by Crumpler512 » Thu Sep 17, 2015 6:22 pm

Hello,

I'm a drummer using a roland spd-s and want to trigger tracks, one shots & loops during live performances. I'm curious what is the best way to set up Ableton for a live performance. I used to use the spd-s just as it comes, with its own software, but having a digital interface is way easier to control and be attentive to whats going on. I want to have full control and I'll have maybe 8-10 songs I have tracks I want to trigger, each song containing anywhere between 2-9 clips.

My question more specifically is: is there a way to have multiple midi maps to switch between on one live set? That is, if I have 25 clips I want throughout the night, but I can only midi-map 9 of them at any one time (to my knowledge), is there a way to switch between different midi maps and have for each song a new set-up but without opening a new session? Or is the only way to do that to have different live sets loaded up at the start of a show?

H20nly
Posts: 16057
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:15 pm
Location: The Wild West

Re: Live & SPD-S

Post by H20nly » Thu Sep 17, 2015 7:53 pm

you kind of lost me a little on that last bit, but i think either a Launchpad or an APC20/APC40 should be able to help you a good bit...

https://www.ableton.com/en/products/con ... launchpad/

https://www.ableton.com/en/products/con ... apc40mkii/

Crumpler512
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 10:08 pm

Re: Live & SPD-S

Post by Crumpler512 » Thu Sep 17, 2015 7:58 pm

Thanks for the reply!
Because I'm a drummer I want to launch everything with sticks and/or triggers from my SPD-S (no time for putting away sticks to push the buttons)

swishniak
Posts: 1134
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2006 11:25 am
Location: Berlin

Re: Live & SPD-S

Post by swishniak » Thu Sep 17, 2015 8:16 pm

Crumpler512 wrote:Hello,

I'm a drummer using a roland spd-s and want to trigger tracks, one shots & loops during live performances. I'm curious what is the best way to set up Ableton for a live performance. I used to use the spd-s just as it comes, with its own software, but having a digital interface is way easier to control and be attentive to whats going on. I want to have full control and I'll have maybe 8-10 songs I have tracks I want to trigger, each song containing anywhere between 2-9 clips.

My question more specifically is: is there a way to have multiple midi maps to switch between on one live set? That is, if I have 25 clips I want throughout the night, but I can only midi-map 9 of them at any one time (to my knowledge), is there a way to switch between different midi maps and have for each song a new set-up but without opening a new session? Or is the only way to do that to have different live sets loaded up at the start of a show?
hey - yeah i think you can change the midi note or cc of the pad for each preset you make on the spd. that way you can change to the next preset per song or whatever.

H20nly
Posts: 16057
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:15 pm
Location: The Wild West

Re: Live & SPD-S

Post by H20nly » Fri Sep 18, 2015 4:54 am

Crumpler512 wrote:Thanks for the reply!
Because I'm a drummer I want to launch everything with sticks and/or triggers from my SPD-S (no time for putting away sticks to push the buttons)
Ah, of course! Sorry :oops:

Foot pedal??

Crumpler512
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu May 28, 2015 10:08 pm

Re: Live & SPD-S

Post by Crumpler512 » Fri Sep 18, 2015 8:42 am

The way I work now is just to have for each song 1 set (for in rehearsals: more easy workflow for adjusting sounds, loops,..) but I think when all the sounds are ready I just have to bounce them and import them as WAVs in the SPD-S.

504slacker
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 4:57 pm
Location: New Orleans, LA, USA

Re: Live & SPD-S

Post by 504slacker » Tue Dec 05, 2017 5:09 pm

Here's what I do:

1.) Set up an instrument rack in live. Then drag drum racks into it. Each Drum track will be a different set of samples (one shots, probably, but configure however you like).

2.) Load up each drum rack with whatever samples you want and make sure the midi number in your SPD SX corresponds to the midi notes in each drum rack. This way, your spd-sx will trigger the correct samples. Here's a link to a midi number -> notes chart: https://support.keithmcmillen.com/hc/en ... ing-wrong-

3.) Once you have all the drum kits configured to match the spd sx pads and all of your samples are in place, select the "Chain" button on your instrument rack to open the chain selector window (google chain selector videos if you don't know what this is). Make sure each drum rack is on it's own separate chain number.

4.) Right click on the top of the numbers section in the Chain Selector window, then click "Map to Macro 1". You'll see Macro 1's title change to Chain Selector in the macro section of the Instrument Rack.

5.) At this point, you can either:

a.) map a knob to the chain selector macro by pressing command + m, clicking on the chain selector macro knob in ableton, then moving the physical knob on your spd sx (probably control 1, but you have to dive into the spd-sx midi menu to turn it on. see manual). Set the min/max for this parameter in the midi mapping mode to whatever range of drum kits you have so it's easier to navigate with the knob. For example, if you have 10 drum kits, change the max level from 127 to 10. :)

b.) OR, if you are on a timeline in arrangement mode, you can automate the chain selector value to whichever value that corresponds to each kit for each song/section of song you want.

I may not have covered everything, but this will at least act as a guide for you. Also, note that as far as I know, Ableton doesn't allow program changes to change parameters like chain selector, so unfortunately you can't use your +/- buttons on the spd-sx to change kits. :/

Kind of sucks and as far as I know, there's not a decent workaround. Anyone have any ideas on this?

ToBe
Posts: 55
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Contact:

Re: Live & SPD-S

Post by ToBe » Thu Jan 18, 2018 6:49 pm

If you got Max for Live you might be interested in 2 devices I patched together for setting up control for kits and scenes between Ableton Live and SPD SX. The devices are free and you find tutorials and links here:
https://abletonkurse.teachable.com/cour ... es/3678857
https://abletonkurse.teachable.com/cour ... es/3696347

With those you would be able to change scenes in Ableton Live via SPD SX, kits on SPD SX via Ableton Live and so on.
You could set different MIDI notes in each kit of SPD SX, this way you won't need to set up a chain selector control.
(FREE) MAX for LIVE devices
http://blog.abletondrummer.com/free-max ... e-devices/

ABLETON LIVE for (but not only) DRUMMERS
http://www.abletondrummer.com

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