Having drums multi-mapped to the same midi controller?

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ryanoliver
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Jul 25, 2017 10:19 am

Having drums multi-mapped to the same midi controller?

Post by ryanoliver » Wed Jul 26, 2017 12:56 pm

I'm working on a live set and I'm basically new to Ableton.

I've watched in live performances before myself how throughout the transition of songs in the set, the girl will press the same midi pads on her keyboard and in each song, different drum samples will sound out. they automatically play the correct drum samples for the song she is performing without even looking at her laptop.

Does anyone know how you go about that? I have just started a drum rack to put my drum samples in. :?:

arretx
Posts: 143
Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 5:29 am

Re: Having drums multi-mapped to the same midi controller?

Post by arretx » Wed Jul 26, 2017 2:47 pm

Yes. Follow closely.

1. Create a new live set.
2. Drop a drum rack on a track.
3. Select the C-2 pad. (or whichever pad you choose.)
4. Drop the Sampler into "Drop and Instrument or Sample Here"next to the drum pads in the Device
5. Click the Zone toggle triangle on the top of the Sampler.
6. In the blank space next to the keys, drop 3 different kick drum samples.
7. Trigger the pad and you'll notice that ALL 3 sounds fire off. You need to isolate them to independent chains.
8. In the Sampler, click the [Sel] button next to the C-2 key where you just dropped the samples.
9. Select all 3 samples at the same time, right click, and "Distribute Ranges Equally."
10. Resize each blue chain zones so they're as small as you can make them.
11. Position the chain zones in slot 0, 1, and 2 on the chain selector. Each sample has it's own zone.
12. On the Drum rack, click "Show/Hide Macro Controls" (circular arrow icon.)
13. Click the [Map] button above Macro 3 knob.
14. In the Sampler Zones, click somewhere on the Green Bar that appears along the chain selector above the chain zones.
15. Choose a Macro knob in the Drum Rack (doesn't matter which one) then click the Map button.
16. Before you unclick [Map], in the Macro Mappings window on the upper left, change the maximum value to 2. Remember there are 3 samples and you start counting at 0...so... zero, one, two. Setting the maximum value here gives you the ability to turn the macro knob all the way to the right to achieve 2 and all the way to the left to achieve 1 without running through the entire 0-127 range. It's basically a way to reduce the "resolution" of the knob so you have more room to work.
17. Unclick the green [Map] button on the Drum Rack.

Test your knob. When you turn the knob, it should move the chain selector. Whichever chain is lit is the one you'll hear.

Now, right click the Macro knob you mapped and click "show automation." You can now use Arrangement view to layout your timeline and draw in automation to select the chain you wish to fire during that section of the set.

One drum rack, up to 127 different sounds PER pad, and 8 macro knobs to map automation to select various combinations of sounds.
MacBook Air | Ableton Live 9.7.5 2017-10-02 | Advance 61 Keybaord w/VIP 3.0 | Launchpad Mini | Scarlett Focusrite 18i8 | iPad Pro / OnSong | Allen & Heath QU-32

soundgali
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2021 3:46 pm

Re: Having drums multi-mapped to the same midi controller?

Post by soundgali » Mon Aug 16, 2021 3:49 pm

hey arretx! PERFECT answer.
wise and thorough words. omg I've been looking for this for so long...
cheers!

compy
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2021 7:34 pm

Re: Having drums multi-mapped to the same midi controller?

Post by compy » Tue Aug 17, 2021 5:34 pm

You can do another very easy one.
Every 16 notes you have a set of pads right? Choose the sounds of every set say
C1-D#2
E2-G3
G#3-B4
C-5-D#6

Etc.

Put a midi pitch device for every drum set you've settled.
Every midi pitch set to +16
Map the all the on/off device so as they switch on consecutively and every time adding +16 on transpose, so as the pads notes jump to the desired drum set 🙂

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