Ableton Forum

Hi I’m trying to figure out how to program a sustain/hold button to replicate the effect of a sustain pedal while playing keyboard live. Could you please help?

I love the sound of sustain pedal, but I play keyboard standing up and its not convenient to hold down an actual foot pedal while standing. So I want to be able to control this function with one of my hands, and I also want it to be a button that I can toggle on/off, rather than needing to physically hold it down while I’m playing.


How can I do this?


Thanks, Dan

danny klim wrote:Hi I’m trying to figure out how to program a sustain/hold button to replicate the effect of a sustain pedal while playing keyboard live. Could you please help?

I love the sound of sustain pedal, but I play keyboard standing up and its not convenient to hold down an actual foot pedal while standing. So I want to be able to control this function with one of my hands, and I also want it to be a button that I can toggle on/off, rather than needing to physically hold it down while I’m playing.

How can I do this?

Thanks, Dan

What MIDI keyboard controller are you using?

Keystation 88, why?

danny klim wrote:Keystation 88, why?

You didn't mention where the button is. Laptop key, or MIDI controller button.
You can edit the buttons on the M-Audio Keystation Pro 88. Easily set one to TOGGLE CC / Controller 64 0 / Controller 64 127

Thank you!

Sorry for leaving that info out. I would prefer to use a midi controller button because the keystation only has a few buttons that i'm already using for other functions.

How can i set it "TOGGLE CC / Controller 64 0 / Controller 64 127"? I know how to midi map buttons using the Midi map button and clicking the Live interface (then hitting the button), but i don't know how/where to find that CC function to map it.

he/she isn't talking about MIDI mapping. they are suggesting you re-program your Keystation to send the appropriate Sustain message from another button.

if you aren't going to use the sustain pedal, you could simply DIY a basic toggle switch and plug that into the Keystation's sustain footswitch port...

Oh ok, thanks fishmonkey!

So its not possible to do this with midi in ableton then? I need to program it from the keyboard, is this correct?


How can i DIY a basic toggle switch? I've never done that before. I just googled it and came across some videos where people were doing wiring and it seemed kind of complex. Is there any way to do it simply with an existing button or something like that?

So why have you not just bought a latching foot switch and plugged it into the sustain pedal input? You are making this way more complicated than it needs to be.

doghouse wrote:So why have you not just bought a latching foot switch and plugged it into the sustain pedal input? You are making this way more complicated than it needs to be.

Thanks doghouse, i never used a latching foot switch and didnt know that was possible. I will try this


One thing i'm still wondering and also one of the reasons why i was wondering if its possible to do it thru ableton controls instead of the keyboard controls - is it possible to use some sort of hold effect in Live to adjust the amount/type of sustain? It would be nice to be able to adjust some parameters on the sustain, whereas the piano footswitch always gives me a single length/mix level of sustain.

There's a couple max for live devices I've found online that do this. I think it's called "simple latch"
http://www.maxforlive.com/library/devic ... and-chords