Program Change Issues

[bishopivy]

I'm trying to use Ableton to change patches on my BOSS ES-8 effects pedal, but I'm running into problems.

I have clips in the arrangement view that have specific program changes attached to them. The track for these clips has no input, and the output is the midi cable that runs to the guitar pedal.

When playback is started by the scrubbing tool, the clips work just fine. As the playhead goes though them, the pedal changes patches.
However, when playback is started using the main play button, nothing happens. The playhead goes through the clip and no changes happen.

Either way, Ableton shows that it is sending a midi signal out of the program, but a patch change only happens when scrubbing instead of regular playback.

[[jur]]

Weird...
Try switching the state of the "midi chasing" option, and please let us know.

[bishopivy]

The problem still exists whether midi chasing is turned on or off.

[[jur]]

Can yo confirm with e.g Bome or similar that the PC is really sent out of Live?
Did you try changing your midi track's monitoring setting?

[bishopivy]

I found a solution that sometimes works sometimes doesn't - I'm not quite sure what makes a difference:

I have clips in the arrangement view on one track that trigger clips in the session view on a different track via an IAC driver. The session view clips have the program changes.

Again, with some of the clips it works, and with others, it doesn't. Usually if I just move a clip around in the arrangement view and keep trying different spots, eventually it will work with the regular play button.

Since neither of those tracks have any input, there aren't any monitoring options.

The boss pedal doesn't indicate when midi data is coming in, but I looped the output midi cable back into the computer and found that when the patch successfully changed, the signal makes it all the way back into Ableton. When it isn't successful, no signal comes back to Ableton.

[[jur]]

It might stupid, but did you try with another midi cable?
I definitely can't reproduce your issue.
Which Live version are you using?

[bishopivy]

I'm using Ableton 10.1

I'm thinking that it's possibly the cable too. I'm using a usb-to-midi cable and just have the one, and may just buy a new one or get a midi interface and see if it makes a difference.

[[jur]]

Yeah your issue looks like it is the problem, that's why I told you to try using e.g Midi Monitor (mac) or Bome (Win) to verify what mid is coming out of Live.
And, these usb to midi cable are usually just a string of shit.

[bishopivy]

I see. I tried a midi monitor, and the signals are in fact being sent out of live.

I'll try a midi interface instead of the cable and see if that works.

Thank you!!

[bishopivy]

Yep, it was the cable. I got an interface and the problem is gone.

Thanks!