MIDI Controller Automation Issue

[Sune Rose Wagner]

I have 5 MIDI tracks each with the same instance of a Spitfire string library.

I want to control the dynamics with my MIDI controller and that works fine.

However the MIDI controller writes the dynamics automation on all tracks at once even though I've highlighted and record enabled a certain track.

How can I make Live record automation one track at a time?

[pottering]

Maybe it is the "Recording Session Automation in: All Tracks" Preferences setting for Session View? I'm pretty sure it defaults to "Armed Tracks" though.

https://www.ableton.com/en/manual/autom ... ssion-view

[Sune Rose Wagner]

I forgot to mention I only work in arrangement view.

[pottering]

Maybe you used MIDI assign to control the dynamics?

MIDI assign entirely bypasses tracks and their input/output drop-down menus.

[Sune Rose Wagner]

I have assigned 3 knobs on my MIDI controller to CC1(dynamics) CC11(expression) CC21(vibrato)

When I open up an instance of Kontakt with Spitfire Chamber Strings for instance, the knobs work perfectly and I can hear and see all the parameters change, they just don't get recorded.

Then I press the Configure button and click on the three parameter in Kontakt and the press the MIDI button in Live and turn the respective knobs. Then the knobs are assigned and automation is now recorded.

However, when I open up a new track with another Spitfire library and do the same, the first track is overwritten by what I do on the new track.

Why can'y I leave the first track alone and only write automation on the new track and so forth, the knobs on my MIDI controller now controls all the tracks in the session??

[yur2die4]

There are a few approaches and a few concepts to get familiar with.

1. Standard midi mapping through Live means that when you map something, it is always mapped at all times. One way to sort of sneak by this is to use different midi channels on your controller. Then cc 03 on ch 01 controls one channel while cc03 on ch 02 of your controller controls something else, since technically they’re still different.

2. Selected track control or blue hand. If you set your controller up as a Control Surface, then your controller can do automatic assignment of the first several parameters a on that Ableton Live device, no mapping required. In the case of plugins, when Configure is on you would just put the control items in the list in order of the controls on your midi hardware.

You can even make your own control surface setup. This is a pretty good method for controlling things, but I can imagine it being technically annoying.

3. Midi assign WITHIN a plug-in. If you do not to midi mapping from Ableton Live, and instead do midi assignment within a plug-in, then that plug-in responds to midi from your hardware only when that channel is ARMed. You can only do this is you make sure that these controls are not already mapped in Live. If the midi controller has those controls mapped or used for a control surface, then those controls are essentially hijacked by Live, and your plug-in will not respond to them. So you’d want to clear out any mapping of those parameters and then do the mapping inside of the plug-in while the channel is armed.

[pottering]

MIDI CC is only recorded inside MIDI Clips, they are not actually automation, they are accessed in the Clip Envelopes for each MIDI Clip.

MIDI CC is not visible in the Tracks in Arrangement View, like Automation is.

"Press the MIDI button in Live and turn the respective knobs" is "MIDI Assign", it is "global", it ignores Track's Arm status (as yur2die4 described).

You should be able to record CC1, CC11, CC21 inside a MIDI Clip, for your first scenario.

https://www.ableton.com/en/manual/clip-envelopes/

https://www.ableton.com/en/manual/autom ... envelopes/

[Sune Rose Wagner]

Ok, this is good stuff! I'm now able to do what I wanted to do so thanks!

However, is it possible to view the automation with the midi notes when I record with the MIDI controller?

Right now, when I press record, it says "No Clips Selected" but I am able to record automation but I just can't see the MIDI notes