Overdubbing/capturing MIDI CC with EXT Instrument in Arrangement view

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
Post Reply
Dugrok
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2021 12:57 am
Location: Ontario

Overdubbing/capturing MIDI CC with EXT Instrument in Arrangement view

Post by Dugrok » Wed Jan 25, 2023 1:23 am

Hi everyone,

I keep running into issues where I have a hard time overdubbing MIDI CC data on existing clips in Arrangement view (but works totally fine in Session view).

In this example, I want to overdub or "perform" the filter cutoff of my Arturia Microfreak (CC#23) which is transmitting/receiving MIDI data via my MOTU Midi interface and Ableton's EXT instrument. I have armed the track (which already contains midi clips from Session view which I "performed" to the arrangement), and toggled the Automation Arm button on (orange). When I press Arrangement Record, the CC value is not recorded, nor does it seem anything else is. Pressing Session Record greys out the track while in arrangement view (which I guess makes sense).

If I tab over to session view, I can both modify said clip by pressing "session record" and input the CC data without any problems.

Is this how it's supposed to work? I'm supposed to go back to session view in order to rework a clip and reperform it to Arrangement View? Or am I doing something wrong?

I could draw in the data, but it's not as precise as using the physical hardware knob on my Microfreak, nor is it anywhere near as fun (I want to play and produce music, not mouse clicks).

Any advice to point me in the right direction would be much appreciated.
| 14" 2021 64 GB M1 Max MBP , OS 12.4 | 15" 2015 2.5 GHz Intel Core i7 MBP, OS 11.6 | UAD Twin and x6 | Ableton Live 11 Suite v11.2

Dugrok
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2021 12:57 am
Location: Ontario

Re: Overdubbing/capturing MIDI CC with EXT Instrument in Arrangement view

Post by Dugrok » Wed Jan 25, 2023 9:47 pm

Trevbo wrote:
Wed Jan 25, 2023 1:11 pm
have you tried midi arrangement overdub on and press normal (arrangement) record? not session record
Hi Trevbo, thanks for this.

It's the obvious answer, and I try it all the time. Sometimes it works, and sometimes no. I am 100% sure I tried it last night and it wasn't working.

Today, 1-click, and it worked fine.

Feeling rather dumb that I must have missed something for it not to work last night; but mostly happy that it is working fine now. Thanks again.
| 14" 2021 64 GB M1 Max MBP , OS 12.4 | 15" 2015 2.5 GHz Intel Core i7 MBP, OS 11.6 | UAD Twin and x6 | Ableton Live 11 Suite v11.2

Dugrok
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2021 12:57 am
Location: Ontario

Re: Overdubbing/capturing MIDI CC with EXT Instrument in Arrangement view

Post by Dugrok » Thu Jan 26, 2023 3:59 pm

Trevbo wrote:
Wed Jan 25, 2023 9:57 pm
Dugrok wrote:
Wed Jan 25, 2023 9:47 pm
Trevbo wrote:
Wed Jan 25, 2023 1:11 pm
have you tried midi arrangement overdub on and press normal (arrangement) record? not session record
Hi Trevbo, thanks for this.

It's the obvious answer, and I try it all the time. Sometimes it works, and sometimes no. I am 100% sure I tried it last night and it wasn't working.

Today, 1-click, and it worked fine.

Feeling rather dumb that I must have missed something for it not to work last night; but mostly happy that it is working fine now. Thanks again.
dude.. that's why we are all here to help each other. good luck in your music
Thanks Trevbo!

I do have another question though.

Is there a reason the behaviour changes when I'm working with audio? This same workflow doesn't work because then pressing record will create a new audio recording (because one of my midi controllers happens to think I want to record to it, without me intending to or hard-arming it). I'm only trying to record CC data from my controller to manipulate parameters of a delay plugin that is inserted on a track which already contains audio. I'm trying to drown out (temporarily) the audio so I can't just put this on a Return.
| 14" 2021 64 GB M1 Max MBP , OS 12.4 | 15" 2015 2.5 GHz Intel Core i7 MBP, OS 11.6 | UAD Twin and x6 | Ableton Live 11 Suite v11.2

Dugrok
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2021 12:57 am
Location: Ontario

Re: Overdubbing/capturing MIDI CC with EXT Instrument in Arrangement view

Post by Dugrok » Tue Feb 07, 2023 1:06 pm

Trevbo wrote:
Thu Jan 26, 2023 8:44 pm
when you say working with audio you mean an audio file? if so in this case you dont arm the audio track (meaning no input on track )and then press record and automate the midi. You dont necessarily need midi arrangement overdub on using this particular process.
Precisely, I mean an audio file.

I have both audio files and midi files in my project. In an ideal world the process for recording automation (after an initial take is recorded) would be the same on an audio track as on a midi track. I'm not finding that it is and I have a hard time remembering the steps to do it properly on one or the other.
| 14" 2021 64 GB M1 Max MBP , OS 12.4 | 15" 2015 2.5 GHz Intel Core i7 MBP, OS 11.6 | UAD Twin and x6 | Ableton Live 11 Suite v11.2

Dugrok
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2021 12:57 am
Location: Ontario

Re: Overdubbing/capturing MIDI CC with EXT Instrument in Arrangement view

Post by Dugrok » Wed Feb 08, 2023 3:37 pm

Trevbo wrote:
Tue Feb 07, 2023 1:13 pm
Dugrok wrote:
Tue Feb 07, 2023 1:06 pm
Trevbo wrote:
Thu Jan 26, 2023 8:44 pm
when you say working with audio you mean an audio file? if so in this case you dont arm the audio track (meaning no input on track )and then press record and automate the midi. You dont necessarily need midi arrangement overdub on using this particular process.
Precisely, I mean an audio file.

I have both audio files and midi files in my project. In an ideal world the process for recording automation (after an initial take is recorded) would be the same on an audio track as on a midi track. I'm not finding that it is and I have a hard time remembering the steps to do it properly on one or the other.
unfortunately, midi and audio work differently, can't be helped on any DAW.
Ok, fair enough. I was just curious because this is something I did regularly in Reaper. Thank you for the information though.
| 14" 2021 64 GB M1 Max MBP , OS 12.4 | 15" 2015 2.5 GHz Intel Core i7 MBP, OS 11.6 | UAD Twin and x6 | Ableton Live 11 Suite v11.2

Post Reply