Ableton Forum

So I've got some VSTs in an instrument rack and I send Program Changes and see the presets change for the currently selected VST in the instrument rack. However, as I can't midi-map a way to select another VST in my rack, I have to mouse click on another instrument in the rack in order to use the Program Changes to preview the presets for that instrument.

So has anyone know a way to do this ?, i.e. played with the L.O.M. and done some cunning M4L coding to make it possible to select different instruments preset views so it can be mapped to a macro and then to an external controller.

i think there is a way without M4L, with midi remote scripts, blue hand etc.

I'm not sure that this is what you're looking for but you can assign the rack chain selector to a macro and then midi map this macro.

It's possible to host VST's in Max - using the vst Object - if you're wanting to change presets on multiple instruments/effects, with midi or a controller - this is probably the easiest way.

We have some software called xPlugin - which hosts VSTs (for Sylenth and Diva at the moment). It's possible to navigate presets in Sylenth (fxb and fxp folders are scanned an made available). The xPlugins can be used with our PULL Ableton controller for touchscreen control and in the case of Sylenth you can change presets on the touchscreen.

ok, thanks for the replies. With a more thorough search of the forum I found this:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=217173&hilit=focus+ ... k&start=15
So by using the chain selector AND ensuring the "Auto-select" (never really noticed that one before) button is ON I can use make the Device viewer highlight the selected instrument and then by sending in Program Changes I can see what VST preset is active for the current VST.

Hi Davlar,

Just wondering how this works for you? Is this only for bluehand selected devices? Tried to make an example changing programs by using 2 different clips (which are set to program 1 and program 2) and it seems the program change is sent to all vsti in the rack, no matter whether autoselect is on, or the chain has selected the instruments.

Hi Xmonsta,
I send the Program Changes using a M4L device (though that shouldn't be any different to using a clip), but I do have the device On/Off for the VSTs in the rack linked to the chain selector (as described in the forum link I gave) - so I suppose if the other VSTs are OFF the Program Change shouldn't have an affect.

Maybe This?

1.) download klipknobber 1.0
2.) create a new midi track and load in an instrument
3.) inside the instrument click programs it should turn yellow
4.) click the power looking button to activate the program list
5.) load in the desired patches
6.) insert another midi track
7.) drop in klipknobber 1.0 and turn the bank steps up to 8, every time ableton is closed it defaults back to 3 so this step will have to be repeated every time the set is opened
8.) turn midi from off
9.) create a clip, make sure loop is off
10.) under program change select bank 1
11.) then select program 1
12.) duplicate clip and change program 1 to program 2, repeat this process till there are 8 clips
13.) click the active button
14.) midi map the clip select to a midi controller knob
15.) create one more midi track
16.) click monitor in
17.) click midi to drop down and select the vst instrument track, in this case massive
18.) click midi from and select the track with klipknobber 1.0
19.) arm the instrument track and it should be working

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpZRj9eTsgA