Akai APC as Monome

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nsinclair
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Akai APC as Monome

Post by nsinclair » Mon Nov 02, 2009 7:45 am

Hi, all. I saw this video on youtube today. Someone setup their Akai APC to act like a monome. Here is the link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNLSIwTpTEc

I was wondering if someone could explain a couple things:
1. What exactly is going on in the video? What is the APC controlling?
2. Does anyone know how to map the APC like this without using MAX for live.
3. Would this also be possible wiht the Novation Launchpad.

Thanks in advance!

hybridjosto
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by hybridjosto » Mon Nov 02, 2009 8:24 am

I've heard of people using something called monomulator - that apparently opens up all these settings on the apc and other hardware.

http://post.monome.org/comments.php?DiscussionID=439
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davepermen
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by davepermen » Mon Nov 02, 2009 8:44 am

it could be just clips which trigger each other with follow actions. no clue how he get the feedback, though. but as i don't have a device with feedback around yet, I can't test that..
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hybridjosto
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by hybridjosto » Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:17 pm

well if it's just midi feedback I know with the launchpad you can route the midi output back via a separate midi channel. check out the video's by fletch (i think?) on youtube about launchpad use.
My production blog - http://transports.tumblr.com

aeon_flux
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by aeon_flux » Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:51 pm

davepermen wrote:it could be just clips which trigger each other with follow actions. no clue how he get the feedback, though. but as i don't have a device with feedback around yet, I can't test that..
as i assume if apc represents status of clip, if clip is changed with follow action it automagically gets feedback. any apc user should confirm that.

hybridjosto
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by hybridjosto » Mon Nov 02, 2009 6:05 pm

just had a chance to watch the video. i think he's just using follow actions on clips? but not sure how hw gets it going sideways.
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yur2die4
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by yur2die4 » Mon Nov 02, 2009 7:11 pm

I dare you to try this sometime, it might shed some light on the topic:

http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=125748

Furland
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by Furland » Mon Nov 02, 2009 9:59 pm

It is indeed Follow actions. Notice the two triggering lights scrolling, that's due to the next clip being prepared based on the follow action setting.
Easy to make by Midi mapping the individual clips to the APC grid. Limitation, no scroll options beyond the 8x5 plus alternatively Clips Stop / Track select / Activator/Cue/Rec Arm. Can also be done to knobs but a lot more tedious and rather random...but fun :-)

nsinclair
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by nsinclair » Mon Nov 02, 2009 10:26 pm

Furland wrote:It is indeed Follow actions. Notice the two triggering lights scrolling, that's due to the next clip being prepared based on the follow action setting.
Easy to make by Midi mapping the individual clips to the APC grid. Limitation, no scroll options beyond the 8x5 plus alternatively Clips Stop / Track select / Activator/Cue/Rec Arm. Can also be done to knobs but a lot more tedious and rather random...but fun :-)
Sorry to sound like a newbie (still relatively new to Ableton), but can you please explain further...what exactly is going in the video? what is the apc controlling? if that is too much trouble to explain, don't worry about it. thanks in advance...

-N

yur2die4
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by yur2die4 » Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:36 pm

I doubt that it is actual Follow Actions since each Horizontal Row is the same Note Number but a different Midi Channel.

slaykent
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by slaykent » Tue Nov 03, 2009 12:38 am

Whoever made this video is using exclusively Ableton with follow actions.

1. 5 clips are chopped into 8 parts each and put into five tracks.
2. Set follow actions for each clip so the whole sample plays through.
3. Assign each button on the APC to a clip so that a row will display a whole sample playing across 8 lights.

Although it's a pretty cool trick, with the monomulator you just run mlr from your APC. The method above is far more time-consuming. :lol:

nsinclair
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by nsinclair » Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:03 am

slaykent wrote:Whoever made this video is using exclusively Ableton with follow actions.

1. 5 clips are chopped into 8 parts each and put into five tracks.
2. Set follow actions for each clip so the whole sample plays through.
3. Assign each button on the APC to a clip so that a row will display a whole sample playing across 8 lights.

Although it's a pretty cool trick, with the monomulator you just run mlr from your APC. The method above is far more time-consuming. :lol:
Got it. Thanks.

Furland
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by Furland » Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:27 pm

Agree with Slaykent, and when you get the hang of it, it's not that complicated at all... Just a matter of configuring clips identically and then mapping each to the desired buttongs.

najrock
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by najrock » Sat Nov 28, 2009 11:38 pm

k ive been messing with this for like two hours and can not seem to replicate it ...


anyone done this successfully?

Slightlydelic
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Re: Akai APC as Monome

Post by Slightlydelic » Sun Nov 29, 2009 1:05 am

have a play with this one i made.

http://www.mediafire.com/?zwd1eimdnzg

uses track controll pots for pitch, duration and velocity. pan, send a, send b for the first 8 notes

ten uses device contol pots shift + 5-6-7 for the same functions for notes 9-16

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