mrideas' journey into vcm600 & launchpad control

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mrideas
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 5:09 am

mrideas' journey into vcm600 & launchpad control

Post by mrideas » Wed Nov 18, 2009 10:46 am

Hey all, it's time to try and give a bit back the community and record the trials and tribulations of trying to get the best setup out of my two controller (VCM600 & Launchpad combo).

edit- (I'm in mac)

First up is the mission to enable a 'mouseless' setup using various actions. I'm intending to use the launchpad for navigating and clip matrix launching and the VCM for FX, mixing and 'some' scene and clip launching.

1st thing i managed to figure out that I've not seen mentioned before, is what i think is a solution to being able to 'grab' onto files in the Ableton library. I've done this by using midistroke and setting a midi command to fire in sequence, 'open library'->'search library'->'close search'.ie (apple b) , (shift apple f), (shift apple f).


What this does is shift the focus of into the library, then I programmed midi actions for up down left right for the corresponding arrow buttons on the launch pad. then i defined some pads for copy and paste.
''
Part where i'm stuck though is returning the focus back to the session and a highlighted clip. So any advice here? the vcm can scroll about the session and so can the LPad, but neither seems to be able to 'grab' an empty slot which i am ready to paste into.

edit, i found this post http://www.idmforums.com/showthread.php?t=14020 I'll try these keystrokes on mac tonight, i didn't know that 'Alt+Left' would jump from current clip, to all the way left into the live library).

littlelosthorse
Posts: 46
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:01 pm
Location: London/Bangor

Re: mrideas' journey into vcm600 & launchpad control

Post by littlelosthorse » Mon Dec 07, 2009 6:54 pm

Hi mrideas,

how did you get on with this in the end? I have a VCM600 arriving in the post soon and am aiming for a similar setup with my launchpad...

horseman :)
*horse*

mrideas
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 5:09 am

Re: mrideas' journey into vcm600 & launchpad control

Post by mrideas » Tue Dec 15, 2009 3:18 am

Im having trouble, well not really trouble, but i cant do what i want atmo, I Just wish I'd read more about the Launchpad midi channel layout or lack there of in terms of multiple channel implementation. It can only transmit on chnl 1 in all modes while listed as a control surface in the live prefs. This limits what you can do/customize with the other user modes AFAIK. The VCM600 uses channels 1 to 13 also somewhat hardwired. so to be able to get the LaunchPad to use 14-16 would be great.

Novation shafted us all on this I think. I wonder if the firmware could be changed??

Automap is sort of possible, but then you lose all the session navigation ability and native feedback for the session mode.

I'm going to try something i wrote here

http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php? ... di+channel

Lots of trucking around though....

mrideas
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 5:09 am

Re: mrideas' journey into vcm600 & launchpad control

Post by mrideas » Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:29 am

OK, bit of an update.

I wanted a 'mouseless' setup for dj'ing with live, ie clip & libray browsing, so i dont have to 'prepare' so much.

But....

I got sick of configuring midi stuff around with keystrokes, and losing controls on my VCM and LP. PLus Lp is limited in it's midi channel outputs without , and you cant get rid of this atmo.

So.... I got one of these to try http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/powermate/ and it works well, but the complexity of the keystrokes you can assign are a little limited, and really it doesn't have enough outputs. It feels great to use though.

So... with a little more digging I found this, and I think this will be the just what i need to perform the 'alt+left' to jump into the library, another button for 'left', one for 'right' to open close folders, then a two more for 'up' & 'down', then one for 'cmd+C' (copy selected sample), then 'alt+right' to jump back into the session from where i jumped out, then 'cmd+v' to paste my clip. 8 keystrokes total.

Enter .....
http://retail.contourdesign.com/?/products/22

With 2 jog wheels and 5 button, no need to use midi to keystroke conversion, and not loss of midi controls.

It's in the mail, so I'll update soon.

I'm keen to hear if anyone else has used one of these. Yeah it's another USB bit of kit to hang off the mac, but hey what's one more really.

littlelosthorse
Posts: 46
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 11:01 pm
Location: London/Bangor

Re: mrideas' journey into vcm600 & launchpad control

Post by littlelosthorse » Fri Jan 15, 2010 3:17 pm

Hmm, thats quite a bit of kit for the setup you want.

I don't know how many channels you're using but I can get everything how I want with only 4 channels for clips in ableton and the 2 channels to route turntables through.

This way I can use the track bank button on the vcm600 to only use channels 7-12 so that there are no clashes with the launchpad (which I only use in user 2 mode to turn fx on and off).

For track search, I think the ableton-serato 'bridge' will make life good :)

But then again, I keep all my music in the set so I don't have to use the library navigation :/
*horse*

mrideas
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 5:09 am

Re: mrideas' journey into vcm600 & launchpad control

Post by mrideas » Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:37 am

Yeah, it seems like overkill, but i wanted to be able to mix somewhat 'live' with 4-6 tracks of clips etc, but dip into complete tracks in 2 more channels at anytime also, and be able to grab whatever it want easily without pre-prepping the set too much.

Update on the new shuttle, is that it's not in the same league as the griffen as far as quality goes, but it's mapped and functions great. Mouse no more!! :)

BoxDJ
Posts: 261
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:38 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: mrideas' journey into vcm600 & launchpad control

Post by BoxDJ » Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:22 am

I'm looking into a launchpad + something setup. I'm DJing and producing dance/trance/phystrance so would you recommend this setup to me or could you point me in the right direction? Things I really need is faders, knobs, and a crossfader. The Vestax has a nice amount of knobs and faders for me. Can the Vextax 600 and launchpad both be used at the same time to launchclips or do they interfere with each other?

BoxDJ
Posts: 261
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:38 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: mrideas' journey into vcm600 & launchpad control

Post by BoxDJ » Sun Feb 07, 2010 8:44 am

Also, is there a way to shift through effects on a selected track? Can you even focus in on tracks? I want something that is like the APC40 where you can control your effects by shifting left or right to focus in and controlling the effect with the knobs.

BoxDJ
Posts: 261
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:38 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: mrideas' journey into vcm600 & launchpad control

Post by BoxDJ » Sun Feb 07, 2010 8:50 am

BoxDJ wrote:Also, is there a way to shift through effects on a selected track? Can you even focus in on tracks? I want something that is like the APC40 where you can control your effects by shifting left or right to focus in and controlling the effect with the knobs.
EDIT
Basically I'm say if I can use the Vestax 600 like the APC40 without the 5x8 grid and bank select.

EDIT
Sorry for the triple post, twas an accident.

nestadog
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2010 12:01 am

Re: mrideas' journey into vcm600 & launchpad control

Post by nestadog » Thu Sep 23, 2010 11:00 pm

mrideas, So how is it going in your journey? I have been watching this thread with interest. Currently producing and dj with the vestax 600, but need something more. I think I'm about to through down on the launchpad. Your the only place I know thats posting info on this combo. love to hear what you discorved now that you had some time.

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