APC Key 25 - Need to change how button LEDs turn on/off ...

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dpitre1
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Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2017 11:48 pm

APC Key 25 - Need to change how button LEDs turn on/off ...

Post by dpitre1 » Sun Apr 23, 2017 11:51 pm

Hey folks,

A few year back I was using "boutique" controllers that all had software to modify what kind of message each element of the controller send (CC, MIDI#, etc), if a button was momentary or toggle, etc. I have since sold all those controllers and just bought a APC Key 25 to use with LIVE, though not in the conventional way (I don't use clips). I'm quite disappointed with the fact that it doesn't come with such software mentioned above (even my Korg nanoControl comes with such software).

I have figured out how to "disengage" the default script that automatically maps the grid buttons to clips, knobs to volumes (and such, etc). I simply don't select the APC Key 25 from the Control Surface dropdown menu in Live's preferences. Instead I just turn on the applicable "track" and "remote" for controller in the MIDI Ports area.

Here's my "issue" ... doing the above, I can map all the buttons and knobs to various controls in LIVE via its MIDI Learn function, but, when I use buttons to toggle on an element in LIVE, while the corresponding APC Key 25 button lights up when the LIVE element is toggled on, when I toggle it off the light on the APC Key 25 button stays lite up ... given me no "feedback" as to what is on and what is off.

I am a front-end web dev with some javascript experience and I am just finishing up a Java (OOP) class. IS there anyone that can help me with how I might go about getting the controller lights to toggle on/off in conjunction with the LIVE element they are mapped to and if possible, also to choose if a a APC button is momentary or toggle?

Thanks much!

S4racen
Posts: 5821
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2007 4:08 pm
Location: Dunstable
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Re: APC Key 25 - Need to change how button LEDs turn on/off ...

Post by S4racen » Mon Apr 24, 2017 8:18 am

Live doesn't natively offer MIDI teranslation software, as it sounds like you're not using the control surface script i would suggest getting BOMES and setting up rules for the ins and outs...

This is assuming of course you have remote set to on for both the inputs and outputs of the APC?

Cheers
D

dpitre1
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Apr 23, 2017 11:48 pm

Re: APC Key 25 - Need to change how button LEDs turn on/off ...

Post by dpitre1 » Wed Apr 26, 2017 8:48 pm

Hey D,

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I had "remote" set for the controller's input and output. I don't know abut BOMES. I'll look into it. But I'd prefer to find a solution that doesn't require running (and paying for) extra hardware. At the end of the day, I just need the 40 grid button's LEDs to toggle on/off when mapped to a toggle element of a device in LIVE.

That said, I really appreciated the tome you took to reply.

Cheers,
D (too)

S4racen
Posts: 5821
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2007 4:08 pm
Location: Dunstable
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Re: APC Key 25 - Need to change how button LEDs turn on/off ...

Post by S4racen » Wed Apr 26, 2017 8:55 pm

Hi, the simple fact will be if it doesn't work out of the box with Remote turned on... Then you'll have to invest in a different solution...

Cheers
D

TomKern
Posts: 358
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2016 7:08 pm

Re: APC Key 25 - Need to change how button LEDs turn on/off ...

Post by TomKern » Thu Apr 27, 2017 1:51 pm

dpitre1 wrote: I don't know abut BOMES. I'll look into it. But I'd prefer to find a solution that doesn't require running (and paying for) extra hardware.
Bomes MT is software (though you can buy a hardware solution from them now that runs without a computer, but this is not relevant to what you want)

As software Bomes is incredibly light (CPU usage in the low single %) and very stable. So running it is really a non issue.

You still have to pay for it though :P

metastatik
Posts: 318
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:28 pm

Re: APC Key 25 - Need to change how button LEDs turn on/off ...

Post by metastatik » Thu Apr 27, 2017 3:46 pm

First, the LED issue is due to a bug in the hardware that has been confirmed by Akai. This video covers the bug (it demos it with the APC mini, but the same applies to the APC Key 25) and how to resolve it with Midi Translator.

If you're on Windows, I think you could accomplish this with the classic version, which is free, but don't quote me on that as I haven't used it in years.

As far as changing the type of action (momentary or toggle) of the buttons, are you sure that you really need to do that? The reason I ask is because when using MIDI notes (all the buttons on your controller send MIDI notes BTW) for MIDI mapping, Live automatically determines the appropriate type of action to use. For example, if you map to a mute switch, you'll have toggle action. If you map to tempo nudge, you'll have momentary action.

So, there's no need for you to change anything unless you want to override what Live views as the appropriate type of action. That would typically only be in cases where Live offers toggle action and you want momentary. In that case, for the buttons you want to do that with, you could simply do a MIDI note to CC translation.

Lastly, if you're familiar with Java, you could create an application using its MIDI library to do this sort of stuff. Or you could forgo MIDI mapping and create a MIDI Remote Script (written in Python). That's, IMO, the best solution as it doesn't involve external applications or virtual MIDI ports, is far more flexible than MIDI mapping and gives you very fine-grained control over the MIDI messages sent to the controller and so you wouldn't run into the LED bug.

alex.olsen
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2022 10:16 pm

Re: APC Key 25 - Need to change how button LEDs turn on/off ...

Post by alex.olsen » Sat Dec 03, 2022 10:29 pm

I made a piece of software to solve just this! It sort of sits in-between the device and Ableton to control the device's lights. In case it helps: https://supercontroller.net/

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