How to custom map a MIDI controller for clip recording?

Discuss Live-ready controllers other than Push.
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kennyd
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Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 1:42 am

How to custom map a MIDI controller for clip recording?

Post by kennyd » Mon Jul 06, 2020 5:29 pm

I'm wondering if there's any way to map assignable MIDI controller buttons to record MIDI and audio clips live in session view? I know I can easily assign buttons to the transport controls, metronome, clip stop buttons, and record arm, but I still have to use my mouse to click the clip record buttons. I can't tell if it's possible to also create a mapping that lets me record individual clips in different tracks. I'd like to be able to do this without having to map individual controller buttons to individual clip record buttons, as the number of clips I could record would be limited by the number of assignable buttons on my controller. I know certain controllers like Launchpads and Launchkeys have this function built in, but I'd love to know if it's possible to achieve this without having to buy a new controller for that one function.

I found this video that appears to show someone using the assignable buttons on an Alesis VI to record clips and basically create a live loop, but I can't tell if they had to create a mapping that was specific to this particular session, or if there's a more general way to do it. Like I mentioned above, I don't want to have to map particular buttons to individual clip record buttons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2C62KxnP-k

Any help is appreciated! If it's not possible I'll go ahead and just buy a Launchpad but I'd love to use one of the controllers I already have.

Tone Deft
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Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2006 5:19 pm

Re: How to custom map a MIDI controller for clip recording?

Post by Tone Deft » Mon Jul 06, 2020 6:33 pm

it's not possible.
I used to have a Launch Pad, freaking fun little box. I minimized my gear so I sold it because I LOVE my APC40.

notice that when you hit ctrl-m to open midi assignments that some EXTRA controls appear in the middle along the right side of the GUI. keep toggling ctrl-m... those give you access to up/down and a rotary knob.

the trick to targeting a clip to record is selecting its scene (the y-coordinate) and then arming its track (the x-coordinate). then launching the scene to record. that could be a new empty scene.

I have no idea if there's already a max4Live device that does this, my bet is that there is.
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kennyd
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Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2018 1:42 am

Re: How to custom map a MIDI controller for clip recording?

Post by kennyd » Mon Jul 06, 2020 7:19 pm

Tone Deft wrote:
Mon Jul 06, 2020 6:33 pm
it's not possible.
I used to have a Launch Pad, freaking fun little box. I minimized my gear so I sold it because I LOVE my APC40.

notice that when you hit ctrl-m to open midi assignments that some EXTRA controls appear in the middle along the right side of the GUI. keep toggling ctrl-m... those give you access to up/down and a rotary knob.
Oh thanks for pointing out those extra controls, I never noticed that! Doesn't that make it possible though? It seems like it should work if I can map buttons to scene up/down and scene launch, as well as track select. If scene launch is triggered on a track that is record armed, it records the clip, and then if I arm a button to session record to stop recording and play back what I just recorded, would that not work? Or is there something I'm missing?

Tone Deft
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Re: How to custom map a MIDI controller for clip recording?

Post by Tone Deft » Mon Jul 06, 2020 7:49 pm

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Last edited by Tone Deft on Sun Aug 23, 2020 7:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
In my life
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kennyd
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Re: How to custom map a MIDI controller for clip recording?

Post by kennyd » Mon Jul 06, 2020 10:00 pm

Well this just saved me a bunch of money; I was about to buy a Launchpad Pro specifically for the ability to record clips, but now I can buy the Alesis VI41 I've had my eye on, and get keys, pads, buttons, and knobs all in one device, and then get a Launch Pad Mini for cheap, and the combination of these two will pretty much accomplish what I wanted out of the Launchpad Pro (the only downside is that the Launchpad Pro has a 'Delete' button built in, but I can buy QuickKeys to assign MIDI data to keystrokes like command+z on my laptop).

I wish the info about the hidden MIDI map functions was more widely known, I spent all weekend on forums and youtube trying to solve this problem and you're the first person to mention it. I've been using Live almost daily since 2018 and never knew about this. So thanks again! I hope someone else stumbles across this thread one day and finds it as helpful as I did.

kc204
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Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2022 10:26 pm

Re: How to custom map a MIDI controller for clip recording?

Post by kc204 » Wed Apr 06, 2022 10:35 pm

There must be a way. I just bought an Arturia BeatStep Pro and am in the lriceas of mapping it and removing redundant USB and midi commands in the editor.

When I first got it, launching any sequence on the BSP would also start the next available clip in the selected track to record then continue looping. It’s not what I wanted (just play my loops) but it was in the midi settings (I bought it second hand). I believe it still does this on the drum sequencer as that’s the last one (multiparty, polyrhythmic) I’m figuring out.

I have an Alesis vi49 and can change the presets so certain buttons are toggles - I’ve mapped the keyboard to a Hammond B3 - all dials and pullbars and such!

But I can’t figure out how to launch / record clips other than with my mouse at the moment.

I recorded my high school band on a Tascam Porta One but other than film dialogue editing in Pro Tools, I haven’t used a DAW or made computer music: just “started” this January! I do plan to get a launchpad or a push eventually to launch clips but I’d like to program those extra 16 pads on the Alesis - now I have a preset where it plays different “notes” (3 octaves down) than the keys and one where it fx toggles - they light up red then go green when “on” (just like the 30 odd tiny buttons do already).. still I can’t launch clips with them nor record with them yet.

But I am new here ;)

cuttuc
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Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2022 4:53 pm

Re: How to custom map a MIDI controller for clip recording?

Post by cuttuc » Sat Nov 19, 2022 5:10 pm

I made this work by mapping my MIDI-message of choice to the enter key.

If you're on Mac, there's a free tool called midiStroke to do this.

If you choose to use a regular musical note for the trigger like I did (as opposed to a CC message), you might run into the problem that the note still gets triggered on the armed track. Easy to block that note though - you can make a dummy instrument rack and assign that note to one of the empty macros. Boom, the note gets taken out of commision.

Found that idea in this thread, along with some other MIDI-gating options: viewtopic.php?t=233905

TimChandler
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Re: How to custom map a MIDI controller for clip recording?

Post by TimChandler » Fri Nov 25, 2022 3:44 pm

Before I shamelessly plug my own product which achieves exactly what you are asking for (using MaxForLive), here's how you can get most of the way via MIDI mapping.

Auto-arm selected track
First you'll want to have tracks auto-arm on selection. You can auto-arm tracks on selection by adding this line to an options.txt file:
-EnableArmOnSelection

More info here:
https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/artic ... s-txt-file

Track selection
To set up track selection, use the UserConfiguration.txt file. This is better than standard MIDI mapping as the assignments are global:
https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/artic ... ace-script

Scene control
You'd map controls to previous/next scene, and launch scene by enabling Ctrl/Cmd+M. You also need to go to Live's 'Record|Warp|Launch' preferences and select:
start recording on scene launch.
de-select 'select next scene on launch'.


Now for the shameless product plug! :0)

The Nektar LX Mini allows access to 64 clips on the selected track, auto-arms tracks (without the options.txt modification) auto-trims clips after recording and provides dedicated buttons for track selection plus the clip record button you are specifically looking for. I made a video showing Clip launching and recording here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuT6p5R23Yw

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