APC40 Studio Use, Questions

[UKRuss]

Quick queries, if anyone knows the answers, much obliged:

1) I regularly use more than three sends, I also like to retain the pan function for studio use. How can I extend the global rotaries to give me access to more than the current A,B and C send options?

2) Once I've got my return tracks set up in my template I like to save them with generic delays and reverbs but obviously need to tinker with those parameters on a per project basis. Can I get the APC to focu on return tracks so I can use the 'device controls' to control parameters on the return tracks?

3) If I set up a chain on a track, for example i have a drum track with a rack on it with two channels in the chain, 1 dry and 1 weith saturator on it, can I get the APC to focus on the saturator controls straight up? perhaps this is just a question of ensuring the saturator is in the first chain? Does the APC only allow control of devices in the first chain? Or do i need to manually map a rotary to the chain selector to be able to jump between them? And if i do will the APC follow and focus on the devices selected at that given time?

Thanks for any input. I mainly use my APC 'vanilla' and have made no mods. Keen to understand how (without M4L) studio boffins are using theirs.

[skullNbones]

i use mine mostly vanilla as well and find it is such an easy, fun way to control Live in the studio, in so many ways.

question 1: that is an issue here as well. i use my BCR for overflow, but since it is from the Pleistocene era and doesn't follow along like the APC, this is mildly annoying. though, with the amount i actually fiddle with the pan knobs, i should just use those for a D send. i'm curious what others say.

question 2: i manually mapped 3 buttons i never use(the two nudge buttons and the rec. quantization button) to the track select bars of returns A,B and C. i have set up 8 macros for each return track so i can control the parameters i want with the device control bank after selecting the return.

q3: not sure, i'm curious as well...

hope that helps.

[UKRuss]

Thanks. Good tips on the unused buttons re-mapping. I will do that.

Yes, I was also thinking possibly an asdditional controller might have to come in to play for some more button/rotary action...APK25 springs to mind. (I'm just looking for an excuse to buy one....)

[esky]

I use my APC with nativeKontrol and i can strongly recommend that for studio use. I mostly use the patch for remote control of Live. I can focus return tracks like any other without any workaround but i'm not sure if this a nativeKontrol feature or a feature of 8.1.1 . On 3... i think you have to select the focused chain by hand, by the arrow buttons or by a rotary. On 1...no other idea than remapping by midi assignment for 8 selected tracks.

[UKRuss]

Where can I get info on NativeKontrol?

[anybody human]

I think a 2nd controller is something to look at. I got a Nocturn recently to use w/ APC40. Can't beat it for $100 but I don't use the Automap, prefer to map just a few things per instrument with Live's midi blue hand and macros. If I had it to do over again I'd probably get an Akai 25 key, I like their rotary knobs. Handy to have mod wheel and u can play around a bit too.

[MacGuffin]

+1 on NativeKontrol, the pack with "sends mode" is the one you want for this.

link

[S4racen]

Focusing on sends is indeed an 8.1.1 feature as is the ability to shift focus to the clip thats playing by holding the clip/track button down for longer than a second...

If you want the cheapest solution then +100 on nativekontrol, does exactly what it says on the tin, if you already have bomes though send me a pm....

Cheers
D

[UKRuss]

ah...boo to the 8.1.1 though...I dont want to upgrade everything else works so good at the moment.

PM on the way Mr Cowley.

[drchoc]

its late so I may be off the mark but I have found that if I route my returns to their own channels, (using monitor in) then you can bank select them on the APC and use the device controls (if the fx reside on this track), watch the feedback though if you use the send on the channel receiving the signal from the return track. No midi mapping required

Native Kontrol is highly recommended and highly stable too. My studio is now just the apc and monitors, and since that post on mono mixing recently I'm only using one of those!

[UKRuss]

Cheers, yes, i thought about that workaround but it seems a shame to do it that way, a return track is a return track, you know?

Don't worry about the mono mixing too much, no one has mono systems anymore anyway.

Stereo FTW!

[esky]

its late so I may be off the mark but I have found that if I route my returns to their own channels, (using monitor in) then you can bank select them on the APC and use the device controls (if the fx reside on this track), watch the feedback though if you use the send on the channel receiving the signal from the return track. No midi mapping required

I tried this also, i experienced latency problems on those re-returned channels. Wasn't usable at all.

[ze2be]

Def +1 on Native Kontrol

[UKRuss]

OK. Sory I think I am beaing a bit slow. I actually have all the answers then dont I?

1) nativekontrol for extending the number of sends

2) Upgrade to 8.1.1 and this will allow me to focus on return tracks and the apc will therefore control the effects on those tracks automatically.

3) Keep my FX in the first chain and APC will focus on them on selection of that track.

Is that right?

[S4racen]

Yes... Or get max for live and Hoffman2k's clip mapper! then you can midi map his max device to the 8 knobs of the pan bank and when triggerring different clips it will change what the knobs control, i have mine set up so that i can control all 8 sends from the pan bank yet still have my device control knobs focus on whatevers in view (oh and with a floating window you can see what the track control knobs are controlling....

Cheers
D