Controlling Reason Parameters with APC40

[Blankman8503]

I have Reason slaved to Ableton and an instrument rack setup so so that I can choose between multiple Reason synths as external instruments. What I would like to do is map the macro knobs of the instrument rack to send specific cc messages to Reason. So for example if I wanted my 8 macro knobs to send midi cc messages on CC #1-8 respectively to the reason instrument i have selected from my rack. I figure that I would remap the parameters that I want to control on each specific synth to correspond with the CC #s I had the macro knobs sending to Reason from Ableton/APC40.

So my questions are: Is what I'm wanting to do possible? If so how do I setup such a system? Am I going about it the right way now or is there a better way to achieve such control?

[yur2die4]

If you figure that one out, tell me because I've been quite stumped on it myself. It doesn't seem possible because the only way I've found that you can control CC#'s on external instruments or rewired programs is either via controllers with those specific CC#'s assigned, or pre-made automated clips. There might possibly be some 3rd party vsts that let you send out specific CC#'s. which those knobs could easily be assigned within a rack.

[flippo]

yeah that's what I was thinking, if you could have a midi effect VST that lets you map macro type controls to any CC you want, you could then make specific ones for each reason devices by looking at the reason midi implementation charts.

I tend to run everything through a combinator for consistency and control those with my padkontrol and keyboard - would be very handy to take it a step further and control them as devices from the APC!

[Blankman8503]

I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling with this. As soon as I got the APC I wanted to be able to do this, due to the amount of knobs I now have to control parameters. It seems to me that there has to be a way to control the parameters from within Ableton, due to the fact that you can automate them all. That tells me that Ableton knows how to communicate with Reason's parameters. It just seems logical to me that I would be able to specify that a macro knob send MIDI information on a specific CC# and channel. Would a program like MacForLive, which I have been looking into getting for complete control of the APC, or bomes, even something as simple as MIDIOx. I'll keep pluggin' away, but hopefully someone can answer this question for us.

[Blankman8503]

OK so I found this: http://www.djtechtools.com/forum/showth ... 9be&t=5484

The topic is talking about Traktor but the MIDI map of the APC and any information on how they are getting it to communicate with another program might be helpful. Still think it should be doable with Bome's or Max for Live but I have neither so have no way of knowing this.

[Markemark]

If I rack an external instrument that is assigned to Reason the only things that can be mapped to the macros is the power button and the gain. So no this won't be easy

[5o63]

I tried this way but I'm having a lot of trouble with the macro editing of live.
But because my kung fu is superior in reason I mapped all the changes via combinators for synth and effects in reason.I then mapped all the controllers in reason(not through ableton).
I did this only to use the session veiw in the lauchpad as you would use ableton launching matrix and redrum and activating dr rex's.
Most of my tracks only contain a few bits of ableton magic.
I did'nt select a master midi controller for this channel.
But then I'm using a launchpad bcr2000 and remote 25 so I have the flexibility.
But the fundamentals of this way will work with the mpc.
This won't help if you want use live effects and vst's on the same channels(although live macro might share cc's reason does,I don't know.
Hope this helps
James

[Blankman8503]

5o63:

If I do it that way don't i lose functionality of the APC in Live? I used Live's sends and returns with effects racks and use Lucifer, as well as using MIDI commands from Ableton to control my EMX-1. As such I still need to have the APC function in Live. I use Reason because I prefer its synths to Ableton's, because I started with hardware. So my knowledge of Reason is not as good as hardware or Ableton. How do you "map changes via combinators?"

I have done what you suggest with my MIDI keyboard and used its 4 knobs mapped from within Reason and can continue to do this to gain control over 4 parameters. I am trying to control the parameters from Ableton so that I can gain control over up to 8 parameters via the track knobs, as well as my wanting to utilize the MIDI keyboard for controlling Lucifer. This is why I wonder about Bome's or M4L could allow me to control Reason parameters from within Live.

[[email protected]]

Go Here.. http://www.youtube.com/user/LoudonYukon#p/u It might be very helpful..Jon

[Blankman8503]

Thanks for the link Jon. I already knew how to automate my Reason synths from Ableton. I'm looking for real time control with my APC40. Logic tells me that if Ableton can automate every parameter on a Reason Synth then there must be a way to control it in real time with knobs, buttons, and sliders.

I asked the guy who made the video in the link you sent me. He said that there's no easy way to do it but it can be done with M4L. So at least it can be done somehow.

[Megageoff]

Allow me to be the thread necromancer. I'm sure in the last year you found some workaround, but if not:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmW-bBqt_9Y

I'm about to get an Apc40 and was doing some research to see how I could integrate it with Reason.

[yur2die4]

wow...

..I guess that this means I can make a rack for my PODxt Live now haha...

[Blankman8503]

I actually got a Korg Radias-R and rarely use Reason anymore now that I have a 4 timbre hardware synth, but not figuring this out was a big part of my move away from reason. Maybe I'll start using it more now. Thanks for posting this so long after I forgot about this post.

[Megageoff]

You're most welcome. The APC came in the post just the other day, and I'm currently being blown away by this amazing mod (http://remotescripts.blogspot.com/p/apc-64-40.html) by Hanz Pretrov (http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=142659), which you should check out if you don't have it. Turns the APC into a step sequencer- wow!

[Blankman8503]

I do know about that. I would like someone to come out with one that I can get 16 steps on my APC40and 20 together. I have a Korg EMX-1 so in reality I have all the step sequencer I need between it and the Radias. Though I would use a 16 step one over my 2 APCs quite a bit.