Apc40 and 20 in combination mode, Track Control??

[Leon Tricker]

I don't know if this thread helps answer some of the queries regarding multiple APC40 / APC 20 use:

http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php? ... pc40+apc20

This is the bit that I was reading:

"Combination Mode is now active when multiple Akai APC40/20s are in use. This means that the topmost controller selected in your preferences will control tracks 1-8, the second controller selected will control tracks 9-16, and so on. When an APC40 and an APC20 are connected at the same time, the APC20's buttons will default to Track Selection, and its faders will default to volume."

So, the ordering of controller selection in the MIDI preferences determines which controller selesct tracks 1-8, 9-16, etc.

I'm looking at replacing my Launchpad with an APC-40 and would be interested in expanding the number of tracks I can contolr using multiple APC-20s. Someone really needs to take one for the team here, spend their cash, and tell us how a mulit-APC set-up works.

[outershpongolia]

I guess it's just a matter of time before I try this myself but does anyone know if you get 2 "blue hands" when you plug in 2 APC's to the same computer?

Even if we have to lock each APC to seperate device controls, and then map the pans to a third one I think we could get away with the dual setup we are going to try but I'm wondering if anyone else has some ideas about using 2 APC's on one live set.

[EddieJ]

There is a very simple question being asked here, but it has not been asked in a simple enough way, perhaps.
The question is simply: When using an APC40 and and APC20, how do I control pan and aux sends for the tracks assigned to the APC20?

I'm guessing the answer is, "Shift and use the faders."
That's kind of a bummer, as the faders don't have LED indicators like the APC40's knobs.
I suppose the other option is to navigate so the APC40 covers the tracks once held by the APC20. Yikes, all this track navigating is what we want to avoid. An APC20 costs half what an APC40 costs, and a second APC40 would have a redundant device control section. I'd like to know if we could at least control two devices in the same track if we had two APC40's in line.

It appears we won't get 100% of what we want with this line-up. Too bad.

[outershpongolia]

There is a very simple question being asked here, but it has not been asked in a simple enough way, perhaps.
The question is simply: When using an APC40 and and APC20, how do I control pan and aux sends for the tracks assigned to the APC20?

I'm guessing the answer is, "Shift and use the faders."
That's kind of a bummer, as the faders don't have LED indicators like the APC40's knobs.
I suppose the other option is to navigate so the APC40 covers the tracks once held by the APC20. Yikes, all this track navigating is what we want to avoid. An APC20 costs half what an APC40 costs, and a second APC40 would have a redundant device control section. I'd like to know if we could at least control two devices in the same track if we had two APC40's in line.

It appears we won't get 100% of what we want with this line-up. Too bad.

I'd like to know if I can control 2 devices on 2 seperate tracks with 2 different APC40's..

With my LPD8 I could have a bluehand for that, and LOCK it to a device, and then also go and lock my nanoKONTROL to a device, and I could do this with however many controllers I had running scripts - but I can't remember if I was able to navigate those around indpendently...

I'll probably try the 2 APC40 setup today and let y'all know what happened..

[outershpongolia]

Plugged in 2 APC40's..

First off, I'm using the APC40_21 script from remotescripts.blogspot.com that gives me some note modes, shifted functions blah blah blah, so I plugged in both APC40's and selected the "APC40extra" script for both of them, they each had their own box, different colors based on which slot you put them in, this is what I figured would happen..

If I hit a track select button on one APC it would do the same on the other.. so basically the only way to have one rack on one APC and another rack on the other is to LOCK the devices to their respective racks... then I figured I could hard map one more rack (master channel) to the PAN knobs.. any custom mappings would work on either APC, for example, I have my record arm remapped to beat repeats on every channel and the cue knob controls the rate across all 8 tracks + master and it would still work on either APC and show the MIDI feedback (red light turning on) on the opposite APC - if that makes any sense.

Don't know where I'm going with this setup, my buddy and I thought it might be cool to get a duel setup going, but in the end it looks like we're syncing two laptops with MIDI.


Would be nice if the "blue hand" worked like the "red box" does.. say you pick your APC40 in the first slot in the MIDI pref's, you'd get a red box and a red hand.. select the second APC40 in another slot and you'll get a blue box with a blue hand - both can scroll to tracks/scenes separately, and also independent track selection - so the device controls would be independent..

[Hanz_Petrov]

Hey outersphongolia,

I'd be interested to know if the APC40 combined behaviour is any different when you use the latest official APC40 scripts. My scripts are based on version 8.1.3 - I haven't gotten around to incorporating the latest fixes yet, but Ableton seems to have addressed some APC40 combination mode issues in 8.1.4. From the 8.1.4 changelog:

- Combination Mode is now active when multiple Akai APC40/20s are in use. This means that the topmost controller selected in your preferences will control tracks 1-8, the second controller selected will control tracks 9-16, and so on. When an APC40 and an APC20 are connected at the same time, the APC20's buttons will default to Track Selection, and its faders will default to volume.

Best,

Hanz

PS: The latest version of my script is actually APC40_22, which adds alternate modes for the Track encoders (second lockable device, EQ mode, user mode) - in case you're interested in any of that.

[dburns]

I found out the hard way* that the Device Control section on the APC40 will also control channels selected on an APC20 in combination.

http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php? ... 5#p1165105

*Hard way: I bought an APC20 to test it with my APC40.

[outershpongolia]

Hey outersphongolia,

I'd be interested to know if the APC40 combined behaviour is any different when you use the latest official APC40 scripts. My scripts are based on version 8.1.3 - I haven't gotten around to incorporating the latest fixes yet, but Ableton seems to have addressed some APC40 combination mode issues in 8.1.4. From the 8.1.4 changelog:

- Combination Mode is now active when multiple Akai APC40/20s are in use. This means that the topmost controller selected in your preferences will control tracks 1-8, the second controller selected will control tracks 9-16, and so on. When an APC40 and an APC20 are connected at the same time, the APC20's buttons will default to Track Selection, and its faders will default to volume.

Best,

Hanz

PS: The latest version of my script is actually APC40_22, which adds alternate modes for the Track encoders (second lockable device, EQ mode, user mode) - in case you're interested in any of that.

Yeah I checked out 22, I actually don't need all the extra stuff in 21 I just like the note modes and the undo, redo, and lock.. but thanks for putting those out!

[jamief]

so i have two apc 40's. will post my findings when i get time to try and combine them.

best
j