Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
pickerin1
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Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by pickerin1 » Wed Jul 06, 2011 3:45 pm

Hi guys,

Hoping someone might be able to help with this one – posted in another forum and didn't get a great response. This seems like the best place to ask!

I've recently been using a Behringer BCR2000 to mix live sets and production sessions with Ableton Live 8. There are just two things I'd like to achieve to speed up the workflow and make my music-making a bit more spontaneous. This isn't necessarily specific to the BCR, I'm guessing any mixer-style controller would work the same.

• I'd like to use the 8 vertical 'tracks' on my controller to control the first 8 tracks in Live by default on any project. At a basic level, the top knob to control volume, top button to mute the track and the second knob down to control a send control. I've mastered creating a template to base future projects on, but I wondered if there's a way to apply this to existing projects, and also to allow me to swap tracks around but keep the BCR controlling only the track in that 'slot', rather than the track taking the midi assignments with it when it's moved?

• The other thing is – it bugs me that every time I open an old project, I have to move each control individually for the controller to 'remember' where it left off. Is there a way that I can make Ableton Live send this data to the controller so it already knows at what value the volume/send etc. is currently set to?

Sorry if that's a bit unclear, still trying to get my head around how the two devices communicate with each other. Would greatly appreciate any tips!

Cheers

rosti
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Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by rosti » Wed Jul 06, 2011 4:11 pm

1. Search for "remote control scripts". You might find some ready made ones for your controller or you could roll your own. Its not that hard.

2. Not shure.. Have you enabled "remote" from Lives midi preferences?

edit: Googling with "BCR2000 ableton live remote script": http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php? ... 35&start=0
Might get you started.

Guff Tong
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Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by Guff Tong » Wed Jul 06, 2011 8:32 pm

Mackie Emulation for BCR2000.

http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=26545


Have a trawl though this thread. exactly what you need mate.


W.
Last edited by Guff Tong on Thu Jul 07, 2011 1:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

ericzang
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Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by ericzang » Thu Jul 07, 2011 7:58 am

2. ctrl-m twice (enter and exit midi control assignment mode) should send all current parameters out
--
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ciw
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Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by ciw » Thu Jul 07, 2011 2:18 pm

I always found that preset dodgy and unreliable. Think this is better:
http://rekkerd.org/genmce/

ciw
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Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by ciw » Thu Jul 07, 2011 2:18 pm

In relation to your first question, both my link + the earlier one allow your bcr to page between any 8 tracks in the set, not just the first 8.

pickerin1
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Location: Frome, Somerset

Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by pickerin1 » Thu Jul 07, 2011 3:05 pm

Thanks guys, some really helpful stuff there. I've just tried dabbling with various presets for mackie emulation, and to be honest it's way out of my depth... got it set up on my BCR but not entirely sure where to start with making it work in Ableton. Anyone know of a good tutorial for absolute novices? CLW, I think the link to the site you provided is broken?

I'm wondering if it might be safer to explore user remote scripts, and program my own preset exactly how I'd like it from scratch on the BCR. Hmm.

ciw
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Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by ciw » Thu Jul 07, 2011 3:19 pm

Arse, so it is.

Have a search for genmce (generic mackie control emulation) - it's free, and it allows you to program your own preset as you want it. ie dictate which 8 knobs control volume/pan etc and which buttons page those 8 knobs back and forth between tracks.

Guff Tong
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Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by Guff Tong » Thu Jul 07, 2011 3:32 pm

Mate, I'm just down the road in Warminster, if you need any help I've been using Mackie Emulation for the past 4 years. The Genmce sysex I use allows full control on just one BCR preset and works a treat.

The link I gave may not in fact be the one I'm using, was just a starting point for you.(was on me mobile)

I even went all 'Blue Peter' and made a laminated overlay so you know where you are.

NB: Must use the Huskervu LCD emulation also as you can see what the BCR is controlling all the time.

Give it 3 weeks and you'l use it automatically...



CIW: Say hello to Daniel 'Absorbant Gnome' from I.

ta.

Donnie
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Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by Donnie » Thu Jul 07, 2011 3:36 pm

ericzang wrote:2. ctrl-m twice (enter and exit midi control assignment mode) should send all current parameters out
Ive always wondered about updating my knobs (I usually just tweak them all a tad before a show), but I tried this and it didn't seem to work with my BCR. However it did appear to update the stuff on my APC40. Any idea why?

ciw
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Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by ciw » Thu Jul 07, 2011 3:40 pm

Re updating knobs. This always works fine for me on the BCR, so long as it's set as a remote device in ableton midi settings. Can't see why it wouldn't for anyone :(

Guff: mad, I have never met any real life person through these forums, do I know you? Seeing Dan tomorrow night I think :)

Guff Tong
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Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by Guff Tong » Thu Jul 07, 2011 3:52 pm

ciw wrote:Re updating knobs. This always works fine for me on the BCR, so long as it's set as a remote device in ableton midi settings. Can't see why it wouldn't for anyone :(

Guff: mad, I have never met any real life person through these forums, do I know you? Seeing Dan tomorrow night I think :)
We could have crossed paths; Was a full-on wiltshire free party head for years tho I hung my stompin shoes at the end of the 90's!!...Just a geriatrict home producer these days...'Met' Dan years back, 2003? Was on one of the early music sites, cant remember which one.

Looks like a great scene in cardiff!

W.

pickerin1
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Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 12:53 am
Location: Frome, Somerset

Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by pickerin1 » Thu Jul 07, 2011 3:55 pm

Nice one Guff Tong, actually I'm based in London at the mo (set this account up years ago and haven't changed the location!). I do pop back to Frome occasionally though.

Hmm, perhaps I should persist with this Mackie thing then, seeing as so many people rave about it. Something I forgot to mention is that I'm running Mac OSX – looks like genmce is PC-only unless I'm mistaken. Managed to get the demo version of this http://www.opuslocus.com/lcxmu/ installed as a preset on the controller but Ableton Live isn't responding (to tell the truth, I'm not really sure what it should be responding to at this stage). It's $40 for the full version, but it looks like someone's put a lot of thought into it and there's a good support forum too – so if I can make it work then it's probably worth it.

Just worried that as soon as I start trying to customise my own presets it's going to be an even steeper learning curve than if I was to start from scratch with a user remote script. How easy would it be, for example, to re-program a line of knobs to control an extra set of sends or some effects parameters to replace the default Mackie functions?

Been at this all afternoon so might have to come back to it at the weekend! Cheers for all the tips though guys, really is much appreciated.

ciw
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Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by ciw » Thu Jul 07, 2011 3:59 pm

To be honest, Cardiff's pretty quiet... you prompted me to update my sig cos I'm no longer promoting CLUD... though a few small and cool things do go on here.

Donnie
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Re: Ableton Live and BCR2000?

Post by Donnie » Thu Jul 07, 2011 4:32 pm

ciw wrote:Re updating knobs. This always works fine for me on the BCR, so long as it's set as a remote device in ableton midi settings. Can't see why it wouldn't for anyone :(

Guff: mad, I have never met any real life person through these forums, do I know you? Seeing Dan tomorrow night I think :)
Ahhh I just had to toggle 'remote' on the output. Awesome, I had a feeling this thread would deliver something I didn't know already! :D

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