Change of MIDI-instruments at certain points in arrangement?

[skumborg]

Hello everybody,

I've tried to search for it and look for it in the Reference Manual, but with no luck.

It is possible to program changes, so that a MIDI-instrument (for example a keyboard sound or one or more samples in a drum rack) will change at a specific time during playback of an arrangement?

It could be useful in my future band not to worry about changing the sounds during a song (or during any song in a set), especially if the song requires a lot of keyboard sounds or (drum) samples.

Besides the instrument change a change of effect (or a effect turned on or off) at specific times could be cool too.

So can anyone help me out? Where in the Reference Manual can I learn more about it? Maybe a link to a video tutorial?

Jeppe

[Muzik 4 Machines]

there is a M4L patch that allows you to send program changes mid clip(as live always sends PC at the start of the clip) its caled something like CC to program change

[simmerdown]

i would duplicate the whole midi track, put the different instruments to each keeping the clip the same and arrange the parts how you want, this seems the most stable solution..i dont think they can be switched midstream without some add-on

as for the fx, you can make an automation lane for the on/off of the effect, or whatever parameter you want to change throughout the track...

[skumborg]

I don't know much about Max for Live, unfortunately. There ain't no other way to do it, which is inherent in Live?

Regarding the change of effect, I think I know how to do that with automations.

But what about the change of sound/samples?

[skumborg]

It should be said too, that the keyboard and drum pad are meant to be played live. So we're not using any MIDI clips - only the MIDI instruments and a drum rack with samples.

[simmerdown]

gotcha now...i can imagine it with a manual switchover, but not automatically....hmmm

[Muzik 4 Machines]

create a track on the same channel as your instruments
use dummy clips with program changes
place the start of those clips where the change needs to happen
it should change the program at the right time

i do it in session view all the time with 1 bar dummy clips

[skumborg]

create a track on the same channel as your instruments

What do you mean with "channel" here? The midi channel for the physical instrument (e.g. keyboard og drum pad)?

[skumborg]

... and for me it sounds like this solution will make a program change for the physical instrument. But that's not what I want.

Can you be a little more specific and explain it too a not so skilled user?

[Muzik 4 Machines]

It is possible to program changes, so that a MIDI-instrument (for example a keyboard sound or one or more samples in a drum rack) will change at a specific time during playback of an arrangement?

that sound like you want your external instrument to change sound
so by having a midi track sending the program change to your hardware to change sounds it should work

[skumborg]

I now see that I didn't make myself clear. Sorry about that.

The MIDI signal should go from the physical instruments and into Ableton, and in that way play the virtual instruments (e.g. keyboard sounds and drum samples).

So it's the virtual instruments/drum rack inside Ableton I want to change a certain times during playback of an arrangement. So that the keyboard player and electronic drummer in the band don't have to worry about the correct sounds during a song (or a whole set).

Hope it makes sense now

[Szuumm]

Not tested, but I would try doing it like this (assuming we are talking about Session):

-Create an empty MIDI clip the length of the song on the channel with the virtual instrument you want to change patches for
-Duplicate the clip the number of times you need to make program changes
-Set all launch modes to 'legato'
-Set the appropriate patch for each MIDI clip (intro/verse/chorus etc)
-Set loop areas & follow actions for each clip so it plays for the appropriate part of the song

EDIT: Sorry, just seen you are talking about Arrangement. I assume you could drag these ^ clips over & the program changes would be preserved (?).

[il7mago]

What I would do is have a midi track with nothing on it, receiving midi from your physical instrument.
Then a bunch of tracks with virtual drums, virtual keys and so on. Each of them receiving midi from the first midi track.
Then you mute them all and, using automation, unmute the one that you want to be playing.

Like this:

[Mage2k]

You could also do this by setting up an Instrument Rack on your midi channel with a separate chain for each patch with the instrument and patch already loaded on each. Then map a controller to the chain selector to switch between them.