Three different ways of controlling/automating VST parameters - NONE work how I want

[mu71rd]

Hi,

So I'm trying to have a 'live keyboard' project in Ableton for band/live use. One keyboard, various instrument racks and chain selectors etc. Lots of different omnisphere instances, as well as other plugins (Legend, Hammond plugin etc). All working nicely until I try and add hardware CC control...

I have tried three different ways of dealing with my need to have hardware controllers control omnisphere parameters via CC, but none of them work in a way that I would consider to be useful to a performing musician.

In a nutshell, what I want is that I have Midi CC from my keyboard control various synth parameters, but also for those parameters to be recognised in automation - primarily so that I can adjust on the fly, and the press the <- button to return 'changed' parameters to their 'original' automation state when I want. I also want to only adjust the plugin I'm actually using, by means of filtering the CC data to the right place

I've tried the following:

- Mapping the CC to the parameter directly within Omnisphere. Even with 'host automation' enabled for the chosen parameter, and correctly setup in Ableton using the 'configure' option, Ableton refuses to acknowledge external CC changes as automation - either by updating the lane display, or even on the little display in the Device bar at the bottom. In fact Ableton doesn't even notice or see any changes to the parameter at all if using an external CC controller. This means I can't save or write any parameters as automation (static or otherwise), and the plugin is quite 'dumb'.

- Mapping the automation parameter to a macro, and then mapping the macro to the CC. This seems one-directional. Ie - i can correctly update the parameter using the macro, but the macro doesn't update if I change the parameter (with a preset, or a mouse click). This makes it very hard to set a starting position in automation, and of course Ableton doesn't ever seem to notice whether or not the value it thinks the parameter has is actually the value the parameter has.

- Mapping the CC directly to the automation slider bar thing in the device display. Initially this seemed to work great. The CC controls the parameter, and if you change the parameter, it adjust the automation slider thing, and writes/updates automation. BUT both of the last two methods have one extra problem...

- you can't filter CCs if you map CCs using the Ableton MIDI mapper - therefore if you have (as I do) 10 or more Omnispheres, which you were hoping to only control the one you're actually using at any given moment, you're out of luck. As soon as you map a CC inside Ableton to more than one plugin or macro, it sends the CC to all of them at once, regardless of whether they're currently receiving the MIDI note data through the instrument rack, regardless of the 'filter CC' setting, or even regardless if they're even turned off.

So how do I achieve what I can do in Mainstage incredibly easily - which is to have one controller control a bunch of different plugins, but only when I'm actually playing them. If the plugin is not active in the currently selected 'patch' - the routing of those CC controls breaks and I don't find I'm changing loads of parameters of a 10 other plugins at once.

Any help greatly appreciated as this is frustrating. Despite Ableton being the 'performance program of choice', it's currently being out-performed by something that cost me $30

[chapelier fou]

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[MIAR]

Did you get a way to change Midi CC into automation lanes?