MIDI Map using sysex messages

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
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rg01A
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Jul 10, 2023 7:04 am

MIDI Map using sysex messages

Post by rg01A » Thu Feb 22, 2024 8:49 am

I am hoping to figure out a way to use my Roland PG-1000 programmer as a control surface in Ableton Live. I do see the MIDI Track In Indicator (to the far right in the control bar) light up any time I move a fader, but I am unable to assign any of the faders to a control when I enable MIDI Mapping mode. I am using my Push 3 as a MIDI interface and I have the output from the programmer's MIDI OUT going into Push's MIDI IN. I have also enabled remote control for the Push 3 Input port in Live's settings.

It seems to be the case that Live only supports sysex data in Max for Live devices in versions 10 and 11. If this is so, then why is the MIDI Track In Indicator lighting up when I move one of the faders on my controller? It certainly seems as if Live detects the MIDI signal (containing sysex data) from this controller.

Is there any way that I can take the MIDI signal received by Live and make it useable in MIDI Mapping mode, using a Max for Live device or otherwise?

If Live detects the MIDI signal with sysex messages, and each fader's sysex message is unique, then one might hope that it wouldn't take too much effort to map one of these signals to a parameter in Live. It would be really great to use these 50+ faders in Live!

rg01A
Posts: 28
Joined: Mon Jul 10, 2023 7:04 am

Re: MIDI Map using sysex messages

Post by rg01A » Sun Feb 25, 2024 8:26 am

Anyone have any clue about this? It seems that Live is certainly detecting fader movements from my PG controller. I just want to be able to use them!

silentio246
Posts: 82
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 2:31 pm
Location: Germany NRW

Re: MIDI Map using sysex messages

Post by silentio246 » Sun Feb 25, 2024 10:11 am

At first I would try to find out, what midi messages exactly come from the Roland PG-1000. Have a look at the Midi Implementaion Chart of the Roland PG-1000 or use a midi tool like MIDIOX. Obviously you have to convert these messages to usable midi messages for Live (CCs). Maybe Bomes Midi Translator can do that. For MaxforLive look here. https://maxforlive.com/library/index.php?by=any&q=sysex

sefable
Posts: 126
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 8:19 pm

Re: MIDI Map using sysex messages

Post by sefable » Thu Mar 28, 2024 1:12 pm

anybody managed to map fades/knobs that sends sysex messages directly in ableton yet ? without some convoluted workaround?

chapelier fou
Posts: 6025
Joined: Mon May 15, 2006 12:15 pm

Re: MIDI Map using sysex messages

Post by chapelier fou » Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:22 pm

It all depends on how the messages are structured (this varies a lot from device to device, which explains why it’s not natively useable in Live) but it’s not that hard to convert sysex to ccs with Max.
Then if you want to map it via MIDI, you’ll have to use a virtual MIDI Bus.
You could also use direct mapping to a live.remote or live.object. What’s the controller ?
Or use some hardware translator.
MacBook Pro 13" Retina i7 2.8 GHz OS 10.13, L10.0.1, M4L.
MacStudio M1Max 32Go OS 12.3.1

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