Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Discuss Live-ready controllers other than Push.
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cube-oner
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Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2011 11:30 am

Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by cube-oner » Tue May 27, 2025 10:58 am

Hi Kik07L, Thank you so much for this script!! It is amazing!!!
I am trying to do some modifications however but I am not at all into coding and even with chatgpt I am kinda lost here...

So, what I want to do is to map the SHOW/HIDE BROWSER to F1, map the CLIP VIEW TOGGLE to F2, and the DEVICE VIEW TOGGLE to F3, and the Mixer View Toggle to F4, and the Show/Hide Info view to F5. Is this easy to do? Or have these already been mapped to other buttons on the XTouch?

As I understand now the function buttons are not mapped to anything right?

Maybe the F6-F8 can be mapped to other view related things like open the Help section on the right, or open the groove pool etc... But I first want to get these 5 working somehow :D Hope you can give me some advice on what program to use to do this, currently trying with autohotkey and midikey2key but its not working at all... Thanks in advance!!!!

RobrechtV
Posts: 231
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2017 1:32 pm

Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by RobrechtV » Tue May 27, 2025 5:52 pm

Hi, I'm the one currently coding the script (after the initial work by Arthur Montvidas)! :D

There already are buttons for most of what you want to do. In the latest version, show/hide browser is INPUTS, show bottom pane is AUDIO INST, swapping between clip and device view in the bottom pane is AUX. The DISPLAY button (to the left of the 7-segment displ ay) swaps between Arrangement and Session/Mixer view. Scroll down on the GitHub page for a list of button functions.

Info view is not accessible through the Live API, unfortunately (I just sent in a feature request to Ableton for that and some other functions). Showing/hiding the mixer in Arrangement view isn't either, nor opening the groove pool, as far as I can tell. You could try to rig up something with an external keystroke simulator (since some of those functions do have keyboard shortcuts), but I want to keep the script itself standalone.

F1-F8 will be left for the user to manually MIDI map them to different functions (ctrl+M). Anything in the interface you can click (like buttons on Live devices) can be mapped that way.

There hasn't been a release package of the script for a while but the latest beta version has been very stable in my experience, you can download it by clicking Code (the green button) > Download ZIP. The latest version adds Global SOLO functionality, which I find very handy while mixing.
Colored scribble strips on the Behringer Xtouch!
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cube-oner
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Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by cube-oner » Thu May 29, 2025 12:24 pm

Wow alright!! Thats amazing!! Thank you for your quick reply and thank you also for all the work you have done for this XTouch script already!!
It is so much better than the original mackey control script, amazing work! Gonna check out what you said if that works for me, if so I will be very happy 8) :wink:

RobrechtV
Posts: 231
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2017 1:32 pm

Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by RobrechtV » Mon Jun 02, 2025 6:13 pm

After extensive testing, I haven't found any issues with the latest updates, so I've released a new stable version. Download and read the changelog here.

The Global SOLO button is the star of the show here, if I may say so myself. Super convenient, I don't know how I ever lived without it! :D

Image
If one or more tracks are soloed, the global SOLO button in the Transport section lights up. Press it and all tracks are un-soloed simultaneously. Blinking global SOLO button and track SOLO buttons indicate previously soloed tracks that can be restored by pressing the global SOLO button again. Useful for toggling between full mix and a soloed selection of tracks while mixing!

SOLO to toggle soloing for soloed tracks.
SHIFT + SOLO to reset.
Also: clock mode, fixed exclusive arm, OUTPUT button takes you directly to your Master Track and more.
Colored scribble strips on the Behringer Xtouch!
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j-cuc
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Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by j-cuc » Thu Jun 19, 2025 4:58 pm

Edit: j-cuc – I've been testing a little more. MIDI mapping of parameters is enabled by the Remote checkbox in the MIDI settings (for both Input and Output). You don't need any of those checkboxes for the functionality provided by the Control Surface script, they're only for MIDI mapping. So what you could do is enable Remote (in and out) for just one of your X-Touch/X-Touch XT devices, and leave it unchecked for the others. That way, you can use any spare controls (faders, encoders) on that one device for mapping to a specific parameter. The other X-Touches won't get involved as long as Remote isn't enabled for them.

Note that the Master fader on your main X-Touch won't have this problem anyway because it doesn't exist on the XTs. If you don't need to control the Master channel volume (I just use the hardware volume knob on my audio interface) that fader makes a handy controller for any specific parameter in your set.
Hey Robrecht, thanks for thinking along, highly appreciated.

I assume there is something to dig for in the "plug-in" page that could be hacked to work as I am longing for? Especially including providing the parameter names in the displays, etc.
In general, I wonder how much everyone really uses the panning encoder in a mix session that justifies a dedicated precious hardware encoder. ;)

If you come across anything… I am all ears.
And again - consider setting up a donation path. I really think your script is a game changer for most Ableton X-Touch users.

Cheers,
j.

RobrechtV
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Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by RobrechtV » Sun Jun 22, 2025 8:15 am

It depends on what exactly you want to do.

My replies in this thread explain the trade-off between the two available approaches: a remote control script and ad-hoc MIDI mapping.

The big plus of MIDI mapping is that you can link any parameter anywhere in your project to any controller on the spot, without rhyme or reason. One knob may control a filter cut-off somewhere deep in one track's device chain, while the next one is assigned to another track's third send dial. This is, if I understand correctly, what you want to do: pick out a few important parameters from all over you project and surface those, persistently, to a direct control.

(I do something like that with the F1-F8 buttons to turn my mastering effects chain on and off, and to switch on a device that simulates mono playback on a lo-fi speaker to quickly check my mix.)

You don't get that freedom with a remote control script, which defines controls more generally. The bank of eight channel strips will always behave as a group: all rotary encoders are assigned to panning, or to sends, or to a device's parameters.

On the other hand, what a script gets you is extended control as a middle man between Live and your hardware unit – including visual feedback like parameter names. If you press the PLUG-IN button on the X-Touch, you can select a Live device on the current track by pushing the corresponding encoder, and then all the parameters for that device are laid out over all the rotary knobs – with their names and values on the screens. But: you can't mix-and-match persistent controls from all over your project like with MIDI mapping. That's the trade-off.

Unfortunately, to my knowledge, the MIDI mapping system and the remote control scripts system don't talk to each other at all. As soon as you MIDI map a control, the script (with its ability to provide text feedback) is overruled for that particular knob/button/fader. So it's either MIDI mapping with total freedom, or the more generalized scripting with extended feedback like parameter names. You can't – again, to my knowledge – have an ad-hoc MIDI mapped control showing text feedback on the X-Touch.

As for your original problem ("all encoders of the same relative track on each of my X-Touch will control that parameter"), that should be solved if you check the Remote box in the MIDI settings (both Input and Output) for only one of your X-Touch units, right?
Colored scribble strips on the Behringer Xtouch!
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RobrechtV
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Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by RobrechtV » Mon Jun 23, 2025 11:07 pm

Alright, that's it, I'm working on a new feature. :mrgreen:

The idea is that the USER button turns the rotary knobs into 16 macro controls* that are mappable to multiple parameters anywhere in Live, with visual feedback (scribble strips and LED ring).

Press USER at any time to temporarily see those macro controls, release USER to return to normal operation. Alternatively, SHIFT + USER makes the switch permanent until you press USER again.
  • Why? To overcome the limitations of the remote script approach and regain some of the ad-hoc flexibility of MIDI mapping.
  • How? By using a special array of Max4Live devices to do the mapping.
  • What you need to do to make this work: if you download the latest unreleased version of the script, the folder "XTouch/Macro Mapper/" contains a Rack device called "X-Touch Macro Mapper.adg". Add it to your Master Track as the first (leftmost) device in the chain.**
The Rack has 16 macro knobs. Click Show Devices to see the 16 instances of a Max4Live mapping device they control. Each instance of this M4L device can in turn be mapped to 8 different parameters anywhere in Live, with additional control over Min/Max and Curve if you expand the device.***

Image

This way, each of the 16 macro knobs of the Rack (and thus each of the 16 rotary knobs assigned to them when you press USER) can directly control up to 8 parameters in your project. You can set them up any way you want, and rename each of the 16 macros as you see fit – the name and value will be shown on the corresponding scribble strip.
  • Possible issue to test: I've included both the Rack device and the Max4Live device it contains in the download folders, but I'm not sure if the link between them will be preserved. When you drag the file "X-Touch Macro Mapper.adg" onto your Master track, check if the 16 instances of the M4L device are correctly contained in it.
  • Known issue: "permanent" macro mode (SHIFT + USER) is interrupted by some actions, like selecting or soloing a track.
I probably won't be able to work on this much in the coming month, but if anyone wants to test, that would be great.

* If you have only one X-Touch unit, only 8 controls are shown, but you can bank to the other 8 and back using the EQ and INST buttons like in plug-in mode.
** If the device isn't found in that exact location when you press the USER button, it will just blink and nothing will happen.
*** This is a modified version of a patch from the Max for Live Essentials pack.
Last edited by RobrechtV on Tue Jun 24, 2025 10:05 am, edited 2 times in total.
Colored scribble strips on the Behringer Xtouch!
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j-cuc
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Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by j-cuc » Tue Jun 24, 2025 7:58 am

You are the GOAT!

I am back in the studio at the end of the week and will give it a try.

RobrechtV
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Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by RobrechtV » Tue Jun 24, 2025 8:59 am

Thanks for getting me thinking about this! Flexible mapping with feedback is something I've been missing too. With just a little refinement I think this implementation will be very useful.
Colored scribble strips on the Behringer Xtouch!
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RobrechtV
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Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by RobrechtV » Tue Jun 24, 2025 8:39 pm

I had a little time for one more quick update.
  • Fixed: previously, the new macro mode (USER) was interrupted by some actions, like selecting or soloing a track. Now it is more persistent. Especially useful in locked macro mode (SHIFT + USER): now you can work on your song while the 16 user-mappable macros remain within reach.
  • Added: device control lock (related to my solution for persistent macro mode, but applied to plug-in mode in general). When in plug-in mode, after a device has been selected and its controls assigned to the rotary encoders, press SHIFT + PLUG-IN to lock them. The PLUG-IN button will blink and the selected device will remain assigned to the rotary encoders, even when selecting or soloing another track.
Edit: The script works perfectly now, the only thing I'm unsure about is how to distribute the customized Live device. It's just a simple rack preset with 16 instances of Max4Live device in it, but when I tried to load it on my laptop, which is still running 12.11, it said: "The preset cannot be loaded". My studio computer, where I created the preset, is on 12.2 already, so my first thought is: ugghh, it's Ableton so of course a simple dot release means total backwards incompatibility. :roll: How do I make sure everybody can use it, even if they're still on an older version of Live?
Colored scribble strips on the Behringer Xtouch!
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j-cuc
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Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by j-cuc » Wed Jun 25, 2025 9:05 pm

This is great already!

However, I have a few observations (installation no issue, locking does not seam work here) and ideas (colors, names, mod vs. remote)!
I will DM you to discuss more.

RobrechtV
Posts: 231
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2017 1:32 pm

Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by RobrechtV » Wed Jun 25, 2025 10:19 pm

Strange that locking doesn't work. Could you try holding SHIFT until you've pressed and released USER? Can't test right now but I think the decision whether to keep macro mode active (by checking if SHIFT is pressed) is made the moment you release the USER button. I think I could change that if it's inconvenient.

At least installing the device worked. Which Live version are you on? If the reason it didn't work on my laptop is indeed a backwards incompatibility problem I might temporarily install an older version of Live and recreate the device there. I don't want to exclude anyone under Live 12.2...

Curious for you suggestions. The scribble strips already show the names of the macro dials, which you can change from the original 1-16. Unfortunately, the color of the rack dials (you can give each of the 16 a different custom color!) is not available in the API, otherwise I would try to mirror them on the scribble strips too.

One thing that is available in the API are variations, meaning the "snapshots" of all the dial settings you can save and recall in a rack device. Could be cool if you could somehow do that with button combinations. But that won't be for this month I'm afraid.
Colored scribble strips on the Behringer Xtouch!
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j-cuc
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Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by j-cuc » Thu Jun 26, 2025 8:23 pm

RobrechtV wrote:
Wed Jun 25, 2025 10:19 pm
Strange that locking doesn't work. Could you try holding SHIFT until you've pressed and released USER?
Still, selecting another track will jump out of macro control mode for me. :(
I am on the lates release version.
RobrechtV wrote:
Wed Jun 25, 2025 10:19 pm
Curious for you suggestions. The scribble strips already show the names of the macro dials, which you can change from the original 1-16. Unfortunately, the color of the rack dials (you can give each of the 16 a different custom color!) is not available in the API, otherwise I would try to mirror them on the scribble strips too.
Yes, unfortunately, also the naming of the macros can’t be changed dynamically. Even though one can change short and long names of a UI element controlled by the macro on the fly, the macro itself will get the name of the element as it was originally instantiated, so not necessarily the current name. This, like the colors, is just a limitation we have to go with for now.
Or, if possible, we skip the macro rack and control everything with a device in the first place. Would the names be comunicated to the controller that way?

But also, when going with your rack method, I personally prefer a solution with all 16 macro mapping in one device that, if necessary, can control another to spawn out to multiple destinations.

I will send you a DM with a demo set including such device.

In it I also have a workaround by switching the tracks panning to split l/r. I found that controlling the "normal" pan via X-Touch will still be offered to modulate other values. I use one of the yarhammer devices (I am involved here) to grab the panning UI (even though it is hidden).

Cheers,
J.

RobrechtV
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Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2017 1:32 pm

Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by RobrechtV » Thu Jun 26, 2025 8:45 pm

Actually, the script currently just looks for any device with the name "X-Touch Macro Mapper" in the first position on the Master track, so you could experiment with different approaches yourself! Any device should work as long as you give it that name. (Might change the requirement to just containing the word "X-Touch" later.)

One of the reasons I went with a basic rack/macro device as a wrapper for the Max4Live devices is that the user can easily change the names of the macros. So don't try changing the names of the values controlled by the macros, but rename the macros themselves, by right-clicking on the dials, which is easier than having to mess with Max4Live to change the short/long names inside the M4L device!

(Plus, racks have that built-in snapshot functionality, which I plan to integrate as well.)

Note that for name changes to take effect you may have to exit and re-enter macro mode. It doesn't update the names live.

Very surprised that locking still doesn't work for you, I just tested it again here. Unfortunately, I'll have very little time to look into it before I'll be away for a few weeks.
Colored scribble strips on the Behringer Xtouch!
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Kik07L
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Re: Remote Script for Behringer X-Touch

Post by Kik07L » Thu Jul 03, 2025 12:38 pm

Hello RobrechtV ! daily report of me using the Xtouch plugin on live daily as sound engeneer and it's doing great rn ! i 'am using the latest ver and no problem at the moment, i did have some difficulty to change my habit that was using global viuw button for the outputs but that's fine, idk if that's a bug on my side but the display button is not lighting up when i press it to switch view :)

have a good day !

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