Support for all MIDI controllers?

GaryTracks · Post by **GaryTracks** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 7:14 pm

yes, using Live live. Live 7.0. We are not the only ones.

chrysalis33rpm · Post by **chrysalis33rpm** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 8:02 pm

The idea of users being able to EXACTLY customize their midi surface to their particular midi app is a very powerful one.

But a lot of my frustration with Live's midi mapping (seemingly endless reprogramming of control maps in each and every Live document...every time you make a change to one song's midi map, you had to go back and change it so all the rest were the same...if you wanted to be able to remember what your knobs actualy did) has disappeared now that I have started using Mackie emulation mode, which has worked like a charm for me and allows EVERY function of the mackie controller to be emulated using any reasonable powerful control surface (I use the BCR 2000). See http://www.opuslocus.com/lcxmu/, there were a couple of threads about this a while back which is where I found this link.

The only thing that still frustrates me is that I have to pick up the mouse to go and get a new clip from the browser. Anybody know why this is?- it seems like it would be fairly simple to do with buttons(?).

johnpitcairn · Post by **johnpitcairn** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 9:30 pm

chrysalis33rpm wrote:I have started using Mackie emulation mode, which has worked like a charm for me and allows EVERY function of the mackie controller to be emulated using any reasonable powerful control surface (I use the BCR 2000).

Wondering if you've tried the microKONTROL support too? - names on the MK LCDs and lit/unlit pads is why I wrote the thing...

The only thing that still frustrates me is that I have to pick up the mouse to go and get a new clip from the browser. Anybody know why this is?- it seems like it would be fairly simple to do with buttons(?).

You'd think. But I don't think that's possible from the MC. Make an official feature request to the Abeltons (along with busses viewable as part of the main mixer on the MC).

Back to the armchair programming thread

chrysalis33rpm · Post by **chrysalis33rpm** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 11:58 am

Wondering if you've tried the microKONTROL support too? - names on the MK LCDs and lit/unlit pads is why I wrote the thing...

My MK has been in the shop since I have started using LCXmu, very excited to finally get it back and start to take advantage of those screens and lit/unlit buttons which up to now I considered fairly useless!

You'd think. But I don't think that's possible from the MC. Make an official feature request to the Abeltons (along with busses viewable as part of the main mixer on the MC).

Yes, I didn't mean that I expected you to implement that in
LCXmu since its not a feature of Mackie control...I just don't know why Live doesn't have it, it seems so obvious but maybe I am missing something...

CopyRightJustice · Post by **CopyRightJustice** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:15 pm

I wish for a more flexable deeper customizable savable midi control on every update ,who knows by the time I can afford a JM lemur the abe's may have expanded this area more comprehensivly.I long for the day when all of my tunes can have their own unique midi controls maps that I will be able to see whats what, without the feeling of bumping around in the dark.....bump......bump.....

hoffman2k · Post by **hoffman2k** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 9:26 pm

gafferuk · Post by **gafferuk** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 9:34 pm

Im building a MIDI controller using a pocketPC and if ableton could send out clip names, volume levels and other info via midi i could use it im my app. Would be great all round.

Wouldnt be hard to convert text to integer, send via midi so i could convert back to text again. (I believe mackie emulation does this?)

Ableton should invent it's own protocol like Mackie for such a great piece of software.

And theres DJ Grobe with his mono touch live application, im sure he would like this too.

mikemc · Post by **mikemc** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:10 pm

fwiw and to the point, I got a Tranzport controller. I looked through the Tranzport docs for a mention of the procedure to get it to work with Live-- there were mentions of other DAW apps, but not Live. Then somewhere (either in the docs or on the website) I come across this one sentence, to the effect of "To get Tranzport to work with Live, simply select "Tranzport" in the controller preferences and that's it".

So I think that while it is basically impossible to get Live to work with every conceivable midi controller, it is a powerful help when you are looking for a controller to use with Live of a certain 'family': I wanted one that would let me navigate the interface remotely to work in conjunction with my more 'musical' midi controller that plays notes and turns stuff on and off with buttons.

I would posit that there are a limited number of these 'main families' of midi controller, maybe described as 'knob centric', 'button centric', 'slider centric', 'key centric', and 'other' with of course some overlap between. They are divided into two larger groups (genuses?) based on the type of MIDI message they send 'note centric' and 'cc centric'. None are mutually exclusive, of course.

Similarly, my thought is that there are two families of people at Ableton: 'drooling at the prospect of fiddling with bookoo controllers' and 'dreading the prospect of coding the support for bookoo controllers'.

hoffman2k · Post by **hoffman2k** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:01 pm

Spiralgroove wrote:you should only have to hit midi learn the first time you connect your controller

save a profile and be done.

Yeah. Kinda like automat... Works like a charm.

hoffman2k · Post by **hoffman2k** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 2:22 pm

gafferuk wrote:Ableton should invent it's own protocol like Mackie for such a great piece of software.

Or add OSC support.
If anything, it would be the perfect testing ground for something even more flexible.
For now we're still stuck with plain old MIDI.
At least OSC would be a step in the right direction.

And it would make NAMM and MESSE so much more fun to watch

Herne · Post by **Herne** » Sat Feb 03, 2007 2:36 pm

I still remember the lovely warm glow I got in Reason3 when switching devices for the first time, watching my BCR2000 lightshow as it reconfigured. It was like pissing in my wetsuit.

Still haven't got that warm feeling from any MIDI device with Live.

Sonarcade · Post by **Sonarcade** » Mon Feb 05, 2007 2:17 am

I agree. But I'm curious as to what positive steps Faderfox has taken as opposed to other controller companies. Perhaps, I should look into getting one, but again I don't know what they're about.

But I'm also wondering couldn't the issue just be resolved after mapping everything in one go into the default template, especially considering it would take about the same amount of time to create your own map? It's a fatiguing experience but either we settle for the dinky templates they offer or end up going through every parameter.

hoffman2k · Post by **hoffman2k** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 1:44 pm

SubQ · Post by **SubQ** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 4:41 pm

bumpin' on the foxes...

Hey Tone, what's happened with "User COnfig.txt it IS Autommaping, rtfm"?

maybe you should search a bit more before telling people to rtfm. or just stfu

hoffman2k · Post by **hoffman2k** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:15 pm

How time flies....

Support for all MIDI controllers?

Should Ableton make a big effort to support as many MIDI controllers as possible?

mackie control emulation

Re: mackie control emulation