MIDI Map improvement, "Change Focus" column

[Tarekith]

One of my favorite new features in live 6, is the instant mapping feature. Makes it so easy to use a limited number of controls to ummm... control many different devices. However, the major flaw with this scheme, is that you have to still use a mouse to actually select the device you want to control first. Not a biggy in the studio, but live it's one more reason to mouse around. One way i think this could be avoided, is to add a new column to the MIDI map editor (and Key map Editor) in browser view, a check box for each assignment called "Change Focus". If checked, using that controller automatically would shift the focus to whatever it was controlling. However, this doesn't have to be tied in to instant mapping either. Examples:

- You have a button assigned to turn loop on or off for a clip. With Change Focus selected for that button assignment, Live now shifts the focus to the loop brace. This would let you not only turn the loop on or off, but control loop start and length without clicking on it first.

- You have a button mapped to turn an effect rack on or off. If Change Focus is selected, that effect rack now gets the focus so you could use 8 knobs on your controller to control the macro knobs ala instant mapping.

- You have a key command assigned to trigger a scene launch. You could use the "Change Focus" to specify whether or not launching this scene selects the clips in it, or whether the focus stays on whatever clip you were currrently controlling.


One more idea, if you leave the max and min values for any assignment so they are both '0', then you can assign a button or midi command that does nothing BUT change the focus. This way you can select different devices without having to actual send a command to change any parameters.

So, for instance you could assign a key command to the tempo field that only puts it in focus, allowing you to arrow the tempo up or down from your computer keyboard without needing to mouse over there first. Just one more way to remove reliance on the laptop screen and mouse.

Comments?

[alexhard]

+1 dude, +1

[zeropoint]

another + 1

[Tarekith]

Bump

[glenc]

I recently submitted this exact request to support@ableton.com.

The basic premise here is that for any non-button interface element in Live, it doesn't actually make sense to bind a key or midi button to it. For example, binding the 'V' key to the clip volume fader is pointless. What most users really want to do in this situation is make 'V' focus the volume fader so they can tweak it with the arrow keys.

This basically applies to every fader/knob/numeric interface element in Live, which is, hey, pretty much most of them. If Ableton could implement this bind-to-focus feature it would make Ableton much more usable in a live setting (hey there's an idea! ) because it reduces reliance on imprecise mouse/trackpad movements, which are hard as hell when you're doing a gig and under pressure.

[vinkalmann]

+1, Yes PLEASE!

[debu]

+1 here as well

[nobbystylus]

i like... +1

[glenc]

Just as an addition to this request, if there was some way to nominate a continuous MIDI controller to act like the up and down arrow keys, i.e. one knob on your controller modifies whatever is currently focussed, this would work even better!

Of course, to make this work perfectly, there would need to be some kind of soft-takeover in place for this "magic" controller to avoid snapping, seeing as it effectively controls many different things.

The brilliant thing about this idea is that it would allow you to have MIDI control over things that you haven't necessarily thought to set up mappings for in advance. So you are doing a gig, you really want to play around with say a filter cutoff on a channel you haven't really configured with MIDI mappings, so you just focus the cutoff parameter and then start tweaking your "magic" controller and away you go!

Would be a great thing to have during live performances.

[friend_kami]

hell yeh!

[chris_dan]

One of my favorite new features in live 6, is the instant mapping feature. Makes it so easy to use a limited number of controls to ummm... control many different devices. However, the major flaw with this scheme, is that you have to still use a mouse to actually select the device you want to control first. Not a biggy in the studio, but live it's one more reason to mouse around. One way i think this could be avoided, is to add a new column to the MIDI map editor (and Key map Editor) in browser view, a check box for each assignment called "Change Focus". If checked, using that controller automatically would shift the focus to whatever it was controlling. However, this doesn't have to be tied in to instant mapping either. Examples:

Comments?

Hey Tarekith,

I just posted the following message regarding "changing focus" and I happened to see your post. Perhaps this may be of some value if I understand your messages:

When using Mackie Control as your remote "midi in" script as set-up under the midi prefs tab in Live, sending a note on/off value for F7 (90 64 7F) will move the highlighted track indicator to the left and sending a note on/off value for E7 (90 65 7F) will move the highlighted track indicator to the right. Although it's visually correct any midi "tweak" data is still controlling or "focused" on the track that you came from. When using a supported control surface the above midi messages are what the control surface is sending when you press the left and right arrow keys on the control surface and indeed the "focus" is being shifted from track to track.

I've been working on an emulation for the fcb1010 to control Live607 so I may be able help you some. I do use an additional midi utility call Midi Translator Pro v1.50 as a component of the emulation.

In order to change the focus from track to track you need to use the "select track" midi map function. Before you use the above you should take note of whatever "note on/off" messages that your controller can send and/or set aside a range of "note on/off" messages, program those messages into your controller and then in Live's session view open the midi mapping screen. The track title bar at the top of each track is where you want to assign the "note on/off" messages that you set-up above. Then, when you send those messages from your controller the "focus" will now reflect the highlighted track in Live.

That's the easy part as the track focus is handled on midi chn01 for all tracks, returns and master out. From what I've seen most people tend to map the controller switches to match Live's tracks on a one to one basis. i.e. pedal 01 is Live's track 01 and pedal 02 is Live's track 02 etc.....

I've taken a different approach where I address all the related track activities (pan,on/off,solo,record/arm,sends,input/output,clip section,track/fader) by assigning them to specific midi channels. i.e. all available parameters for track 01 will only hear midi chn01 data and track 02 will only hear midi chn02 data etc.....

[Tarekith]

Interesting info, thanks. However, what I'm proposing is much more detailed, not just changing the track focus, but moving the focus to any parameter or device in Live as if you had clicked on it with a mouse.

Or perhaps I'm not understanding you?

[3rdordertrauma]

Along with this It would be nice to be able to create and edit midi assignments with out relying on an incoming message from a controller (or using the learn function).

[chris_dan]

Interesting info, thanks. However, what I'm proposing is much more detailed, not just changing the track focus, but moving the focus to any parameter or device in Live as if you had clicked on it with a mouse.

Or perhaps I'm not understanding you?

Here's a link to a template file for a complete LivEmulation that I've been working on for the fcb1010. It covers most all of the remote control functions on the session screen FWIW.

http://home.golden.net/~chris/FCB1010/fcb2abl.pdf

[minirod]

+1