live 4:midi:hardware synths

rivas3 · Post by **rivas3** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 1:31 am

I have read a few articles but really dont feel like i have gained a clear answer. I understand that live 4 can sequence softsynths, but what about hardware synths? And more importantly, how many differnet channels of midi does live have? I would like to be able to sequnce differnt synths at the same time using live. Thanks for your help, big up!
rivas3

Komplex · Post by **Komplex** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 1:48 am

Ok, the way it sequences hardware synths is exactly the same way you sequence the softsynths.

Basically you assign a midi channel, select the bank and patch you want and you're away.

The minimum amount of midi output channels is ofcourse sixteen. I haven' tried using more because my card only has one out.

The Hulk · Post by **The Hulk** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 1:55 pm

Hardware synths and Live is a great way to go because you can save some CPU. Although with the Simpler, I find that I don't really need to use Hardware most of the time.

Boxerfresse · Post by **Boxerfresse** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 3:53 pm

Yeah, using external synthies with Live 4 is a realy funny way to compose music . . . for me one of the best I ever have tried.
I use only the Live 4 Midi-Clips to trigger my Jomox XBase and my Access Virus A. It works perfectly and you can do much more than only a JamSession....

have Phon

Komplex · Post by **Komplex** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 4:10 am

It's also cool to route the external synths back into live and use the live and vst fx in realtime

Give it a go!

Then you just hit record when you're ready to bounce to audio and.

rivas3 · Post by **rivas3** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 3:04 pm

thanks for the tips. i have upgraded to 4. for anyone else who reads this, its so easy to accomplish setting up midi channels and to sequence. i am so excited about live 4, i think its mind blowing and that we are going to hear and see many top artists swear by it soon, if not already. for me, its a seamless integration into my current studio setup of hardware sequencers and synths. thank you ableton, big up!
rivas3

MarkH · Post by **MarkH** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:29 pm

rivas3 wrote:thanks for the tips. i have upgraded to 4. for anyone else who reads this, its so easy to accomplish setting up midi channels and to sequence. i am so excited about live 4, i think its mind blowing and that we are going to hear and see many top artists swear by it soon, if not already. for me, its a seamless integration into my current studio setup of hardware sequencers and synths. thank you ableton, big up!
rivas3

Glad you're getting along with Live ok! The M-Audio 8x8 Midisport will give you 128 channels of midi (8 midi ports, times 16 channels per port).

Honestly, Live 4 makes using hardware fun again! I typically bring up the Session view and 'jam' a lot of 1 bar, 2 bar, or 4 bar clips. Then I start copying/pasting them into the Arrangement view and start composing my song.

Goseba · Post by **Goseba** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:51 pm

Although a proud owner of Live 4, I have not had a chance to use it yet. I intend to use it with outboard gear but I was wondering about program/bank changes.
Are these incorporated into each clip, and if so, what sort of delays are experienced when changing sounds from one clip to the next?

MarkH · Post by **MarkH** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:05 pm

Goseba wrote:Although a proud owner of Live 4, I have not had a chance to use it yet. I intend to use it with outboard gear but I was wondering about program/bank changes.
Are these incorporated into each clip, and if so, what sort of delays are experienced when changing sounds from one clip to the next?

As stated in page 109 of the Live 4 manual:

Live can send MIDI bank/program change messages to external devices. According to the setting in these controls, launching a clip also sends its bank/program change message. If you are using Live to send Midi to your synth, this means that each MIDI clip in your Live Set can play a different sound on your synth. Live offers messages for 128 banks with 128 sub-banks, each of which has 128 programs. If you do not want your clip to send program or bank change messages, simply set the bank program choosers to "None".

Komplex · Post by **Komplex** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 6:03 am

routing old gear thru lives efx really brings them back to life

and also makes the bland sounding stuff sound interesting

minimal · Post by **minimal** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:49 am

[
Are these incorporated into each clip, and if so, what sort of delays are experienced when changing sounds from one clip to the next?[/quote]

Hi,

I don't experience delays with those MIDI messages I send to a microQ and a KStation.
The only brainteaser could be at the beginning, because every synth has his way to organize patches: on some you may have maybe 3 banks (A, B and C) and say, 100 sounds each bank (as on my microQ) while on others you can have the sound from 100 to 400 (K station).
You will need some time to figure out how your hardware gear responds to these messages but then it's all about having fun.

Goseba · Post by **Goseba** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 11:31 pm

Thanks for your comments. I understand about program/bank changes. I just seem to remember when I was sequencing in the past that if they were at the start of a pattern that had notes at the start also, that there were occasional glitches.
It's been a couple of years since I was last playing around with music and I didn't know if things had moved on. I guess it is down to the speed that the data is tranmitted to the outboard synths. A MIDI limitation perhaps?
I guess I will have to try it and find out. It would be great if each midi clip could have its own program changes without any stutters at the start of it playing.

muthafunka · Post by **muthafunka** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 11:57 pm

Or if you don't have to switch from one program to another instantaneously you could just program an empty clip with th eprogram change one bar early etc