Ways to sync harware to Ableton?

Tortoise · Post by **Tortoise** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:52 am

I'm using a MBP which only has 2 USB conncetions, and I want to connect all my stuff to Ableton, to stay in sync with the tempo in Ableton and also use to control some features in Ableton.

- Remote SL 37
- AKAI MPC500
- KORG KAOSSPAD 3
- Behringer DDM4000
- Alesis Control Pad
- Korg R3

All of them have both Midi and USB connections.

I'm a newbie to how to do this the best way.
Is it to get a USB hub, or a Midi Hub, or to connect the Remote SL to one of the USBs of the MacBook and link everything from it by Midi in/out?

Any ideas?

adventurepants_ · Post by **adventurepants_** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 11:16 am

Tortoise wrote:I'm using a MBP which only has 2 USB conncetions, and I want to connect all my stuff to Ableton, to stay in sync with the tempo in Ableton and also use to control some features in Ableton.

- Remote SL 37
- AKAI MPC500
- KORG KAOSSPAD 3
- Behringer DDM4000
- Alesis Control Pad
- Korg R3

All of them have both Midi and USB connections.

I'm a newbie to how to do this the best way.
Is it to get a USB hub, or a Midi Hub, or to connect the Remote SL to one of the USBs of the MacBook and link everything from it by Midi in/out?

Any ideas?

ideally youd want to put the devices that are receiving notes and sync ie the KP3, R3 and PC on their own separate midi outs from a multi out midi interface. Once you start chaining, weird things can happen with midi timing.

Really the way that you connect them together is largely determined by how you use them, there is no best way as such. If you had to chain, Id go computer-interface-MPC-R3-KP3.

Connecting them is the easy bit. Getting ableton to sync with them reliably and consistently is the challenge.

Experiment. A lot!

Tortoise · Post by **Tortoise** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:19 pm

deally youd want to put the devices that are receiving notes and sync ie the KP3, R3 and PC on their own separate midi outs from a multi out midi interface. Once you start chaining, weird things can happen with midi timing.

Really the way that you connect them together is largely determined by how you use them, there is no best way as such. If you had to chain, Id go computer-interface-MPC-R3-KP3.

Connecting them is the easy bit. Getting ableton to sync with them reliably and consistently is the challenge.

Experiment. A lot!

Thanks a lot! I really like this forum, people are really helpful.

Any recommendation on a good midi interface?

[nis] · Post by **[nis]** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:27 pm

Tortoise wrote: Any recommendation on a good midi interface?

MOTU interfaces are quite reliable as far as MIDI timing is concerned.

Tortoise · Post by **Tortoise** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:39 pm

Ok, i'll check it out. Thanks

Tortoise · Post by **Tortoise** » Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:41 pm

By the way, what's should i do with the Remote SL? Should it be in a seperate USB on the laptop, or connected to the midi interface as well?

McQ714 · Post by **McQ714** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:34 am

if you don't connect the Remote SL by USB, you'd be taking away from it, the most important feature of that keyboard, the Automapping. So yeah connect it to USB

kramerica · Post by **kramerica** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:56 am

Tortoise, is your name related to the Chicago post-rock band?

Tortoise · Post by **Tortoise** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 5:17 am

Tortoise, is your name related to the Chicago post-rock band?

Oh yeah. One of my favorite bands ever!

if you don't connect the Remote SL by USB, you'd be taking away from it, the most important feature of that keyboard, the Automapping. So yeah connect it to USB

Yeah you're perfectly right. Thanks.

Ways to sync harware to Ableton?

Ways to sync harware to Ableton?

Re: Ways to sync harware to Ableton?