Ableton Live Smart-Mixing Using Only Native Plugins

[friend_kami]

Good stuff Bent0.

Thanky Chilly



I been getting a fair few questions about mapping the device and in particular how to get the side-chain band swap buttons working.

Nothing special at all is required to get these band-swap buttons working properly, as long as you map the button to the 4 macros labled Low On/Off or Low Off/On in the 4 smart-mixing racks you will be totally find. No tricky midi mapping tricks are needed what so ever ! The trickery that does the swap is coded into the racks leaving the mapping really really really simple for users.

i just have to say once again that this thing here is golden. once i figured out how to map it properly (using one button to do a hard switch between low/hi dominance between the tracks) and once you figure out how the thing actually works its just perfectly brilliant. combine this with harmonic mixing and youll have fun for hours to come.

with that said: bump

[jaynyc]

The FAQ section suggests keeping the frequency splitter knob around 11 oclock, i guess in the low 50s.

Noob Q: the frequency splitter knob ranges 1 thru 127. how do i know what actual frequency value is [1..127] the cutoff?

[BentoSan]

The FAQ section suggests keeping the frequency splitter knob around 11 oclock, i guess in the low 50s.

Noob Q: the frequency splitter knob ranges 1 thru 127. how do i know what actual frequency value is [1..127] the cutoff?

The FAQ section suggests keeping the frequency splitter knob around 11 oclock, i guess in the low 50s.

Noob Q: the frequency splitter knob ranges 1 thru 127. how do i know what actual frequency value is [1..127] the cutoff?

You need to look at the one of the filter inside the racks - if you setup the midi corretly every single filter should have the exact same settings across the entire 2 deck setup. These filters (along with a neat little inversion trick) is what splits the frequencies up. If you are using Ableton 8 instead of being labled from 0 to 127 you will find that the actual racks now contain the actual frequency instead labled on the macro instead of 0->127 so if you are using Ableton 8 theres no need to look at the filter.

The actual way that the frequncies are split should be pretty interesting to alot of people, quite often i see people trying to split a channel into multiple frequency ranges only using a number of filters or a number of eq8's, its impossible to get a colourless frequency split in this fashion. You can apply this method to other things and not just smartmixing - very useful if you want to apply an effect to just the high end or low end for instance If you had a single band compressor in this way you could turn it into a multiband compressor (like i did with the smartmixer), if you want a reverb just applied to the high ends of your mix thats also possible.

Ill do a little write up sometime soon about frequency splitting - but if colourless frequency splitting is interesting to anyone id highly suggest checking out the live file in the meantime and the signal chain picture in the second article i linked to.

Thanks to those who have dontated, it really helps keep me motivated on this project

[jaynyc]

The FAQ section suggests keeping the frequency splitter knob around 11 oclock, i guess in the low 50s.

Noob Q: the frequency splitter knob ranges 1 thru 127. how do i know what actual frequency value is [1..127] the cutoff?

You need to look at the one of the filter inside the racks - if you setup the midi corretly every single filter should have the exact same settings across the entire 2 deck setup. These filters (along with a neat little inversion trick) is what splits the frequencies up. If you are using Ableton 8 instead of being labled from 0 to 127 you will find that the actual racks now contain the actual frequency instead labled on the macro instead of 0->127 so if you are using Ableton 8 theres no need to look at the filter.

where do i see what the actual frequency is? these are screencaps from Live 8. is this what you are talking about? I only see a frequency range not the frequency which corresponds with a value like 51.

[BentoSan]

You need to look at the one of the filter inside the racks - if you setup the midi corretly every single filter should have the exact same settings across the entire 2 deck setup. These filters (along with a neat little inversion trick) is what splits the frequencies up. If you are using Ableton 8 instead of being labled from 0 to 127 you will find that the actual racks now contain the actual frequency instead labled on the macro instead of 0->127 so if you are using Ableton 8 theres no need to look at the filter.

Looks like i wasnt right about the Ableton 8 thing saying the frequency - thats only with the rack inside the rack on the high chain.
You can see the frequency split here though -

[jaynyc]

Ah-hah! Ok.

To see the actual frequency split:
if the LOW chain is selected, look at the "Auto Filter" device
if the HIGH chain is selected, look at the "Audio Effect Rack" device.

Got it!

[BentoSan]

Thats correct
I was kind of limited by Ableton in terms of the feedback - but if your using a midi controller everythign you need to know is on your midi control.

If your using a button that has an LED built in it should tell which track is the dominant aswell - so in use you should only need to look at your controller for the most imporant feedback.

Not being able to see the frequency split point on the rack isnt the end of the world- once you innitially learn where the frequencies are along the position of the knob you can focus on just using your ears to make sure its in the right position (which is what you should be doing anyway).

[Program]

big up 4 this

[BentoSan]

Anytime !

Thanks everyone to anyone whos dontated to this !

To sweeten the deal ill keep anyone who donates up to date with my latest beta versions of the smart-mixer so you can get to play and give feedback before public release. Ill will be sending out a 4 deck version for donaters to check out shortly.

Also in the works is a 5 deck moldover version + 5 deck smart-cuing which ill send out once i have tweaked it out some more.

Anyone placing a donation can also organise a time to talk to me one on one for advice on via a skype call.

[BentoSan]

Good news

Should have some intimate time with a decent PA this weekend so i can do some optimisations for PA use - so hopefully ill be sending out V1.1 to donaters on the early next week and then do a public release after i am the donaters are happy with the setup.

Enjoy !

[RCUS]

Hey Bento!

sorry i've been having some busy nights with no time to skype.

I am fairly comfortable with the smart mixer as an overall concept and have studied that diagram to the point where I totally get the signal flow and am well versed in the concept of ducking, however my dislexic brain is giving me trouble in one area: The Buttons!

The "Low on/off (off/on) - High on/off (off/on)" buttons are confusing the hell out of me. My Low and High on/off buttons have LED feedback, but I never know how to get what I want. When my Low button is "off" meaning no LED lit, and I turn up the Smart Low, is that Causing the Bass on Deck A to be ducked by Deck B, or the Bass on Deck B to be ducked by Deck A? Same thing for the High's? I am basically trying to figure out how to get what I want at this point.

So for an example that would shed some light, if I wanted 100% of Deck A's Bass and 100% of Deck B's Highs, how would I get that?

I think i've been thinking too deep into the rack and it's overiding the ease that you already built in. Like everything else in my life, i'm making it harder than it is!

[BentoSan]

You can see on the racks, on the controls called Low On/Off or Low Off/On - that will tell you which deck is turned on and which is turned off.

If your looking at the rack and it says low on that means that decks low frequencies are being ducked and the other decks low frequencies are not being ducked.

[BentoSan]

I am creating a twitter page specifically for audio related tips, tricks, racks and developments on this smart-mixer/ tricks on using it - when max for live comes out i will be twittering info about that too.

http://twitter.com/Bento_San

I'll will also plug some different forum posts, blog posts, webpages from around the place that i find personally interesting and useful reading.

And ill keep my personal crap to facebook alone, so you don't have to worry about your twitter page getting filled full or random crap from my private life.

[friend_kami]

bumpitybump.

[anachroschism]

Damn, heard about this when i first got 8 from moldovers site but the glowing reviews on here tell me its well worth a shot. Confusing to say the least, but ive looked at the diagram and routing pics and i get the overall concept, ill just have to re read this thread and the 2 big tutes first posted.

Thanks bento!