Ableton Forum

yer welcome paddy

Thanks for posting the example project, Gary

In line with this discussion comparing parameter control with IAC vs In-Clip envelopes, I created this video showing some of the unique advantages of using IAC in a separate track:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5ZzLmB1woE

IAC Method Pros:
-Combine multiple automation clips to make unique combinations on-the-fly
-Create automation clips that are longer than the clip with the note data, easier than using unlinked in-clip envelopes
-Record clip automation live using the familiarity and features of the session grid.

In Clip Envelope Pros:
-Simplifies screen real-estate: keeps things nice and tidy in a single track
-Maintains automation data in an absolute values (the filter automation would be in Hz, rather than CC values)
-Travels with the clip, for easy storage and recall from browser.

Oh... and I forgot.... with the IAC method, you can record yourself "playing" in chain select modulation into a clip!

With the in-clip method, you can only record yourself into the arranger, and then you would have to consolidate the clip and drag it back into session to use it as an improvisational tool.

Big pro there in my mind... for good, fun, expressive live performance.

Pitch Black wrote:Use the Mac's IAC Bus for a MIDI-loopback setup.

Set your IAC Bus MIDI prefs as below. (If IAC isn't showing, you'll need to enable it in OSX Audio/MIDI Setup)

Enable "Remote" for the input, and enable "Track" for the output. That's all you have to do.



Anything, anywhere in Live that can be MIDI-mapped or MIDI-triggered, can now be controlled by clips containing the relevant notes or CC data.

Let's say you map your chain selector to CC#20, for example.

As per your video, set your "controller" MIDI track with clips that contain CC#20's to send to the IAC MIDI output [Select "IAC Driver" in the track's MIDI To selector]. Live receives the CC's on the IAC MIDI input and moves the chain selector accordingly.

As long as you set the IAC MIDI preferences as shown, you won't have any issues with MIDI feedback-loops etc.

In my live set, I have two CC-laden clips, one that resets all my mixer parameters, and another one that resets my dub/delay/feedback effects returns.

Hey Pitch, I want to thank you for that informative post! Incredibly useful method. I think I will use this now all the time

In fact I think I will use this to replace some of my clyphx snaps, since with Midi control I can direct it to any device and parameter without making a Snap of the whole device (which makes that often sluggish and crash prone) and no matter how deeply nested the device is.

Btw, do you know why in Lives clips only Midi CCs from 1-119 (instead of 127) are available?

I looked in the manual but couldn't find an exact answer. Here's one answer from years ago:

hambone1 wrote:CCs 98-101 are reserved as registered and non-registered parameter number LSB and MSB. 120-127 are reserved for channel mode messages. Others are reserved for various other parameters.

It's all contained in the MIDI specification.

Thank you Paddy, gary, & mylkoa!

Fantastic tips & knowledge.

TomViolenz wrote:What a rude and unthankful little fucker you are...

Well, Tom.

Months have gone by, and I'm finally starting to wrap my head around what ClyphX is and how it works. Call me slow, it doesn't upset me

You were 100% correct - it does everything I had hoped for and more.

So thank you for your reply, and you are still a dick
Cheers.

Thanks great tip !

I don't know if i missed something, great tips here, but here's what i do :

for an audio track, i create a new audio track, monitor to IN. Select 'None' as Input source. Route the audio to this track. Put all the effect in this track. Then drop any audio clip, this clip will be greyed out and allows to draw automation lines.

for midi tracks, same thing except drop your instrument and effects in a Midi track, monitor to IN.

chapelier fou wrote:for an audio track, i create a new audio track, monitor to IN. Select 'None' as Input source. Route the audio to this track. Put all the effect in this track. Then drop any audio clip, this clip will be greyed out and allows to draw automation lines.

for midi tracks, same thing except drop your instrument and effects in a Midi track, monitor to IN.

Thanks, Chapelier Fou! Lately, I have settled on the VST Artillery2. It seems to be the easiest and fastest method for me, and since it's controlled via MIDI, I can improvise FX punch-ins with MIDI notes from my keyboard and record them in clip slots, triggering the FX sequences from session. It's a fantastic method. So fast and fun. And the sounds that come out can be very groovy. I wish I could find an easy way to do with factory Live FX - and maybe there is one - but for now Artillery makes it so simple and fast.

There's another way to do all this that doesn't require any VSTs. It's possible via Live's existing architecture. It's SUPER SIMPLE.

The basic concept is using a dummy MIDI track, and routing it so that it controls the notes sent to another track that has an instrument in it. And the track with the instrument on it, is where automation clips are recorded.

On the track with the instrument, you can record automation - not just chain selects - but ALL parameters that can be automated... this includes the on/off switches for audio FX - so all Ableton FX and M4L devices can effectively become playable FX (very similar to the way that Artillery2 is).

The one hurdle other people might face, when trying to create a punch-in/out FX, is that if you assign the device activator button to a MIDI NOTE, then the control acts more like a toggle... when you really probably want more of a gate action. The way I got around that, was to use a controller that can send CC messages with a pad hit (such as my Maschine Mk2 controller). I programmed the pads to send a CC# (say 84 for instance), and the pad will send an off value of 0 and an on value of 127... if you map that to an activator switch, it works perfectly, and you can record sequences "playing" the FX on and off.... and you can still record automation like nob sweeps.

mylkoa wrote:

TomViolenz wrote:What a rude and unthankful little fucker you are...

So thank you for your reply, and you are still a dick
Cheers.

Just think, you could be the first person to get banned here for insulting someone who has already been banned.

stringtapper wrote:Just think, you could be the first person to get banned here for insulting someone who has already been banned.

Then I will take comfort in knowing that I was an innovator in something related to electronic music

Incidentally, I'm sad he was banned... he was a smart guy.... but yes... good manners are more important than knowledge.

Life is short and can be harsh. We must treat each other well.