Interesting, Cheap Controller for Live

MrYellow · Post by **MrYellow** » Tue Dec 16, 2003 5:08 am

I found the easiest way to setup banks other than those included by
default is to change the midi channel it sends on. This is much easier then
reprogramming each button to use different notes.

To do this setup a bunch of channels labeled with each of the general
areas on the device, L PAD, R PAD, L SCR, R SCR, L SWT, R SWT, JOY X,
JOY Y. Then you go through the existing settings and set each button to
the channel that matches it's type.

Now on the bank buttons at the bottom you setup a multiple action which
has 3 options. 01, 02, 03. These options then contain multiple actions that
switch the bank as in the orginal config. L Upper to Bank 1, L Upper-Left
to Bank 1 etc. You also include in these actions a midi channel change of
each of the channels setup earlier, but you'll see what that's for in a
second. Multiple actions in this kind of situation need to be set to execute
all entries.

Now that the bank buttons have 3 possible actions set to "Only execute
selected action" or whatever. It is now possible to program the top 3
buttons to switch the function of the bank buttons. For example button 1
up the top switches the action of the bank 1 button to 01. So now you
have 3 x 4 bank buttons (12 banks) of which the orginal programming
changes the midi notes for each of the 4 banks, while the 3 top buttons
change the event fired by the 4 bottom buttons so that channel changes
can be made and other custom controller changes can be added later.

I start everything on Midi channel 2 and leave 1 for "default" kind of stuff.
For example the middle switch "lock" buttons and the middle "solo" button
I use to switch everything back to channel 1, while the bank buttons use 2
onwards.

I then go on to program the left pad to trigger loops, after hitting the lock
switch and switching everything to channel 1 I program in the left pad to
stop loops by putting a couple of blank loops at the top of each track. The
right pad I reserve for turning on and off effects, at this stage I've let the
bank determine the scratch and joystick setting but I'm thinking I'll have
the right pad change these, which would bring in a lot more control.

I'll post the config sometime, just don't have it here with me.

-Ben

guitarkip · Post by **guitarkip** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 8:46 am

Since live does not accept midi Program Changes (Which is what must guitar midi foot switches send) I ripped apart a usb keyboard and soldered the approperate contacts to a footswitch.

tjwett · Post by **tjwett** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 9:17 am

please, someone make a Mac port! do you have access to the software code Mbazzy?

Mbazzy · Post by **Mbazzy** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 9:41 am

TJ,

I could speak to Peter - Pdoom, the developer - ... The port should even be quite straightforwards, but he has no access to a Mac to test .. so if anyone has a spare mac ...

tjwett · Post by **tjwett** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 9:57 am

damn, i don't know too many people over there. both of my sisters have Macs but they are in Italy and Austria. where exactly is the software being developed? perhaps i could put him in contact with some Mac programmers that i know here in the states and it can be worked on from afar. i'd really like to see this happen. hey, i think we've got a few Mac programmers here on the forum. c'mon guys, speak up!

Mbazzy · Post by **Mbazzy** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 10:25 am

PDoom is located in Switzerland ...

montrealbreaks · Post by **montrealbreaks** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 3:46 pm

An alternative for Mac users:

http://us.hercules.com/products/showpag ... 87&b=0&f=1

It's a 16 bit sound card and midi interface too. I personally would prefer using my MOTU for sound, but this thing looks like a similarly designed control surface to the DM-2. Of course, it's way more expensive, but that's a fact of life for Mac users like me. sigh.

My Remote 25 is doing me nicely, though I might pick up an MPD-16 next for triggering breakbeats in legato mode... hehe.

L8er
Montrealbreaks.

montrealbreaks · Post by **montrealbreaks** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 3:48 pm

montrealbreaks wrote:An alternative for Mac users:

http://us.hercules.com/products/showpag ... 87&b=0&f=1

It's a 16 bit sound card and midi interface too. I personally would prefer using my MOTU for sound, but this thing looks like a similarly designed control surface to the DM-2. Of course, it's way more expensive, but that's a fact of life for Mac users like me. sigh.

My Remote 25 is doing me nicely, though I might pick up an MPD-16 next for triggering breakbeats in legato mode... hehe.

L8er
Montrealbreaks.

Oops. never mind. System requirements say it's for PC only. Curses, foiled again.

L8er
Montrealbreaks

MrYellow · Post by **MrYellow** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 1:50 am

Since live does not accept midi Program Changes

I use Midi-OX to change program msgs into note on/off msgs.

Also I'm not really using the DM2 much anymore... kinda clunky buttons,
might glue some extra stuff on the contacts to make them more sensitive.

-Ben

emilyPLAY · Post by **emilyPLAY** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:04 am

I'm almost done with a template for live. It will allow you to control 8 tracks of clips across 8 scenes (8x8=64 matrix of clips.) It will also allow you to program the joystick to control 3 different effects for example:autofilter cut/resonance, distortion & flange x/y fx. Maybe someone else out there has been using this live also?

Emily

xeb · Post by **xeb** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 9:22 am

can you use the jog wheel on this to control the tempo of live (ie, give it a nudge)???? would be exactly waht i'm looking for for integrating live with vinyl in a DJ set

MrYellow · Post by **MrYellow** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 9:53 am

You'd probably be better off using the keyboard...

Think it's Shift + Up/Down from memory... to do slight adjustments.

-Ben

xeb · Post by **xeb** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:14 pm

shift up/down doesn't do anything

i've not seen anything in the manual about being able to make nudges to the tempo/position

bitmap · Post by **bitmap** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 4:31 am

MAC HELP PLEASE!

bod · Post by **bod** » Tue Oct 26, 2004 9:31 am

dm2 doesnt work with a mac.

Interesting, Cheap Controller for Live

Cool Keyboard/footswitch Controller

DM2 is the best affordable controller on the market