Ideas for your ideal Live controller

ryansupak · Post by **ryansupak** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 2:14 pm

bert:

yeah, i agree that the touchscreens aren't there yet.

however, i'd recommend trying one of the tactex products if you get a chance. they track quite well...

rs

Bert · Post by **Bert** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 2:35 pm

hi ryansupak:

I tried the tactex about a year ago. it doesn't matter if it's tactex or some other touch pad. it doesn't make sense because it's not integrated with the user interface. you're touching a surface that doesn't give feedback.

I also didn't like the amount of pressure I had to apply to use the tactex pad.

besides, it's not USB or midi either and it doesn't integrate with your setup without custom software or max/msp.

do you see a different way of controlling live or other audio apps? how do you guys feel about a nice controller specifically built for Live ?

bert

ryansupak · Post by **ryansupak** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 5:43 pm

hi bert,

with regards to the Live controller, i'd love to see it exist. i have a bunch of schematics, but nothing really tangible on it yet. there's been some talk here in the past about one --

my main hurdle is finding the materials i'm looking for. one thing i'd like to find is rubber mpc-style pads...

rs

The Hulk · Post by **The Hulk** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 10:13 pm

ryansupak wrote:hi bert,

my main hurdle is finding the materials i'm looking for. one thing i'd like to find is rubber mpc-style pads...

rs

ryansupak,
Have you tried the Akai MPD 16? that's a usb controller with just the akai pads...although for Ableton, it seems a little expensive when you could just use the keyboard...if Ableton ads touch sensativity, i'd say they're worth it

Bert · Post by **Bert** » Wed Mar 26, 2003 11:19 pm

ryansupak wrote:hi bert,

with regards to the Live controller, i'd love to see it exist. i have a bunch of schematics, but nothing really tangible on it yet. there's been some talk here in the past about one --

my main hurdle is finding the materials i'm looking for. one thing i'd like to find is rubber mpc-style pads...

rs

hi ryansupak,

interesting--If you're up for some collaboration, drop me an email at

[email protected]

Thanks!
bert

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Mar 27, 2003 2:23 am

Modular midi controller?

you could build a master midi distributor and then build separate control modules with the following hardware and software I believe. one guy on that site even built a controller specifically for Live. check it out.

http://www.ucapps.de/index.html

and the live controller

http://www.8ung.at/ucapps/midibox_gallery/axel1.jpg

sorry if this has been posted before, enjoy.

ringmod45

fakeproject · Post by **fakeproject** » Tue Apr 01, 2003 3:49 am

see them here:
built from a PS2 controller from an old keyboard:

http://myweb.cableone.net/sakeproject/abletron.htm

built to hook up to the joystick port:

http://myweb.cableone.net/sakeproject/joystick.htm

these are ultra-simple grid-based sample triggers- the keys are clicky and responsive. it's particularly important to me to have at least 25 keys- i use a lot of samples live. i like the idea of software-hardware translation- the more direct a translation to the 'real" world the simpler it will be to learn.

ideally, i would add knobs to the first one, but this isn't possible on a standard PC keyboard port...

one thing, that would be really interesting, though are context sensitive knobs- like one pitch knob for all clips. when you have a clip waveform view displayed, one knob grabs the transpose for the DISPLAYED clip, and if you swithc clips, it works for that one too. this goes with Live's minimalist aesthetic as well....

this would eliminate a lot of complexity. tell me what you think

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Apr 01, 2003 12:49 pm

good thinkin' fakejoystick!

Although it requires looking at the screen for confirmation, it would definantly cut down the amount of midi controllers required.
\
\
-Keith

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Apr 01, 2003 12:54 pm

Sorry fakePROJECT,
my late night mistake..didn't mean any offense by the mangling of your name.

-Keith

Stefan Franke · Post by **Stefan Franke** » Tue Apr 01, 2003 10:01 pm

The Hulk wrote:
ryansupak,
Have you tried the Akai MPD 16? that's a usb controller with just the akai pads...although for Ableton, it seems a little expensive when you could just use the keyboard...if Ableton ads touch sensativity, i'd say they're worth it

We'll certainly see the day when session clips can be triggered with velocity. But don't hold your breath for it..

Stefan

serotoninsteve · Post by **serotoninsteve** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 6:59 pm

Hello all!
I am using Live for production an DJ like performance.
For DJing I bought an BistreamPro Midicontroller, it has 8 short and fast faders, 32 knobs and 8 buttons and a large LCD display!
Go to www.waveidea.com
Not cheap, but it rocks!
Greetings

noisetonepause · Post by **noisetonepause** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 8:03 pm

On original topic:

The ONLY two things that I desperately want to see in Live are 1st of all vertical zoom in the arrange view (I use the arrange view much more than the session view, actually) as that'd improve the ergonomics significantly.

Secondly: MORE KEYBOARD CONTROL!
Not for triggering things, but for modifying things. Switch to 'interface' as opposed to 'trigger' mode, and press L (or whatever) to switch off/on looping for the currently selected clip, E to view the envelopes, some other key to see the effects of a track, tab to switch between knobs and faders of these effects, arrow keys (or a physical knob on a controller, dedicated to 'currently selected'!) to modify the selected knobs. Basically, I want to be able to access everything from the keyboard - press one key to switch to the browser, one to pick up a clip, another to drop it off on slot x... I hope you get the idea. This should be user customisable, naturally.

Why? Because I have ten fingers. I type 80 words per minute. I just feel so fucking limited by this mouse-for-everything thing that Live has going for now. I doubt it'd be that hard to implement, but it'd imporve Live's functionality for me dramatically. I *really* think you should think about this, as it'd turn our laptops into ideal Live controllers.

-Paws

w!red · Post by **w!red** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 1:05 am

I recently bought a Korg MicroKontrol, which has a range of fully assignable controllers (trigger pads, knobs, sliders, keyboards, x/y controller) but though it works well with Live it is not up to the task of controlling more than 8 channels simultaneously (ie without workarounds).

Does anyone have any experience with using an add-on touchscreen with Live? I imagine that this could be problematic on a 17'' screen (as the GUI would be too small for fat fingers) but might be better on a 19'' or 21'' running at 1024x768.

Thanks

Dan

Mbazzy · Post by **Mbazzy** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:36 am

Think the current controllers are already quite comprehensive. What I would like to see added in some way is a simple hw sequencer and arpeggiator on top, editable on-screen from the laptop ...

montrealbreaks · Post by **montrealbreaks** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 4:28 pm

spyder wrote:i agree with the hulk in keeping it simple/portable.

_16 knobs
_16 faders (perhaps a cross-fader as well)
_16 buttons
_easy to integrate a keyboard controller for playing soft synths.

also, i think a trackball mouse built into the lower right corner of the controller box would be a super-duper mouse solution.

Seems to me that the Remote 25 is up your alley, Spyder.

16 knobs
8 faders
24 buttons (in three rows of

2 octave Keyboard
XY pad
Spring loaded Joystick

If you NEED more faders, get a second controller like the UC-33.

Ideas for your ideal Live controller

live controller!

my attempts