Ableton Forum

I just got my APC40, and upgraded to Live Suite 8. I had a problem with the APC40 and Live seeing each other. When I loaded a project, even a new one, I'd get no response from the APC40.

The solution, at least for me on my system, was to go to MIDI Sync (in Preferences) and set all my Control Surfaces that use "USB Audio Device," and their input/output to 'none." On my system, I have several devices that show up as "USB Audio Device," including an EWI USB, Beri BCR-2000 and Korg nanoKontrol (if I recall correctly).

After setting all Control Surfaces and their input and output drop-down menus to "none," I selected APC40 as my controller, and USB Audio Device as input and output. Then, set the APC40 "track" and "remote" entries to "on." That fixed it, and now Live 8 and the APC40 seem very happy together. I'm pretty happy too!

So does that mean you can't use any of those other devices, or just that you had to get the APC40 "straight" first?

I think it just helped the APC40 get straight.

I am able to use my other devices. Apparently, when I attached the APC40, Live got confused about which "USB Audio Device" represented which hardware. If someone is having problems, it might help to unassign all controllers in Preferences, then add them back in; sort of "reset" the assignments.

Also, I just installed a powered USB Hub. All USB devices were working before, but now I notice each USB Audio Device has a number after it. Now I just have to remember that USB Audio Device (2) is my EWI, USB Audio Device (3) is my nanoKontrol, etc.

don't have an APC yet and can say this is AWFUL advice.

this would make it impossible to use other devices.


ignore this thread.

I'm afraid you folks have misunderstood me.

There is no problem using other devices with the APC40. If you read what I said, you will see I never said there was.

I posted this only to help others who may have a similar problem to mine in the intitial setup. On MY system, it appears the USB Audio Devices got confused, which is probably because of Windows, not Live.

You may ignore whatever you like. Somebody else may be helped by this information.

sure, but now you can't use your other devices. maybe look at it like a partial solution, now you need to figure out how to automap with the BCR AND have the APC working.

as the forum goes, especially with new gear, someone's going to read this and say that it's proof that the APC can't work alongside automapped gear.


of course there's no jealousy here, none at all.

Same thing here, just got the APC40 and Windows wants to call it a USB Audio Device. It first recognizes it as an APC40, then changes over to USB Audio Device. Deleting/re-adding from Dev Manager, restarting the machine, restarting live, re-setting all of the MIDI/Sync devices, no love. There's no in/out for the APC in live prefs, it's only listed under the "control surface" tab. Also nothing listed down in MIDI ports when APC40 is added to the Cotnrol Surfaces.

Normally you can extract the drivers and then do an "update driver" and point it at the temp folder where the drivers were extracted to get around this USB Audio Device nonsense - no drivers for this bad boy though, so . . . halp!

Tone,

Maybe I'm not uderstanding you, or what you mean by automapping.

There is no problem using the APC40 along with other controllers. Right now I am using APC40 to control Live 8, and a BCR-2000 to control parameters in the OP-X Pro synth.

There's a FAQ here that talks about using other controllers in conjunction with the APC40:

http://www.akaipro.com/apc40

Click "FAQs" under the APC40 picture (on the left).

"Can I use another MIDI controller and/or MIDI remote at the same time as the APC40?
Yes."

by automapping I mean the function of the 'control surfaces' box. your suggestion is to disable the function of the control surfaces. automapping is the 'blue hand' control over devices, check the manual. you haven't heard of this?

your solution is to basically disable automapping for your midi devices. I automap my BCR into Live, with your solution I would lose that functionality.



sorry but your post on a device that was just released is going to get a LOT of traffic, ALL of them n00bs, so your words do bear more weight than usual.

I'll get my APC on Tuesday and might be able to chime in then.

Tone Deft wrote: I'll get my APC on Tuesday and might be able to chime in then.

Oh thank god for that. Somebody I can bug day and night for an implementation chart till my unit is available

TekMonkee,

What version of Live? I think you need 7.0.15 or higher, although the APC40 installation disk uses 7.0.13. On its opening screen it says it is a special version for use with the APC20. But, I had the same problems with it, until I figured out what I've said in this thread.

Try what I suggested above. In Preferences/MIDI Sync, set all controllers and their input/output to "none." Then select APC40 as controller, and USB Audio Device in both input/output. Then, you should be able to set up your other controllers as they were.

If you are not sure which USB Audio Device is the APC40, try unplugging them all, except the APC40. That should show you which one the OS thinks is the APC40. (Do this before starting Live).

I'm not sure why this worked for me, but it seems that "touching" all the MIDI Sync control surface parameters helped sort things out.

Tone,

OK, please let us know how it works out for you.

dbrns - we'll work it out.

Hoff2k - curious what you have in mind. I'll keep MIDI Ox nearby.

Tone Deft wrote:dbrns - we'll work it out.

Hoff2k - curious what you have in mind. I'll keep MIDI Ox nearby.

We already got several API hacks going for the lemur and Monome. Just knowing how to move around that red ring would be nice.
All the rest is basically mackie stuff and automap with different messages. Apart from the grid that is.

Live 8. USB Audio Device isn't listed in Live, only in Win Device Manager.

dburns wrote:TekMonkee,

What version of Live? I think you need 7.0.15 or higher, although the APC40 installation disk uses 7.0.13. On its opening screen it says it is a special version for use with the APC20. But, I had the same problems with it, until I figured out what I've said in this thread.

Try what I suggested above. In Preferences/MIDI Sync, set all controllers and their input/output to "none." Then select APC40 as controller, and USB Audio Device in both input/output. Then, you should be able to set up your other controllers as they were.

If you are not sure which USB Audio Device is the APC40, try unplugging them all, except the APC40. That should show you which one the OS thinks is the APC40. (Do this before starting Live).

I'm not sure why this worked for me, but it seems that "touching" all the MIDI Sync control surface parameters helped sort things out.