Ableton Forum

One of the big advantages of supported MPC style hardware pads (Akai MPD series, Trigger Finger, etc.) is the fact that the 4x4 pad grid displayed on the Live Drum Rack is always linked to the 16 pads of the hardware.

My question is this:

Is it possible to configure an unsupported drum pad hardware device to behave in the same way, as opposed to rigidly triggering a series of midi notes?

Specifically I’d like to set up my Akai LPD8 (which is only 2x8 pads I know) to trigger the bottom 8 pads of the Drum Rack selection box with bank 1 for instance and the upper 8 pads with bank 2.

The term you're looking for is instant mapping. Ableton has a hidden feature called user remote scripts. It's very simple to set up, I got my controller to automap in no time at all, just make sure you follow the instructions in the two text files. To find the folder, go to 'help' 'get support' and open 'show preferences folder' in the tutorial window on the right. Then you click 'user remote scripts' in the folder that pops up. Create a folder with your controllers name, and copy in the user txt file. When it's in the folder, carefully follow the instructions in the two txt files to set it up.

You might find this handy:

http://createdigitalmusic.com/2009/07/2 ... s-control/

Dr. Fluffenstein wrote:The term you're looking for is instant mapping. Ableton has a hidden feature called user remote scripts. It's very simple to set up, I got my controller to automap in no time at all, just make sure you follow the instructions in the two text files. To find the folder, go to 'help' 'get support' and open 'show preferences folder' in the tutorial window on the right. Then you click 'user remote scripts' in the folder that pops up. Create a folder with your controllers name, and copy in the user txt file. When it's in the folder, carefully follow the instructions in the two txt files to set it up.

You might find this handy:

http://createdigitalmusic.com/2009/07/2 ... s-control/

Thank you very much, I configured everything and it works like a charm.

I’m especially happy because the LPD8 is kind of the ultimate compact Live controller.
The 8 rotary CC knobs just begged to be auto-mapped to the 8 Instrument/Drum/Effect Rack Macros and the 2x8 pads are half of a full scale MPC style pad device (I can easily switch between the first 2 banks of the LPD8 to use all).
It isn’t even hard either, I’m new to Ableton and computer music in general and had no problem setting everything up.

This deserves a sticky or something!

This is an incredible tutorial because you can basically turn any hardware midi controller into a so called “Auto-mapping supported” controller Ableton are so proud to list on their website, it only takes like half an hour.
And the DIY approach of designing your own auto-mapping is incredible, I can set up the hardware exactly the way I want it, know exactly how my hardware auto-mapping behaves and the little blue hand gives me a boner.

Hello BoddAH,

could you please post your LPD8 script?

Thanks a lot

I Liked the LPD8's so much I bought 2!

NB: I map both mine manually (in logical progression up the notes from C1 onwards).

....Tired the script and it works like a dream though I'm kind of used to my existing mappings (which I prefer as it gives you a broader spectrum of notes and cc's to use rather than being locked by script)

For what it's worth, 8.2.2b2 includes instant mapping support for the LPD8 (i.e. a new hardware-specific remote script, selectable from the MIDI preferences drop-down).

Best,

Hanz

gjt-de wrote:Hello BoddAH,

could you please post your LPD8 script?

Thanks a lot

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HZNSLO6R


Here you go.
The file itself is UserConfiguration.txt in the LPD8 folder.
I love it.

scutheotaku wrote:You know, you can map it in like two seconds with the LPD8 software...

+1

scutheotaku wrote:You know, you can map it in like two seconds with the LPD8 software...

Not really, no.
Even if it actually took "2 seconds" to make assignments with the LPD8 editor (it actually takes longer). Those assignments will be rigid and the pads won't follow your drum rack selection frame, the knobs won't focus on the selected device, etc. Basically, it's still a pain in the ass to do it manually each time you switch devices or select a different set of pads in a drum rack.

^ It depends how you like to work.

I programmed mine once and it has stayed the same since.

Preset 2 starts with bottom left pad @ C1, the rest flow upwards logically.

I cant see why you need to keep re-programming it?>

Guff Tong wrote:^ It depends how you like to work.

I programmed mine once and it has stayed the same since.

Preset 2 starts with bottom left pad @ C1, the rest flow upwards logically.

I cant see why you need to keep re-programming it?>

Simple:
Many drum racks have more than 16 pads, having the LPD8 set up for auto map enables you to trigger other pads easily just by moving the 16 pad selection box in the drum rack.

I also mapped the 8 knobs of the LPD8 to the 8 macro controls on the drum/instrument racks which is awesome when you frequently switch devices (of course you can still lock controls if needed).

BoddAH wrote:

Guff Tong wrote:^ It depends how you like to work.

I programmed mine once and it has stayed the same since.

Preset 2 starts with bottom left pad @ C1, the rest flow upwards logically.

I cant see why you need to keep re-programming it?>

Simple:
Many drum racks have more than 16 pads, having the LPD8 set up for auto map enables you to trigger other pads easily just by moving the 16 pad selection box in the drum rack.

I also mapped the 8 knobs of the LPD8 to the 8 macro controls on the drum/instrument racks which is awesome when you frequently switch devices (of course you can still lock controls if needed).

If you can offer 2 scripts: One for my LPD8 no; 1 and one for the second LDP8 so that the 16 pads relate to the visible drum rack i'd use it like, yesterday! ( I can always map the other 3 presets for standard notes I suppose?)

Until then I'm stuck to my rigid set up! NB: I seldom use more than 16 pads in a rack as I like to be able to 'play what i see' if you get me...

Guff Tong wrote:

BoddAH wrote:

Guff Tong wrote:^ It depends how you like to work.

I programmed mine once and it has stayed the same since.

Preset 2 starts with bottom left pad @ C1, the rest flow upwards logically.

I cant see why you need to keep re-programming it?>

Simple:
Many drum racks have more than 16 pads, having the LPD8 set up for auto map enables you to trigger other pads easily just by moving the 16 pad selection box in the drum rack.

I also mapped the 8 knobs of the LPD8 to the 8 macro controls on the drum/instrument racks which is awesome when you frequently switch devices (of course you can still lock controls if needed).

If you can offer 2 scripts: One for my LPD8 no; 1 and one for the second LDP8 so that the 16 pads relate to the visible drum rack i'd use it like, yesterday! ( I can always map the other 3 presets for standard notes I suppose?)

Until then I'm stuck to my rigid set up! NB: I seldom use more than 16 pads in a rack as I like to be able to 'play what i see' if you get me...

Actually I already did that.
In my setup bank 1 of the LPD8 is for the bottom 8 pads of the drum rack and bank 2 for the top 8 pads. Switching between both banks requires me to push 2 buttons on the LPD8.

^ No use,- I have 2 LPD8's, one sat above the other.( I (un)affectionately name them A & B)

I'd need a script that has two settings; one for each LPD8: one for the lower visable 8 cells, one for the upper.

simples.



I also belt-sanded 5mm from the top and botton of each unit so that the pads sit as close as an MPC's when used together. 3 mm is just enough without compromising the casing...And look ok when used singularly)

That's just as easy. Instead of using the 2 scripts on the first 2 banks of your single LPD8, use one version of the script (one for the bottom 8 pads, one for the top 8 pads) on each LPD8.
Since you have a total of 16 knobs to work with you also don't have to set up the both of the LPD8's knobs to the macro controls and have 8 additional knobs to either set up as additional auto-map knobs or traditional manual mapping knobs.