Ableton Forum

Is there any Max devices with this function? I'm trying to find a way to change tracks with an auto arm track button enabled using a midi controler but I don't know how to do it. In the earlier versions of Live, it was possible to set auto arm on preferences, but I can't find it on this 8.2.2 version (and I can't understand why Ableton excluded it!!). Is there any device which makes this action possible using only one button (with midi map)?

Hey Peter.
It could be any midi controler, like a foot controller for instance. May I ask you one thing? If you have a midi keyboard and 4 or 5 midi tracks with different instruments in Live and you want to switch between these instruments (tracks), pushing just one button once and fast, how do you do it? Because after Ableton took it out (the auto arm button at preference's panel) it's necessary to change the track first and then arm the specific track to make the instrumet active, right? I really didn't understand why they made this change, it seems like taking a step backward to me... By the way, on the 8.2.6 version, does it happen the same?

You are right, I asked and answered before you say yes, but there's no other way my friend

The instrument rack way you mentioned is a good one indeed but it's necessary to use a dial to do it... What I was looking for would be really a key button for a fast changing.

I didn't understand quite well, your M4L device, it switches to the the next chain everytime the button is pressed? Unfortunatelly I couldn't try it because I'm totally green about creating devices, actually I don't know how to do it, I've been only using ready devices not creating them. Yes I know, I'm loosing the best and most powerful aspect of the software but I don't have much time to learn about it lately but I seriously intend to do it when I have more free time. By the way, is it possible to you send the device ready for me? (maybe I'm asking too much right? If you can't there's no problem at all I can understand).

Regarding the tracking activator is there any specific button where I can midi map and change them between different tracks with only on button( for instance, changing between track on/off buttons 1, 2, 3 etc)? It's really incredible how tricky it is trying to do a so simple action in Ableton Live which at first sight seems to be a clever software... And most incredible of all is the fact there was the option to have an auto arm at preferences on previous versions and they took it away.

Pete, your device looks great but unfortunatelly it's not working... When I try to put it behind an instrument rack, it comes a message in Live saying "Insert audio effect after instrument" and I can only put it after the rack not behind it as you mentioned. Maybe because it's an audio instead midi device?

Forgive me Pete but I didn't get exactly what you mean... Let me explain you what I'm trying to do here and perhaps you can identify what I'm doing wrong...

I open a midi track; insert an instrument rack; create chains on it and put diferent instruments inside each one; change the default chain numbers to individual numbers, the first 1-1, second 2-2, and so on; then on the SAME track where the instrument rack was inserted I try to insert your max device BEHIND the instrument rack... So here is the problem, Live doesn't allow me doing that saying audio effects also can be inserted only after instruments not before. So I tried to insert the device after the instrument rack and it doesn't work. I've tried also to open your device in the track first and then insert the rack behind it and in your device, there's the section to insert instrument BEFORE creating the same situation (first instrument rack and then your device, not the opposite).

So when you say the device must sit behind the instrument rack on the same track, I can't do it in any way. I'm lost.

Pete, first of all thanks for your attention regarding helping me about this problem.

I've tried again to see if I'm doing something wrong but Live really doesn't alow me to put your device behind a instrument rack. When I try it, it says "insert audio effect after instruments". If insert your device in a track and then try to insert your device after it, Live says "Insert instruments after midi effects and before audio effects". By the other hand if I have the same instrument rack in a track and try to insert any M4L midi device before it, it goes perfectly... So, probably that's hapenning because your device is an audio device, isn't it? As I told you, I don't know how to programming M4L devices but is it possible to create your device as a midi device instead an audio one?

About having audio effects in different orders, depending which ones are used I believe there is a difference in the final result. Since they are mounted in series, the audio goes passing one by one, being modified and giving an specific result in the end. Depending which ones are used, this difference can be big or not. Regarding limiter, maybe it's not a good thing to use them in individual tracks if you want to mastering in a later process (sending the material to a professional studio, for instance) but if you work in a way where you try to do it all by yourself in the same time you create the music, it's not a big problem at all.

I'm really curious to see and test your device Pete, please just tell me when you have it ready

I've just found another awesome option compared with yours Pete. It's easier and more reliable... Thanks anyway!