Ableton Forum

(Posted this in some other part of the website but i think this is probably a better place to get answers. Keep in mind i am completely new to this so forgive me if i sound dumb as you read this ha)

Hello everyone. I am completely new to this but i really love the version of live that came with my launchpad and i am trying to get better at making music so i need your help.

I have an iMac desktop computer (4 usb plug ins), a kp3 and a Launchpad. So right off the bat you will notice i don't have one of those things that is used to process sound separately from my computer (interface? or something) (I'm a Noob, as you can see.)

If you could maybe explain/ recommend a basic or moderately priced one, that would be amazing. I don't know what they are but just from looking around the internet for a solution i think i might need one.

I just started using live about 4 days ago so all I'm doing right now is cutting my own clips from songs i like and triggering them with launchpad via USB. I know that user 1 mode can trigger effects but i have a Kaoss Pad from when i was really into beatboxing and i would love to be able to use it to add some really nice glitch sounds to my songs on the fly!

Thank you so much for any help. I am really looking forward to getting everything setup/get everything i need so i can really jam!

Cheers

Edit: (Summary of what I'm using)

-Launchpad via usb

-i have a kp3 but have never used it via usb, just live looping with a mic

-DAW = ableton live launchpad edition

- What i want: to be able to use my kaoss pad to add effects to my projects

hey, we've got similar setups, (Launchpad/KP3) nice (off-topic, for any launchpad user, I'd recommend getting a nanokontrol, even a series 1 running myr script, ask me for more info if you're interested). Yes, you will need an Audio Interface in order to feed audio from ableton into your Kaoss Pad, and then feed the output back into ableton again. Okay, I'm not going to recommend anything specific, I got my audio interface (m-audio Fast Track Pro) because it was cheap, and did what I needed it to, but then I'm a hobbyist and not all that picky. Others can tip you off to their preferences, I've seen a fair number recommend Saffire interfaces, The only thing you need to make sure of is that whatever you buy has 2 separate stereo output pairs, as well as 1 pair of stereo inputs. This is so that one pair can go to your speakers, while another set go into the KP3's input. The stereo inputs on your audio interface will be where you direct the output from the KP3. This may require (it does in my case) an RCA-to-XLR converter cable, depending on your interface's inputs.

Another thing to consider while you're waiting on getting that interface is that you can get similar functionality by using the KP3 as a midi controller. If you use any third party plug-ins, you'll see that there is a little XY pad GUI built into the instrument, if you move any knob/editable parameter on your vst instrument/effect, it will become available in those two little boxes that say "none" underneath the XY pad, then, if you select that parameter in one of those boxes, that parameter will show up to the right of the pad with a little slider. Now click Cmnd-M, and everything will turn blue, at this point, click on the parameter name to the right of the pad, then, touch the bottom middle of your kaoss pad, and a number, probably (1/13) will pop up, now the x axis is assigned to that parameter, then, do the same for another parameter, touching the middle left side of the KP3 to assign that to the Y axis(1/12), and you've got two independent effects of your vst as parameters for your Kaoss Pad.
Likewise, you can look at the effect lists for the KP3: http://www.noisefx.com/docs/korg_kaossPad_kp-1.pdf and emulate the onboard effects using an audio effect rack, Just look at the "Effect program control parameter list" on that PDF, and drop the effect(s) listed under effect, and assign the x and y parameters specified by the diagram in the x and y columns, say, the KP3's built-in effect #35-delay and reverb, put an ableton delay, and ableton reverb inside an ableton "Audio Effect Rack", and using the macros of the audio effect rack to control the delay level with the X coordinate, and the reverb level with the y coordinate. In this way you can build a lot of the KP3's onboard effects, and control them with the KP3. Consider also when using it as a midi controller that you can use the hold button and fx/level slider as controls as well, I've built some fairly ridiculous instrument/effect combinations this way. I actually like it a bit better at times that the built in effects, because you can build your own combinations, and exercise more control, while still getting the feeling of using a KP3.

antarktika wrote:hey, we've got similar setups, (Launchpad/KP3) nice (off-topic, for any launchpad user, I'd recommend getting a nanokontrol, even a series 1 running myr script, ask me for more info if you're interested). Yes, you will need an Audio Interface in order to feed audio from ableton into your Kaoss Pad, and then feed the output back into ableton again. Okay, I'm not going to recommend anything specific, I got my audio interface (m-audio Fast Track Pro) because it was cheap, and did what I needed it to, but then I'm a hobbyist and not all that picky. Others can tip you off to their preferences, I've seen a fair number recommend Saffire interfaces, The only thing you need to make sure of is that whatever you buy has 2 separate stereo output pairs, as well as 1 pair of stereo inputs. This is so that one pair can go to your speakers, while another set go into the KP3's input. The stereo inputs on your audio interface will be where you direct the output from the KP3. This may require (it does in my case) an RCA-to-XLR converter cable, depending on your interface's inputs.

Another thing to consider while you're waiting on getting that interface is that you can get similar functionality by using the KP3 as a midi controller. If you use any third party plug-ins, you'll see that there is a little XY pad GUI built into the instrument, if you move any knob/editable parameter on your vst instrument/effect, it will become available in those two little boxes that say "none" underneath the XY pad, then, if you select that parameter in one of those boxes, that parameter will show up to the right of the pad with a little slider. Now click Cmnd-M, and everything will turn blue, at this point, click on the parameter name to the right of the pad, then, touch the bottom middle of your kaoss pad, and a number, probably (1/13) will pop up, now the x axis is assigned to that parameter, then, do the same for another parameter, touching the middle left side of the KP3 to assign that to the Y axis(1/12), and you've got two independent effects of your vst as parameters for your Kaoss Pad.
Likewise, you can look at the effect lists for the KP3: http://www.noisefx.com/docs/korg_kaossPad_kp-1.pdf and emulate the onboard effects using an audio effect rack, Just look at the "Effect program control parameter list" on that PDF, and drop the effect(s) listed under effect, and assign the x and y parameters specified by the diagram in the x and y columns, say, the KP3's built-in effect #35-delay and reverb, put an ableton delay, and ableton reverb inside an ableton "Audio Effect Rack", and using the macros of the audio effect rack to control the delay level with the X coordinate, and the reverb level with the y coordinate. In this way you can build a lot of the KP3's onboard effects, and control them with the KP3. Consider also when using it as a midi controller that you can use the hold button and fx/level slider as controls as well, I've built some fairly ridiculous instrument/effect combinations this way. I actually like it a bit better at times that the built in effects, because you can build your own combinations, and exercise more control, while still getting the feeling of using a KP3.

Thanks so much for the response, it helped out a ton. It's all a little confusing when you are first getting in to this stuff but its so fun. And yeah i had seen the nanokontrol in a few youtube videos and they looked pretty sick! Is the main purpose of something like the nanokontrol just to be able to assign effects to the knobs? Thats how i had seen most people using it but i wasn't sure what all it did. (Also, i don't know what you mean by series 1 myr script)

That's freaking smart using the kaoss pad as a midi controller. I would have never thought of that. I hope i still have my installation cd around here somewhere so i can try that.

You have a ton of good info in that post so i will try to read it tomorrow when i wake up and will edit in any other things i can think of.

Thanks again.

basically, I use the nanokontrol to control the mixer and devices, the myr script I was talking about is this: http://post.monome.org/comments.php?DiscussionID=5510
it only works on series 1 nanokontrols, but basically, the nanokontrol has 4 scenes, which each have different midi maps, and this script gives you access to the first 16 tracks volume faders, solo buttons, record arm buttons, and pan knob. If you go into scene 3, it allows mouse free navigation i.e. you could pick a track with a button, scan through all instruments and effects in that track, and control their macros. Basically, I recommend it because I find the mixer modes on the launchpad a pain to deal with, would rather just have the scene launch grid always up instead of going through the different modes on the LP, and with the nano and this script you get something closer to the functionality of an APC40 at a lower cost/size.

I'm pretty sure you don't need any of the included software to run the kp3 on a mac, but if you need the driver it is included here:
http://www.korg.co.uk/support/downloads/kp3_dl.php
there's also an update on that page for your kp3's internal software that you might want to get.

you might just check though before downloading anything if you can just plug the usb from the KP3 into your mac, open ableton, hit Cmnd-m, and while all the automatable controls are highlighted in blue, click on one, and then rub your finger along either the far left side of the kp3 pad, or along the bottom edge of the pad. If when you do this a number pops up, like I said before, probably 1/12 or 1/13, if it defaults to 1/93, that's the big silver slider to the left of the pad, continue holding that spot on the pad while pressing cmnd m again (this is because it will drop the assignment if you remove your finger while that parameter is still selected)
but yeah, check it out, it can be loads of fun setting up your own effects, and it gives you a lot more versatility, mostly I like to use the kp3's built-ins for the granular and looper modes, the rest of the time I'm usually building effect racks for it (you should drag any good effect racks you build back into your library for later use, in case that wasn't a given, you could make a "kp3 presets" folder under audio effect racks, and store them all there.

Have a look at http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php? ... ilit=nedfx once you get your KP3 set up for midi control

twisted-space wrote:Have a look at http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php? ... ilit=nedfx once you get your KP3 set up for midi control

Wow, thanks for that, yeah, if you get your KP3 midi set up, just download that rack, and map the "touch" knob to the kp3's hold button, and the select knob to the kp3's "fx release/level" slider, then you can scan through the racks effects with the slider, and turn the rack on and off with the hold button. Thats's a pretty fun Kaoss Pad emulation, some of those effects are actually pretty awesome.

antarktika wrote:

twisted-space wrote:Have a look at http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php? ... ilit=nedfx once you get your KP3 set up for midi control

Wow, thanks for that, yeah, if you get your KP3 midi set up, just download that rack, and map the "touch" knob to the kp3's hold button, and the select knob to the kp3's "fx release/level" slider, then you can scan through the racks effects with the slider, and turn the rack on and off with the hold button. Thats's a pretty fun Kaoss Pad emulation, some of those effects are actually pretty awesome.

twisted-space wrote:Have a look at http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php? ... ilit=nedfx once you get your KP3 set up for midi control

Edit:

antarktika wrote: I'm pretty sure you don't need any of the included software to run the kp3 on a mac, but if you need the driver it is included here:
http://www.korg.co.uk/support/downloads/kp3_dl.php
there's also an update on that page for your kp3's internal software that you might want to get.

Sorry there is a ton of info here so i overlooked this lol

Thanks again, using the kp3 as midi to adjust the effects is exactly what i needed!

twisted-space wrote:Have a look at http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php? ... ilit=nedfx once you get your KP3 set up for midi control

Haha oh my goodness. So obviously i can't use that rack because its too awesome for the launchpad version of live?

Edit: I have been trying to set up an effects rack and i can't group or find the 'audio effect rack' thing i have seen in any of the videos. Like i know the process to make an effects rack now from watching a few tutorials but i can't group my effects or drop an audio rack to my tracks

Is this because I'm on the launchpad version of Live?! I am going to have to save up for the actual version if so.. As awesome as it is its so limited compared to the full version of live.

Feels bad man.

Edit 2:

twisted-space wrote:you might just check though before downloading anything if you can just plug the usb from the KP3 into your mac, open ableton, hit Cmnd-m, and while all the automatable controls are highlighted in blue, click on one, and then rub your finger along either the far left side of the kp3 pad, or along the bottom edge of the pad. If when you do this a number pops up, like I said before, probably 1/12 or 1/13, if it defaults to 1/93, that's the big silver slider to the left of the pad, continue holding that spot on the pad while pressing cmnd m again (this is because it will drop the assignment if you remove your finger while that parameter is still selected)

Initially it wasn't working but i didn't have the kp3 turned on as a controller [/fail]. So to map the effects so i can drag it i just go to midi mode and select what i want and the drag my finger along the x or y axis?

Thiggy wrote:

twisted-space wrote:Have a look at http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php? ... ilit=nedfx once you get your KP3 set up for midi control

Haha oh my goodness. So obviously i can't use that rack because its too awesome for the launchpad version of live?

I think you tried to load in the live set. There shouldn't be any scenes involved. double-click on the "Kaoss Rack by NedFX Project" folder, when it opens, there is an .als file, and a .adg file, don't bother with anything but the .adg file (that is the actual effect rack), click and drag that into an audio track in live, it should open then.
I gave you bad info in my last post about mapping though, for the "touch" function, cmnd m, then touch the pad anywhere, and let it go, 1/92 should pop up, close midi mapping (cmnd m again) and that means whenever you touch the pad, the effect turns on, and off when you release it.
In the long run, I'd definitely say you should get the full version of Live if you find you like it, as it will remove the limitations, though in this case, I think you can get around it by only importing the rack itself, and not the project.

Thiggy wrote: Initially it wasn't working but i didn't have the kp3 turned on as a controller [/fail]. So to map the effects so i can drag it i just go to midi mode and select what i want and the drag my finger along the x or y axis?

that is correct, click on whatever knob you want to control, then wiggle around the far left edge about halfway up for the Y assignment, and for x, just do the same, except along the middle of the bottom edge of the pad, tapping and releasing the pad will assign a on/off message so anything you assign that to will jump between 0 and 127 depending on whether you are touching the pad or not (will not increment, as the x and y controls do) this makes it work for the "touch" function on that rack we've been discussing.

antarktika wrote: I think you tried to load in the live set. There shouldn't be any scenes involved. double-click on the "Kaoss Rack by NedFX Project" folder, when it opens, there is an .als file, and a .adg file, don't bother with anything but the .adg file (that is the actual effect rack), click and drag that into an audio track in live, it should open then.
I gave you bad info in my last post about mapping though, for the "touch" function, cmnd m, then touch the pad anywhere, and let it go, 1/92 should pop up, close midi mapping (cmnd m again) and that means whenever you touch the pad, the effect turns on, and off when you release it.
In the long run, I'd definitely say you should get the full version of Live if you find you like it, as it will remove the limitations, though in this case, I think you can get around it by only importing the rack itself, and not the project.

Turns out the launchpad edition of live, which i guess is essentially Live lite, doesn't let you group audio effects or use effects racks. You were right about what i had done (trying to load the live set instead of the .adg file) but got the right file loaded in it said my version of live didn't support some of the files features.

Even more frustrating is that i just got home from work stoked to assign a filter effect to the kaoss pad and i can not get it to work at all. i have no idea what happened. When i left for work i had just got done plugging it up via usb, loading an audio effect and successfully mapping the x and y axis to the auto filter. But now, even though nothing has changed i can't get it to register any commands from the kp3.

When i initially had success mapping something to it all i did was just use the kaoss pad in its normal screen. I didn't go to external control or anything and now it is not recognizing it?

Whats the heck is going on?

Guess I'm going to try installing the midi drivers off the korg website even though it worked earlier without them.. I have tried messing with all the settings in the live preferences.

Edit: Downloaded the drivers and tried a different USB cable. When i first start up live everything works like normal. I can map all the stuff like i want to, but then after a few minutes it just stops reading the kp3. Thats so weird.