Ableton Forum

I'm mapping my controller in ableton live, and I'm having trouble mapping it so I can have a button turn on an FX and then have a knob control that FX amount, but when the FX is off I want to be able to use that knob for high eq. amounts. Any help would be awesome.

You can do it by getting a little messy with your fx channel. Your options might be drastically limited though.

What you can do is add and EQ to the channel (or if you already have one, great). Hit ctrl+g (or right-click, choose 'group') while the title bar of the EQ is highlighted, that will wrap it into a rack.

Right click the empty space of the chains in the Rack to create a second chain (or ctrl+drag the EQ chain underneath itself).

Now you have two chains within your rack. Above them are "Chain / Hide" buttons. Turn on Chain. Drag the blue square of the second Chain all the way over to the top (it still only needs to be one notch wide in this case). Right click the space above (with the numbers) and "Assign to Macro 1". Assign the Macro 1 KNOB to a button. Test the button out, the selector should jump up and down between the two chains.

Next, go into the first chain (you may want to label it High EQ or something), and assign the knob you use for EQ High level to Macro Knob 2.
Go into the second chain (label it fx maybe) and assign whatever knob you plan to tweek for an effect Also to Macro Knob 2.

Now your button should turn the effect off and on, while the knob controls either EQ High, or the effect.

If you are using a delay or beat repeat effect, there are a few steps you may need to take (so that your buffering is not cut off!):
Drag the length of the fx chain's notch all the way across the board. instead of being one individual chain notch.
Add a Utility to the end of the fx chain. Right click the 'Mute' button on the Utility, and assign it to Macro Knob 1.
Above the Macro Knobs themselves is a "Map Mode" button, Activate that, find the "Mute" that you just assigned, and Right Click to choose "Invert Range".

Now, if you are using a delay, it should take audio in properly, it just won't leave a tail after you are done :/

yur2die4 wrote:You can do it by getting a little messy with your fx channel. Your options might be drastically limited though.

What you can do is add and EQ to the channel (or if you already have one, great). Hit ctrl+g (or right-click, choose 'group') while the title bar of the EQ is highlighted, that will wrap it into a rack.

Right click the empty space of the chains in the Rack to create a second chain (or ctrl+drag the EQ chain underneath itself).

Now you have two chains within your rack. Above them are "Chain / Hide" buttons. Turn on Chain. Drag the blue square of the second Chain all the way over to the top (it still only needs to be one notch wide in this case). Right click the space above (with the numbers) and "Assign to Macro 1". Assign the Macro 1 KNOB to a button. Test the button out, the selector should jump up and down between the two chains.

Next, go into the first chain (you may want to label it High EQ or something), and assign the knob you use for EQ High level to Macro Knob 2.
Go into the second chain (label it fx maybe) and assign whatever knob you plan to tweek for an effect Also to Macro Knob 2.

Now your button should turn the effect off and on, while the knob controls either EQ High, or the effect.

If you are using a delay or beat repeat effect, there are a few steps you may need to take (so that your buffering is not cut off!):
Drag the length of the fx chain's notch all the way across the board. instead of being one individual chain notch.
Add a Utility to the end of the fx chain. Right click the 'Mute' button on the Utility, and assign it to Macro Knob 1.
Above the Macro Knobs themselves is a "Map Mode" button, Activate that, find the "Mute" that you just assigned, and Right Click to choose "Invert Range".

Now, if you are using a delay, it should take audio in properly, it just won't leave a tail after you are done :/

But I don't think it lets you assign two macros to one knob..

yur2die4 wrote:You can do it by getting a little messy with your fx channel. Your options might be drastically limited though.

What you can do is add and EQ to the channel (or if you already have one, great). Hit ctrl+g (or right-click, choose 'group') while the title bar of the EQ is highlighted, that will wrap it into a rack.

Right click the empty space of the chains in the Rack to create a second chain (or ctrl+drag the EQ chain underneath itself).

Now you have two chains within your rack. Above them are "Chain / Hide" buttons. Turn on Chain. Drag the blue square of the second Chain all the way over to the top (it still only needs to be one notch wide in this case). Right click the space above (with the numbers) and "Assign to Macro 1". Assign the Macro 1 KNOB to a button. Test the button out, the selector should jump up and down between the two chains.

Next, go into the first chain (you may want to label it High EQ or something), and assign the knob you use for EQ High level to Macro Knob 2.
Go into the second chain (label it fx maybe) and assign whatever knob you plan to tweek for an effect Also to Macro Knob 2.

Now your button should turn the effect off and on, while the knob controls either EQ High, or the effect.

If you are using a delay or beat repeat effect, there are a few steps you may need to take (so that your buffering is not cut off!):
Drag the length of the fx chain's notch all the way across the board. instead of being one individual chain notch.
Add a Utility to the end of the fx chain. Right click the 'Mute' button on the Utility, and assign it to Macro Knob 1.
Above the Macro Knobs themselves is a "Map Mode" button, Activate that, find the "Mute" that you just assigned, and Right Click to choose "Invert Range".

Now, if you are using a delay, it should take audio in properly, it just won't leave a tail after you are done :/

But I don't think it lets you assign two macros to one knob..

Did you try it? Step by step?