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Midi program change (for external hardware)
Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:13 pm
by jho
So, is the only way to do send a midi program change in the clip where you select bank/program, etc?
Is there a way to record midi program change anywhere in the clip, i.e. for patch changes during the song????? Please tell me there is!

Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:50 am
by famex
You're found one of the big problem of LIVE4! It doesn't manage program change! no as cubase done for exemple!
You can send your MIDI message to your external MIDI output and pilot your hardware machines, but I don't found how manage program change!
In cubase, this is realy well done, through the MIDI device manager you can import scripts of a lot of hardware and manage preset names insteed of bank-program!
In LIVE, It's sure that it's not available to have preset names and I don't know if you can manage bank-program numbers!
If someone knows, this information will be more usefull!
thx
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 2:56 am
by Komplex
Yeah they should at least add another midi plugin/utility thing that lets you save presets for all your gear, with patch names etc and setup names for cc numbers. Even if you have to type it all in manually.
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2005 11:30 pm
by jho
bummer you can't record program changes in a midi clip, except at the beginning!
Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 3:06 pm
by jho
So there is no work around for this? You can't real time record in program changes??
Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 4:03 am
by darcyb
*bump*
Any solution folks? With my RolandXP-60, I have to switch it to 'performance mode' to setup a 16 part multi-timberal thing. I don't mind choosing a one time bank/program change for a track since i'll keep just the one patch on it, but I can't even figure out how to get to the 4 different banks the XP-60 offers.
I've tried choosing a bank, or a sub bank, and then a program number and it doesn't switch banks. On an ancient version of ProTools LE or something I figured out bank 80 and sub bank 1, meant
User, 81-0 got me to
Preset A Group and so forth on the XP-60, but this doesn't work in Live 5. It won't respond to any bank messages, only program changes.
I do admit to having not tried every possible 127x127 iteration.

I'd rather post a message than go through 16,000+ permutations.
Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 4:25 am
by darcyb
Figured it out! Live 5 only retains one single bank/program selection, and it's the last one you do while recording some.
And I was on the right path with my 80-1 bank selection business. Live uses 1 instead of 0, so I just had to subtract 1 from all my discoveries in ProTools LE, which mapped from 0-127 (as is my most common experience) unlike Live 5 that maps 1-128.
Damn I'm happy now.

Fixed my own woes.
Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 4:36 am
by darcyb
Bah, I take that back. I managed to get the Roland XP-60 to quit using the number 80, and start from 1 (0 to the synth = 1 to Live), but although it will record and assign the bank/subbank/patch values to the midi clip, accessible via clip view, changing those values doesn't transmit to the Roland to switch bank/program. It's as if the clip view shows the b/sb/p data, but doesn't transmit it. It only ever transmits the program change.
program changes
Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:50 am
by azmotronik
yeah, the program change/patch manager is lacking in live. It would be nice if there was a way to name your patches in live or at the very least just be able to type the number in addition to the scrolling method. None of my external gear has patchnames beyond stuff like U02 or1.43 anyway. I suppose it's not too much of a workaround to just change the patch numbers on the clips and just switch between clips.
/a.
Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 9:00 am
by hoffman2k
Komplex wrote:Yeah they should at least add another midi plugin/utility thing that lets you save presets for all your gear, with patch names etc and setup names for cc numbers. Even if you have to type it all in manually.
Liveclips

Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2005 1:35 pm
by darcyb
hoffman2k wrote:Liveclips

Well, if I could get Live to bank select, I'd actually be crazy enough to create the 635 Live Clips I'd have to create to get draggable items setup for my synth.
But then you'd better all download it and save yourselves the carpel tunnel hehe.
Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 3:03 am
by kineticUk
See the feature wish list Full NRPN Support and add your views regarding how better live should integrate with your other instruments and using MIDI.
Recording midi data into clips if you are using external equipment isnt really well implemented yet I cannot do it because most of my hardware I want to record from is using NRPN messages.
I hope if enough people are interested or having similar problems with this we can get ableton to do something.
THanks
Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 3:22 am
by Gigatron
Live is a toy, go back to using a pro daw like cubase. Midi support is primitive and laughable.
Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 4:59 am
by darcyb
Gigatron, I agree it has some maturing to do. Live is indeed a fun and powerful toy. I'm having such an amazing creative time with it doing audio. I don't mind waiting a bit. I have Logic Express to fill the gap for a while.
The way it lets me instantly map MIDI control nobs/sliders on my synth to control any single paramater I can think of, right from the main interface, has got me completely hooked! So-much-fun!
Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 5:19 am
by leisuremuffin
MIDI in itself is primative and laughable.
however, very useful.
just an observation.
I have a couple sets that use program change information. I don't need to use them that much, since i don't really use hardware multi timbral sound modules anymore.... Yes, live's program change implementation sux, but how many people are actually using it? I would guess a minority.
Gigatron, the tools you use don't dictate what you output. It is the user that does that. I'm sure i can make a "better" sounding piece using just live than some people can using an HD system and a fancy console with lots of outboard gear. And i'm also sure that there are people who can make better material than I with something as laughable as reason. It's the hands of the craftsman that make the craft, not the tools.
.lm.