Ableton Forum

Tempo in TWO separate windows.
1: Whole numbers
2: Decimal places with regular state changing thenths, Shift state changing hundredths, and SHIFT-OPTION/ALT changing thousandths...

Or the SAME functionality Changing the Single Window...


I vote for 2 windows...

I have experimented with building tempo controls for beat matching in various software (Reaktor / MSP) and hardware combinations and I have tested them out in clubs many times also.

What I've found most useful is to have separate coarse and fine tempo controls - one in BPM and one in 100ths of a BPM (thousandths are too small to worry about in practice). This is enough to match tempos.

What is also good to have is some way of nudging the timing slightly if it is a little ahead or behind as you would with a vinyl record. You can do this by turning the coarse tempo up or down briefly but the easiest way is to have a couple of momentary switches that add or subtract 1 bpm. That way the amount of nudging you give the timing depends on how long you push the switch for. That is really easy to use and is almost as comfortable as vinyl after a few minutes practice.

I may build this into my next hardware controller - using components to add or subtract a little from the voltage going to the tempo control - that way Ableton don't have to change their software for me but....

if you're listening Abletons maybe you can think up a solution for those not so keen on soldering...

If you built a MIDI controller you could use a 100mm slide pot just like a turntable pitch control...you can set the pot function to relative mode and set the min and max values (you can do the with the midibox mios), therefore the whole range of motion of the 100mm fader would be +/- 3bpm or whatever...

make that a spring loaded pitchwheel, and you've got an excellent nudge controller...