[TUTORIAL] MIDI control with Launchpad (Mini) and ClyphX

[vasikgreif]

Hi everybody,
I'm using Live as a host for my VST instruments. I was looking for a way to map Launchpad to switch instruments, and have a visual feedback on the selected instrument. This might be achieved by using the Session Mode on Launchpad, but that way you'd have to layout your clips in a certain way to match Launchpads layout. I was instead looking for a completely customizable control surface.

Here's my solution:
I'm using Launchpad in User mode 2. Generally, Launchpad buttons can be lighten up by sending MIDI message to Launchpad, the Velocity controls the color. Ie. to set the first button to yellow, you can do in ClyphX (with Laucnhpad selected as MIDI out for the ClyphX device):

Code: Select all

[] MIDI 144 0 127;

which sends the lowest C at velocity 127.

Now, in my current project I have several tracks:
1) Instruments - here are various instruments in instrument rack (including Kontakt instruments), with chain selector for each instrument
2) Synths - another instruments rack track, with some synths (have to separate these from Kontakt Instruments, as Kontakt was freaking out when I was using Mod Wheel)
3) Kontakt - here's a Kontakt instance on this track, with various instruments in Kontakt multi-rack
4) Omnisphere - here's a Kontakt instance on this track, with various instruments in Omnisphere multi-rack
5) Instruments Control - here all the magic happens. I'm using the great ClyphX for switching the instruments. An example of the name of the clip is:

[hammond] UNARM; 1/ARM; 1/DEV1 CS 0; MIDI 144 %current% 127; MIDI 144 0 60; current = 0

What this does is: unarm all tracks, arm track one (hammond organ is one instrument in the instruments rack on track one), set chain selector to 0. This switches the sound. The rest gets me feedback from Launchpad:

Code: Select all

MIDI 144 %current% 127;

resets the currently selected instrument to default color (in my case yellow),

Code: Select all

MIDI 144 0 60;

sets the current button color to green and

Code: Select all

current = 0

saves the current button to variable, so it can be disabled later.

the next clip is

Code: Select all

[guitar] UNARM; 1/ARM; 1/DEV1 CS 1;  MIDI 144 %current% 127; MIDI 144 1 60; current = 1

etc..
6) Effects control - here'll be the controls for my effects on send channels, for now I have just the Wah Wah on Send A, so the only clip I have is

[wah-wah] A/DEV TOGGLE; my_var = (65 - %my_var%); MIDI 144 9 %my_var%;

This toggles the wah wah on/off, toggles the `my_var` variable between values 65 and 0 (red and light off) and sets the button color on Launchpad.

The rest is only about mapping the buttons on Launchpad to play the respective clips via MIDI learn function in Ableton. This gives me a completely customizable control over Ableton from Launchpad, with visual feedback and gracefull patches switching.

Looking forward to hear your opinions!