Ableton Forum

I recently bought a Roland Tr-8 and am exploring ways to control it with ableton for a live set.

I want to trigger pre set patterns saved in the PTN SELECT banks on the TR-8 using my ableton midi clip window so i can still improvise on the TR-8 durring a live set.

Can anyone tell me how to do this???

As far as I can tell, this is not possible due to limitations in the midi implementation of the TR-8. It is possible to change drum kit through midi using program change messages, but no way to select patterns over midi.

This is a shame.

Others are also requesting this feature:
http://forums.rolandclan.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=49810

Roland could have easily added this feature, either from the start or in a later update, but chose not to.

The midi implementation has not changed since November 2014:
https://www.roland.com/us/support/by_pr ... c15f31aee/

I guess your choice is to either select patterns on the TR-8 itself, or to sequence the drums from Ableton Live.

The latter would still allow you to improvise on top of the programmed drums. the ROLL buttons on the TR-8 work as well, even though it is not playing a pattern, as long as its clock is synced to Live. You can of course create the patterns on the TR-8 and record them as midi in Live.

I think the TR-8 was made for either running as a sound module with notes being in an external sequencer or handled with your hands performance-stylee.