I have created two dummy midi clips in a single track. The first selects chain=1 (selecting an instrument in a rack), the second sets chain=2 (selecting a different instrument in same rack).
When I run the clips, they perform as expected. Dummy clip 1 selects instrument 1 and dummy clip 2 selects instrument 2. Magic.
When I go to a blank clip after running dummy clip 1 and record.... instrument 1 is recorded.
When I then stop play back and run dummy clip 2, the second instrument is live and playable, BUT when i start recording on yet another blank clip, the initial second or two I hear instrument 2, but then instrument 1 is the selected instrument and the entire clip ends up recording instrument 1.
I am trying to set up a system where a scene full of dummy clips selects the various instruments for that song. At the end of the song, I delete all non-dummy clips and run another scene that changes the instrument selection for all tracks, then I can start looping with the new instruments selected.
Can't even seem to get this to work on one track. Help appreciated as always.
UPDATE: I switched the two instruments around and determined that launching a new clip in record mode ALWAYS defaults to whatever instrument is in position 1. It's almost as if the record clip function in a blank clip in Ableton automatically reselects the chain without any influence from the user.
Dummy Clips Setting Chain Selector Problem
Fixed... I think
Created two midi tracks to accomplish the fix.
Midi track one is blank - no instruments, no dummy clips. It will be where the recorded loops reside. Midi in [your source] midi out [next midi track - described below - and select INSTRUMENT RACK if you want to control the instrument choices using dummy clips as described below]
Midi track two is where the instrument rack/effects racks can reside. Midi in from the track described above pre-or-post mixer your choice. Audio to master.
I have both set to Auto monitoring and that seems to work.
Track two is where the dummy clips can reside to set the chain selector associated with your song. Track one is where you record your midi notes.
This solution is a workaround for what seems to be a little ableton practice that was messing with me. My dummy clips setting instrument would be overridden by a recorded clip inside the same track as the instruments resided. They would always default to chain selector=1.
Thus if I had 3 instruments (instrument 1 on chain 0, instrument 2 on chain 1, and instrument 3 on chain 2), and ran a dummy clip to select instrument 1, then recorded... the recorded clip would be selected to instrument 2... always.. if I left no instrument on chain 1, it would still record with that chain selector position.
Weird.
Anyway, hope this helps someone someday somewhere.
Midi track one is blank - no instruments, no dummy clips. It will be where the recorded loops reside. Midi in [your source] midi out [next midi track - described below - and select INSTRUMENT RACK if you want to control the instrument choices using dummy clips as described below]
Midi track two is where the instrument rack/effects racks can reside. Midi in from the track described above pre-or-post mixer your choice. Audio to master.
I have both set to Auto monitoring and that seems to work.
Track two is where the dummy clips can reside to set the chain selector associated with your song. Track one is where you record your midi notes.
This solution is a workaround for what seems to be a little ableton practice that was messing with me. My dummy clips setting instrument would be overridden by a recorded clip inside the same track as the instruments resided. They would always default to chain selector=1.
Thus if I had 3 instruments (instrument 1 on chain 0, instrument 2 on chain 1, and instrument 3 on chain 2), and ran a dummy clip to select instrument 1, then recorded... the recorded clip would be selected to instrument 2... always.. if I left no instrument on chain 1, it would still record with that chain selector position.
Weird.
Anyway, hope this helps someone someday somewhere.
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moebius bulke
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2023 11:11 am
Re: Dummy Clips Setting Chain Selector Problem
I had the same problem. I also ended in creating a second midi track to set/change the chain.
Recently I stumbled upon another possibility to solve the problem outlined in your first post:
1. Map any macro control to the chain selector
2. Midi-map any external controller by MIDI CC (you won't have to use it or even have it attached to your computer after the mapping procedure) to the chain selector macro control
After that you can use the dummy clips on the same track as your music clips are situated (and don't have to create a second track).
I don't know if it is a bug or a feature, in any case it is very useful. Perhaps anyone can confirm the functioning of this approach on another computer.
Another convenient way to change chains by dummy clips is the older (but still working) m4l device "chain selector" from Robert Henke (https://roberthenke.com/technology/m4l.html) working with program change commands.
Recently I stumbled upon another possibility to solve the problem outlined in your first post:
1. Map any macro control to the chain selector
2. Midi-map any external controller by MIDI CC (you won't have to use it or even have it attached to your computer after the mapping procedure) to the chain selector macro control
After that you can use the dummy clips on the same track as your music clips are situated (and don't have to create a second track).
I don't know if it is a bug or a feature, in any case it is very useful. Perhaps anyone can confirm the functioning of this approach on another computer.
Another convenient way to change chains by dummy clips is the older (but still working) m4l device "chain selector" from Robert Henke (https://roberthenke.com/technology/m4l.html) working with program change commands.
Re: Dummy Clips Setting Chain Selector Problem
Thanks for your post! Your work around helped me out. I agree this is an odd behavior for the chain selector.