Ableton Forum

Hi. If I have a track set to 'AUTO' for monitoring and play that clip, I see in the piano roll the track is able to receive MIDI from another track. However, if I record the clip to the arrangement the incoming MIDI is ignored. Is this behavior correct? In short I need to be able to record both the incoming MIDI and the MIDI in the clip to the arrangement without overdubbing the clip, if that makes sense.
Thanks in advance.

Could you try enabling the Session Record Button while recording?

I believe the behaviour of your track is totally correct. 'Auto' means that MIDI data will pass through as long as no clip is playing. If you want the data to pass through the clip, you also need to be recording in the clip. Otherwise, it’s a bit like one of the two doors is closed… [edit] This is true only when playing a clip in Session View while the Arrangement Record Button is enabled. [edit/]

Another solution, which I personally find more suitable, would be to mix the MIDI data from your clip and your live recording into a third MIDI track—probably the one hosting your instrument. That way, you can more easily overdub on a loop.

Let me know if you’ve found a solution.

Thanks for the reply. The problem with the 'Session record' button is that it overdubs the clip. So if its running in a loop and the incoming note changes they both get added to the clip.

Take a MIDI track (TRACK1) and add 2 clips, one with a C2 note and one with a D2 note. Add a second MIDI track (TRACK2) and change 'MIDI From' to 'TRACK1' AUTO. Create a chord in a clip in 'TRACK2' using notes C3 and above. Play both clips. If the track is armed you can see the note from 'TRACK1 ' hitting the piano roll, you would get C2 or D2 plus the chord in 'TRACK2'.
Yet if you record this to the Arrangement you will not get notes from 'TRACK1'.
As you say, the behavior is in the Info section when hovering over the routing options:

"This setting can generally be left to 'Auto', which turns monitoring on when the track is armed and off to play clips'.

I think perhaps this description confused me because this is not what happens when you are just playing the clips. Both incoming and notes contained in the clip will be hitting whatever instrument you have. But recording this to the arrangement does not work.
An intermediary track is a possibility but if you need this across a complex set it becomes unwieldy. In my case, I am using 'TRACK1' to trigger multiple VSTs in other tracks but I also need program changes which are contained within clips in the individual tracks, which won't work if Monitor is set to 'In'.

Yes, you’re right. The Ableton description of the Auto setting seems a bit unclear. In Session View, MIDI data pass through the playing clip even when Monitoring is set to Auto, as long as the Arrangement Record Button is disabled.

That being said, I realised I was always using this behaviour. I find it really suitable when you want to keep playing live ideas while a clip is running.

5Tones wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 16, 2024 11:03 pm

I also need program changes which are contained within clips in the individual tracks, which won’t work if Monitor is set to ‘In’

Program Changes pass through but are not recorded—do you agree?

I’m curious, why do you need to record the mixed data in the Arrangement View? Why not keep the tracks separate?

Hi. Yes, in a way it should say:

"This setting can generally be left to 'Auto', which turns monitoring on when the track is armed and off to play clips'. (when Arrangement record is active)

In my scenario I have TRACK1 which is sending out a note to multiple tracks. I have a VST on the other tracks (Scaler2) that plays chords using that note (I believe other VSTs use a similar system of triggering events using a note). So the same chord will now be playing on all instances. I then play notes above that chord. I need to also initiate program changes on that track. Clip initiated Program Changes on the same track do work and are recorded to the arrangement when Monitor is set to 'AUTO' but not when set to 'IN'.

"I’m curious, why do you need to record the mixed data in the Arrangement View? Why not keep the tracks separate?"

Actually, I don't need to record the composite data to the arrangement (and definitely not to the session clip), though that could work. What doesn't work is jamming clips and recording an arrangement, the note isn't passed through at the time of recording so it sounds wrong. When playing back the recorded arrangement it sounds correct again as the notes have been recorded to TRACK1 but at the time of recording they're not passed through so it makes it impossible to improvise a set.