Ableton Forum

inspired by the new XYZ layout & Touch Sensitive Step Editing
I would love to be able to make my own XYZ / multitouch custom M4L layouts

live.push.maxhelp / Grabbing Controls tab : explains how to grab & override the buttons and knobs of the Push.
Grabbing (grab_control) individual pads (f.e 0_Clip_0_Button) or the whole pads matrix (Button_Matrix) allows to get pads / notes velocity, but I can’t find a way to get pads MPE datas (continuous pressure / pitchBend / slide)..
Is that possible ?

Any clue ?

A few years ago I had to use externals to get the push2s aftertouch in M4L when the matrix was grabbed. I’m not sure if that’s changed but it wasn’t possible previously. I had to grab the pads and when they were grabbed route the midi from push via the external into M4L, it’d be rad if that’s possible now. At the time I was using imp.midi I believe but I don’t think that’s around anymore?

Thanks for your feedback

unfortunately imp.midi hasn't been updated for silicon Mac

the new XYZ layout & Touch Sensitive Step Editing let me hope that this now could be done in M4L...

I’d swear I’ve seen these objects recently recompiled for nowadays OSes, by someone else…. Check out on the c74 forums !

Thanks Louis, updated imp.midi for Apple Silicon is here :
https://cycling74.com/forums/m4l-how-to ... 00135defff

It doesn't really replace the ability to grab Push MPE pads, but it's nice to have this tool revived on recent Macs

You haven't found any device on maxforlive.com that could help?

I've never seen any device that can grab pads and use MPE data...
If you know one, please let me know

From memory if you set the device to be MPE Enabled and then grab the MIDI there was some MPE Information in the MIDI flow, but i never got much further and abandoned the project recently when the XYZ mode came along.

Cheers
D

What do you mean by "grab MIDI" ?

live.push.maxhelp / Grabbing Controls tab : explains how to grab & override the buttons and knobs of the Push.
Grabbing (grab_control) individual pads (f.e 0_Clip_0_Button) or the whole pads matrix (Button_Matrix) allows to get pads / notes velocity, but I can’t find a way to get pads MPE datas (continuous pressure / pitchBend / slide)..

In a MIDI instrument or MIDI effect, you can get MPE datas using midiin... but in an audio effect, there's no midi :-s

matcham wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 22, 2025 3:40 pm

What do you mean by "grab MIDI" ?

live.push.maxhelp / Grabbing Controls tab : explains how to grab & override the buttons and knobs of the Push.
Grabbing (grab_control) individual pads (f.e 0_Clip_0_Button) or the whole pads matrix (Button_Matrix) allows to get pads / notes velocity, but I can’t find a way to get pads MPE datas (continuous pressure / pitchBend / slide)..

In a MIDI instrument or MIDI effect, you can get MPE datas using midiin... but in an audio effect, there's no midi :-s

Uh, I think I’ve used this in a Control Surface Max for Live patch and n the past, I completely forgot about it, sorry, let me check this and I’ll get back to you.

googling around looking for useful doc, I just found your video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggalBAokHaw&t=1038s

Very useful tips, thanks

I now understand how grab_midi works : the live.object connected to the push returns received_midi messages.
But unfortunately it's doesn't give more than the grab_control --> Button_Matrix method :
it returns only notes, without any mpe data.

here is an audio effect M4L device with a stripped down example :
grab_control --> Button_Matrix : get played notes [velocity column row]
send back the correct data to control Push leds
grab_midi : get played notes as raw midi data (without mpe)

+ an example of using pxspr.midiin to get all mpe data.
I would really love to not rely on this external...

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2ya88l4e ... lao65&dl=0

From memory if you set the device to be MPE Enabled and then grab the MIDI there was some MPE Information in the MIDI flow

I would love to see that
my example is au audio effect device, so I guess that live.thisdevice @is_mpe 1 is meaningless...
but the exact same patch in a Max MIDI Effect or Max Instrument returns the exact same midi data (no mpe)