Ableton Forum

Trying to set up an instrument for a single midi channel, and I was hoping to have some kind of "exclusive" solo type of mode, where I could just select one instrument in the rack from my controller buttons (mapping 8-16 separate instruments), kind of a pain to disable A and enable C in a workflow.

I wonder if this Seed to Stage video about selecting different effects can be adapted for your use case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b76TnXKlQg&t=182s

If I understand you correctly, then rack's chains are the way to go. Make sure you 8 (or 16) midi buttons are sending consecutive notes on a dedicated midi channel, and map the chain selector to this range of 8 buttons (by entering midi map mode, selecting the chain selector, pressing and holding your 1st midi button and then pressing the last one).

If you want to change instruments you could use the chain selector.

Put instruments on chain selector 1
and "exclusive mode" is chain selector 2

you make two sessions
all instruments
exclusive Mode - solo instrument
and back

there are many youtube videos chain selector session

maybe this does what you want to do

You can play instruments of one instrument rack and select which instruments is played by which number of the chain selector 1, 2, 3, ...
and switch with one midi controller button the different sessions - for example two buttons UP and DOWN