Ableton Forum

Pros - I'd appreciate your help with this:

(1) I have a question about assigning MIDI to Vst plug-in instruments. As far as I know, Live doesn't allow "pass-through" assigning. For example, if I have Battery 2 and use it as a Vst plug-in, I cannot use the "learn" function in B2 to assign my TF pads to individual cells in B2. How, therefore, can I assign my TF pads using B2 as an instrument?

(2) Guru users, I used the demo and I kinda like the program. My question is how Guru would function as a Vst instrument in L5 (since Guru is it's own sequencer). Would you create a drum pattern as a clip or could you use the arranger view as you normally would for, say B2 as a plug-in?

Stay up...

It depends on the plugin.

For example, with the microtonic drum machine, one can either assign midi controller knobs through ableton, or through the plugin ... this behaviour can be controlled via the plugin itself (if the option is available ... this is not available with all plugins ... and the choice is not available within ableton)

If you must assign via ableton, then make sure your plug in is loaded, and then close your plugin interface and open the ableton version of the plugin interface (there is a little triangle for doing this on the top of the plugin window in the device chain). Here you should see all of the functions of the plugin in 'ableton format' ... i.e., each function of the plugin is associated with a simple slider.

from here just go into MIDI assign mode ... bob's your uncle!

This should work ... works for me with many plugins ... although I don't know battery!

Thanks for the help uncle! Would it be possible to make my trigger finger "inactive" in Live (through the preferences menu) so that L5 doesn't recognize it? That way, I imagine, I can assign to my instrument by by-passing L5. Anyway...

I think you can only use a plugin's 'midi learn' functionality on midi that is routed directly to the plugin, with monitor turned to on (not a Live remote control)

i'm not in front of live, so i can't confirm the process. i have done this though.

-craig