(O.T.) SL-25 midi mapping

glu · Post by **glu** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:07 pm

So, I have Live 5, and I feel that I have become good friends with it. I am inspired when I use/play it, I am a happy camper. I just bought an SL-25 to be Live's new best friend. The only problem is i am a neophyte when it comes to MIDI, and I am scratching my head with the hundreds of related MIDI mapping hits from the Abe's search engine. I am trying to use the controller to remotely control Live. I am able to map the keys, but nothing else. Here is what I have done thus far:

1. plugged in Sl-25 to lappy, autoinstalled drivers, switch to play mode,
2. switched the SL-25 to a user template.
3. open live, preference, turned on the REMOTE button for the midi controller in activation window.
4. press keys to see if the midi lights blink on upper right of screen, check!
5. press MIDI button, try to map keys, it works fine, try to map faders, buttons, encoders, etc - nothing

So, I must be missing something obvious here. I think it lies within the midi controller... obviously the keys are already assigned to some controlling parameter since I am able to Map them within live as i expected to. No pots, encoders, faders, or anything else (other than keys and joystick) can be mapped. What am I missing here? Do I have to manually assign each button/fader.etc to certain messages to be mappable in live, and THEN map it?

Kodama · Post by **Kodama** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 11:15 pm

The Remote's knobs & sliders could be coming out of a different virtual midi port than the keyboard.

Check the Remote manual, or even easier, look at the settings in the software editor.

DeadlyKungFu · Post by **DeadlyKungFu** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:19 am

I got mine yesterday and messed around with it last night, really sweet device, I'm pleased

The thing is that it comes with SOOOO many templates built in you have to find a blank one to tweak on to set the settings right.
On all or most of the templates not all of the knobs are used.

Try Preset 36 or so, where the user presets start, then hit edit and turn a knob and start setting its parameters.

Check the knob's output port, and make sure it's going out whatever port you have hooked up.

Also, if you're using USB mode, install the drivers and make sure it's turned on before you launch Live.

The SL25 is not a good one to learn on, the presets are all different.

I wish I could help you more but I don't have it with me (I'm at work) and I've only spent one night with the SL25, and what a night it was

I think I have 80% of the device figured out without cracking the manual.

glu · Post by **glu** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 1:57 am

Ha! me thinks it twas the ports! I switched it to USB, didn't realize the keys could be set one port and the knobby stuff another. Damn, should I just call in sick tommorrow? haha Thanks, may chime in again here in awhile...

DeadlyKungFu · Post by **DeadlyKungFu** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 2:19 am

glu wrote:...may chime in again here in awhile...

You should rename the thread [OT] Novation SL25, automap will be coming soon and it'll become on topic, but a lot of people are learning it for the first time...

What I haven't figured with the Remote SL Editor is how to select a template, edit it and save it. I can edit a template but can choose which.

I was most impressed when I found the screens to adjust the sensistity of the pads, until then I thought they were WAY too stiff.

someone asked somewhere on some thread
how to play Impulse with the SL25 pads..
Open Impulse with a kit
Set Monitor to In (orange)
Middle key (C3) on the keyboard is now the low Impulse slot (kick)
On the SL25 hit Edit
Tap the lowest drum pad, the next etc and watch the left screen
They're at C1 and they include the #'s (chromatic)
In the SL25 remap them to C D E F G by grabbing the knob under the note and changing it.
or in Ableton remap them with a scale and a pitch MIDI plug-in

Adjust the drum pad sensitivity by hitting Global and scrolling up while looking at the right screen until you see DrumPad full velocity hit should give 127
Left screen shows how hard you hit the pad, bottom shows the sensitivity, turn the knob below it to adjust the value. Mine's at 100, for now.

glu · Post by **glu** » Fri Feb 17, 2006 7:14 am

Damn, just found the editor online, I was puzzled why it wasn't included in their DVD installer. I also notived a Live template available for download. Why didn't I think to do this earlier? I guess I want to get my hands dirty in Midi, and just learn the fundamentals.

My SL-25 came with memory protection switched ON meaning I couldn't save template editing unless I switched off the memory protection in global. I figured out that none of the ports were properly assigned to usb, so once I did that, I was able to assign knobs in Live sucessfully. One thing I wasn't sucessful with was properly programming a track's audio On/OFF (or mute) button. I was able to switch a channel off in Live, but not back on.

Manana is another day, wish I didn't have to work Friday or Saturday, but I hope the download editor and live template will make up for some of the lost time. I also have some new skins to look forward to. Thanks for the help.

Glu

glu · Post by **glu** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:44 pm

Okay, a week or two later, just wanted to say this thing is awesome. I am getting the hang of it... I am probably going to make a template for each track I do live. I love the LCDs.... I think I would be lost without them!

sooo.... HOw is everyone else's experiences with it so far?

I'm lovin it

glitchrock-buddha · Post by **glitchrock-buddha** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:23 pm

My nights when I'm able to sit down with this thing are few and far between, because school is keeping me busy, but this summer I hope to master it. I've figured out a few things, like drum pad note assigning, sensitivity, keyboard velocity curves etc, but I haven't managed to get into making my own templates yet. The automap with reason is generally pretty cool, although I find it quite buggy at times. Some knobs on screen will jump around when you're supposed to be controlling something different for example. And logic's automap is ok, but not fully worth using yet, sometimes instruments just don't work properly with wrong controls being assigned and stuff. But I'm sure the bugs will get ironed out.

The only thing I don't like is the keys, I find them too stiff and not fun to play, which is weird, because I love the remote/x-station keys, and I thought they were supposed to be the same on the sl25. I'm wondering if mine is just a little off.

I haven't figured out how to delete templates I don't need or make my own, or upload sysex. data yet (I'm still a midi novice). Is it true there is only one user template? I only found the one at 36. Do you have to delete the ones you don't want to make more? I want to be able to midi learn a bunch of controls in my favorite reaktor ensembles and save a template, but I'm not sure if I can yet.

Looking forward to digging deeper though,

Rob

DeadlyKungFu · Post by **DeadlyKungFu** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:45 pm

I think I've pretty much got the whole device figured out in just a few days without opening the manual, I love that, well designed, easy to figure out.

Glitchrock - I agree that the keys are on the stiff side, but aftertouch sensitivity is completely adjustable.

Glu - Maybe I didn't get the gist of your template idea, but it's easier to just make one template and set it as the default in Live and use that to start.

I'm loving mine, zero complaints. The second night I had it, myself and two friends passed it and a spliff around and around using it on our laps, tons o' fun. One of the guys had never even seen Live, yet he was tweaking loops in no time.

I've used Bass Station before and I installed the version that came with the SL25, OMFG it's amazing to have so much control over the plug-in without mapping it first. Bass Station can make some SICK sounds.

ALL 40 templates are erasable/tweakable, I've made templates on the PC and transferred them to the SL25, tweaked them on the SL25 and copied them back to the PC with no problems whatsoever.

I'm tempted to make a template that matches my BCR, or vice versa and posting it on the other Live site, but with Automap coming out (when?) I don't have the same motivation. If anyone has a genuine interest in such a template, I'll make one up and post it, it's good practice.

It still kills me that this thing runs off of USB, I REALLY want a laptop now so I can tweak Live outside the home.

Have you guys caught onto template groups?? That's an amazing way to organise templates, Cheers Novation for implementing it that way.

glu · Post by **glu** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 12:47 am

I have a basic live template, it has been working quite nicely. Last night I had the idea of creating a template for every track that I do live (most of my live shows will be original material, aprox 6 songs per set) that way I have the LCDs displaying each parameter in the row I am tweaking. Since no two songs use the same fx, and I may use scenes in one track but not another- my assignments may be different for each track. Since the controller can store more than enough templates, i figure why not? Copy and paste is so easy, the editor is a breeze, wouldn't it be sweet to tweak a knob and look up at the LCD and see the display of all parameter names in that row? I guess it is all on how use use live. Latency is not bad at all, I am able to record some good grooves with the drum pads, a little auto quantization and wala! So far I am pretty happy. Definately get yourself a laptop... you will be very happy, and pass that spliff!

I am still an infant here, still getting out of the hardware world... I love this world much more, especially since it feels like hardware again. The controller has made Live (and life

) much nicer indeed. I turned off my triton, and haven't opened pro tools for awhile. Interesting...

muthafunka · Post by **muthafunka** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 3:00 am

glitchrock-does the sl run off usb bus power on your 1.67 PBoook there? This is one of the minor things that gives me the sh*ts about the remote 25.

cheers

dbolt · Post by **dbolt** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 3:56 am

Mine runs off a 7 Port USB Hub with a MicroKontrol Powered by supply and UC33e USB Powered and I've had the Akai MPD 16 hooked up as well but I sent it back for the Korg PadKontrol which will be here Tuesday. So yes it can def run off USB Bus

Later

glitchrock-buddha · Post by **glitchrock-buddha** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 6:25 am

muthafunka wrote:glitchrock-does the sl run off usb bus power on your 1.67 PBoook there? This is one of the minor things that gives me the sh*ts about the remote 25.

cheers

yep, it does.

Ican't get the damn thing to automap to logic anymore. I put it on the logic automap template and nothing works. hmmm.

Anyone know a way to assign sensitivity to the keys the way you do to the pads? or is it just the 6 velocity curves? I wish I could make my own, but I doubt that's possible.

grb

DeadlyKungFu · Post by **DeadlyKungFu** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 6:59 am

glitchrock-buddha wrote:Anyone know a way to assign sensitivity to the keys the way you do to the pads?

Hit Global, go up untli you see "Pitch Joy Mod" in the upper left LCD.

Adjust the key sensitivity with the knob under the word "Set"

You can also hold down a key and turn the "set" button to get the feel right.

It seems the "Set" button is the aftertouch range over which 0-127 is assigned.

robtronik · Post by **robtronik** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:08 pm

I just got mine this last thursday. This thread is helpful. I didn't know you could change the velocity settings on the pads. Sweet.

Can someone explain the logic of the template groups?

How does that work?

Thanks,

Rob.