Ableton Forum

A lot of users have asked and complained about the shit crossfader that comes with Live, why is this not solved? why the abes are not listening to the users? make it smoother, introduce configurable curves but DO SOMETHING PLEASE.

Pepehouse wrote:A lot of users have asked and complained about the shitty crossfader that comes with Live, why is this not solved? why the abes are not listening to the users? make it smoother, introduce configurable curves but DO SOMETHING PLEASE.

Heh I like your quote. I dunno mang the crossfader works pretty good for me.

Pepehouse wrote:why the abes are not listening to the users?

that would be the quote of the year..

you can now create your own curves with value scaling

I'm not sure you can create your own curves eh?

unless I missed a secret log/lin/exp right click on the midi screen

simply setting start and end points is not really 'editing your own curves'

hoffman2k wrote:you can now create your own curves with value scaling

really ?

I dont think so and I've spent a lot of time in those particiular screens.

unless h2k knows something I don't.

the midi dial and macro dial editors are simply linear range editors.

Like this ....

cc57 : filter LOW : 50 HIGH : 127
cc57 : volume LOW : 127 HIGH 0

Angstrom wrote:I'm not sure you can create your own curves eh?

unless I missed a secret log/lin/exp right click on the midi screen

simply setting start and end points is not really 'editing your own curves'

I was reffering to mulitple midi mapping. In theory, it should be possible to find a suitable "curve" by experimenting with parameter ranges.
Instead of the crossfader, you would use the mixer on 2 audio tracks.

hoffman2k wrote:

Angstrom wrote:I'm not sure you can create your own curves eh?

unless I missed a secret log/lin/exp right click on the midi screen

simply setting start and end points is not really 'editing your own curves'

I was reffering to mulitple midi mapping. In theory, it should be possible to find a suitable "curve" by experimenting with parameter ranges.
Instead of the crossfader, you would use the mixer on 2 audio tracks.

nope, all linear.

no curve posible with linear values like that. You are simply setting floor and ceiling of the linear scaling

Angstrom wrote:

hoffman2k wrote:

Angstrom wrote:I'm not sure you can create your own curves eh?

unless I missed a secret log/lin/exp right click on the midi screen

simply setting start and end points is not really 'editing your own curves'

I was reffering to mulitple midi mapping. In theory, it should be possible to find a suitable "curve" by experimenting with parameter ranges.
Instead of the crossfader, you would use the mixer on 2 audio tracks.

nope, all linear.

no curve posible with linear values like that

How about an audio rack? I know you've been paying attention to that.
Wouldn't it be possible to make a rack that uses the chain ---> macro thing to fade between stacks. so that you could edit a curve. (utility plugins?)
I know it's far from simply selecting crossfader shapes... But every workaround brings new ideas..... (imo)

I don't think it will be possible with any of lives default plugins on an audio chain because I dont think any of them have a method of affecting the curve on the control.

Macros in Live are a bit misnamed, but I guess 'ranges' didn't sound so sexy.

to me a macro is at least

Filter cutoff = ((CC1/127) * (CC1/127))*127

or
Filter cutoff = LOG10(CC1)

that would give you a curve on your controller, but we have simple linear input. Without access to any math functions we cant really affect those controllers. The audio fade of the chain layers is also linear.

We could insert some device in there that has a switchable volume slope on its amplifier - to affect the audio of layer one at the stream level rather than at the control level. A bit wasteful but it could be done. Better to make the dial or control send bent values (low CPU overhead) than calculate another process to bend the audio volume at 44.1 k (or whatever samplerate)

The best solution would be to add more complex curve possibilities directly to the Macro and Midi screens. I would imagine (and hope) that they plan this for the future, to make it a real 'macro' screen. Currently the name is a misnomer

Angstrom wrote:I don't think it will be possible with any of lives default plugins on an audio chain because I dont think any of them have a method of affecting the curve on the control.

Macros in Live are a bit misnamed, but I guess 'ranges' didn't sound so sexy.

to me a macro is at least

Filter cutoff = ((CC1/127) * (CC1/127))*127

or
Filter cutoff = LOG10(CC1)

that would give you a curve on your controller, but we have simple linear input. Without access to any math functions we cant really affect those controllers. The audio fade of the chain layers is also linear.

We could insert some device in there that has a switchable volume slope on its amplifier - to affect the audio of layer one at the stream level rather than at the control level. A bit wasteful but it could be done. Better to make the dial or control send bent values (low CPU overhead) than calculate another process to bend the audio volume at 44.1 k (or whatever samplerate)

The best solution would be to add more complex curve possibilities directly to the Macro and Midi screens. I would imagine (and hope) that they plan this for the future, to make it a real 'macro' screen. Currently the name is a misnomer

and this is a perfect example why I think the next step for Ableton should be towards utility and auxiliary devices..

yeah. that sounds cool.
they already have the curve thing going on in the saturator and velocity plugin.

I guess it's all linear then.
You should get into max or something. Mac users can enjoy your plugins too then.

Anyway, sorry to misinform people.
I'm in workaround mode till they fix some show stoppers.
Too excited about these racks and midi things.....

there is nothing wrong with live's crossfader.

ewik wrote:there is nothing wrong with live's crossfader.

functionally speaking you are correct, but it is less useful as a real tool for crossfading tracks or loops when the curve is so extreme. It should have three types like regular DJ mixers have, or more ideally, a configurable curve that allows you to set the volume levels more appropriate to your style.

Right now its just functional, but not very useful for using well beyond its hardcoded preset.

rob.