Ableton Forum

Hi Folks!

If you want to access some of X-Station's (or any other synth's for that matter) patches via a MIDI track in Ableton Live, how would you go about it?
I see that the "MIDI To" drop down box
shows the 16 midi channels but there is no aditional box that lets you
select the patches... Any idea?

Thanks,
Gabi.

i'm guessing like most synths you need to access the patches on your actual keyboard.

Thanks...

I was hoping to be able to select the individual patches from my MIDI tracks just as I can from Digital Performer. There you have access from each MIDI track to one of the 16 MIDI channels and each can has its own external synth patch.
In Ableton you can indeed select the 16 channels from each MIDI track but it ends there...

However - I might be missing something, though...

thanks,
Gabi.

Hi Gabster

Sure you can...

Go into the track properties, In the "Notes" section make sure "Bank"=None, "Sub Bank"=2, "Program"= XStation synth patch number,ie 1 =100, 3=102 etc. As soon as you hit play on the track the patch should change on ye XStation...

Hope this helps!

Skoov

Yeehaw!!!!!

Thanks a ton!!! It worked! hah! I overlooked that!

Now here is a continuation: What to do if I want to use another MIDI track patched to another X-Station Patch (so now I will have two different MIDI tracks each mapped to its own XS patch via different MIDI channel)? I tried another MIDI channel but I am gettin no sound...

thanks a ton!
GAbi.

Hi Gabi

Glad it worked:)

Sadly i don't think this is possible as the XS isn't Multitimbral, you can only access one Patch at a time on one Midi track. Unless i've got my wires crossed with what you are trying to achieve?

How are the Pots on yours? Mine vary a lot in how easy they are to turn. Apart from that is still a great pice of kit! Wish Ableton had it listed as a dedicated controller...

Skoov

Hi Skoov,

I see - So the XS is uni-timbral... Got it. Oh well.
One thing I hoped that they will ad a hybrid synth-MIDI controller mode on it so you can use the synth and as a MIDI controller as their XIO has. They said there is little room left on their OS to add this upgrade. Oh well.

All pots seems to have an even physical sweep on my XS 25. of course there are the step-pots like Input Gain knob.
Was your cover taken off? It might be that some of the knob's are rubbing against the panel if that was not properly screwed back in. Just guessing...

thanks again!!!
Gabi.

Just an FYI, you can turn off "local control" on the X-Station and use the learn function in Live to assign the front control panel to anything in Live. Just make sure not to arm the MIDI track your using for the X-Station in Live, and it works like a controller just fine. You can't use the pre-assigned controls, or build your own panel of MIDI cc's, but it's a very reasonable work around.

Just an FYI, you can turn off "local control" on the X-Station and use the learn function in Live to assign the front control panel to anything in Live. Just make sure not to arm the MIDI track your using for the X-Station in Live, and it works like a controller just fine. You can't use the pre-assigned controls, or build your own panel of MIDI cc's, but it's a very reasonable work around.

Thanks Machinesworking!

You mean using the Surface Controls (knobs, faders, buttons) whyle in Synth Mode? Interesting!
Need to try it...

Thanks!
Gabi.

Hi Gabi

Cheers for the knob smoothness tip ( ) good point, i took it apart myself when the second input flaked out on me, i shall try reseating(ahem)...

Machinesworking: awesome tip too! Will try automating live effects applied to the simultaneously tweaked xstation synth output!

Applied version 3 OS this weekend, apparently you can now preview Midi assignments?

http://www.novationmusic.com/downloads. ... d=1&type=1

Lots of other issues fixed including patch change bugs...yay!

Skoov

skoov,

This shows how ignorant I am of the fixed bugs and new features in the latest XS OS!!! After reading your post I went back and actually read all about the new stuff in the Update release note. Quite interesting! previewing Midi assignments to controls is very handy feature!

thanks again!!!
Gabi.

[quote="skoov"]

Sure you can...

Go into the track properties, In the "Notes" section make sure "Bank"=None, "Sub Bank"=2, "Program"= XStation synth patch number,ie 1 =100, 3=102 etc. As soon as you hit play on the track the patch should change on ye XStation...

Hope this helps!


Could anybody tell me the routing setting or X-station setting to work this out?
I'd like to use patches in x-station too....

xone: wrote:

skoov wrote:
Sure you can...

Go into the track properties, In the "Notes" section make sure "Bank"=None, "Sub Bank"=2, "Program"= XStation synth patch number,ie 1 =100, 3=102 etc. As soon as you hit play on the track the patch should change on ye XStation...

Hope this helps!


Could anybody tell me the routing setting or X-station setting to work this out?
I'd like to use patches in x-station too....

Firstly, thanks to Gabster for the tip! I love the XStation and Ableton combo - totally smitten.

Xone, here are some scrrenshots from how I set it up. (first time posting images in a forum so let's hope . . . )

You need to have a midi clip in the track first - so drag one in (you may need to delete your live device if you have used one - ie make sure there is not instrument on the track)

this is how I set up the channel



then in the clip information you change the notes section to suit as per gabsters suggestions.


Knob trick? - What I found was that when you have set up the routing as described that you can actually set the clip to play and use the knob on the xtation to select the patch you want - and while you are cycling through the patches, the program number in Ableton automatically changes to suit - this means you don't need to do the patch number remembering. It is also an interesting way to audition the same clip in different XStation patches.

thanks again all

- I previewed this and don't think I got the images instering - Can't seem to turn on html - little help. Oh well, you can cut an paste the images into your browser for screenshots - sheeezz that's embarassing.

BTW Gabster - just saw you are from Arlington Heights -I grew up there 25 years ago - BG High School class of 85 - small world.

cheers,
dustspec

Hey Dustspeck!

That's exactly right! And hey thanks also for the tip on ABleton updating the patch numbers to reflect the patch changes on XS! I did not even know that!!!

Ha! Arlington Heights??? That's wild! I am actually here since 2000 when I moved from Romania with my wife.
Very nice place, family friendly but housing costs went bazurk lately here.

Good to meet you! What are you doing in Melbourne?? Hehehe

Gabi.

gabster wrote:Hey Dustspeck!

Ha! Arlington Heights??? That's wild! I am actually here since 2000 when I moved from Romania with my wife.
Very nice place, family friendly but housing costs went bazurk lately here.

Good to meet you! What are you doing in Melbourne?? Hehehe

Gabi.

Hey Gabster,

Romania - Lovely country! I saw on your site you are from timishoara (sp?), my Australian wife and I lived in Sigishoara for 3 months while traveling through eastern Europe. We only planned to stay one month but fell in love with the place.

I left the states in the early 90's and taught English in Japan for 6 years where I met my wife who was a teacher there as well. We ended up coming to Oz as it is more laid back that the US on many levels.

My day-job is working at a University here runing their internet radio and podcasting. I do a lot of spoken word and music in my spare time. I only got Ableton and the XStation a year ago and that was my reaching my 40's and saying - 'I've always wanted to do more audio work on my own so 'now or never'.

I have a few tracks on www.myspace.com/dustspecmusic

Looks like you are doing a lot with your Gabriel amplifiers - how amazing! And Made in America - that is rare! If you start shipping to Oz let me know. I know a few people in the industry (the Novation distributor is a good friend and just around the corner!).

Anyways, I am ranting - avoiding work actually - good to chat. I am planning to go a bit deeeper into the XStation and Ableton so may have more questions to send you way.


what sort of music do you create? did you record the gig that is on your blog?

cheers,
dustspec