Ableton Forum

How do you use your killamix?
No - i dont mean "with your hands"
or - I use it to kill small rodents in my studio
What do you map it to?
Do you find it highly useable?
Not so interested in DJ use - more for using, performing and studio use?
OK
Go

I have set up my KMX to be a full-on mackie controller via a Max patch. it works great.

I've set mine up so MIDI channels 1-8 each corresponds to they're own row. The knobs control volume, panning, eq, etc. The buttons trigger mute, solo, record, stop, play, etc.

Channel 9 controls the master volume, cue volume, panning, etc.

Channels 10-16 are for various stuff.

I use the arrow keys on my keyboard to control scene selection.

Once the Vestax VCM-600 is release the Killamix will be stricly for effects and synths.

chrysalis33rpm wrote:I have set up my KMX to be a full-on mackie controller via a Max patch. it works great.

Did you write the Max patch or download it? Care to share it?

Mine is used only for DJing with Live, so:

- Knobs 1-4 control the custom DJ effects racks I created in Live (on my website for DL if you want them) for "Deck" 1 which is basically track 1. Turning the knob left slowly adds one effect, turning it right adds a different effect. So I can control 8 effects on one track with only 4 knobs.

- Knobs 5-8 control the racks on "Deck" 2 same as knobs 1-4.

- Knob 9 is controlling the tempo of the set.

- Button 1 is clip start on deck 1, button 2 is clip stop, button 3 is loop on/off, button 4 is not really used now.

- Buttons 5-8 do the same for deck 2.

- Button 9 toggles record on/off.

I don't really use scenes on the killamix to much, as the button led status is not always remembered when jumping back and forth across scenes. So I can't always just glance at the controller to see which deck is play or not. Not a biggy for me.

Hmm sounds like it just may fit my bill
Ive been dicking around with midi controllers
and have found a way that this may just be the thing for me
Thanks for all your comments - any more would be welcome
Cheers
Me

Sumatra wrote:

chrysalis33rpm wrote:I have set up my KMX to be a full-on mackie controller via a Max patch. it works great.

Did you write the Max patch or download it? Care to share it?

PM me.

Tarekith wrote:
I don't really use scenes on the killamix to much, as the button led status is not always remembered when jumping back and forth across scenes. So I can't always just glance at the controller to see which deck is play or not. Not a biggy for me.

Sounds like a cool feature.

How do the scenes work ?
what do they save ? how do you recall them ?

cheers
b

Each one of the knobs is also a button, press the first one and all the knobs and buttons transmit on MIDI Channel 1, press the second knob and everything transmits on Channel 2, etc. All 16 channels are supported (10-16 via knob combination presses), and all knobs and buttons remember their last used state when you switch back and forth between channels. You can also set the buttons to be momentary, toggle, or note on/off.

I forgot to mention before, I use the joystick to switch between views of the clip playing on track 1 and track 2, simple left right motion.

I just got mine so I'm still figuring out the best way to set it up. Here's what I have so far....

midi ch1 uses the knobs for volume and buttons for clip launch, button 9 does scene down, knob 9 is master volume.

midi ch2 uses the knobs for panning and buttons for clip stop, button 9 does scene up.

midi ch3/4 use the knobs for sends.

very basic so far, but i like making music and not messing with a controller for hours (ahem, remote 25 and automapping)

The way I use it when producing seems to change from project to project, but mostly I have it set up like this-

MIDI Channel 1 = 1-8 volume & track mutes. 9 master volume & overdub.
MIDI Channel 2 = 1-8 pan & solos. 9 cue level & loop on/off.
MIDI Channel 3 = 1-8 sends & record arm. 9 scene select & in/out section.
MIDI Channel 4 = 1-8 sends & monitor mode.
MIDI Channel 5&6 = 1-8 step sequencer (velocity per step & step on/off). 9 note pitch.
MIDI Channel 7&8 = 1-8 step sequencer (pitch per step & step on/off). 9 note length.


I know you said your not interested in the DJ side, but some of the functions I use could equally be useful in a production scenario, so here's how my DJ setup works at the moment -

MIDI Channel 1 =
joystick - clip navigation/cursor keys (up,down,left,right).
knobs - 1-4 volume, 5-8 send1 level, 9 tempo.
buttons - 1-4 trigger clip, cut, paste, delete. 5-9 toggle file browser, focus left, focus right, tempo nudge back, tempo nudge forward.

MIDI Channel 2 =
joystick - up (ch1 filter), down (ch2 filter), left (ch3 filter), right (ch4 filter).
knobs - 1-3 lo,mid,hi eq ch1. 5-7 lo,mid,hi eq ch2.
buttons - 1-4 track mutes. 5-8 miscellaneous effects on/off.

MIDI Channel 3 =
joystick - up (ch1 filter2), down (ch2 filter2), left (ch3 filter2), right (ch4 filter2).
knobs - beat repeat 'grid' control ch1-4.
buttons - 1-4 beat repeat/filter2 on/off ch1-4, 5-8 loop start set, loop end set, loop on/off,

Like Tarekith said, when switching channels the controls remember their last used state giving you instant visual feedback of where each control was when you switched channel. But it's also worth mentioning that if you decide to change one of your assigned parameters via the mouse instead, the kmx will update the control linked to that parameter to reflect the change. Maybe not so useful when DJing and using the controller for everything, but when producing I find that I occasionally change parameters I've assigned to the controller via the mouse instead, so its nice to have the controller show me what I've changed at a glance.

The only issue I have with the kmx is that the endless encoders can be a bit fiddly for some applications, and aren't as expressive as standard knobs. I get around that by using the joystick for parameters that I need to control in a more exspressive way.

Thanks for that.
Looks like this baby is really flexible
Going to order one monday I think
Like the idea of using the joystick for navigation
that may help lots
Cheers
Me

You'll need Midistroke, or the PC equivalent if your using a PC to convert the joystick CC's to keystrokes, if you want to use the joystick to navigate. It's easy enough to set up though.