Dear all
Is anyone using Rapid Composer as a VST in Ableton Live? I cannot for the life of me get the routing to work so that I can send the individual tracks from RC to different channels so that I can use different instruments for each track in Live. I can get this working in Reaper no problem. Does anyone have any advice or have this working?
Any help would be gratefully received!
Thanks, rtpsafc
Anyone Using Rapid Composer as a VST with Ableton Live?
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- KVRAF
- 3071 posts since 29 Sep, 2005
I'm not using RC as a vst; however, I use both RC (stand alone) and Live and have successfully routed RC to Live. So between us we should be able to get this going.
As you may know Live's routing is a bit tricky. I assume you have opened RC on a midi track. Let's call this track 1.
And I assume you have created a VST midi track of the instrument you want to use. For sake of argument let's call this track Zebra, track 2.
Now, to route RC, select Zebra (track 2). Set your input (MIDI From) to RC. Then drop the box below "MIDI From" (in input) to see the available inputs. You should see "Pre FX, Post FX" and below these you will see "RC" (more accurately "Rapid Composer"). Select RC.
In Live you have to have a scene for it to play. So you should create a blank clip of however many measure you want RC to play. You may have to arm the Zebra track to hear the playback - I do in mine. When you select play you should hear your composition in Live.
EDIT: Tested and working here with VST version 1.93. Since I do not use RC as a VST I have not bothered to install the latest version VST.
Just one problem I notice. When you hit Live's play, the blank clip will recycle at the end of the set number of measures. RC does not. It will continue to play out the number of measures but does not restart.
This problem may not exist in the latest version. :End EDIT
You should be good to go now.
HTH
Happy Musiking!
dsan
As you may know Live's routing is a bit tricky. I assume you have opened RC on a midi track. Let's call this track 1.
And I assume you have created a VST midi track of the instrument you want to use. For sake of argument let's call this track Zebra, track 2.
Now, to route RC, select Zebra (track 2). Set your input (MIDI From) to RC. Then drop the box below "MIDI From" (in input) to see the available inputs. You should see "Pre FX, Post FX" and below these you will see "RC" (more accurately "Rapid Composer"). Select RC.
In Live you have to have a scene for it to play. So you should create a blank clip of however many measure you want RC to play. You may have to arm the Zebra track to hear the playback - I do in mine. When you select play you should hear your composition in Live.
EDIT: Tested and working here with VST version 1.93. Since I do not use RC as a VST I have not bothered to install the latest version VST.
Just one problem I notice. When you hit Live's play, the blank clip will recycle at the end of the set number of measures. RC does not. It will continue to play out the number of measures but does not restart.
This problem may not exist in the latest version. :End EDIT
You should be good to go now.
HTH
Happy Musiking!
dsan
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- KVRAF
- 3071 posts since 29 Sep, 2005
rtpsafc - are you unable to get the vst working in Live the way I described the routing?
Using standalone will require a virtual midi cable and a different set of routing instructions. Let me know if you need help with this.
Happy Musiking!
dsan
Using standalone will require a virtual midi cable and a different set of routing instructions. Let me know if you need help with this.
Happy Musiking!
dsan
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- KVRer
- 3 posts since 19 Nov, 2013
Hello,
i have the same problem with live, in 2.53 too
Wich midicable tool do you use for external midi connect . its very important for me, that i could trigger different VST Instuments from RC
i have the same problem with live, in 2.53 too
Wich midicable tool do you use for external midi connect . its very important for me, that i could trigger different VST Instuments from RC
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- KVRAF
- 3071 posts since 29 Sep, 2005
I use RC stand alone via loopMIDI found here:
http://www.tobias-erichsen.de/software/loopmidi.html
Check out his rptMIDI too for LAN use. I use it also. (RC on one computer - Live on another computer).
RC is limited to 16 channels but you can set up Live to recieve on multiple ports and channels using loopMIDI and rptMIDI. You can create as many ports and channels as your system will allow.
I am also able to route RC as VST inside Live. See my earlier post for instructions of how to route RC.
Happy Musiking!
dsan
http://www.tobias-erichsen.de/software/loopmidi.html
Check out his rptMIDI too for LAN use. I use it also. (RC on one computer - Live on another computer).
RC is limited to 16 channels but you can set up Live to recieve on multiple ports and channels using loopMIDI and rptMIDI. You can create as many ports and channels as your system will allow.
I am also able to route RC as VST inside Live. See my earlier post for instructions of how to route RC.
Happy Musiking!
dsan
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- KVRer
- 3 posts since 19 Nov, 2013
Very great Idea - thanks 
VST doesent function with more than 1 track/instrument - the channels will not transported seperality.
But with standalone both its fantasic and great stable - have installed loopmidi and activat port1 and in live as midi input and rc as midi out - fantastic, all instruments/tracks seperatly.
Nine weekend
VST doesent function with more than 1 track/instrument - the channels will not transported seperality.
But with standalone both its fantasic and great stable - have installed loopmidi and activat port1 and in live as midi input and rc as midi out - fantastic, all instruments/tracks seperatly.
Nine weekend
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- KVRAF
- 3071 posts since 29 Sep, 2005
Glad you are able to get it to workspee65 wrote:Very great Idea - thanks
VST doesent function with more than 1 track/instrument - the channels will not transported seperality.
But with standalone both its fantasic and great stable - have installed loopmidi and activat port1 and in live as midi input and rc as midi out - fantastic, all instruments/tracks seperatly.
Nine weekend
Yes, I have run into the VST limitation and that is why I went to stand alone.
Have fun with RC. Don't forget that if you decide to buy RC now is the time. It is on sale for great savings and will soon be back to full price; Jan 1.
Happy Musiking!
dsan
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 10 posts since 27 Nov, 2013
Hi dsan
I am on a Mac, and the loopMidi is Windows only. I did try the standalone way and couldn't get to work. Its not really a big deal, as I can use VSTis and SoundFonts in RC and then copy the RC tracks over to Live. I can easily use Reaper for when I want to use RC as a VST. I really appreciate your help and for following up to see if it was working!
Best wishes, rtpsafc
I am on a Mac, and the loopMidi is Windows only. I did try the standalone way and couldn't get to work. Its not really a big deal, as I can use VSTis and SoundFonts in RC and then copy the RC tracks over to Live. I can easily use Reaper for when I want to use RC as a VST. I really appreciate your help and for following up to see if it was working!
Best wishes, rtpsafc
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- KVRAF
- 3071 posts since 29 Sep, 2005
I did not realize you are on Mac, rtpsafc, sorry for mis-directing you.
I am glad you have found a work around.
Still, though, you should be able to set up a midi send on Mac and be able to send to Live. I'm just not sure of how to enable the internal routing. I haven't used Mac since the G5 days here in my studio, although I do use an iMac at work.
I'm unclear why you are not able to get RC to work in stand alone mode. Can you expand this?
I'm sure there are many Mac users here that can assist.
You will find this community very helpful in this regard. I am happy to assist if and when I can.
Have fun with RC!
Best regards and
Happy Musiking!
dsan
I am glad you have found a work around.
Still, though, you should be able to set up a midi send on Mac and be able to send to Live. I'm just not sure of how to enable the internal routing. I haven't used Mac since the G5 days here in my studio, although I do use an iMac at work.
I'm unclear why you are not able to get RC to work in stand alone mode. Can you expand this?
I'm sure there are many Mac users here that can assist.
You will find this community very helpful in this regard. I am happy to assist if and when I can.
Have fun with RC!
Best regards and
Happy Musiking!
dsan
My DAW System:
W7, i5, x64, 8Gb Ram, Edirol FA-101
W7, i5, x64, 8Gb Ram, Edirol FA-101
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 10 posts since 27 Nov, 2013
Hi dsan
I think the problem is actually with Live. To use different instruments for each track from RC as a VST, you need to be able to route the midi that RC generates on each track, where each track is a different midi channel. As I said in an earlier post, this works great in Reaper. In Live, there doesn't seem to be a way to filter the midi channels and then route them as appropriate. I did some searching on the web and it seemed to be a frustration amongst some Live users.
Anyway, it is not spoiling my enjoyment of RC or Live, so everything is cool!
Best wishes, rtpsafc
I think the problem is actually with Live. To use different instruments for each track from RC as a VST, you need to be able to route the midi that RC generates on each track, where each track is a different midi channel. As I said in an earlier post, this works great in Reaper. In Live, there doesn't seem to be a way to filter the midi channels and then route them as appropriate. I did some searching on the web and it seemed to be a frustration amongst some Live users.
Anyway, it is not spoiling my enjoyment of RC or Live, so everything is cool!
Best wishes, rtpsafc
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- KVRAF
- 10135 posts since 16 Dec, 2002
Its a known that Ableton merges all the midi channels when routing internally to other midi tracks, even though it has separate channelsrtpsafc wrote:Hi dsan
I think the problem is actually with Live. To use different instruments for each track from RC as a VST, you need to be able to route the midi that RC generates on each track, where each track is a different midi channel. As I said in an earlier post, this works great in Reaper. In Live, there doesn't seem to be a way to filter the midi channels and then route them as appropriate. I did some searching on the web and it seemed to be a frustration amongst some Live users.
Anyway, it is not spoiling my enjoyment of RC or Live, so everything is cool!
Best wishes, rtpsafc
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- KVRist
- 358 posts since 2 Dec, 2002
I think it would be possible to create a M4L plugg that would filter the midi channel. That would make it possible to have one RC sending to several tracks but each track to listen only to one channel. I get it to work for VST instruments that can listen to a specific channel, however Abletons plugs can't do that...
I will try to build this M4L plug one day... too much going on ATM and there's a learning curve for MAX
I will try to build this M4L plug one day... too much going on ATM and there's a learning curve for MAX
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- KVRer
- 27 posts since 19 Aug, 2005
This is a really useful thread. Let me add that midi drag and drop works really well with Ableton and avoids the routing issues.
1. Load RC in a midi track. I route the first track to a midi instrument. This track will immediately reflect any changes in RC. Then add as many instruments in Ableton as you like.
2. I create more tracks in RC, which Ableton will not route internally BUT any midi RC generates can in these tracks can be dragged directly to a cell in the SESSION VIEW (the additional instruments you setup in Ableton).
ADVANTAGES: as long as you don't change the chords, all the midi generates in RC will be in key. But Ableton lets you save RC generated midi you like (essentially saving pattern history) and switch between them by simply pressing the cell. Also by dragging midi between your instruments in Ableton you can hear the midi on new instruments immediately. Faster than routing and muting tracks.
If you change the chord progression, just run it as a new scene and load new midi there.
RC generates the midi variations, and Ableton lets you save and combine them in infinite ways.
1. Load RC in a midi track. I route the first track to a midi instrument. This track will immediately reflect any changes in RC. Then add as many instruments in Ableton as you like.
2. I create more tracks in RC, which Ableton will not route internally BUT any midi RC generates can in these tracks can be dragged directly to a cell in the SESSION VIEW (the additional instruments you setup in Ableton).
ADVANTAGES: as long as you don't change the chords, all the midi generates in RC will be in key. But Ableton lets you save RC generated midi you like (essentially saving pattern history) and switch between them by simply pressing the cell. Also by dragging midi between your instruments in Ableton you can hear the midi on new instruments immediately. Faster than routing and muting tracks.
If you change the chord progression, just run it as a new scene and load new midi there.
RC generates the midi variations, and Ableton lets you save and combine them in infinite ways.
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- KVRer
- 8 posts since 17 Dec, 2014
Hey Trevor,trevorhor wrote:This is a really useful thread. Let me add that midi drag and drop works really well with Ableton and avoids the routing issues.
1. Load RC in a midi track. I route the first track to a midi instrument. This track will immediately reflect any changes in RC. Then add as many instruments in Ableton as you like.
2. I create more tracks in RC, which Ableton will not route internally BUT any midi RC generates can in these tracks can be dragged directly to a cell in the SESSION VIEW (the additional instruments you setup in Ableton).
ADVANTAGES: as long as you don't change the chords, all the midi generates in RC will be in key. But Ableton lets you save RC generated midi you like (essentially saving pattern history) and switch between them by simply pressing the cell. Also by dragging midi between your instruments in Ableton you can hear the midi on new instruments immediately. Faster than routing and muting tracks.
If you change the chord progression, just run it as a new scene and load new midi there.
RC generates the midi variations, and Ableton lets you save and combine them in infinite ways.
I'm looking for a way to drag and drop like you explain.. I try to drag my phrases from the VST version of RC, but no luck. Making sure Ableton is in Session mode.. assuming something is missing on my side. :/