Hi, I posted this on Ableton's forums but I haven't gotten a response yet.
I'm trying to figure how to use my midi controller to tweak knobs in my softsynths. As far as I can tell, I need the track midi monitor set to "on" instead of "auto". But as soon as I switch it "on", I can't hear the synth playback. I can only hear the synth playback if I actually hit the record button for the track. What to do?
thx
help with midi control of vst instruments in Live4
-
- KVRian
- 690 posts since 31 May, 2002 from chez moi
-
- KVRAF
- 7412 posts since 8 Feb, 2003 from London, UK
If you're after midi mapping, I think there's a button up on the top right of the UI. It's the same one that lets you define keyboard shortcuts.
(Vague - as I don't have the demo loaded right now.)
(Vague - as I don't have the demo loaded right now.)
-
- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 690 posts since 31 May, 2002 from chez moi
thanks, but that's not quite what I'm after. I can map my midi controller okay, such that I control a volume with my midi box for example. But in order to have a softsynth open and have it respond to my midi box/knob, I need to arm the track. I suppose this is how it needs to be done, it just seems a bit odd that I have to arm the track, eventhough I have no intention of recording.
-
- KVRist
- 171 posts since 14 Mar, 2002
You don't have to arm the track to use MIDI controllers with softsynths in Live. That said, I don't know why it isn't working for you. Keep in mind that if you have mapped controller knobs or keys to Live, you cannot use them with the softsynth, at least I don't think so. I know this is the case with the Impulse and Simpler. Pretty big shortcoming if you ask me.
-
- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 690 posts since 31 May, 2002 from chez moi
Reqs, can you give me a brief summary of your setting in a midi track? In the picture below, you can see 3 midi tracks. The synths in Midi 1 and 2 respond to midi, such as my keyboard. The synth in Midi3 doesn't respond to midi. Only the synth in Midi 1 responds to my keyboard while also playing back.
thx
thx
-
- KVRist
- 123 posts since 8 Dec, 2003
that's the monitoring in live....if monitoring is set to "auto" it will only route the midi data if your track is armed.......if it's set to "On" it will always route the data...you just choose what works best for yousluggo wrote:Reqs, can you give me a brief summary of your setting in a midi track? In the picture below, you can see 3 midi tracks. The synths in Midi 1 and 2 respond to midi, such as my keyboard. The synth in Midi3 doesn't respond to midi. Only the synth in Midi 1 responds to my keyboard while also playing back.
thx
anyway, it's strange you can only hear when you actually record, when monitoring is on you should always hear the plugin sound.......
Olaf
-
- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 690 posts since 31 May, 2002 from chez moi
I should probaby re-state my problem because I don't think I explained it very well. My apologies if I've confused you guys.
The problem is that I can only get a midi track to respond to both my midi controller and playback from a clip if the monitoring is set to auto and the track is armed.
If I set the monitoring to "on", the synth responds to my midi input and I can hear this: I can play my keyboard and I'll hear what I'm playing. However, the track will not playback the clip at the same time. For example, I can't playback a clip and tweak a filter on the synth at the same time. The live manual (page 146) even states this to be the correct behaviour "With this setting, output from the clips is suppressed."
Other than setting monitoring to auto and arming the track, how do you guys go about playing back clips and tweaking the synth controls at the same time?
thanks
The problem is that I can only get a midi track to respond to both my midi controller and playback from a clip if the monitoring is set to auto and the track is armed.
If I set the monitoring to "on", the synth responds to my midi input and I can hear this: I can play my keyboard and I'll hear what I'm playing. However, the track will not playback the clip at the same time. For example, I can't playback a clip and tweak a filter on the synth at the same time. The live manual (page 146) even states this to be the correct behaviour "With this setting, output from the clips is suppressed."
Other than setting monitoring to auto and arming the track, how do you guys go about playing back clips and tweaking the synth controls at the same time?
thanks
-
- KVRist
- 171 posts since 14 Mar, 2002
Hey, I'm at work so I can't address this, but I'll check it out when I get home. Keep in mind that I am new to Live myself, but I haven't encountered any issues with midi monitoring and playback.
Actually, from rereading your message, I'm not sure that I now understand what your issue is. You state:
So why not just do that?
Actually, from rereading your message, I'm not sure that I now understand what your issue is. You state:
The problem is that I can only get a midi track to respond to both my midi controller and playback from a clip if the monitoring is set to auto and the track is armed.
So why not just do that?
-
- KVRist
- 171 posts since 14 Mar, 2002
HEy, just got round to trying this. Don't exactly know what is happening in your scenario. I can record a clip into a track, then Un(dis?)arm the track, set monitoring to On, and hear what I play while still hearing the recorded clip.
Interesting thing I learned: After recording a clip, if I leave the track Armed and simlpy play the clip it will record my notes regardless of whether I have pushed the Record button. Interesting that. I've read the manual carefully and I don't remember seeing that. Much different from Sonar in that respect. I'm sure some Live Pro will bust me about this, but I thought it was pretty cool...
Course I'm half drunk.
Interesting thing I learned: After recording a clip, if I leave the track Armed and simlpy play the clip it will record my notes regardless of whether I have pushed the Record button. Interesting that. I've read the manual carefully and I don't remember seeing that. Much different from Sonar in that respect. I'm sure some Live Pro will bust me about this, but I thought it was pretty cool...
Course I'm half drunk.
-
- KVRist
- 123 posts since 8 Dec, 2003
this is because you had MIDI overdub enabled...if you disable it the notes won't be recorded....kind of strange behaviour, i agreeReqs wrote:Interesting thing I learned: After recording a clip, if I leave the track Armed and simlpy play the clip it will record my notes regardless of whether I have pushed the Record button. Interesting that. I've read the manual carefully and I don't remember seeing that. Much different from Sonar in that respect. I'm sure some Live Pro will bust me about this, but I thought it was pretty cool...
Course I'm half drunk.
-
- KVRist
- 106 posts since 9 Jul, 2004
yep, that's what happening here too. but there's a workaround:sluggo wrote:For example, I can't playback a clip and tweak a filter on the synth at the same time.
- apply one midi channel (e.g. "1") with your synth
- don't record anything to this channel #1 (no clips)!
- set it to "on"
- record your midi-data on midi #2 (routing the output to #1)
- record your ctrl-data on midi #3 (routing the output to #1)
the "trick" is to use a midi-channel just for receiving the midi data (notes, ctrls). this channel contains your synth but nothing else (fx are possible of course).
It's a bit weird I know. But I didn't find another way to achieve it. As I usually record the notes first and start tweaking afterwards, I had the same probs. Btw, separating the ctrls from the note-data allows to record tweaks over several clips.
