FC300 - Controlling Ableton Live with a FC-300

Started by opus111, September 02, 2011, 11:56:03 AM

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opus111

OK, I gave up on the EHX 2800, now I am evaluating Ableton Live (which seems very very cooler)

I want to control Ableton with the FC300, and I don't mind switching modes to control the VG99

I connect my FC300 to the VG99, and plug the VG99 into my MacPro.

However, I am getting some odd behavior.  I think the VG99 is intercepting the MIDI messages, and remapping them to something else.

In Ableton, I followed the video tutorial for Remote setup.  I go into MIDI Map Mode, click on the Play button, push the pedal.  The yellow light in upper right blinks indicating a MIDI message, a "B" appears on the button, and a MIDI Map appears in the list.  All good so far...

However, after leaving MIDI map mode, nothing happens when I push the pedal.  The yellow light blinks, but the button does not respond.

Very odd, the new MIDI map entry is Channel=1 Note/Control=Pitchbend Path=Transport Name=Start.  This is odd because I programmed the pedal to send CC# 1

I see that others have gotten this working.  What is the the secret sauce?

Thanks in advance
Peter



Elantric

#1
That may be a daunting process to debug.

If you use WinTel machines,  Use MIDI-OX
http://www.midiox.com/

or Bome's Send SX
http://www.bome.com/products/sendsx

to monitor / verify/debug the MIDI messages being sent between your hardware and Ableton.



If you use a Mac, then use Snoize MIDI Monitor
http://www.snoize.com/MIDIMonitor/

All are shareware.   


Myself I recommend migrating away from the FC-300, and use a KMI Softstep or the new KMI 12 Step to control Ableton and loops.
http://www.keithmcmillen.com/softstep/overview

Vastly more configurable for MIDI message type transmission  / reception than than the FC-300.


aliensporebomb

You might want to talk to fuzzfactory here - he is controlling his VG-99 with Ableton as seen in these videos:





My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

vanceg

Get a softstep or 12Step.....It's a lot more flexible than the FC-300....

fokof

+1 for the softstep.

I use it for Live and keep my FC300 for my VB99

mousetrapreplica

Dude! Don't get new gear or try nightmarish MIDI debugging for this until you try this suggestion!

Usually the reason you get the yellow MIDI receive signal in Ableton but it won't map in MIDI map mode is because you haven't set your MIDI input to 'Remote.' I have attached an image to show you where to do this.

Also, in my experience Ableton prefers Note messages to CC messages. I haven't used the FC-300 for Ableton & VG-99 but I did a lot of research a few years ago and felt very confident that it would be fine. I have always used a Behringer FCB1010 to do all my MIDI foot controlling, which included using Live & VG-99 simultaneously. It was very complicated & time consuming to set up, but I got it to do everything I wanted.
Guitars: Ibanez Artist 1980 model - GK3, American Fender Strat Plus 1993 - GK2a
VG-99, into RC-50 loopstation into Mackie Onyx 400F into PA
Control: FS-6, FV-500H
http://www.mousetrapreplica.com
http://www.cheeseexcursion.com

monks

I've only briefly looked at this thread, but you might consider scripting within Ableton to control changes within Ableton. It might not be what you're looking for, but we use Ableton as a sequencer live as essentially a backing track. But rather than change fx units on stage ourselves, we use a script called ClyphX, which allows you to change pretty much everything within Ableton automatically, without having to use a footswitch- and also send midi messages to the VG as well. Just a thought.

monks