I’m trying to map the rotary encoders to macros in Ableton Live 10. I’ve got the Digitone connected via USB and I’ve activated Track and Sync under the MIDI Input Port preferences in Live. I have both the Trig Dest and Encoder Dest set to INT+EXT in the Digitone Port Config. I’m able to use the Trigs as intended, but I’m not able to map the encoders, even though the MIDI Track In Indicator flashes when I turn them. When I attempt to map them to a macro or other parameter, nothing happens other than the flashing indicator light.
You also have to activate “Remote” for the Digitakt’s Midi In Port.
“Track” is for Midi Notes, “Sync” is clock and “Remote” is for Midi CC etc.
That would explain why you can use the Trig buttons, they send midi notes.
I have had similar problems a few times, Live shows Midi activity but it’s not possible to map the controller. Restarting Live and the controller always solved it, but you need to have “Remote” activated^^
Thanks @Schnork, that did the trick. But now the macro range in Live is restricted by the related Digitone parameter range of the particular MIDI mapped rotary encoder. There isn’t an EXT only option for the Encoder Dest, so the Digitone parameters are still adjusted when I move an encoder.
Is there a mode or a screen to navigate to so that the encoders are not affecting Digitone parameters, and so allow me to get the full range of a Live macro, i.e. 0 - 127?
For example, if I’m on the SYN1 page and I assign A encoder to a Live macro, the macro will only go from 0-7. It stops once Algo 8 is reached. I assume it stops sending data at this point.
I don’t have a Digitone, but is has Midi Tracks, right? Why don’t you just use a Midi Track as a controller track for Live?
You wouldn’t tweak synth parameters all the time and you could even use different Midi CC configurations for different controller tasks in Live.
Not sure if the Midi CC assignments are saved per bank in the Digitone (if so you could use different banks for different stuff in Live, if it’s saved per pattern even easier. Just switch banks/patterns and you have a different set of controls) , but anyway using Midi tracks would make things much easier imho.
You may be right @Schnork. I’ve only had the Digitone a few days and haven’t gotten around to understanding how to use Digitone’s MIDI tracks. There’s a lot to get my head around with this unit, and I don’t have much experience with MIDI CC configurations.
I was just thinking that it would be very convenient if I could use the rotary encoders to control Live macros as I would with a typical MIDI controller. It would mean I don’t have to setup another controller.
I’d just use the Midi Tracks
You have 4 of them, each with different CC assignments + midi sequencing… Sounds like a nice little controller indeed.
But it’s kinda odd that you don’t get the full 0-127 Midi CC range on (some?) synth paramters…
Obviously I can’t test it, but have you tried to choose another midi controller mode?
When you map a CC to a paramter in Live, there’s a little drop down menu appearing at the bottom of the screen where you can select different absolute and relative modes.
Some controllers need the right mode to function properly.
Just a guess, though.
I tried each mode, but to no avail @Schnork. The results were either what I was already getting, no macro movement at all, or moving the encoder in either direction increased the macro amount to maximum, where it remained.
Perhaps someone else with a Digitone will have to weigh in. If nobody does, I’ll look into using the Digitone MIDI tracks.
Hey @Schnork, just wanted to let you know that I managed to get my MIDI mapping and CC assignments working following your advice. Getting it to control synth parameters was easy, since I just select the CC numbers associated with the parameters I want to control, and for Rack macros I just gave each encoder an available CC number and mapped it to the Rack macro.
Cool!
That’s what I meant. Glad to see it works
I’ve checked the manual and if I got it right, midi parameters are saved per pattern.
So you could use one whole bank on your Digitone just for controller duties, each pattern for a different mapping.
Although I guess it would be hard to remember all the mappings^^
Maybe better to stick to a few mappings and make good use of the possibilities.
You can record automation into Live, use the midi lfos, use the Digitones midi sequencer to control plugins and at the same time you have midi cc control.
That’s quite powerful!
Also try sequencing FX parameters.
I used to use my Octatrack as a controller for Ableton Live.
I tried to stick to a certain layout, so filter cutoff, resonance, filter env mod, filter lfo mod always in the same order on page one, you get the idea.
I also have a notepad vst plugin on some of the tracks in Live so when I come back to an older project, I can check what was mapped where and why, audio connections etc.
I setup a project called “Controller” and I’m putting each plugin I want to map on its own pattern. It would be handy if you could rename the CC values, but I’ll just try and follow some kind of convention to make it easier to remember, as you do.
I’m looking forward to trying out the MIDI LFOs and automating FX parameters.
What notepad plugin do you use? Would it happen to be this one?
