Overbridge for recording, but onboard midi for syncing AR

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#1

Hi,
Not sure if what I want is possible, and if it is, how I failed to get it right.

I have Heat, RYTM and A4.

I have midi DIN out from A4 to AR and from AR Thru to AH. AR is set to receive clock and transport and PC. A4 to send.

If I go to patten F1 on A4 and hit play, AR plays pattern F1. All this works

A4 and AR are going into a Mackie Mix8, the main out of which goes into AH. AH is set as the INPUT sound card for Live 11. I can record the audio by hitting record on live, then PLAY on the A4. All good.

S far this is with USB Config set to “audio” or “audio + midi”.

What I am trying to do is record the AH output, the A4 output and the AR output, all in their own channel in Live 11.

I change the USB config for A4 and AR to “Overbridge”, and if I open overbridge VST twice, once for A4, once for AR, I can indeed record their audio, and the AH audio. Huzzah!

BUT when I press “PLAY” on A4 now, AR does NOT got to F1 and play. It does nothing. The only setting I changed was the USB Config.

Live is set up NOT to send midi to A4 or AR.

Is there a way to record like this, and still use the A4 as the transport and clock and PC controller for AR?

Many thanks
Russell

#2

Is the Mackie an important device of your setup?

#3

No. I added it JUST for this set up. Previously it was AR -> A4 -> AH as far as audio goes BUT if I want to record each in Live, I can’t have AR -> A4 or I’d get AR+A4 in that channel (I think?!)

EDIT: I bought the mix8 on a whim off a 'naut and it has been under my bed in a box until yesterday

#4

Do you have a Soundcard (audio interface) other than AH?

#5

Yes…but I have pretty much always used AH to record the live jams into Live 10/11, cos it is just super simple

#6

I think you just have to use Live’s transport… make sure the overbridge vsts are set to “clock + transport”. i don’t think the audio interface/soundcard is your issue here, it’s midi settings. you can stick with the setup you have now in terms of soundcard and stuff IMHO.

i’ve wished i could use my OB devices transport and ableton could receive it but couldn’t figure out a way to get it to work so i settled with using Live’s transport, but if it’s super important to you, you could probably map the A4’s play button to Live’s play button via MIDI cc

1 Like
#7

OK, I didn’t want to have Live 11 control clock and transport…I have to?

EDIT: FWIW, I don’t think Audio Interfaces are the issue, I was wondering why the midi config was ignored when Overbridge is involved.

#8

well Live can’t record without a play command right? so you can’t avoid having Ableton’s sequencer running. i guess it doesn’t have to be synced via clock, but i don’t see why you wouldn’t want that

#9

yeah, I mean, I can record by hitting RED. But if I hit play on the A4 the AR doesn’t start, where as when not in Overbridge mode it does.

I mean forget recording. Just changing that USB Config and AR stops doing what A4 says

#10

I’m using OB with the No Sync option. All my devices are connected via MIDI Din cables. This way, you have more flexibility over the Recordings.

1 Like
#11

The reason I was asking about the Soundcard or the Mackie is because I wanted to know if you could go all in with OB.

#12

But does your AR stop being a good follower of your A4 when both are plugged into an Overbridge host?

In answer to the soundcard/mackie question. I don’t usually use Overbridge at all. This time I wanted to grab an audio track for each of A4, AR and the AH output to do some comparisons (and I am too lazy to record one, then the other, then the other)

#13

No. It’s like having a DAWless setup with Recording flexibility. Hybrid setup is the way to go for me.

You can Record A4, AR and AH separately at the same time.

1 Like
#14

I finally get it. OK. In Overbridge plugin ITSELF I set sync to “No sync” for all devices. And now I have it all. Midi control between the machines, and recording in Live 11. Thanks!

2 Likes
#15

Start the Recording from Ableton and press Play on the A4.

#16

Great! Thanks!

Damn! Except…heat is being super weird. It is not showing audio, and not playing audio in Live. But when I change it from Overbridge to auido/midi it plays a few seconds of audio in live. And again, when I change it back, a few seconds only. So cloooose!

#17

Do you still have AH as your Soundcard?

#18

no :frowning:

#19

You can only have one instance of AH.

#20

Yeah, I have. I dunno. I have to ride my bike. Wil try again in a couple of hours with a clean brain. Thanks for getting me this far.

(I’m also confused about what settings to have on the MIDI page of abletone preferences. All unchecked?)