Ableton Live Lite - What are these different MIDI settings available for the FA

Hi,
I use the FA06 with Ableton but use it via Roland's MX-1 Mixer so my settings are a little different. i also depends on exactly what degree of integration your trying to achieve.

Setting up a basic level of direct integration is demonstrated in this Ed Dias video, which may help you:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8xOy90AkpY

That video does nothing to explain these settings available in Ableton. It is impossible to see in the video what is that Dias selects.

I can see them? Turn them all ON.

[attachment: Capture Ableton.PNG][attachment: Capture Ableton 2.PNG]
This is what I am looking at. What do each of the FA options do differently?

Hi again,

I presume you have set all the Preferences in Live in accordance with the first part of the video.

In each of the tracks that you want to link Midi data, set the 'Midi From' with the FA-06 08 option. And select the Channel to match which ever channel(s) you want to use or copy data from. This sets it up to record from that track on the FA into Ableton whether its to copy something you already have recorded in the sequencer and want to copy OR something you want tp play live on the keyboard but record in Ableton.

Depending how you plan to use what you have recorded in Ableton will determine how you set up what you want Ableton to do with it. For example use the mid data to play a sound in Ableton or just send it back to the FA to play the sounds you originally used. Presuming its the later, you need to set the 'MIDI To' to the same settings as the tracks MIDI FROM.

The other options with 'CTRL' in its title are for more advanced capabilities of CONTROL between the FA and Ableton.For example to use the DAW setting option in the FA to use some of its nobs to directly control an Ableton option. Or to do things the opposite way round for Ableton to set up options in the FA, such as select a Studio Set.

I presume you are into your early days with your gear, but you might give some thoughts to what set up you are aiming for in the future. Ableton has many many more options and is easier to build up and manipulate a Song. So, using it a your Master device would be recommended. The other way round, using the FA as a DAW control surface has limited control over Ableton. It is not like a true DAW controllable keyboard, such as Arturia or Novation would give.

OK, I think that covers it. I have managed to figure out the "FA-06 08" option. I have been able to record MIDI into Ableton while playing a Roland instrument and then have the same Ableton MIDI clip play the Roland instrument. That was fun.

I've had less luck using DAW control, but I think I get the general idea. There is a DAW switch on my FA and the first preset that comes up is for Ableton. I've not had much luck with that on Ableton. I've used this setting to play Melodics on my desktop, also a lot of fun. I've noticed that even not selecting the DAW switch on my FA, it is possible to play both a Roland instrument and the Melodics instrument at the same time.

While exploring the "FA-06 08" setting in Ableton and using the Studio Set switch on my FA, I see a MIDE channel 16 for Studio Sets. I guess this is what you are talking about in with the "CTRL" labeled options. Perhaps that is better for a thread all its own.

Hi,
Good to see you have had some success recording from FA to Ableton and playing it back.

You raise several issues in your posting which cover a wide range of issues: DAW control; Melodics; Midi Channel 16 for Studio Sets. If you want specific help on an issue you need to go step by step, one by one and provide more detail. You have already noted that just using basic midi between the 2 bits of kit is useful without using DAW control. I would suggest you get to thoroughly understand and use that ability in a practical constructive way before moving on to the many other options, rather than a scatter-gun dabble at every thing. As I said before, give some thought to what you want to end up doing with your set-up and then others can help you get there or other options.

9blackoranges wrote:

Hi,
Good to see you have had some success recording from FA to Ableton and playing it back.

You raise several issues in your posting which cover a wide range of issues: DAW control; Melodics; Midi Channel 16 for Studio Sets. If you want specific help on an issue you need to go step by step, one by one and provide more detail. You have already noted that just using basic midi between the 2 bits of kit is useful without using DAW control. I would suggest you get to thoroughly understand and use that ability in a practical constructive way before moving on to the many other options, rather than a scatter-gun dabble at every thing. As I said before, give some thought to what you want to end up doing with your set-up and then others can help you get there or other options.

It is not possible to decide what you are going to end up doing with any setup, if you don't understand what it is capable of doing. I wouldn't have purchased the FA if I hadn't understood that it could at least function as a piano and a synthesizer and a MIDI controller.

It is the fine points of the MIDI controller that I am trying to figure out, especially the ports as indicated in Ableton. Thank you for your posts and I would invite anyone else who might have some clues about this to point to post also.