Command|8 and Ableton Live?

[majestic]

Is anyone using the Command|8 with Ableton Live (i.e. in Standalone mode)? I see that the manual uses Live as an example when explaining Standalone mode, but are there any real world experiences out there?

I love the idea of rewiring Live to PT as a slave and just flipping between the two platforms using that mode switch.

[silverlode]

As far as I can see, no one has actually implemented stand alone mode with Reason, Live, Logic, etc. It looks like it's a real pain, and personallly I haven't had the time to sit down and figure it out. Also, I don't think there's a way to teach those apps to provide tactile feedback to the C|8.

Digi needs to get the C|8 "personality" file out there. The C|8 is superior to the Mackie Control Universal, as a product, but it's limited acceptance with 3rd party apps has got to be hurting sales, and usefulness.

[John Pisciotta]

Hopefully digi will implement this now that they OWN it. it would be great to see it respondas if its PTs.

[silverlode]

You're thinking that M-Audio makes Live, which they don't. They distribute it in the States, but don't make it. Ableton, a German company, makes it.

But still, Digi distributes versions of Live and Reason with every ProTools system, you'd think they'd want to get their products working with the software they advertise.

[majestic]

I don't think there's a way to teach those apps to provide tactile feedback to the C|8.

I found a review of the C|8 at http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul0...ncommand8.htm/

From what it says in the section "Stand-alone Mode", it looks like the C|8 and Live can communicate both ways without problems. Great stuff, I'll have to demo this machine!

[silverlode]

I dug a little deeper - thanks for posting that SOS link. I've created a C|8 stand alone preset and a Live template that work together. Read the C|8 reference on loading SysEx messages into your C|8 if you want to use this. Also, load the Live template and in MIDI/Sync prefs select Command8 (Port 1) as your remote control input and output.

In the C|8 preset, we get 16 channels of controls. I've mapped the first 12 to 12 Live tracks. Fader = Track Volume, Mute = Track Activator, Solo = Solo, Select = Arm Recording, and Pan = Track Pan. I mapped the 2 sends and the master to channel strips 14, 15, and 16. On the C|8 press the bank button to switch between the 2 pages of channel strips.

It was pretty easy to do, but it was a bit tedious to name all the controls on the C|8. But, I present the SysEx file so you don't need to go through the hassle!

Live_C|8_SysEx file
Live_C|8_Template

Next I am going to tackle Reason 3.0 (don't know if I can get ReMote to see the C|8) and then the motherlode... Logic Pro 7.1!!

[majestic]

Many thanks for this silverlode, this will save us Live users a lot of time. Looking forward to getting my C|8!

[Sofine]

Thanks Silverlode. Will try it our asap.

[John Pisciotta]

Thanks for doing this SilverLoad. Can you explain it a bit further.
Heres what im doing:

1.Your sys-ex file gets loaded into Pt midi track,
2. C8 gets set to recieve Sys-ex info. play in PT.
3. C8 should respond or say it has recieved the sy-sex info.

Right? Im not seeing a response from the C8. Did i miss a step here? is your other file a LIVE template?
thanks for doing this.

[silverlode]

The other file is a Live template, to be loaded from Live, yes.

Well I have to admit that I never tried putting my SysEx file back onto my C|8. I will try later today and post back.