Midi LFO and Ableton CC Data Recording (DMX Lighting)
Hello, I'm using multiple Max4Live Midi LFO's to send midi continuous control data to my DMX software - D-Pro (Enttec) - specifically to control X&Y coordinates of moving heads. I've also set up dummy clips to send various CC messages to control other aspects of my lighting rig. Color, Gobos, Prism, Rotation, Dimmer, etc...
It all is working exactly as I would expect UNTIL I try and record all the data from these multiple midi tracks full of CC messages to one midi channel to create a single dummy clip with all of the currently running clips to create a snapshot of the current parameters to be recalled, like a "scene". When I do so the problem is there seems to be a minor delay from the start of the clip and the start of the CC messages that are being recorded. All the CC messages are there but the data starts at 0 on all for a fraction of a beat before the CC message begins being recorded. This of course causes a hiccup as the lighting rig receiving all 0's before the correct commands every time the clip repeats. Any clue why this delay in recording the CC data occurs? If I move the start position of the clip past this point it seems to resolve this issue partially. See my next paragraph for what I believe to be the next issue with recording scenes(dummy clips) as I am attempting to do.
Let's say I have a dummy clip set to send CC 127, for the CC message to be sent and affect my light I seem to have to make sure there is a change in the data say from CC 126 to 127 or nothing happens. Why is this? Is there anything that can be done to make it resend the 127 value even if I don't edit in the slight change from 126 to 127. On the many channels of CC messages that are required to control lighting this is a very tedious process to do so.
Thanks in advance,
Jason
It's unlikely that recording a clip from other clips introduces latency. So perhaps your timing problems are due to the LFOs.
In fact, Live filters duplicate CC messages. Instead of manually editing slight changes from 126 to 127 you could make an M4L device that inserts them automatically at runtime.
Thank you for the info! I actually may have found a work around. I'm still in the trial stages and as I get further along I will post in more detail exactly what I am doing.
For now though I have discovered that if I use the Max4Live Midi LFO and turn the depth to zero so that no oscillation is occurring I can adjust the offset knob and get the full range of CC's to send repeatedly. I've verified this is occuring with midi monitor. Bonus is at any point I want to oscillate the CC data I can do so by simply turning the depth up and adjust rate and phase to my desired position.
As for the first issue of delayed recording of CC data when recording from midi clip to midi clip I'm still unsure what is causing this. I've decided to forego doing it this way. I will just manually copy the various clips that make up a "scene" into a row of clips to be launched simultaneously in session view.
Just did a quick test and surprisingly found that Live doesn't filter duplicate CC messages anymore, at least in version 9.