How to automatically jump to a next song in Ableton with Setlist View

General discussion about Gig Performer
1

Hi guys,

I’m able to change locators in Ableton (Arrangement View) via changing Song Parts in “Setlists” by sending control messages from Gig Performer to Ableton. The next logical step for me is to be able to automatically stop the playback where a song ends in Ableton and to jump to the next locator (next song in Ableton) and to make my songs in Gig Performer in “Setlists” automatically change as well.

Is there a way to do it?

2

I do not understand,
Should GP control Ableton or vice versa?

3

Ideally both. I programmed in GP different rackspaces/songs for different songs - I wanted to be able to manually hit one of my pads on midi keyboard and to select that rackspace/song in GP (and locator in Ableton) that I wanted to focus on, which works.

But at the same time for live show purposes it would be convenient to just press “play” and to have the first rackspace/song in GP activated with all the synths and samplers and to be active during the first song in Ableton. After the end of that song in Ableton → to have a pause and to get to the next locator, waiting for me to press “play” but also to have my next rackspace/song in GP automatically switched without me hitting pads for that purpose.

Both modes are useful depending on how a live show unfolds.

4

All that would be much easier to implement when using session view in ableton live

5

Unfortunately, right now I need the possibility to visually see the whole arrangement from left to right, I draw colorful midi blocks representing the length of instruments in different sections of songs, which helps my band mates faster memorize complex songs structure-wise. + Editing arrangements is so intuitive.

I’m not sure I can get that flexibility from Session View or at least don’t know how.

What are the benefits of using Session View for live performances in your opinion compared to Arrangement View? (if it’s possible to express your thoughts on that topic without spending too much of your time - and thank you for trying to help @pianopaul ).

6

Ableton Live nerd here.

For stop, you have different options:

I control transport in Live. GP is not synced with Link but MIDI clock through virtual MIDI Port. I don’t know the exact settings from mind, but GP starts/stops Transport/playhead fully in sync to Live without needing to wait the “Count-in” required in Link.

For transport stop in Live, I created a small M4L device that can perform it by automating a button. It could also be done with Follow Actions in Session View or another IAC Port that lets Live remote-control itself. There are plenty of YouTube vids available, however if you need help setting this up, don’t hesitate!

You could also do it the other way round, letting GP dictate the stop, but Live better knows when a song is over.

For your Rackspace change:

  • Assign a PC number to the first variation of the desired song (not the song itself) in GP Setlist mode.
  • Create a new virtual MIDI port for this purpose
  • Create a new MIDI track in Live dedicated for the switch. Set input to “No input”, output to the created virtual MIDI port. You might need to enable the “Track” check in Lives MIDI settings for this port if it is not visible.
  • Create a MIDI clip sending out the desired PC. Can be set in the “extended clip properties”, lower left part of clip view (Live 12).
  • Put the clip in the arrangement position where you want to switch.
  • In global MIDI settings in GP, activate the check for “accept incoming Program Change” for the created virtual port.

However, I don’t like it, as this can cause a lot of headache, e.g.: Live reaches end and sends PC to GP, GP selects next Song and sends locator CC to Live, Live jumps to next song and might skip everything behind the CC clip, e.g. the stop functionality, but dependend on the load time of the next rackspace. The stop functionality must be launched before the CC for locater arrives, but after PC is sent. You’re creating a race condition here.

Instead, I propose: Create the stop functionality and stop transport at the end of each song. Scarfice two buttons on your keyboard to step forward or backward in Song mode and declare GP the Master and Live the Sla…Follower :slight_smile:

And last but not least, why Session View: Because it is build for such stuff. You can rebuild every imagineable arrangement in Session View by using loops, independend clip starts and oneshot clips. Additionally you can set up on-demand Variation switching in GP (direct or quantized on a beat), quantized tempo switches, endless looping of a section, dynamic jumps to the next songpart, transport start, transport stop and a lot more, and all controlled by one single “thing that sends a CC to Live”. Or without any input fully automated, if wanted.

7

One hint to save you further headache:

On Transport stop, Live sends CC123 to all Ports and Devices, not through channels but somehow directly and rigourously. This cannot be blocked within Live and will cut off all your sustaining notes in GP. This is by far the most stupid thing the software does.

You can get rid of it by creating a Rig assingment in GP, starting Lives transport, click “Learn” in GP, stop Lives transport and hope your Rig assignment is now mapped to CC123. Then, assign it to an empty dummy Widget in the Global Rackspace and it’s gone :+1: