Midi playback function > How to synchronise Ableton with the drummer

Dextroze · August 5, 2020, 4:26pm

Hello there,
Thanks to your help, I’m almost able to have my rackspaces ans variations change during the songs of a new album I’m about to record, without touching knobs. I’d really like to do this during the recording.
The fact is that the drummer is launching some samples with his SPD.
We could use the same playback timings etc but how to synchronise “the moment we push play” ?
Thanks in advance and have a great evening

keyman · August 5, 2020, 4:40pm

SPD MIDI out > MIDI interface > GP
Just “catch” the MIDI START /STOP messages, GP will START/STOP playing

pianopaul · August 5, 2020, 5:06pm

What is SPD?
This?

keyman · August 5, 2020, 5:16pm

think so

pianopaul · August 5, 2020, 5:17pm

Maybe this device can help
https://www.ableton.com/de/packs/beatseeker/

Dextroze · August 5, 2020, 7:33pm

Thanks man ! What if I’m already using midi from a keyboard to the interface ?

keyman · August 6, 2020, 2:04pm

You can daisy chain MIDI (although I’m not a fan of that in a Live situation)
Get another MIDI interface
Get a merger box - attention here to a good quality one…

Dextroze · August 6, 2020, 2:05pm

Thank you keyman

Dextroze · September 15, 2020, 1:43pm

How do I “catch” the midi start stop messages ?

David-san · September 15, 2020, 1:55pm

Have a look here:

Turning play off and on with a widget?

With the awesomeness of GPScript you can!
Var
   PLAYSTOP : Widget

On WidgetValueChanged(newValue : double) from PLAYSTOP
    If newValue == 1.0 Then
        EnablePlayhead(true)
    Else
        EnablePlayhead(false)
    End
End
I have attached a sample gig file so you can see it in action.

Widget to Play-Stop.gig (5.5 KB)

pianopaul · September 15, 2020, 1:55pm

Let’s go to the beginning:
The title says “How to synchronize Ableton with the drummer”,
but I have the feeling it should be
“How to synchronize the drummer with Ableton”
=> Change the Drummer

Now more serious: Do you want to start/stop Ableton Live by the Drummer?

Dextroze · September 15, 2020, 1:59pm

Ahahaha ! Thank you, and sorry !!
Yes that would be perfect.
But it’s ok if i’m starting the tune too. I mean if it’s me that push starts.
The most important being that we have the same beggining and same tempo so that he can have his samples, and me my “GP CONTROL” midi track in Ableton controlling my variations.

pianopaul · September 15, 2020, 2:07pm

OK, in my bands I am startin Ableton Live via my Midi Controller.
The Midi Controller starts the global playhead and with LINK enabled the tempo in Ableton Live gives the tempo to Gig Performer.
The drummer gets a click track sent from Ableton Live, so he should be in sync with Ableton Live.

you can also let the drummer start Loops and Samples, but this should trigger clips in Ableton Live.
So you would have a click track wich is running and the drummer can trigger clips which then automatically start with the next beat (for example).
This start you can define in Ableton Live (net 4 bars, next 2 bars, next bar, next beat, next 1/8 or totally free).

to make it easy in the beginning:
In ABleton Live on Midi Mapping Mode you can map your Controller to start/stop clips etc.

Dextroze · September 15, 2020, 2:14pm

Thank you very much !
And how can I do so that the drummer ear the click ?

Dextroze · September 15, 2020, 2:17pm

I think it will be easier if the drummer starts the song and that he has his own click (and spd sound).
It would be great if when I or he presses start, both of our engines start …
Sorry for the bad explanations !

pianopaul · September 15, 2020, 2:17pm

In Ableton Live you can enable a click an route it to a physical out of your Audio Interface.
Or you use a Cowbell Sample and let it loop and the output of the track you can route to a physical out.

pianopaul · September 15, 2020, 2:18pm

You know Murphy?
Which Engine is the master?
One Engine will be fast than the other…

Dextroze · September 15, 2020, 2:18pm

Yes but the drummer needs to ear his SPD when he plays, if he only has the click that wont work.

pianopaul · September 15, 2020, 2:19pm

Then let him buy a small mixer where he can mix the output of the SPD and Ableton.

pianopaul · September 15, 2020, 2:25pm

In my bands whe use a Allen&Heath Mixer
All my plabacks from Ableton and my Live sounds are sent as a stereo signal to the mixer.
The Click Track is sent to a separate Mono channel in the Mixer.

Each Musician uses in Ear and can make his own Monitor Mix.

Sometimes I am using a 4th Channel just to control the musicians to indicate when for example the
refrain starts: It is a sample which says “1 2 3 4”

or in Bavarian “oans zwoa drei Gsuffa”