Launching Clips/Sequences Immediately from MIDI notes?

[stubbsonic]

I'm wondering if it is possible in DP to trigger playback of any specific chunk/sequence or clip using MIDI notes?

Back-story: Kurzweil K2000 etc, has a sequencer with an interesting ARRANGE feature which allows you to trigger any sequence with a MIDI note. It can trigger right when the note is played (regardless of beat/bar), and can even scale the playback volume of the sequence based the velocity of the trigger note. I've been looking for some alternatives, but they all have other limitations that make them unworkable. So I was wondering if DP might be able to do this.

Use case: Let's say I have about 30 MIDI phrases that I want to be able to trigger via MIDI note. I want the phrases to have their own tempo map. I want to be able to trigger them freely - without being constrained to a grid. Though allowing them to overlap would be nice, at least I'd like the ability to start & stop them with an on/off from the same MIDI NOTE (i.e. momentary).

[bayswater]

That's something Dr'T's KCS did so well.

In DP you can assign a sequence to a short cut, and any short cut can have a corresponding MIDI event from a specific source. I don't know what happens if you are in playback mode in a song or a sequence and you use one of these shortcuts, but that much be pretty close to what you want to do. Maybe you'd have to use the shortcut to get the sequence up front and then a second shortcut to play it.

I haven't done much with Clips, but can you make sequences into clips and then use events to trigger them as clips?

[stubbsonic]

In DP you can assign a sequence to a short cut, and any short cut can have a corresponding MIDI event from a specific source.

Do you remember what that shortcut/command is called?

I don't know what happens if you are in playback mode in a song or a sequence and you use one of these shortcuts, but that much be pretty close to what you want to do. Maybe you'd have to use the shortcut to get the sequence up front and then a second shortcut to play it.

I'm happy to tinker around with some combinations.

I haven't done much with Clips, but can you make sequences into clips and then use events to trigger them as clips?

Yea, I haven't done anything with clips. I did search COMMANDS for things with the word clips and didn't see anything promising.

[bayswater]

In DP you can assign a sequence to a short cut, and any short cut can have a corresponding MIDI event from a specific source.

Do you remember what that shortcut/command is called?

Just go to the Commands Window and look for Sequence. There will be an item for each sequence in the project.

[bayswater]

I haven't done much with Clips, but can you make sequences into clips and then use events to trigger them as clips?

Yea, I haven't done anything with clips. I did search COMMANDS for things with the word clips and didn't see anything promising.

There is a "enable MIDI bindings" command in the Clips mini menu. I'd assume that means you can create MIDI events that launch a clip. I'm not really a clips types, so again, haven't used it. The must be some way to launch a clip other than clicking on it.

[stubbsonic]

Thanks. Will dig into this more soon.

[Michael Canavan]

Clips is your best bet, one caveat is the smallest quantization grid is 1/4 note, but honestly unless you're using short samples and not loops it's better that way. I've been asking for unquantised because you can use Clips as a sampler then, create grooves between loops etc.

You can assign notes to fire Scene (a horizontal bank of Clips). The super easy method is to buy a modern Akai or Novation clip launcher that works with Clips. Back when I used Ableton Live for performing I set up a FCB1010 foot controller to launch Scenes, that's a great way to do it if you're playing guitar etc.

[stubbsonic]

I think having the launch wait for the next beat is probably a deal-breaker at least for the concept I've got floating around in this grey mush.

[Michael Canavan]

I think having the launch wait for the next beat is probably a deal-breaker at least for the concept I've got floating around in this grey mush.

https://motu.com/en-us/suggestions/

IMO this is where Clips become an instrument or a sketch pad. Having a no quantize setting is super important.

Your best bet is to look into UVI Falcon for un quantized jumping to the next loop if you have it, you can set this up, but it would take some work. The other option is to use a Live Lite or Bitwig 8-Track copy you might have laying around from a MIDI controller purchase.

Back in the day Kore would have been perfect, as it also hosts VSTs and ran as a plugin in DP, but NI are fools.

[stubbsonic]

Good ideas!! I do have Falcon. I got it last year on sale. I don't mind a one-time setup kind of thing where "modules" can be plugged in.

Another option is to try using an iPad with something called Atom 2 Piano Roll. But given my intense dislike of touchscreens, a sharp stick in the eye might be a competing user experience. (stick-in-eye-emoji) (tears-and-blood-spray-emoji) (rolling-on-floor-writhing-emoji)

I will post a suggestion to MOTU. It's weird that the sequencer in the K2xxx has two unique features that I've not found elsewhere-- ARRANGE MODE and reference quantize (quantize one track the the grid created by the events on another track).

[Michael Canavan]

reference quantize (quantize one track the the grid created by the events on another track).

That's possible with both MIDI and audio, it's just a bit of hoops to go through. IMO this is an area that MOTU should simplify or consolidate in DP12. You can quantize audio to the settings from another track, and you can apply the groove quantize to a MIDI track, but it's multiple steps.