GCP using Ableton Live to receive Program Changes

mikeydemus · **Joined:** Sat Oct 29, 2011 7:04 am **Posts:** 5

Hello,

I've just bought a Ground Control Pro which I plan to use to control an RJM Effects Gizmo (with a few pedals in its loops) & a Digidesign Eleven Rack, as well as my Line 6 Echo Pro and Filter Pro rack units (should these also be in the Effects Gizmo's loops?). I currently have set up the GCP for 4 presets / 8 Instant Access switches.

I am planning to use Ableton Live (which runs click and some synth stuff on track) to send the GCP program changes via a midi cable from a Motu interface, meaning i'll have less tap dancing to do. Will Ableton Live be able to tell the GCP to switch Instant Access switches on/off, as well as change presets in my other rack gear?

Many thanks for your help!

JohnClark · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 4:39 pm

As long as your Ground Control Pro has the current software (v1.13) you can do this by programming Ableton to act as a Master Ground Control Pro. You will have to send some SysEx messages from Ableton and set the Link Mode on your Ground Control Pro to Slave. The Link Mode is found in the MIDI section under Setup Mode. In order to recall a Ground Control Pro preset from Ableton you will need to send a hex string coded like the following...

F0 00 00 07 10 xx yy F7

"xx" is the Bank number with the allowable range from 00h through 23h. For instance Bank 0 would be "00" and Bank A would be "0A".

"yy" is the preset button within the selected bank and the allowable range from 10h to 13h (4 Presets per Bank mode) or 00h through 09h (10 Presets per Bank mode).

When you are in the Slave Link mode, Instant Access buttons you have programmed will respond to the same Control Change and MIDI Channel they are programmed to send.

I hope that helps!

mikeydemus · **Joined:** Sat Oct 29, 2011 7:04 am **Posts:** 5

Massively helpful thank you. I will pass this on to my Ableton guy hopefully he will be able to program this stuff in!

One more thing, is there any way you can think of (using the GCP, or any other means of available gear out there) of making a 'Panic Button', i.e. a button that stops the GCP 'listening' to PC commands from the Midi In, and reverts back to being the master? I'm wondering how I could make, should Ableton crap out and stop sending commands, a one-button solution to quickly make the GCP switch back to being the master again in case of this.

cheers for your help!

JohnClark · **Posted:** Wed Nov 02, 2011 9:21 am

The Ground Control Pro will operate as normal in this setup when its own buttons are pressed.

Good Luck!

mikeydemus · **Joined:** Sat Oct 29, 2011 7:04 am **Posts:** 5

cool thanks, good to know!

can ableton control the instant access buttons too?

JohnClark · **Posted:** Tue Nov 08, 2011 11:17 am

JohnClark wrote:

When you are in the Slave Link mode, Instant Access buttons you have programmed will respond to the same Control Change and MIDI Channel they are programmed to send.

That is to say, when you send a Control Change message from Ableton, any Ground Control Pro Instant Access button that is programmed to use the same Control Change will update its LED to match the status of the new message.

mikeydemus · **Joined:** Sat Oct 29, 2011 7:04 am **Posts:** 5

thanks!

mikeydemus · **Joined:** Sat Oct 29, 2011 7:04 am **Posts:** 5

Hi John, finally implementing this setup now, having some difficulties. Mainly, do you know how I might get ableton to send sysex messages? Pretty stuck on this!

thanks!
M

JohnClark · **Posted:** Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:48 pm

That would be something I may have overlooked... I am unsure if Ableton can in fact send MIDI SysEx messages.

GCP using Ableton Live to receive Program Changes

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