Midi Controls by foot with Abelton Live Set-up

spaceribbon · Joined: Feb 14, 2007 Posts: 2 Location: hollywood

Note: I need to purchase the proper equipment now. I have no midi experience.

We are a guitarist and bassist that wish to trigger our prerecorded drum loops by a foot midi controller. I have researched this forum and I know that my question is similar but this is how it is specific:

Which midi controlling keyboard works best with the best foot midi controller? $ is no problem if it means a quality and reliable set-up. We want to be on stage and start/stop multiple drum sequences or anything we have cued up - easily with our feet*.

Specifically which is the best midi foot to midi keyboard to abletonlive 6 set-up? I'll be using a laptop g4 mac.

merci!

-space

jksuperstar · Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject:

Why need the MIDI Keyboard?

I use a Behringer FCB1010. It works very well (10 switches + 2 pedals boards). I assume you already have the Live setup going, do you have a MIDI interface? (Something simple is all you need for this specific application, even a $30 Yamaha 1x1 midi adapter will do.

I use it for starting loops, looping myself (controlling zonemobius), and as a controller for effects.

mosc · Posted: Thu Feb 15, 2007 12:21 pm Post subject:

Behringer FCB1010 - I was going to suggest that one myself.

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It will work with any MIDI keyboard or knob box. There are many many MIDI keyboards of such variety that a recommendation is almost impossible because only you know your exact needs.

spaceribbon · Joined: Feb 14, 2007 Posts: 2 Location: hollywood

I'm going to start with this.. and possibly an M-Audio midi controller. I have the Midisport right now and a firewire solo.

-space

ewblank · Joined: Mar 09, 2006 Posts: 52 Location: Montreal, Canada

Hi there everyone,

I was just about to post a very similar topic, but I found this one, so I thought I'd piggy-back my question here. I've been thinking about trying out that Beringer controller, but it would be great if I knew it can do what I want before buying it.

I'm in a similar situation as spaceribbon - ie: I'm a midi novice, and need to control some synth gear with my feet while playing bass.

The main difference between his needs and mind is that what I need to do is use the foot controller to replace control panel button and dial mods on a Yamaha AN200 - nothing complicated, just cycling forward and backward through patterns, and if I want to be daring, I'd try to control the cutoff or the LFO with the expression pedals.

So, if anyone knows if these kinds of things are possible to do with the Behringer controller - please let me know.

Thanks for the help and best regards,
ew

mosc · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:34 pm Post subject:

Look in your Yamaha manual and see that the controls you want to use have MIDI continuous controls. If the synth isn't MIDI enabled for the features you want, then you are out of luck. Almost every synth has program control via MIDI.

Virtually any MIDI controller with do that. The Behringer is quite flexible and capable for the money.

ewblank · Joined: Mar 09, 2006 Posts: 52 Location: Montreal, Canada

Thanks for the info.

regards,
ew

jksuperstar · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:54 pm Post subject:

Also, there's an active group at groups.Yahoo.com called "fcb1010" and another one called "fcb1010_uno". The "uno" group relates to a guy who re-wrote the software that runs in the FCB1010, to give it more features and fix a few bugs that some people experience.