Hi! I’m trying to get the pattern change via OB & midi working in Ableton 12 but somehow I can’t manage to do so.
In the OB manual it says :
8.2 PATTERN CHANGE
*You can send MIDI notes to the plugin on MIDI channel 16 to request pattern changes on the Elektron device… * MIDI note 0 = Pattern 1 MIDI note 1 = Pattern 2
Still when I’m sending midi note 0 (=C-2) to Digi Plug in Track 16 it will trigger Digi’s track 1 and so forth.
What am I missing here? Is it midi config on the digi or something in the ableton midi routing?
Thanks in advance!
8.4 MIDI NOTES
Some functions can be triggered by sending MIDI note values from an external MIDI device (a MIDI key
board or a computer, for example) connected to the Digitakt II via a standard MIDI cable or a USB 2.0 A to B
connector cable.
Of the 128 notes in the standard MIDI range, Note numbers 0–7 correspond to notes C0 through to G0, the
leftmost octave (which is sometimes called C-2–G-2 in certain applications). These notes will trigger the
preset of track 1 through track 8, respectively (provided they are set to their default channels 1-8). These
notes values map to each of the eight tracks, regardless of which track is active.
MIDI note numbers 12–84, that corresponds to notes C1–C7 (C5, MIDI note 60, being middle C) will trigger
the preset of the active track in any of its 73 chromatic variations (as if played by the [TRIG] keys in KEY
BOARD mode, see section below), from lowest to highest pitch.
MIDI program change messages 0–127 will select pattern 1–128 (A01–H16) on the Digitakt II. Additionally,
MIDI CC and NRPN messages can be sent to control various aspects of the Digitakt II. For more informa
tion, please see “APPENDIX B: MIDI” on page 104.
So, it’s telling you the behavior here in the manual, I think this is what you’re having an issue with.
Hey thank you very much! Of course it’s about cc messages, sometimes I just don’t see the obvious…
For everyone else: In Live 12 there is also a new midi tool that could do the job: cc controll, which can send various cc messages. I will try it out tomorrow and will also try it on the digitakt II effect macros!
I think it sounds like you’re sending midi notes to the digitakt and not to the overbridge plugin. The manual is telling us that “note numbers 0–7 correspond to notes C0 through to G0, the
leftmost octave (which is sometimes called C-2–G-2 in certain applications). These notes will trigger the
preset of track 1 through track 8, respectively” so from what you’re saying note 0 is triggering track 1’s sample as a one shot and this sounds like the expected behavior if digitakt is receiving that midi note value.
Meanwhile the overbridge manual says:
8.2 PATTERN CHANGE
You can send MIDI notes to the plugin on MIDI channel 16 to request pattern changes on the Elektron de
vice. Like SONG POSITION sync, this works in a best effort manner. The sequencer will change to the new
pattern after the current pattern has played through to the end.
MIDI note 0 = Pattern 1
MIDI note 1 = Pattern 2
MIDI note 2 = Pattern 3
…
MIDI note 15 = Pattern 16
So, if I’m guessing (because I don’t use overbridge a lot) it sounds as though you’re sending notes to the digitakt directly and instead there must be a way to send the notes to the plugin itself, on channel 16.
I do think you can use the CC to achieve pattern change but it looks like overbridge can take care of that part for you, so you need to figure out if the track in your daw which you set to channel 16 is sending right to the digitakt and see if you have an option to send to the ob plugin instead.
If you’re already doing that then try sending the C note an octave above or below because Elektron’s octave numbering is sometimes misaligned with other manufacturers. When you get a chance to try this update if something worked or if it’s still a problem.
After a quick check it seems that Pattern Change via OB is pretty flakey. I don’t use it normally but was curious how it’d work now DT2 has 16 tracks. Although I was able to change patterns, it turns out that A01 is not selectable, as both C-2 and D#-2 will select A02. Bug?
And when sending these notes to select patterns, the notes also play the sound on that track (C-2 plays track 1’s trig). Not found a way to stop that happening.
Thank you @shigginpit for your help & feedback! I now managed to send the midi notes to the „correct“ Digitakt and the pattern changes do happen (yay!)
As @garf pointed out, next to the pattern changes, the midi note behavior (8.2. in digital manual) is simultaneously happening with channel 16 of the Digitakt. (notes will trigger the
preset of track 1 through track 8, respectively MIDI note numbers 12–84, that corresponds to notes C1–C7 will trigger the preset of the track 16 in any of its 73 chromatic variations.
I didn’t manage to correctly set up the midi - cc way but as soon as I’ve managed to do so, I’ll provide feedback about how it works compared to the midi-note to overbridge method.
Update: I managed to controll the Digi using the program change method and will stick to it for now, as it doesn’t play back a digi track preset + I can change between banks.
As I far as I understand, that’s not possible with the pattern change overbridge method.
Thank you for your input!
Hello friends I have found the perfect solution, as we were dreamed it !
I’m using two Max for Live devices, so it’s a bit technical, but it’s worth it. I have a MIDI track with a device called “Elektron Pattern Clips,” which simply lets you trigger a pattern like “A1” directly on the first beat, without any latency, just by naming an empty MIDI clip.
However, there was an issue with scenes. When using a follow action on a scene and pre-selecting the next scene (flashing), it would trigger the next pattern on the Digitakt. So, I bought a Max for Live device called “Auto Scene Launcher,” which costs around 3 euros. It works in a similar way on a dedicated MIDI track: you use the name of the clip, like “next,” “previous,” or “scene 7,” and you decide how long the scene lasts by setting the clip’s length. You place a random note on the last bar, which triggers the command and performs a follow action.
Everything works now; everything is synced. I hope this helps someone—I really struggled to figure it out!
Hi!
Do you (or anybody else) work with automations in DAW + pattern changes?
My current workflow in Ableton is following:
One MIDI clip with automations on overbridge track.
Several MIDI clips on empty MIDI track set to output to corresponding DT auto channel with program changes on timeline of project view. These clips are placed a little bit before to perform pattern change on time.
Automation lines on Overbridge channel have dots on edges of program change MIDI channel clips (idk if it has any sense).
This way automations shuffle sometimes. E.g. track mute automation - line is drawn in the clip, it is active, but sometimes it just doesn’t happen. Works fine when I change patterns manually.
Has anyone faced this problem? I can’t find any logic when it happens or not at the moment.
I’m on DT1, haven’t made any tracks on DT2 until DT1 tracks are finished.