Say, I want to use a sampler to play long samples. Without a computer, is there a controller that allows to play notes into that sampler in a quantized way - like when launching clip in Live, Bitwig or a 1010 Blackbox?
I don’t want to use any of these products, just launch samples in a Sampler. I was wondering if one of the Launchpads has this functionality, or any other controller…
I’m sorry to say, what?
So you want to trigger long samples from a sampler using a controller but quantised? You should be able to more or less keep a long sample perfectly in time by just hitting it at the right time, quantisation is more for keeping short one shots in check imo, but an LPD8 has note repeat which can be used to make sure it’s quantised to the beat. If you’re looking for a sampler that can play long samplespretty much any will do except the lowest end but if you’re looking to do exceptionally long samples you’ll have to go with something like an octatrack or an SP404 which can stream mega long samples from card
Haha, sorry!
I press a button on a launchpad mini, it sends a midi note to a sampler (say, sp 404)
I want that note to be send on the next bar start, provided I press the button ahead of said bar.
Clearer?
You can launch quantized clips from the Octatrack using plays free tracks, and the Quantization set to pattern length. Or something like that 
Yeah I always just used one shot trigs on static slots for that
Should have specified! Nonoctotrack shall be involved! 
Indeed, I’m waiting for a sp 404. I want to play stem samples and record loops with it.
I could use my ninja skills to launch these right on time. I’m asking here about using a controller to launch these actions quantized.
I guess a raspberry pi solution could work.
Hitting the pad will do fine, you’re sorta looking for launchpad functionality for triggering a pad in the 404. Pretty sure the new launchpad pro still has a developer mode and people have used that for that sort of compatibility with iOS apps (atom 2, probably others). It’s actually an awesome idea for a custom lpp firmware and if that’s not your bag I bet you could pay someone to write it. Especially because the new launchpads obviously have clock and sequencing capabilities.
Youre in a tough spot cause it’s very specific. If you were looking for an external sequencer to program to launch samples that’s easy, but if you want that specific launchpad style hit a pad and trigger on the next bar it’s a very specific way to work for something that’s actually as easy as pressing a button at the right time. I feel you though I get caught up on little problems like this all the time and enjoy figuring it out, scratches a pointless itch
Yeah I feel that you’ve got exactly what I’m asking for
Right, I sort of understood that and you confirm it: I could get someone to write me a customized firmware for a Lunachpd. I believe (from what I’ve read) that only the Launchpad Pro has the capability of being customized this way, and indeed the only one featuring a sequencer and therefore MIDI sync.
It’s one possibility, kind of expensive given the price of the controller and to pay a person to do the work (I’m really not able to do it).
Else, a Raspberry pi could come cheaper, using a Launchpad mini which is good enough for me.
Anyone interested in helping please PM me!
I’ve just been made aware through another channel about this Axoloti Core | Axoloti
Looks great, only that it says it’s sold out, and it has only one UDB port for host-abilities, and says it doesn’t support USB hubs. I have 2 controllers.
If you know of other contenders…
I’m still unsure of what you mean by “Sampler”. As far as I can tell by your query, the nature of the kit that is receiving the messages from the controller is relevant to making that work. With that said, I might be totally misunderstanding what you’re trying to do.
Just to be precise, OT can launch samples quantized and you can start whole tracks (the machine including sample and fx, modulation, p-locks etc.) also quantized if you want (plays free tracks).
It’s also possible ofc to manually start a loop, which then can run as long as you want.
When the quantization is set to 16/16 (this works for samples and plays free tracks), you can hit the button any time and OT will play the sample/start the track at step 1 next loop cycle.
Easy way to trigger loops, start tracks, trigger filler samples etc.
Set quantization to 1 step, and it will always play at full steps, so no matter how sloppy your button game is, it will sound on time.
By Sampler I mean a SP 404 for example. Some machine that plays back samples, not sequenced.
The aim is to play them (they could be one shot of looped), synced with the music, but not as part of a sequence. So they can be launched any time. Like an audio clip in Ableton Live or similar.
My realization of Monday morning is, I’d better use a laptop with close lid as my sampler, running Ableton Live and with my controllers plugged to it
The attempt was to avoid a computer, but I’m not even sure why now…
Ahh, I get it now. Yeah, I think it would be possible, but it would be a lot of work for something that is pretty much plug and play with ableton.
I’ve done the same thing a fair few times myself. Sitting around for hours trying to come up with a non-computer solution and ending up using the computer because it just works.
Yep !
I don’t want a computer as the center of my jam, but am not against it at all cost.
If I get what you mean, one way to do it would be use Ableton Live clips in session view which which can be quantised to whatever value you want.
So each clip would have a different midi part that triggers your SP 404 samples. Your launchpad or whatever midi controller could fire them off. Once set up in Live you wouldn’t really need to look at your computer at all as long as you remember what on your controller fires off what on the SP.
Thanks. For that job, which is only playing prepared samples, I’d rather stay in Live then.
The SP 404 will have another role.
This is literally what Ableton does. I’d look into getting a copy of Live.
Even better, I’ve got one!
I was looking for a solution that isn’t Live but apart from an Octotrack (I’ve been told) or a Blackbox (which I’ve tried and didn’t like for the task) I see nothing as convenient. That’s fine 