Live HW controllers

[Andrew Tarpinian]

Quite an interesting setup
http://www.polaritydesign.com/image/control.jpg

The APC40 of course works immediately and is pretty much a joy as the main Live controller. Integrating the Zero is a little more challenging as it's not a "made for Live" device. There is a special Live template (if you turn automap off and go into advanced mode) that exists on it where it functions as a dedicated controller and this has been working pretty well, what's odd is the led rings on the knobs don't seem to work in advanced mode : /

Right now I have been using the APC as the main controller for clip launching, mixing, transport, and hard mapping device parameters and effects with the knobs (mapped using lives internal midi mapping). Then the Zero is handling dynamic device tweaking, meaning selecting a device with the APC then tweaking the parameters on the Zero, this works pretty well on the Zero as you can see all the parameters on the screen. Also have been using the (velocity sensitive) pads on the Zero to quickly bang out drum parts as they are usually mapped automatically to trigger the drums in live drum racks. I have more to learn about setting up the Zero to get the most out of it, there are some things that I don't like about the default Live template, but all in all this seem to be going in a great direction for writing tracks and "playing" them. 

I have been using Lives "Value Scaling" takeover mode for the volume faders and it's been fairly painless so far. Also everyone seems to get updated via Live talkback so no problems playing together. Not sure what I'm doing with the launchpad right now, but it will be nice to dedicate it to specific duties like step sequencing etc...

I am very excited about this set up. Somehow I have become a total Live convert recently after not liking the program at all for many years. Now I love it, especially the workflow I have been using - Write all your parts in session view, hit global record, perform your track, then tweak in the arrange.