Here’s how to hook up external instruments and control them with MIDI CC in Ableton Live
Get more out of your MIDI in Ableton Live.
So, you’ve got yourself a new synth that you’re excited to perform, record and tinker with, but you’re struggling to automate it in Ableton Live. MIDI CC (Continuous Control) is essential in recording, editing and capturing MIDI data between your DAW and your external hardware. Whether you want your DAW to dictate your hardware’s movement or the other way around, Live is readily equipped for the task.
In this Ableton Live tutorial, Liam O’Mullane shows you how to record, capture and edit MIDI data from a hardware instrument, and send MIDI data from Ableton Live to the instrument. You’ll learn what MIDI CC is and how it can be used to control various parameters on your hardware, and how you can use a MIDI controller for a more hands-on approach. You’ll also learn how Max For Live devices can be used to help you edit MIDI in the DAW.
Other lessons in our Ableton Live Tutorials series so far include:
- Random MIDI device
- Exploring Phaser-Flanger
- Live’s Audio Limiters
- Introduction to Electric
- Building engaging arrangements
- Using Corpus
- Create, store, browse and load templates
- Create polymeters and automating tempo and time signature
- Creative Sidechaining
- Shaping sounds with Multiband Compressor
- How to use Operator
- Saving CPU
- Master Macro Variations
- Grain Delay
- Scene Follow Actions
- Spectrum and EQ Eight analyser
Those of you who already know Live inside and out, but are looking to explore other DAWs may want to check out our Logic Tips Series, following a similar pattern to this course.
