Best way to set up with Ableton live 7

Mannnn!!!!, your replies are on point Tohtruck.

Thanks for taking some time out of your day and hooking a brother up with some knowledge. I complete understand the ASIO explanation. I'm going to check the Digidesign website to make sure I have the latest ASIO drivers. I run an IBM T60 dual core laptop with two gig of memory. I think the issue I'm having with protools is the chipset. I don't rewire Ableton live and Protools. I do rewire Reason 4 and Ableton live and it works great. Your absolutely correct MIDI is NOT AUDIO. That's like the first thing I learned when reading manuals. One thing I'm really interested in knowing how people track from the mpc to Ableton. Right now I have to go track by track muting the others (this takes for ever.) I wonder if it's possible to track in a diffrent manner?

Thanks I do what I can

I tend to write too much (bad habit developed from attending a writing intensive high school) and go off on tangents. I hope everything I've written makes sense, it's alot to digest and I'm not very good at explaining tech mumbo jumbo (nor am I very good at understanding it).

I normally don't even respond to threads, just read them. But this particular thread definitely caught my attention since it is a set-up/workflow method that I have been tangling with for a couple months now but still have not yet resolved. I'm really hoping Live 8 sorts out the sync issues.

Re Tracking:
You can multi-track your MPC into Live. Just like any other DAW basically, set-up the inidividual tracks in Live in accordance to each discrete MIDI output your MPC provides. Assign the tracks on your MPC to the individual outputs on the MPC's mixer screen. Sync Live and the MPC by slaving the MPC to Live. Record away.

Of course you will need an audio interface with enough inputs to accomodate your MPC's outputs or at least enough audio inputs to accomodate the # of tracks you want to track out. Or do multiple passes

Keep in mind that since MPC is following Live's clock you will probably lose any swing/groove from your MPC. Also remember that if you have the warp function on in Live then the audio clips that you get from tracking your MPC will follow that groove as well.

Another idea is to multi-track into Pro-Tools and then bounce the loops from each audio track in PT into Live as wav forms. There might also be the possibility of saving your project from one application as an OMF file or other universal project suffix and seeing if the other program can read it.

Thanks for the info.

I must admit I have no Idea were to begin when it comes to tracking into Ableton (even though you've touched on it in your reply.) I can read into it however my Achiles heel is TIMEEEEE. I'm in the information technology field (HOW Ironic?) I also have my son's football practice were I coach and then there's the certifications I have to get thru this year. I was looking into an MPC video to purchase that will kill some of the learning curve. I'm going to go over what you wrote, let it marinate and give it a go over the weekend.

Thanks for all your help

before i even ask anything I'd like to say thank you as well Tohtruck for your kindness and willingness to help.
I've been trying to read all i can on this subject cause if this timing issue gets worked out I think there will be no better combination between soft/hardware than Live and the mpc.

my question is have you tried to slave the mpc to live and actualy lost the mpc swing because of that and if so which swing is it, is it the natural swing of the mp or the swing feature that we assing in the tc screen that gets lost when slaving?

I personally have slaved the mpc to Ableton and have had great results. I've really have'nt been able to tell if the swing is actually lost (the MPC original swing.) I am able to change the Timing correct (TC) on the drum machine with no problems when working on tracks with the MPC slaved to Ableton.

thanks i'll be trying this out soon, doesn't seem too bad then

Yeah I actually regret making that comment about losing swing when slaving the MPC.

To a certain degree this is likely true.

People seem to get overly sensitive about their MPC's swing.

The theory behind it is that the MPC's sequencer, especially that of the older MPC's, have a certain feel and timing. Likewise, computer sequencers and software have their own timing and feel.

When it comes down it, the MPC is basically a little computer. It has its own processor that is likely weaker or less robust and less powerful than any processor your computer is probably running. However it is running an OS that is proprietary and dedicated to the MPC's functions. Whereas a computer has a much more powerful processor that runs an OS that not only runs your music programs but also general purpose applications and likely other programs that are probably running concurrently while you are making music.

So alot of people make the claim that with the MPC's older processor things aren't calculated and triggered as accurately as a more advanced modern-day computer, which probably processes things very quickly and accurately. This is why people say that the MPC60's and 3000's sound almost like a real drummer, because it is not as accurate and those small miscalculations offset the timing of things by tiny amounts. Whereas the computer will likely play things how you would expect a robot would.

Some people swear by this some people say its just a myth.

When it comes down to it, just trust your own judgement and make the comparisons yourself. If you find that your sequence sounds different while slaving to a computer then make some tweaks to the settings on your computer. If you are using a Windows-based PC then try switching back and forth between your Windows Core Audio API's, if MIDI Timestamp makes your sequence sound off time then try DirectMusic and vice-versa. Or try optimizing your PC for better performance etc.

My explanations might be off on some things but this is my understanding off the top of my head. When it comes down to it, I barely know about all this stuff myself and I'm just learning along with you guys. I'm very much a beginner so I definitely don't know my sh*t.

I would also suggest posting your questions on the Ableton Live forums. There are a couple of users who use MPCs with their Live set-ups. Most of them use 1000's with Live. Everyone seems to find that Live doesn't play nice when syncing with external gear.

I tell you what Tohtruck, If you wrote a book i'd buy it. LOL

I enjoy reading your threads. Your honest and willing to share the knowledge you've aquired. I feel the same way regarding the swing and loss of swing. I've owned an MPC60 II prior to my 1000. I owned that MPC 60II for over 12 years and I produced some real hot hip hop tracks with it. I even got to hear a few on the local radio stations hear in Miami. That was when I was strickly sampling and arranging on the MPC60II. I got into the digital recording when I bought an IOmega Lexicon interface. It was bundled with Cubase LE. I purchased Reason 2.5 and have'nt produced a full song in four years. Let's just say I've been on one amzing learning curve I don't feel so bad about it because I consider myself a Reason Pro and I can hold my own in Protools, Cubase and Ableton live. I've slaved the MPC to all of these DAW's and never really been able to notice any loss of swing. Then again, I have'nt produced a full song in four years.

Did I mention that I have a full time job, I coach football, I'm active in Church, I'm currently study each month for I.T certifications and I have a wife and two sons. Ok OK... that's no excuse for not being able to produce a full song in four years. When I do get one complete I bet it'll be a BANGER.. lol

So its been a while since anyof you have posted...any new results with your endeavours? i will be getting MPC soon (2000xl)--and just got ableton live--so i thought i read up on it, great forum, just wanted to know if any of you have figured out any solutions to those listed problems

Yeah.. I've been totally in the zone so I have'nt posted anything lately, sorry about that. I've actually finish a few complete tracks. LOL imagine that? LOL
My workflow is a bit slower than most people but I'm getting great results. I basicly still have the same set up. To tell the thruth my main issue (wich I came to realize over a month ago) was SONG STRUCTURE. I learn and forced myself to keep the song structure normal and not to add a ton of krap to my tracks. I guess I was getting to technical. I Slave my MPC to Ableton thru my Mbox2. I rewire Reason4 and a host of VST/VSTi. I arrange all of my midi programming in Ableton and mix everythigng as I go. I track all of my drum as audio into Ableton (still one track at a time) the only diffrence is that I don't use a million drum sounds as before. I then tie everything together and bounce over to Protools for a final mix.

I can actually say that I enjoy making music again. LOL

nice

Any help with Live 8?
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