crunch/remote

A live-performance oriented generic MIDI remote script, for controllers with multiple "strips" of controls.

There are a variety of controllers that offer control over multiple tracks in Live: Novation LaunchControl XL, Akai MIDImix, Livid DS1, and FaderFox UC44 to name a few.

All of these have remote scripts that map tracks to the controller's strips. For other controllers there is also Abelton's "generic" remote script, configurable through UserConfiguration.txt. These scripts work, but are geared toward general production, rather than live performance. In partciular, the mapping of tracks to control strips follows the visible tracks - which requires banking, and isn't stable if groups are open and closed. Device controls are similarly "dynamic" following the "blue hand". Furthermore, only the generic script offers any customization, and it is rather limited.

crunch/remote offers a remote script aimed at supporting live performance:

Logical auto-placement of tracks, returns, and master on the controller.
Flexible and easy control over placement, per-set.
Auto-mapped track controls for macros on racks and chains
Auto-mapped track controls for EQ3 devices
Customized controller mapping via a simple configuration file format.

Alpha Version

This is version of crunch/remote is in Alpha test. Please try it and let me know how it goes! If your friends want to try it, please don't share directly, send them to me.

- Mark (mark@glyphic.com)

Feature Details

Track Placement

The controller is assumed to have some number of "strips", which are assigned to tracks. Many remote scripts support this, but the track to strip placement isn't flexible or logical for live performance.

crunch's layout is desinged to be stable, and flexible so that in live performance, what you need is on the strips, the rest is not.

By default, tracks, returns and master are placed on the controller's as follows:

Tracks are placed from the left.
Return tracks and the master track are placed, as a group, on the remaining strips, but up against the right. This keeps the master and returns stable if adjust other the tracks in the set.
Grouped tracks are placed, expanded or collapsed. This way opening and closing a group doesn't change what's where on the controller.

In addition:

Tracks can be placed on specific strips by adding @ and a number to the track's name. Like so: Spring Verb @11 will place that track on strip 11.
Tracks can be excluded from the controller by setting the track color to any greyscale value. Useful for keeping "routing" tracks, or even the master off the controller during live performance.
These two explicit placements happen before the automatic ones, above.

Extended Track Controls

In addition to the commonly available per-track controls like volume, pan, arm, etc... crunch/remote adds additional controls: Two sets of macros and EQ3 mappings. These "auto-map" to the devices on the track, if present.

Each "strip" of controls maps to the parameters on the strip's placed track. In addition, an additional set of controls is available that maps to the selected track. A controller can have either or both kinds of controls for each function. For example: You can have three pots on each strip control the EQ3 low / mid / high gain, and have 8, non-strip encoders control the macros on the selected track.

Macros: Controls can be mapped to the macros on the first rack on a track that has macro mappings.

Chain Macros: Controls are mapped to rack macros on the selected chain in the track's first rack. This is especially useful for drum racks where each drum sound has its own macro controls (like in the Designer Drum pack). Selecting a pad will map these controls to that drum sound.

EQ3: A set of controls can be mapped to the last EQ3 on a track. The EQ3 device will be found if it is in track's device chain, or even if it is inside a rack with a single chain (like a mastering rack).

Other features

Select on Solo: The solo control also selects the track if solo is being toggled on for the track. When used with the "cue" feature in Ableton, this allows you to quick both select the track for previewing on your headphones, and select the track (for macros and other selected track controls).

Tempo: Relative encoders, coarse and fine, can be used with tempo control, which gives a better feel for controlling tempo. FaderFox style feedback (pitchbend value of 10 × tempo) is supported.

Track and Scene select: Relative encoders are support, and allow for selecting any track, including those not placed on the control strips.

Easy Configuration: The default layout file maps many of the available features to a reasonable set of MIDI commands that almost any controller can send. However, it is easily modified to support selecting which features to map, and how those are mapped to your controller.

Next Steps

See README-2-Installation.md for installation instructins.

See README-3-Configuration.md for how to set it up.

Credits

crunch/remote was created by Mark Lentczner (mark@glyphic.com)