This is a post for the Ableton Live nerds out there…
I’ve discovered a way to provide dedicated visual feedback functionality for the looper device using the Push User page.
First you need to set up the preferences so Live is sending note information to Push’s user port, and that Push’s user port is set up to send remote messages. This way, Push can remote control Looper, and it also allows for visual feedback in user mode.
Instead of just a regular audio input, I like to group the external instrument rack within a drum rack so I can get visual feedback as to where I am in a 4 bar phrase in native Push mode.
The added benefit with using the external instrument, is that you are able to use a midi clip to send note and velocity information to the push user port channel 1, which then will light up the pads in User Mode.
The ascending notes in the midi clip, send messages to light up push’s top 4 rows, just the same as the drum rack does, with one row representing one bar.
I’ve also created a set of 8 buttons in the bottom left hand side that each correspond to a function I want to map to the looper device, overdub, play, stop, undo, clear, etc…
You can download the Live Set I’m using in the video here.
Matt Ridgway 