APC40 In Production and Arrangement

[bassalchemists]

Hey guys,

Before someone freaks, yes I did look around and use the DSF google, and there is a lot of APC40 info out there, but mostly re: live setups, or general APC40 capabilities that are not specific or example driven. This topic is honed in on specifically using the APC40 to increase ones ability to progress through arranging/creating a track and techniques from getting from A to B. See below:

So I have been producing for many years now, but am beginning to adopt the APC40 as a controller to assist in production, although for my live performances I am strictly loyal to CDJ's or vinyl. I just wanted to post to pick your guises' brains on how you incorporate the APC40 into your production and arrangement processes. To me, it would function as a great live controller, but I am having trouble finding ways in which it increases my efficiency in the studio. Don't get me wrong, I did not look past everything it is capable of, and I realize that it can do countless things however I am looking for things that specifically significantly increase productivity when compared do doing said task with simply a mouse.

I sometimes use the clip launcher to play around with sample loops and drum racks I have made to get a feel of anything that sounds good together, but that isn't much of an advantage to me, especially considering a lot of meaty parts of my song involve resampling and other things like alternating bass synths mid-chorus which seem to limit the ability of clip launching to do anything for you, creatively or in production progress.

Even automation seems more efficient with a mouse to me... It is more precise to create straight lines using triangles, the pencil tool, etc rather than going to the trouble to set up a clip and record the automation for whatever device.

Again, it is a great controller, I am just trying to bounce some ideas off of you guys to expand the possibilities of techniques that I know of that the APC40 can assist with in production.

Thoughts?

Best,
BA

[Hircine]

I've seen some mappings that utilize external midi editors that could literally controll every parameter in Ableton but sadly I don't remember any. Try assigning the crossfader to scroll through the window horizontally, assign a few knobs to basic controls on your reverb and delay sends, use the faders and the solo / mute buttons. Just ideas that can improve your workflow.

[RandoRando]

theres not too many people on here with apc's. i have one and have always wondered how to incorporate it more into production. Only thing i can think of it writing your song in session and triggerein clips maybe while recording automation.

idk, i just see it as a step backwards from writing in arrangment. ???

[bassalchemists]

I've seen some mappings that utilize external midi editors that could literally controll every parameter in Ableton but sadly I don't remember any. Try assigning the crossfader to scroll through the window horizontally, assign a few knobs to basic controls on your reverb and delay sends, use the faders and the solo / mute buttons. Just ideas that can improve your workflow.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I have been using the faders, clip launchers, and send/returns, but can't seem to move beyond that. In fact, I have been having trouble with MIDI mapping/assigning knobs to devices as well. It's like, if I midi map lets say the dry/wet on a device to the first knob on the devices on the APC40, then switch to another device on another channel and map a different midi but to the same knob, it seems to change both parameters at the same time when i move that first knob. I can see how this would be good for some purposes, but for God's sake, why won't it just stick to controlling the DEVICE that is currently selected. Don't feel the need to provide a detailed explanation, I am just merely giving an example of how the knobs and midi control is even sometimes a step backwards in the context of production.

Any other ideas?

BA

[mks]

theres not too many people on here with apc's. i have one and have always wondered how to incorporate it more into production. Only thing i can think of it writing your song in session and triggerein clips maybe while recording automation.

idk, i just see it as a step backwards from writing in arrangment. ???

No way, it is a step forward. I do not like composing with a mouse. I grew up playing instruments and sometimes I just like to JAM!!

If you guys can't see the benefits for using if for production, then you are probably not using it to its full potential.

I don't have an APC40, I have an APC20. I bought it for live use but it quickly found a crucial, useful home in my studio. I also use the MPK40 for knobs and tings.

[bustadoug]

Its about as intuitive a controller as you can get but doesn't do much in arrange AFAIK. The "p" does stand for performance

[bassalchemists]

theres not too many people on here with apc's. i have one and have always wondered how to incorporate it more into production. Only thing i can think of it writing your song in session and triggerein clips maybe while recording automation.

idk, i just see it as a step backwards from writing in arrangment. ???

No way, it is a step forward. I do not like composing with a mouse. I grew up playing instruments and sometimes I just like to JAM!!

If you guys can't see the benefits for using if for production, then you are probably not using it to its full potential.

I don't have an APC40, I have an APC20. I bought it for live use but it quickly found a crucial, useful home in my studio. I also use the MPK40 for knobs and tings.

Dude... That is exactly what I am talking about. Of COURSE I am not using it to its full potential. That is why I posted this thread - to get tips and advice from people like you who are having success using it to its potential. Care to share some of the technique that allow for more instrumental control rather than composing with a mouse, aside from what has been discussed above? "Using it for knobs" is a good example of how I am having trouble using it to help increase efficiency. For example, I could map anything to the knobs, but how does that help me in my production. Lets take for example the dry/wet on a reverb device that I might want to use. For me right now, it seems like it would be much more fast and easy to just take the clip that is layer out in arrangement view and pull up the dry/wet and use the mouse to create a quick triangle sweep upward, rather than taking the time to map out the MIDI, arming and recording the track, only to be left with an imperfect automation compared to the perfectly smooth line I could do with a mouse. What other techniques/procedures do you employ that assist with composition? I KNOW there is a ton of things that are possible which is why this thread could be a huge help to lots of people, lets get some more tips!!!

BA

[mks]

I should have clarified earlier, that the grid is used to jam out ideas in session view which you then record into arrangement for further refinement.

Automations usually happen in several passes in real time but for some things its better to just mouse it.

As far as the knobs and buttons, I will assign them to whatever needs to be done for a particular track, whether its controlling aux sends, delay feedback, synth filters etc. Whatever you can use to get a hands on, real time performance out of your instruments and effects which you record into arrangement view.

[RandoRando]

hmmm ill take that into consideration, i have a apc40 and mpk49 and honestly i only use 50% of the features on my mpk, and apc only for live performance : \ .

i need to invest more time into my good hardware

[Hircine]

http://www.abletonop.com/2011/06/hanz-f ... n/#more-81 just found this, OP. maybe it's worth checking, has a nice step sequencer script.

[royalB]

think in terms of live production rather than live performance....

i expect preparation will be the most time consuming (sample selections and MIDI assignments).

[drake89]

I can't imagine it would help arrangement. That's the kind of stuff you do with a mouse and keyboard. Or pencil and paper. Pretty basic. But you're being an ass if you think straight lines are inherently superior to recording automation curves manually. If you have an ounce of musicianship you should have no trouble recording a 4 bar riser or something.

Assign knobs to FX, assign faders to volume faders, trigger clips, and dub out!

[mks]

I can't imagine it would help arrangement. That's the kind of stuff you do with a mouse and keyboard. Or pencil and paper. Pretty basic.

No way man! I will play the arrangement. Then make edits after its been for the most part laid down.

[sketchyderek]

I like never use mine. It's kinda cool for throwing something into arrangement view and then fixing it up later.

It's not a very flexible controller though. It's like "here's how to use it, and that's that."

[mikeyp]

lately ive just been using mine for the knobs to record some crazy automated samples

someday i'm gonna throw a bunch of those samples on the pads and go to town but til then thats all i really use it for

[RandoRando]

so lets say i just made a song in session and recorded all the "loop triggers" for the songs. Then i went into arrange added automation etc.


say i have a show the next day and want to "perform" this song live, how do all those automations go about working? triggering dummy clips with said automation? and what are punch in/out effects? how do people make it so they hit the solo/cue button and its a beat repeat, remap that button to the on off on the beat repeat?