Help configuring APC 40 and splitting signals

Hi there people, hi there Steve! Hope you’re all doing great!

So I’m trying to configure my APC 40 (mk1) to my needs.

Firstly I want to be able to split it’s signal to two different applications: Ableton and Mobius (which is a VST running inside of Ableton). I haven’t tried this yet but I think it’s just a matter of sending the APC’s input signal to 2 virtual outputs and choosing each output in each program, am I right? Please tell me if I’m being too naive to think it’s that easy lol

Secondly, I would like to configure the APCs led feedback. That’s where I’m stuck right now.
So perfect scenario would be whenever I’d press a pad it would turn solid red, then pressing it again would turn it into blinking red and vice-versa, but holding it for a while would turn it off.
Also I’d like to configure the record arm and solo buttons to different colors. The default is red for the record arm and blue for the solo.

I’ve been digging around and trying to make it work but I’m not sure if I’m routing everything the right way because sometime the APC works like it’s opened on Ableton (but it’s not) and the buttons don’t respond like toggles, and then sometimes everything goes blank and it begins to work as toggles again. I have no clue why.
Also the rules behind the translators don’t make much sense to me. I found other people’s posts and Steve’s replies mentioning rules like ga=ga^1 and I simply can’t understand what that means. I do understand IF clauses, assignments etc but I really wish I could understand all of this so I could play with it and configure the way I wanted.

Anyways if it’s of any help, here it is the APC40s mapping for each button:

If you guys could help me I’d be really grateful!

Thanks everybody,
Take care.
Arthur

Hi yes, send your control signals to a Bome Virtual Port and in Ableton Live, set it up for control surface. For plug-ins, you would define a different Virtual Port and set it up as a track. I believe track controls follow their plugins.

Hi, I can probably give you an example, however understand it is better that if you can get Ableton Live to control the button colors otherwise they could be out of sync if you push a button in Ableton Live. The controller may not be updated correctly. So I would recommend you look at remotify.io to create a simple MIDI remote script. Then if you need to tweak something from there, use MT Pro. MT Pro can do it, you just need to translate the incoming message to something the controller likes.

Ableton Live is probably using a MIDI remote script to control the lights. It will try to talk directly to the APC40, however if the APC40 port is already in use by MT Pro it will fail. Your strategy should be to set up Ableton Live to only connect to Virtual Ports and then either use translators or MIDI routing in MT Pro to pass or translate the message from and to your APC40.

the ‘^’ is an exclusive or bitwise operation. Here is a truth table
image

All Bome Variables are 32 bits. ga=ga^1 will XOR the current value of ga with 1 and then update ga with the new value essentially toggling it between 1 and 0.

So if ga = 0 it is the below in binary
0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000
Or decimal 0
After the operation it will change the value of the lowest bit so it will be:
0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0001
Or decimal 1

As far as your project file, I will take a look and determine if there are a few pointers I can provide which would be in scope for free support, however creating a complete solution or more complex project might required paid consulting/programming. I’m happy to help here as well and if interest, just drop me an email so I can provide a time estimate.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz
1 Like

Here is another post that describes in a bit more detail the XOR operator.

1 Like

Gotcha Steve!

Thank you very much my friend.

I bought the complete remotify.io and messed with it a little. Really interesting stuff

The thing is that I want to split the APC to use its pads in the VST with a custom led feedback according to whats happening in the VST itself.

And use the other lower buttons (solo, arm record, activate) in Ableton with it’s default led feedback which would indicate if the tracks are armed, soloed or activated.

And from what I understood I’ll have to create a custom ableton script with those same default functions (arm, solo, activate) and then configure the pad’s led feedback in BMT right?
Because in Remotify I haven’t seen an option to create led feedback without a Ableton command linked to it, which is what I want since I’ll be using the pads for the VSTs commands.

Am I thinking correctly? Any ideas?

Thanks as always Steve.
Arthur

Yes, set up a script for the standard Ableton Stuff. Then use MT Pro to set to the extended functions and probably provide local LED feedback from MT Pro.

I also noticed your PDF on APC40 functions, however there are certain buttons and behaviors that function differently depending on which Mode the APC40 is in. It powers up in Mode 0 and your PDF reflects the MODE 0 behavior. Most of what I do is mode 2 which makes all buttons as momentary and the device knobs behave differently in that mode as well. You might want to download the APC40 programmers reference guide from Akaipro and look through it.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz
1 Like

Hi Steve,

So I’ve made quite a progress! I can’t even believe it myself :smiley:
I trully appreciate your support sir!

So I managed to configure the APC on BMT as I wanted and I’m trying to finish the script for Ableton but now I’ve hit another wall.

While testing the script that I’m writing I’ve noticed Ableton isn’t receiving any midi messages at all, even from my other controller that has nothing to do with all this.
I configured the script as a Control Surface and BMT 1 for inputs and outputs on Ableton. However when I push any button it doesn’t do anything.
BUT if I arm the tracks with my mouse the APC actually lights up so I guess they are talking even though it’s probably a one sided conversation.

Also I think it’s worth mentioning my routing on BMT, just in case:
APC 40 (in) —> BMT 1 (out), BMT 2 (out)
BMT 1 (in), BMT 2 (in) —> APC 40 (out)

What am I doing wrong?
Would you shine a light on this for me?

Thanks a lot as always,
Arthur

Hi Arthur,

Late here and computer shut down for tonight. I will help when I get up tomorrow morning my time (Portland Oregon USA)

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz
1 Like

Nevermind Steve!

The problem was that Control Surface Studio (remotify) was using the signal and not letting it go into Ableton.

It’s all working flawlessly now! :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Thank you SO much for everything sir!

Awesome, yes you need to close down remotify in the browser as the web browser will hold the MIDI port open. In fact Windows requires that only one application open a given MIDI port at a time, so you should let MT Pro gain control of your MIDI ports before opening Ableton Live.

Steve