Ableton > Osculator...Clip Status?

[ChaseBowman]

Hello,

Is it possible for Ableton to send when a clip (in session view) is playing or recording to OSCUlator?

I'm working on an Ableton control app in Unity. I want to send Unity a OSC message when a clip (ideally indetified by name) is playing or recording.

Thanks!

[ChaseBowman]

Follow up question, can Ableton send a message when it hits the down beat of each measure to OSCulator?

[camille]

Hi Chase,

Yes, you can send a MIDI Note or CC from Live to OSCulator, it's easy.

You can gather more details on Live configuration here:

https://osculator.net/doc/tutorial:3

This tutorial goes beyond what you need, but basically it explains some ideas you might be interested in.


Best,
Cam

[ChaseBowman]

Hey Cam,

Your tutorials are great. Thanks for sending. I like that you can send MIDI notes from a clip in Arrangement View and demux each pitch in OSCUlator.

But to follow up on a specific need, do you know if in Session View I can:

-Send a message when a specific clip in a specific track is playing (for example, when the 2nd clip in track 2 is triggered to record, send a specific OSC message)?
-Send a different message when that same clip is recording?

-Also from session view, send a message for every down beat (when the clock goes back to the "1" in the count)? Perhaps for this I could use the example in your tutorial and simply create the midi clip in session view and only have a midi note se on the down beat.

Thanks much!

A little background, I'm using Ableton and OSCulator to a create what I think is the first Hololens Ableton controller. I want to DJ-ing with Holograms (which is actually working quite well) but to make it a real viable app, I need feedback from Ableton. I want the holograms to pulse on the downbeat such that you know what the count is, and more pressingly, when I trigger a clip to record, I want the hologram to change color or shape. Then once it's triggered out of record mode, I want it to change color so you know the recording is done. I've got the Unity side of it covered, just need to get the messages out of Ableton and into OSCUlator :-).

[camille]

Hi Chase,

This project sounds amazing!
Here are my answers...

-Send a message when a specific clip in a specific track is playing (for example, when the 2nd clip in track 2 is triggered to record, send a specific OSC message)?

I think there are at least two possible ways to do that:

1. Create a dummy track that triggers MIDI messages based on the events you want to track. It's up to you to devise the right taxonomy. You can decide for example to use a specific MIDI Note to represent start of clips.
2. Use LiveOSC, which provides an OSC bridge for Ableton Live (http://livecontrol.q3f.org/ableton-liveapi/liveosc/). I am not sure how reliable it is and if it actually works. Here is the set of possible OSC messages, it's kind of self-documenting.
3. Use Max for Live. I know you can do a lot of automation but that requires a more in-depth knowledge of Live's conceptual model. Also it comes with a price.

-Send a different message when that same clip is recording?

Same answer, I would use 2 or 3.
I don't believe you can do it with 1.

-Also from session view, send a message for every down beat (when the clock goes back to the "1" in the count)? Perhaps for this I could use the example in your tutorial and simply create the midi clip in session view and only have a midi note se on the down beat.

Yes, this is what I would do. Otherwise, I am not sure if Live has a MIDI based metronome, but I know this is something you can do with Logic.


Best,
Cam

[ChaseBowman]

Thanks Cam!!!!