[v1.5.0] MASCHINE MK3/MIKRO MK3 Ableton Live 11 MIDI Remote Script (Unofficial)

Hello Frank,

I have not tested the script on MacOS systems, but I have received good feedback that it works as expected, not only for MIKRO MK3 but also for MK3 (the bigger one, a compatibility without the screens, encoders, and 8x extra buttons on top of the screens that the MK3 has, but the MIKRO MK3 doesn't, as the script is created for the MIKRO, but it is compatible for the bigger MK3 hardware).

Unfortunately, I am still working on the script for the upcoming release and for the user manual, but I also have planned to make some tutorial and tips & tricks videos to cover all the features that this script offers.

I hope to come up with an understandable manual and videos in the upcoming release/s.

Thank you for your interest!

Best,
Elton

 

Hi again,
i just downloaded your script yesterday. But i think it takes me some more days to explore the whole dimension of it. Holy crab!
Normally i work in arrangement-view, but it looks like the script is 80% for the session-view. So i have to learn the basics of session-producing first. But i already started to love it.
Im so pissed, that NI is selling products (I own my Mikro for about 3 month only) and announcing that there will not be any script for Ableton 11 in the future. Not a very good move.
And, using Maschine-Plugin is not the way i wanna produce. So I really appreciate your acribic work on that script. It makes my life a little bit easier and gives me a smile on the face. Thanks.

BTW: is it possible to change the template in controller Editor via the Mk3 Mikro? And: I just installed Midistroke to control some OS commands via Midi. It works just fine with my Arturia Keyboard, but i could not figure out how to get the Mikro to send "normal Note-Midi-Information". Any idea?

 

Hello,

I apologize about the late reply,

Thank you a lot for your honest appreciation!

As regards to the template to be changed right from the hardware, unfortunately, is not supported by MIKRO MK3 (in MK3 you can). Related to the script, you only need to apply the template once (make sure to run the Controller Editor as Administrator so the template, provided in the zip file when getting this script, stays applied when restarting your computer).
Related to Midistroke to control custom OS commands via MIDI, the script's template already sends MIDI Note information (C3 - D#4) on CC channel 1.

Please let me know if you have further questions about these.

Thanks again,
Elton

 

Hi Elton, I have just bought the script. Installation was easy and almost everything is working fine. Except: The pads 1 - 10 trigger my sounds but pads 11 - 16 are not. Eg. pad 11 is switching between session and arrangement view. Pad 13 is hiding the browser etc. How can I use all 16 pads just to play my 16 sounds? Is there any setting for this?

 

Hello,

Can you please check in the NI Controller Editor if the selected page (of pads) is selected on "E". You can do this by enabling Pages, selecting "E" and then disabling Pages in the controller editor.

I will provide you with screenshots and further help when I arrive home after work.

Please let me know how it goes by changing the selected page to "E" (group of pads). Make sure to run the NI Controller Editor as an Administrator, in order to preserve the changes you make in the template during PC restart, etc.

Thanks,
Elton

 

Yes, it is on E (please see screenshot).

 

Hi! I love your template which I bought yesterday. I’m having some problems though. It seems to lose its state very frequently. All of a sudden it won’t trigger stuff anymore and the scene and pattern buttons don’t work. What’s weird is that note repeat always works. Also it has a strange orange box around the first four tracks in Ableton, not sure if that’s related to the controller. Also, I’m wondering how to use it to play machine through the VST . It only seems to allow me to load kids and play 10 of thr sounds, leaving out some of the chromatic notes. I mapped the VST to drum mode in midi input and tried many different ways and nothing quite worked. Finally, I’m wondering if there’s a way to switch between drum mode and chromatic for playing a drum sound just like in the machine software. It’s a nice feature, but don’t know if that’s included. Also, sometimes changing scales slows down the system a bit. And then sometimes it loses its state changing scales. I’m using the Abelton 11 beta on Mac m1. Regards.

 

I am having the same issues and can confirm that this seems to be the „normal“ behaviour. Of course this is a no-go, as playing Maschine VST is the key feature I was looking for. If I only get 10 pads out of 16, then this is a showstopper for me.

Let‘s see, what Elton can find out. Hopefully he comes back with a solution.

 

—
Glad to hear it wasn’t just me!
I really hope native instruments will do this. I love what Elton has put together, but N I could really help. This is a fantastic hardware controller that you can put in your lap, much more friendly for causal noodling than something like the push or a big brother MK3. I want to sequence in Ableton not in another software. Ableton has so many features like even midi note stretch which is so unbelievably useful for fixing questionably played drum patterns. With Ableton it’s one drag.
So how can these brilliant NI guys make the best little box and then not support it to full potential ? Maybe they will discontinue it as it is so good it hurts sales of the bigger units? I would recommend they just upgrade it and charge more, but please make it work with the daw. Even nektarine works properly and that thing is nowhere near the mikro. Users really want things interoperable and open- . Please Make the great hardware and sound packs and make it work easily with the top daws please. It’s either that or invest big into the machine software and get it to the level of everybody else but is it a battle worth fighting? N I we love your products, we want to keep using them and keep supporting them, with all the daws we want with simplicity.

 

Also, I spent hours scouring the YouTube tutorials, and this was the best one that I found for the VST workflow which includes keyboard mode. This should be heavily promoted!

 

Hi,

I think the trouble is caused by the missing documentation (Elton mentiond that he's working on it) only: On MMMK3 try to push the Pad Mode Button above Pad 13 several times until all pads have the same color. Then all pads should be usable.

 

Hello everyone,

My apologizes for the late reply,

Currently, in the latest release v1.4.0, there are some issues related to DRUM mode (when the loaded midi instrument is a Drum Rack).
Most of the problems are already fixed but to be released in the upcoming v1.5.0 release.
These issues (mostly related to DRUM mode) are also the causers of the script's state being lost (crashes, which you have to unselect the script from Live's preferences, and reselect it, for now, in order to re-initialize the script, until the v1.5.0 release comes out).
Some problems happen very rarely and in certain scenarios, mostly when a selected track is a Drum rack, and then the user loads a non-drum instrument, and then loads the drum instrument again, etc.

This script, however, is not indented to be used with the Maschine VST inside Live, this is a Control Surface script, which does not require for a Maschine instance to be loaded inside Live.

Please let me know if you guys had problems of pad 11-16 not triggering any sounds by using it with the Maschine VST inside Live, or are you using the Ableton Live's Drum Rack?
I am sorry that I am having trouble understanding this issue.

I will check this issue as soon as I finish work today.

I am sorry for all these inconveniences caused and thank you for your patience.

 

is there a keyboard mode to play chromatically instead of the drum pads? how to switch between drum mode and keyboard mode? like how you can select a single sound within machine and then chromatically play it, for instance a bass sound ? thanks

 

confirmed it is the controller losing state. it happens frequently when using ableton drum rack. made chromatic mode work by loading vst on a separate track and just playing that.

is there any way to adjust the velocity response? in maschine software there is a slider that controls how the pads respond, curve, etc, but there is no way to do that in ableton that seems obvious? the touch responsiveness. i know there is a velocity midi effect but not sure how to use that or if there's an easier way.

 

Yes, the keyboard mode is switched automatically (if previously being on drum mode) when the selected track has a midi (non drum rack) instrument.
To change the scale, use the SHIFT (Restart button on the controller) + JOG WHEEL LEFT RIGHT rotation. Rotate the jog wheel without any shift being held and you change the octave.
Push + rotate the jog wheel at the same time to change the root note.
All these scale and root note changes are reflected to Live's scales inside the clip. You can even change the scale and root note from Live and it will update the controller with what is selected.

Note that the keyboard mode is offered from this script on its own, which means that you don't have to place a Maschine vst inside Live and do the midi routing etc. Just place a vst instrument (including Komplete Kontrol or Maschine) but make sure to do the SHIFT + MASCHINE ICON combination in the controller in order to go to MIDI mode. Press PAD MODE and you are in the keyboard (or drum mode, depending on the selected track type)

 

thanks elton. i have that working. this is such an amazing script, but it does constantly loses its state. i have been using it for hours but have had to reload the script so many times. i am using drum racks and it is just very flaky in behavior for some reason. it's a shame because it is so great but it isn't yet stable somehow. what can we do? i am making great beats with it though!

 

also we desperately need fixed velocity control, and what about some way to change the velocity curve (or is that at hardware level needing drivers?) you can change it in the vst but the controller doesn't remember it when you switch to midi mode.

why isn't NI supporting this? my S61 keyboard works perfectly in midi mode and in machine mode - just works. the mikro- not the case!

 

Sorry, I forgot to answer you before regarding to the fixed velocity.

That is yet to be implemented in the script.
I've been struggling with this exact topic in the code for many weeks some time ago, until I temporarily left it and moved on with other implementations for the script.

Fixed velocity is a critical missing feature.

As for the crashes, they are fixed by now and to be released soon on the new update v1.5.0.

Again I thank you all for your kind patience and appreciation.

Sincerely,
Elton

 

Elton that’s exciting that the crashes are fixed! Could I perhaps be a beta tester for this new 1.5 code? Ready to try it out for you now!!!

 

You will crack fixed velocity. Stick with it! Would be nice if someone from NI would help you. Since they may well be reading this!