Using Mandala to control Ableton Live

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staticwest
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:40 am

Using Mandala to control Ableton Live

Post by staticwest »

Just ordered and received my first Mandala mk2.9 and am loving it so far. I am, however, having a hard time using it as a controller for Ableton Live (which is the main reason I wanted to try this drum). I can see in Live that it registers as a MIDI controller when I hit it and within the MIDI controller list in Preferences. However, I cannot get it to do either of the following:

1. Use it to trigger clip on and clip off with 2 different zones on the pad. So far, when I try to use Live's MIDI mapping to set the controller with the clip buttons, it doesn't do anything. doesn't log the map, or show up on the map list. Can anyone help?

2. Use it to play drum kits or other instruments within Live (ie - set up a kit and use different zones on the pad to trigger kick, snare, hats, etc -- or use it to control different notes on an instrument.

As far as I know, I am doing everything that I am supposed to do within Live. I've never encountered this issue in Live with other USB controllers. I can't find any Mandala documentation that speaks to this. If anyone has encountered these same issues, or can offer me any advice it would be much appreciated.

Thx
mandrake717
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 11:08 pm

Re: Using Mandala to control Ableton Live

Post by mandrake717 »

The Mandala is a standard USB MIDI controller just like a MIDI keyboard. It outputs a note for each zone and a velocity and also a continuous controller value from 0 at the center all the way to 127 at the edge.

I'm triggering instruments in LIVE just like I would with a keyboard but I am hitting the different zones of my Mandala. It outputs from C3 in the center to E3 for Rim and F3 for 'Xstick'.

I've also MIDI mapped the zones to do different things when they are hit. Just make sure in LIVE prefs>MIDI Sync that you have Remote turned On for the MIDI Port Input of MandalaDrum (not MIDI port output). Then when you are in the Mapping Browser just select the lit up parameter that you want to add to the list and hit the Mandala zone you want to use and it pops up in the list.
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