New track using modstep to sequence Ableton Live

echoopera

With iOS 11 it is now super simple to have your iPad sequence an OSX DAW. In this sample track I’ve used modstep to sequence Recife, Factory and Repro5 in Live on my laptop. I then added a few Soundtoys effects to the Aux tracks and sent each instrument to those 2 Send channels.

One of the things i love most about Live is the ability to add subtle randomness to the incoming notes which you can lock to a specific scale...and we’ll thats what i did here.

I know some people talk about how complicated or frustrating modstep is...but honestly it’s just a different way of thinking, and when you get it, it’s a joy to use.

Anyhoo, here’s a new track for the new year using some new iOS technologies.

Hope you enjoy. Happy New Year!!!

Let me know what you think and if you have any questions. Peace!

echoopera

And here’s another track using the same process but adding an Audio In from the iPad via the lightning cable as an Audio channel in Ableton...drums provided by Groovebox

echoopera

Another day and a little more refinement to the workflow. Used modstep to sequence Ableton and Astropad to control it all from the iPad. Oh what fun it is

Here’s the resulting track:

echoopera

And another one from today

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echoopera

Under iOS 11 and High sierra the iPad now shows up as a usable Midi device. You just enable it in the Audio MIDI Setup app on OSX when it’s plugged it via the Lightning cable.

You can do this under iOS 10 using 3rd Party apps like midiMittr or StudioMux...but it’s just plug and play now which is great.

No weird workflow setup hassles now. It just works.

echoopera

Here is a snapshot of using Beatmaker 3 to sequence Ableton Live

What’s cool about this is that you can use a touch based sequencer and note pads to compose and launch clips in Ableton.

It’s just another way of using iOS as a controller for your OSX DAW...use modstep or BeatMaker3 to control playback of clips in Live, Logic, Cubasis...whatever.

echoopera

Here's the resulting track from todays exploration and sonic meditation:

1nsomniak

@echoopera said:
One of the things i love most about Live is the ability to add subtle randomness to the incoming notes which you can lock to a specific scale...and we’ll thats what i did here.

Hey, nice tracks, interesting process you are using.
Ive just started using ableton with my iPad but was going the other direction, using it to sequence ipad synths.
Can you explain how to do the part above with ableton?

echoopera

Thanks. If you’re using ios11 and High Sierra just plug in your iPad to usb and enable it in Audio Midi Setup and it will show up in your DAW as IDAM or your iPad name. Assign your midi and fire away

o_imseng

Works with Sierra as well been using this for a while now.

echoopera

@o_imseng said:
Works with Sierra as well been using this for a while now.

Awesome. Even better.

echoopera

Here’s another track along the journey

mrcanister

echoopera

Thank you ant Klee

mrcanister

who's Klee? ha, you got me there for a second! my brain....
yeah, i really like Klee's stuff. horrible way to go
i listened to all your tunes. good stuff

echoopera

Heheh. Just commenting on your avatar thanks for listening. As long as people listen I’ll make em

Kandavu

Is there a iOS 11 USB to Win 7 Live sequencing equivalence or is it also reliant on midiMittr & StudioMux?

echoopera

For windows you’ll need to use midimittr or studiomux.

echoopera

A new day and a new track

ramelhem

hey guys how to properly set modstep to work with ableton? i tried both wireless and usb lightning (with midimux) and in both cases i try to play a note on the modstep keyboard and nothing happens... on the wireless mode if i change the tempo in modstep it changes also the tempo in ableton, which means they are synced. but then thats it, cant manipulate the clips or notes on the piano roll. tried google but it seems there are no videos or tutorials

rs2000

@ramelhem said:
hey guys how to properly set modstep to work with ableton? i tried both wireless and usb lightning (with midimux) and in both cases i try to play a note on the modstep keyboard and nothing happens... on the wireless mode if i change the tempo in modstep it changes also the tempo in ableton, which means they are synced. but then thats it, cant manipulate the clips or notes on the piano roll. tried google but it seems there are no videos or tutorials

What you expected seems to be a remote control for Live, something like LK from imaginando.
As far as I interpret echoopera's setup he's sequencing instrument tracks over MIDI, and Live is just hosting them. In Live, make sure you show the track inputs and on the track that has the instrument you want to control, select the virtual iPad MIDI interface as track input. Then you can sequence that track with an iPad sequencer. By choosing different MIDI channels you can sequence up to 16 different instruments this way.

AudioGus

Really lovely tracks. Evocation just fit ever so perfectly for me right now. Made me realise how stressed I been. Need to relax and this did the trick. Much thanks.

echoopera

@AudioGus said:
Really lovely tracks. Evocation just fit ever so perfectly for me right now. Made me realise how stressed I been. Need to relax and this did the trick. Much thanks.

Wow. Thanks for that @AudioGus glad i could give you a little light and delight on this day.

echoopera

@ramelhem said:
hey guys how to properly set modstep to work with ableton? i tried both wireless and usb lightning (with midimux) and in both cases i try to play a note on the modstep keyboard and nothing happens... on the wireless mode if i change the tempo in modstep it changes also the tempo in ableton, which means they are synced. but then thats it, cant manipulate the clips or notes on the piano roll. tried google but it seems there are no videos or tutorials

I’m only using modstep to sequence Ableton instruments.

If you want to control ableton from iPad you’ll need to use Touchable, Lemur or LK.