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Hardware Sequencers => BeatStep => BeatStep - Technical Questions - FAQ => Topic started by: Jackomillar on April 30, 2014, 05:38:41 am

Title: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: Jackomillar on April 30, 2014, 05:38:41 am
Hi all,
Beatstep is my first midi controller Ive ever bought, struggling with getting started and adapting it into ableton to use through different drum kits, and different instruments etc. Nothing really is helping online that I can find. Some help would be great!

Cheers
Jack
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: Jackomillar on April 30, 2014, 07:27:08 am
Bit of an Edit to this,
I can get the sequencer working through different VST's and synths etc. But it doesnt work outside of sequencer mode and in just Control mode to play single hits? Ive tried to use the MIDI mapping function but when i select a command it doesn't sit in on the Beatstep.

Anyone have any answers to this?
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: Tamarack on May 16, 2014, 05:52:22 am
I feel you, I am having the same problem. 
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: Tamarack on May 16, 2014, 06:00:26 am
I think that it may have to do with setting up a template in the MCC on your computer that is specific to the configuration you use with Ableton, but I have not had success yet.
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: alandiaco on May 18, 2014, 03:45:39 pm
I can seem to use the controller mode in ableton live, assigning desired knobs and pads to different stuff. my problem is that the BeatStep doesn't seem to be receiving midi clock. I can start the sequence from the hardware, but when I set it to receive external clock, play and stop buttons are disabled which is correct, but starting the midi clock from ableton live won't trigger the sequence
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: gelsol on May 22, 2014, 11:42:56 pm
I don't see how you can get anything done when the encoders a programmed to barely move when you turn them...
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: acidsaturation on June 02, 2014, 02:37:16 pm
Have you checked the midi settings in Ableton. You will need sync set on the beatstep output in Ableton's midi preferences. Also I think you might have to specifically tell ableton to send Midiclock (I can't remember, I know on Acid I do each time, but my Ableton I think I just set it up and go).

Changing the mapping wont affect playing single hits (like in a drum rack, I assume that's what you mean). To play single hits you need to make sure that Ableton is set to 'track' on the input settings for the beatstep and the midi channels match and the pads are set to send note data on the Beatstep. You can, if you like also map those notes to controllers. (Turn on 'control' for the beatstep in abletons prefs. But if you have trrack selected as well it will play a not on anything that's on the same channel.

I use a lot of external hardware, so I set up a discrete midi channel for the breatstep to communicate with Ableton, and use the pads to advance scenes.
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: KMW on June 12, 2014, 03:49:05 am
Having problems getting Ableton to recognize the BeatStep. As a result no tempo sync from Ableton to BeatStep.
I can't understand why Arturia released this with so many flubs in the software aspect of this device.
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: GnollinZ on June 19, 2014, 12:28:30 am
With the BeatStep plugged in, go into the Ableton Live MIDI settings.

I set Control Surface to None, Input = Arturia BeatStep, Output = Arturia Beatstep

Now you will see (lower down in the options window) Input and Output options for the BeatStep.

For Input, Track = On, Sync = Off, Remote = Off
For Output, Track = On, Sync = On, Remote = Off.

Now if you put the BeatStep into Ext Sync Mode, it will start playing a sequence when you hit play on the transport in Live.
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: GnollinZ on June 19, 2014, 12:43:42 am
What I can't seem to solve is the delay in receiving the MIDI sequence notes from the BeatStep. No matter what delay compensations I apply, the first note is a few milliseconds off 1.1.1...
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: Sid Viscous on November 06, 2015, 10:10:27 pm
Hi all, I'm new to the forum and thought I'd see if I can get somewhere by replying to an existing thread before starting a new one.

This is a very open-ended question and is as much about Ableton as it is about the Beatstep, so please bear with me. I've been using Ableton Live 9 for over a year and got on really well with it, but so far I've only used it for producing tracks at home, not performing live, which is what I bought a Beatstep for.

Now I have managed to get a basic level of connectivity established between Ableton and the Beatstep, to the point where I can assign Beatstep pads in Control mode and have them activate clips in Ableton. However, I can't get any given clip or scene to loop; each time I either click with the mouse or press the button I've assigned on the Beatstep, it plays just the once and then stops. The Loop button along the top of the screen doesn't make any difference.

There's a load of other things I can't work out but they're not important until I've mastered the basic step of playing a tune from start to finish using the Beatstep to improvise when each scene comes in, how the parameters vary and so on.

If there's a good tutorial somewhere on how to link up Ablton Live with Beatstep, I'd be very grateful if someone could point me towards it.

Thanks!
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: twei55 on February 20, 2017, 05:31:30 pm
I know this thread is already quite old but it helped me solving one issue.

I was wondering how to change from triggering clips in Ableton to playing notes with the Beatstep Pads in Control mode. Setting the Control Surface to "None" in the Ableton Settings did the trick.

- Control Surface = Beatstep > Trigger clips
- Control Surface = None > Play notes

Thanks to @GnollinZ

Quote
I set Control Surface to None, Input = Arturia BeatStep, Output = Arturia Beatstep
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: gabeabaud on September 13, 2017, 04:57:31 am
Hi,

I've read over this thread at least 4 times and am still pretty confused.

I connect my beatstep and want to use it purely as a midi controller. Just to trigger samples (mostly using the drum rack)in Ableton Live.

However every time I push on a pad it just triggers a scene, and I'm not sure how to make it stop. I've attempted manually mapping but the drum rack doesn't seem to allow for manual mapping.

What am I missing here? any help would be great.
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: Terrym on September 13, 2017, 03:44:35 pm
Hi see if this helps
https://www.arturia.com/faq/utilization/ableton-live-control-surface-mappings
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: gabeabaud on September 15, 2017, 02:32:44 am
thanks @terrym

So basically, I can't assign the pads to anything in Ableton? I have to use it as that sheet states?
Title: Re: Beatstep With Ableton
Post by: godizded on June 16, 2020, 11:35:30 pm

Hi

I started a new thread to find a solution for my problem but as I am not getting any, I'm posting it also here.

My problem is I cannot map Beatstep knobs to Ableton Live virtual synth knobs

I'll try to be as accurate as I can to describe the problem:

--I own Arturia Beatstep, the simple model. NOT Beatstep pro.

--I have disabled Beatstep as control surface in ableton options, because as stated in other threads, Control Surface = Beatstep > Trigger clips. And Control Surface = None > Play notes. And I want to play notes, so I have to.

--If I turn the knobs, Ableton shows a little light that means it's receiving midi signal. So IT IS receiving midi from betstep knobs.

--However, when I turn on Ableton midi mapping and ciic on virtual synth controls and turn beatstep knobs to link them to virtual synth controls, nothing happens.

--I've tried many many options in Arturia Midi Control Center. None of them worked. Maybe there's something I must configure there?

Really, I've browsed your forum and many other internet forums to find a solution and found none.

I'm attaching links to images of my Ableton Midi configuration, my Beatstep knob configuration and midi mapping in case is useful for providing help.

Thanks so much.

G.

Links:

https://flic.kr/p/2jcz5Mr (https://flic.kr/p/2jcz5Mr)

https://flic.kr/p/2jcwna4 (https://flic.kr/p/2jcwna4)

https://flic.kr/p/2jcz5No (https://flic.kr/p/2jcz5No)