Beatstep With Ableton

[Jackomillar]

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

[Jackomillar]

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?

[Tamarack]

I feel you, I am having the same problem. 

[Tamarack]

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.

[alandiaco]

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

[gelsol]

I don't see how you can get anything done when the encoders a programmed to barely move when you turn them...

[acidsaturation]

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.

[KMW]

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.

[GnollinZ]

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.

[GnollinZ]

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...

[Sid Viscous]

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!

[twei55]

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

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

[gabeabaud]

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.

[Terrym]

Hi see if this helps
https://www.arturia.com/faq/utilization/ableton-live-control-surface-mappings

[gabeabaud]

thanks @terrym

So basically, I can't assign the pads to anything in Ableton? I have to use it as that sheet states?