Ableton Live Setup and Troubleshooting: Impact

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Impact LX, LX+ and GX keyboards can be used as a simple control surface in Ableton Live with some basic configuration. This template is not as comprehensive as our integration for the other DAWs which we support but it will give you a place to start, so that you don't need to configure basic functions, such as Transport control.

Here is a list of the supported features:

With Preset Mode selected (press the Preset button) and the Global Channel set to 16 (see instructions below) the pots, faders,
pads and buttons on your Impact LX/LX+ (only the Transport functions apply to the Impact GX series) will control the following
parameters in Ableton Live:

Transport:

Cycle - Activate/Deactivate loop markers in Arrangement View

<< (Rewind) - Moves playback position backward

>> (Fast Forward) - Moves playback position forward

Stop - Stops playback

Play - Starts play back

Record - Activates Recording

Faders

Faders 1-8 Control volume for the first 8 Mixer channels in the project

Fader 9 controls the Master Volume

Fader Buttons

Buttons 1-8 Arm the first 8 tracks in the project

Knobs/Pots

Control Instrument parameters for the selected track

< Track and Track > functions

Selects the bank of controls for the active instrument

Pad Maps

Pad Map1 triggers the first 8 drum pads in a selected bank for Live's Drum Rack

Pad Map2 triggers the next 8 drum pads in a selected bank for Live's Drum Rack

Setup

To get started, please download the Live Remote Script file from the link below.

Ableton Live Remote Script

Note: Only Live 8.3 and above are supported

Installation

1. With Ableton Live closed copy the 'Impact LX' folder to the following locations:

Windows: C:\Users\<your user name>\AppData\Roaming\Ableton\Live\Preferences\User Remote Scripts

Note: This is a hidden directory. To access this directory you will need to:

Configure Windows to 'Show Hidden Files and Folders'

Deactivate 'Hide Protected Operating System files'.'

Please follow the instructions on this page: Show hidden files

MAC OSX: ~/Library/Preference/Ableton/Live /User Remote Scripts

Note: in OSX 10.7 and 10.8, this is a hidden directory. To access this directory follow these steps:

Open a Finder window

Hold CMD+Shift+G

Type or paste ~/Library/Preferences/Ableton in the text field

2. Once you have copied the Impact LX folder to the correct directory, launch Ableton Live and do the following:

Open the Preferences window in Live and select the MIDI Tab.

Select 'Impact LX' (slot 1) form the list of Control Surfaces and set the Input port to 'IMPACT LX__ (Port 1)'

Repeat this for control surface slot 2 but for the input choose 'IMPACT LX__ (Port 2)'

Once you've competed the above steps your preferences window in Ableton Live should look like this.

3. Finally we need to make a quick adjustment on your Impact LX controller. Follow these steps to set the Global MIDI Channel to 16

Imapct LX/LX+

Press the SETUP button on your Impact LX (press Shift+Setup on the LX+ series).
Press Key C2 (Global Channel) on Impact LX's keyboard. This is the second C key from the far left.
If you are using an LX25/LX25+, press key C3 (labeled 'Enter'). If you are using any other Impact controller, skip this step.
Press Key C3 (labeled with a '-' sign, key C1 on the LX25) so the display says 0.1.6.
Press SETUP to exit setup mode (again, press Shift+Setup on the LX+ series)

Impact GX

Press the 'Setup' button
Press key A2 (labeled 'USB Port Setup')
Press key B4 (labeled '2')
Press key C6 (labeled 'Enter')

Now you are ready to Control Live from your Impact LX, LX+ or GX keyboard.