Thanks for the video, Hawk! Just picked one up myself and I'm loving it so far. Wish I had it when I was taking the Performing with Ableton Live class with you!
Hi Ben!! It is a solid footswitch controller! I've been using it with Bink Looper, they make a great pair for live looping. www.binkbeats.com/binklooper
Hi Erik -- great video, thanks so much. I'm considering the Pacer for Ableton, and just want to confirm that you can switch between tracks, record-arm them, and then start recording? You just "midi map" those tasks, right?
Yes you can. The preset Ableton Live DAW mode works pretty well. And for more specific track control you can just map MIDI note numbers in Live from the Pacer's MIDI note mode. Thanks for watching!
Clips containing a sample or a loop can be set to trigger in time in Ableton Live. Then you can use any controller to launch these clips. So no, you don't need Push, the tempo sync happens in Live and then any controller will work.
You're right, the top two left switches are dedicated to Pacer menus. Not sure why the Transport controls, the other three top row switches, wouldn't switch to sending MIDI notes. But yeah, only the bottom row could be used to send MIDI notes.
Yes of course, just MIDI map the pedals to Ableton Live's controls. The Transport mode was just a preset, not MIDI mapping. I'll try and do a demo soon for MIDI mapping so you can use it for looping.
@@ErikHawk - thanks for this video, and yes please to a demo for MIDI mapping on the Pacer. If you could cover something as basic as mapping to launch a scene, or move between scenes, that would be super helpful too.
@@ErikHawk @Erik Hawk that would be great. I reckon that this pedal would be THE answer for Ableton .. but they are still relyimng on the Mackie control approach, and dont feature a dedicated software for it. How solid and compatible is it really, in termos of being a real solution for us Live Looping with Ableton.. ? Thanks very much for the video Cheers from Portugal
@@duarteestelita7257 It's a really solid foot controller at a reasonable price. But until Ableton decides to manufacture a dedicated foot controller we're stuck with Mackie Control or MIDI Mapping. But honestly, MIDI Mapping really does do it all. Any pedal on the foot controller that's outputting a MIDI note number can be mapped to just about any control in Live. I guess i'd better get this video done so you guys can see it in action :-)
Whats the best way to remap the Track and Transport controls from a preset? Just to assign midi keys to the switches, and turn on Remote LED feedback? Or can you remap the mackie controls to things like record arm and mute? I love my Nektar for the price, ability to be USB powered, midi programmability, and external midi out. There's not much to compete with it for the features in this price bracket.
Yes, that's correct, just MIDI map. Switch Nektar to output MIDI notes and map away with Live's MIDI mapping function. The Mackie Control profile isn't sending MIDI notes that can be mapped. Hope that helps.
@@ErikHawk Yes Thank you. this makes as clear as it can be without having Live open or the controller. I sing & play guitar,so I want to make it as easy as possible. The fewer switches I need to press the better. Like pedal 1 to start,pedal to change parts throughout the song you know?
Yeah, I'm trying to figure out if there's a way to write a script for the Pacer like Blackstar's Live Logic pedal. It's live looping commands are perfect. Pacer's stock scripts leave much to be desired, even though it's a solid piece of kit.
It sends standard MIDI messages, so probably. You'd just need an app that responds to standard MIDI messages and the right cable. I've been able to successfully input standard 5-pin MIDI into my iPhone using this, TC-Helicon GO SOLO Audio/MIDI Interface for Mobile Devices
Transport controls?! Probably the worst thing you could possibly show. Can it control Ableton- ie Launch clips stop clips, launch scenes, change fixed length values, duplicate clips, clear clips, scroll left and right, record arm, mute solo etc (real world use things)
I showed what the preset profile does, transport controls. If you want to do anything else, just MIDI map the note#s to your Ableton Live controls like any standard MIDI controller. Also, as far as the Fixed Length function for audio clips, I believe this is only available from Push.
yeh sorry for the mini rage there, it looks cool but hard to know what it can do, no one wants to go to a live show and watch someone fast forward stop and rewind ;) there are just no videos online of people doing ableton foot control, guess it's not that popular. however it looks like this can do banks of CC? ableton has some nice midi learn capabilities so if it does, you can have banks of scenes launches, plus launch next and launch previous which would be handy. mapping out all the clips for recording is tricky though i'm not sure anyone has a decent solution yet. peace dude.
@@angelesk9382 Agreed, this is the same problem I'm having. I picked one up and am having trouble getting it to work properly with Live. I want to be able to launch scenes with it as if I were doing it with a keyboard or a push 2, but I haven't been able to figure it out.
Thanks for the video, Hawk! Just picked one up myself and I'm loving it so far. Wish I had it when I was taking the Performing with Ableton Live class with you!
Hi Ben!! It is a solid footswitch controller! I've been using it with Bink Looper, they make a great pair for live looping. www.binkbeats.com/binklooper
Hi Erik -- great video, thanks so much. I'm considering the Pacer for Ableton, and just want to confirm that you can switch between tracks, record-arm them, and then start recording? You just "midi map" those tasks, right?
Yes you can. The preset Ableton Live DAW mode works pretty well. And for more specific track control you can just map MIDI note numbers in Live from the Pacer's MIDI note mode. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the excellent video Erik, very helpful!
Thanks for watching!
Hey, thanks for the video. Can you use this to trigger samples in tempo without a push controller or do you need both for this to work successfully?
Clips containing a sample or a loop can be set to trigger in time in Ableton Live. Then you can use any controller to launch these clips. So no, you don't need Push, the tempo sync happens in Live and then any controller will work.
Is it possible to program more than 8 notes in a series in the D6 preset? Thanks
Seems like it will only let you midi map the 6 switches at the bottom. Why not top?
You're right, the top two left switches are dedicated to Pacer menus. Not sure why the Transport controls, the other three top row switches, wouldn't switch to sending MIDI notes. But yeah, only the bottom row could be used to send MIDI notes.
@@ErikHawk An Amazon reviewer was able to create a new preset to allow all 10 switches to control different midi notes.
What about live looping? I thought that would be the main reason to get it working with Ableton...
I think you can midi map the foot switches to arm recording and then record and stop. So yeah it would work well for a loop pedal in a live setting.
Yes of course, just MIDI map the pedals to Ableton Live's controls. The Transport mode was just a preset, not MIDI mapping. I'll try and do a demo soon for MIDI mapping so you can use it for looping.
@@ErikHawk - thanks for this video, and yes please to a demo for MIDI mapping on the Pacer. If you could cover something as basic as mapping to launch a scene, or move between scenes, that would be super helpful too.
@@ErikHawk @Erik Hawk that would be great.
I reckon that this pedal would be THE answer for Ableton .. but they are still relyimng on the Mackie control approach, and dont feature a dedicated software for it.
How solid and compatible is it really, in termos of being a real solution for us Live Looping with Ableton.. ?
Thanks very much for the video
Cheers from Portugal
@@duarteestelita7257 It's a really solid foot controller at a reasonable price. But until Ableton decides to manufacture a dedicated foot controller we're stuck with Mackie Control or MIDI Mapping. But honestly, MIDI Mapping really does do it all. Any pedal on the foot controller that's outputting a MIDI note number can be mapped to just about any control in Live. I guess i'd better get this video done so you guys can see it in action :-)
Whats the best way to remap the Track and Transport controls from a preset? Just to assign midi keys to the switches, and turn on Remote LED feedback? Or can you remap the mackie controls to things like record arm and mute?
I love my Nektar for the price, ability to be USB powered, midi programmability, and external midi out. There's not much to compete with it for the features in this price bracket.
Yes, that's correct, just MIDI map. Switch Nektar to output MIDI notes and map away with Live's MIDI mapping function. The Mackie Control profile isn't sending MIDI notes that can be mapped. Hope that helps.
What's the easiest way to assign controls for parts of a song? Like intro,verse etc
You can MIDI map scenes in the Session View or Locators in the Arrangement View. Either of these can work to launch song sections. Hope this helps.
@@ErikHawk Yes Thank you. this makes as clear as it can be without having Live open or the controller. I sing & play guitar,so I want to make it as easy as possible. The fewer switches I need to press the better. Like pedal 1 to start,pedal to change parts throughout the song you know?
Wow. I'd think arming and disarming a track is a little more important than thumping a bassline out with my foot.
Yeah, I'm trying to figure out if there's a way to write a script for the Pacer like Blackstar's Live Logic pedal. It's live looping commands are perfect. Pacer's stock scripts leave much to be desired, even though it's a solid piece of kit.
Thanks
You're welcome. Thanks for watching and commenting, hope it was helpful.
can i use it with my android phone?
It sends standard MIDI messages, so probably. You'd just need an app that responds to standard MIDI messages and the right cable. I've been able to successfully input standard 5-pin MIDI into my iPhone using this, TC-Helicon GO SOLO Audio/MIDI Interface for Mobile Devices
Transport controls?! Probably the worst thing you could possibly show. Can it control Ableton- ie Launch clips stop clips, launch scenes, change fixed length values, duplicate clips, clear clips, scroll left and right, record arm, mute solo etc (real world use things)
I showed what the preset profile does, transport controls. If you want to do anything else, just MIDI map the note#s to your Ableton Live controls like any standard MIDI controller. Also, as far as the Fixed Length function for audio clips, I believe this is only available from Push.
Why do u need to control all those things with your foot though
@@aces3261 You've got both hands on your instrument. You're doing live looping. Or you don't have arms ;-)
yeh sorry for the mini rage there, it looks cool but hard to know what it can do, no one wants to go to a live show and watch someone fast forward stop and rewind ;) there are just no videos online of people doing ableton foot control, guess it's not that popular. however it looks like this can do banks of CC? ableton has some nice midi learn capabilities so if it does, you can have banks of scenes launches, plus launch next and launch previous which would be handy. mapping out all the clips for recording is tricky though i'm not sure anyone has a decent solution yet. peace dude.
@@angelesk9382 Agreed, this is the same problem I'm having. I picked one up and am having trouble getting it to work properly with Live. I want to be able to launch scenes with it as if I were doing it with a keyboard or a push 2, but I haven't been able to figure it out.