Pro 3 and Ableton Live MIDI Workflow

[kenjabeats]

Hello,

New Pro 3 owner here. After combing through forums and the manual, I'm unable to figure out how to effectively use MIDI with Ableton Live and the Pro 3 in certain ways, so figure I'd ask here.

Also, the manual, along with some of the previous posts with this topic vary with older naming conventions in the settings for the Pro 3, so hoping to get help with an updated guide for 2024.

There is no other external hardware involved in this setup regarding MIDI. Just the Pro 3 hardwired directly into a MOTU M4 connected to a MacBook Pro. Also, I知 not using the Pro 3 USB option as I知 currently out of USB ports with my laptop and docking station.

My setup includes the following:
MOTU M4
Pro 3 1.2.0.4
Ableton Live 11.3.13

Physical MIDI Setup:
MIDI Out 1 from Pro 3 to MIDI In on the M4
MIDI Out from M4 to MIDI In on Pro 3

Physical Audio Setup:
Pro 3 Audio Out L + R TS unbalanced cables to MOTU Instrument Line In 1 + 2

Software MIDI Setup in Ableton:
M4 In and Out representing the Pro 3 connections (see screenshot attached)

External Instrument in Ableton (see screenshot attached)

MIDI Settings in Pro 3:
1. MIDI Channel: 1
2. MIDI Clock Mode: In
3. MIDI Clock Cable In: MIDI
4. MIDI Clock Cable Out: MIDI 1
5. MIDI Param Send: CC
6. MIDI Param Receive: CC
7. MIDI Control Enable: On
8. MIDI Sysex Enable: On
9. MIDI Sysex Cable: MIDI
10. MIDI Out Select: MIDI 1
11. MIDI Program Send: On
12. MIDI Program Receive: On
13. MIDI Arp/Seq Notes: On
14. MIDI Arp Beat Sync: Quantize

General Settings on Pro 3:
Local Control: On

With the MIDI track/External Instrument in Ableton armed, I can hit the keys and get audio in from the Pro 3 with any program/bank and hear it fine. I have a separate audio track that I can arm and write to .wav no problem. What I can't currently figure out with the Pro 3 and MIDI in Ableton are two things:

1. Use MIDI clips in Ableton, recording or writing in notes that trigger the Pro 3 and whatever program/bank I知 using. With this current set up, I can't record MIDI notes and when writing them in to a MIDI clip, it does not trigger the Pro 3.

2. Use the Pro 3 Arpeggiator/Sequencer. This one is weird as once I turn on the Pro 3 arpeggiator and hit play under mode Normal, the sequencer doesn稚 do anything. I hit some keys, nothing. Same thing with Gated mode.

Once I use Trigger mode, I can only tap on the Play button and it produces sound, one step at a time with the sequencer. So I知 tapping the play button on the Pro 3 repeatedly to hear the preset sequencer go through each 16 steps as I知 testing this out. Keys do nothing here though. When I have the arpeggiator on and hit play in an Ableton session, still no triggering of the Pro 3 sequencer/arpeggiator.

Can someone help point out what's missing or incorrect with this setup?

Thank you!

[Elric]

Once I use Trigger mode, I can only tap on the Play button and it produces sound, one step at a time with the sequencer. So I知 tapping the play button on the Pro 3 repeatedly

Trigger works that way for me too, like Gated.
Only "Normal" runs on it's own. (?)

I always use "Normal" for my Pro3 step sequences, and sync an old SR-16 drum machine to the P3.

[edit:]  Though I don't run my Pro3 through a DAW much at all.

...Also, check for midi loops. --  And remember "reduction testing" (I just made that up). -- Reduce to least available parameters, then add, 1 by 1.(?)
Unplug everything and see how the P3 works. Then, plug in ONE thing and see what happens. Then, plug in another thing, continue.

[Rob Papen]

Hello,

There doesn't seem to be a search feature in this forum. Yesterday I found out that the Sequencer of the Pro-3 stops in 'cycle' mode of the computer sequencer. In this case Cubase.
The cause for this is the 'song position' feature. So with Cubase, if you use the arrange track, or the regular cycle, the 'song position' should be turned off in Cubase.
I am not sure if this to be expected as response by the Pro-3, or that is is a bug? With cycle, the song position jumps back to another point, but it should not stop the sequencer.
Did anybody noticed this as well with his own music host?

Greetings,
Rob

[chysn]

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There doesn't seem to be a search feature in this forum.

Right at the very top of the screen after Help. Or in the hamburger if you're browsing on a mobile device.

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[Rob Papen]

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There doesn't seem to be a search feature in this forum.

Right at the very top of the screen after Help. Or in the hamburger if you're browsing on a mobile device.

)

Thanks, I could not find any other reports about this behavior of the sequencer. I will drop a message to the support email of Sequential.

[Rob Papen]

Hello,

With Cubase you need to set off the 'song position' feature, which can be found in the upper transport menu, the menu "Project synchronization setup', the menu 'Destinations" and the 'MIDI Clock preference' menu.

This avoids the Pro-3 sequencer stops playing in Cubase cycle mode.
I am unsure if this behavior is also in other music host.

Best
Rob