Ableton routing MIDI file CC to synth parameter

Question

I am fairly new to manipulate raw MIDI files, but I've had a couple of years of experience using Ableton.

I've been trying to generate some MIDI files using code (I'm using Julia with the MIDI.jl package). My goal is to use these file and read them into Ableton. I can do this fine now. However, I am trying to map the parameters in Ableton to a specific CC number that is in the MIDI track.

To clarify: I am generating a .mid file, dragging it on an Ableton track. Suppose the MIDI file has an oscillation from 0 to 127 on CC 73, I'd like this to control the frequency cutoff of Filter 1 in Analog (basically acting as an LFO modulating the filter).

With a USB controller I know that I can go in the MIDI mapping mode (cmd + m), select the parameter I want to control and then tweak the knob I want to use to control the parameter. However, I'm looking to do this without an external controller.

I cannot seem to add any MIDI mapping in the MIDI mapping mode without a controller (just with my laptop). Something that I think might work is creating a mapping using a controller and afterward changing the destination and sources of the mapping. I don't have a controller with me right now, so I can't check that... and it would also be convenient to have the possibility of a workflow without a controller.

I'm using Ableton 10 Suite. There might be a way of doing this with Max for Live, but I'm hoping that there is a quick fix that only uses Ableton.

I'm thinking that another workaround might be with the generation of the MIDI file itself. Maybe I could make the MIDI file to create some equivalent CC message that would directly affect Analog? I do not know enough about the structure of MIDI files to know if this is possible.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Answer 1

I think what you want to do is not possible. In my personal opinion, it really should be.

It is possible to do MIDI mapping in Live without a MIDI controller, but not without using a third-party MIDI routing app. What you would do is install and configure the MIDI routing app to route MIDI from Live back into Live. Then you setup a MIDI clip in Live and add an envelope with data points for the CC that you want to map. Set the inputs and outputs so that the MIDI clip plays the CC messages out to the router and then back into the track that has the instrument you want to control. Play the MIDI clip, enter MIDI map mode, and select the control you want to map the CC number to and it should map. Repeat as needed.

If you think that's ridiculous, I agree. I found no other way to edit MIDI maps.