How to assign APC40/20 LEDs

[mikerudinski]

So basically I could never find a clear way to map the leds with my apc40. I spent about 3 hours plugging in numbers and looking at other apc40 tsi files. SO here's the skinny on how to map the leds.

First you assign the output for what ever pad you want.
Step one
Activate modifier M1 to setting number 0
Type of controller: LED
Interaction Mode: Output
Assignment: (Deck of choice)

Here is the important part:
Controller range: min=0 max=1, and check the invert box.
Midi Range:
For green: min=1 max=1 (check the blend box)
For Red : min=3 max=3 (blend box)
For amber: min=5 max= (blend box)
If you want the buttons to blink when you activate them you set the second number to the number below it (i.e. 1 becomes zero, 3 becomes 2 and 5 becomes 4)

[padi_04]

don't forget some controls (such as hotcues) need to use send monitor state (inverted), otherwise they turn off as soon as you release them (unless you are using dumb mode)

for knobs in APC40 use CC+8 and check blend
min/max 1: normal
min/max 2: full mode (fx)
min/max 3: pan mode (eq, key, filter, etc)

scene launch column and stop clip row only output green and blinking green

[mikerudinski]

haha yeah, I haven't gotten that far yet but thanks for the info. before all this I used to set up my grid in ableton and then just open traktor. I dig your gear by the way. How is your apc40 setup?

[JuanSOLO]

It's been a little while since I used Traktor, and I never used my APC40 for DJing with it until now. I'm definately not a total noob, but I have much to learn about mapping in Traktor. I have some basic questions.

1. Dumb mode is what happens when I open Ableton, close it, and open Traktor? This affects the way the APC40 responds to Traktor? Can any one elaborate on what is happening with that. I feel like I just want to understand it better, especially how the APC40 responds differently when I DONT open Ableton when using Traktor.

2. When trying to map EQ Kills, or FX buttons to Track control buttons and Device control buttons I get strange behavior. 1st, the bottom row of Device buttons seem to stay in momentary mode even when trying to set my MIDI IN and MIDI OUT (LED) to what I think should be correct. I feel like I am missing something here. ALSO sometimes my buttons in the Track Control section do not really respond correctly to Hold or Toggle? It like toggle is doubling it self up where I have to push the button many extra time to change the parameter, and HOLD is acting like a Toggle?

3. When trying to get updated LED feedback on the knobs, I have tried setting my IN and OUT setting accordingly, but it's like the KNOB is trying to stick to a value once I map the OUT values. It flickers and stays in a small range of value.

I have downloaded some other peoples mappings, and these things work. But I am wanting to build my own mappings from scratch, and understand it for myself. I guess I need some APC40/Traktor 101 style information?

[JuanSOLO]

Anyone?

[padi_04]

.

1. The behavior change is: all buttons now respond behave as hold (even track select) and no lights are mapped at the cost of losing the 9 banks for the lower knobs (this is handled natively via Midi channel change messages and is lost in dumb mode. Basically you get a blank controler.

2. This you are experiencing is the normal behavior of the apc and you can solve it in three ways. A) using it in dumb mode B) using send monitor state messages to update the status of each button C) map around the limitations (if the button is toggle map it in traktor as hold).
The upper buttons and first row of device control funciton natively as TOGGLE, the lower row are hold buttons, like the rest of the grid.

3. You need to map the midi out to CC+8 to solve this issue. (example: in cc20/ch1 out cc28/ch1). If you map the out to the same CC as the in, you get that sticky behaviour because in and out are trying to overwrite each other. cc+8 follows the position of the harware, and doesn't update itself to reflect software changes, you need to use a temporary send monitor state for this (example: fx devices updating as you scroll through the list).

haha yeah, I haven't gotten that far yet but thanks for the info. before all this I used to set up my grid in ableton and then just open traktor. I dig your gear by the way. How is your apc40 setup?

As my signature reads
* 2009 Macbook Pro 13,3"
* NI Audio8DJ
* Akai APC40
* Pioneer HDJ2000
* Griffin Elevator

However, I'm getting my KS4 next week, so need to sell the Akai and soundcard to pay for it :/
It's been a fun ride, but I miss jogs.

BTW, here is my mapping http://www.djtechtools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19872

[JuanSOLO]

Cool, thanks for the tips.

So now I have more questions. 1st, which do you prefer, dumb mode, or not? Why? I had read somewhere that dumb mode prevents audio glitches or something???
2nd, so the cc+8 does not update the led knobs if you say, check, update mixer control on song load?

3rd, last night I noticed that mapping matrix buttons to Hotcues 2-8 is different than Hotcue 1. For example Hotcue 1 seems to be isolated. If I am mapping the buttons to be Yellow when up, and red when pushed, Hotcues 2-8 all turn red when I push either one of them, but Hotcue 1 seems to stay Isolated from this?

Lastly, when mapping Loopsize to matrix button I cant seem to get individual LED feedback, or a loopsize state. For example I want some matrix buttons mapped as direct to loopsizes, Green up, off when pushed. All I can seem to get is always green.

So far I have been using dumb mode just to make some quick progress. The other method has been frustrating, but I would like to know if one is better than the other?

[padi_04]

.

1. I use regular mode because I do use the track selection buttons to switch between the device control banks (fx1/3, fx2/4, EQ C/D). The problem is with "send monitor state" on PC systems, i'm on a mac so that doesn't afect me. Regardless, there is a fix for this issue posted in the forum.

2. Using only cc+8 the led light will update, but the physical controller won't so you will get a jump. Keep in mind the only true endless encoder in the apc is the monitor cue knob. You can work around this by mapping the load deck buttons to update the leds. By mapping the out to the same cc as the in, you update it but it will respond slower depending on latency (i pull 2,5ms so it doesn't affect performance too much).

3. Are you mapping the hotcue lights individually (hc1,hc2,hc3, etc) or as a whole? You should make sure each light is recieving and displaying the unique information for each hotcue.
To get proper feedback on the grid (hotcues, etc) in regular mode you NEED to use send monitor state mapped to every control it should affect (tick inverted so it activates on release) otherwise the led will turn off.

4. To set the loop length lights you need to use the specific controller range value for each of the buttons (0 to 1 divided by each of the steps from fine to 32, don't remember how many they were) map the outs accordingly. Pretty much the way you would map VU meters, but with defined values. If we only had 4:

Length 1
Controller Range: 0-0,25
Midi Range: 0 (off) - 1 (static green)
Blend: off
Length 2
Controller Range: 0,25-0,5
Midi Range: 0 (off) - 1 (static green)
Blend: off
Length 3
Controller Range: 0,5-0,75
Midi Range: 0 (off) - 1 (static green)
Blend: off
Length 4
Controller Range: 0,75-1
Midi Range: 0 (off) - 1 (static green)
Blend: off

[JuanSOLO]

AWESOME, thanks for all the answers. This will be helpful when I get back home and start mapping my brains out.

I am on a Mac as well. So my now I have another question. So in "regular mode" the APC40's Track buttons work as they would in Ableton kind of. For example if I push Pan the knobs are sending a different midi cc than in send a, b or c. So in Traktor they can be used to "bank" through knob mappings so to speak?

One more thing. I downloaded your paddymap to study it a bit last night. However I use DVS and it seems to be set up differently. It's been a while since I have used TSP. I can't seem to figure out how to get you tsi back into a vinyl control mode? What am I missing?

[padi_04]

Track selection (buttons below the grid) only affect the lower set of knobs (device control). Pan and sends (track control) act only as regular toggle buttons; the rest of the upper knobs are not "banked", you will need to recreate this with modifiers.

I thought at 1º to make my A/B EQs follow the selected deck focus (ie: if you have deck A and D selected they could be accessed with the regular upper knobs) but discarded it as soon as I realized it would bring nothing but confusion when used live.

If you want to use my map for dvs make sure you select A and B to be timecode controlled (little arrow under the deck letter).