This post is for reference purposes. I will do my best to keep it up to date.
See this post for an explanation on what LinearMapper does.
Contents
Mapping Parameters
Right now, LinearMapper only has support for device parameters on a track within Live. This means parameters such as track on/off or sends are not currently able to be controlled with LinearMapper. This has to do with it being kind of difficult to dynamically control user-defined paths in Max.
To target a parameter for controlling, you need to enter the track, device, and parameter numbers into one of the 10 colored slots in the middle of the LinearMapper interface. Once you have entered the right numbers, the name of the targeted parameter will show up next to the corresponding colored slot.
Track, Device, and Parameter numbers
Track numbers are the same as the track number in Ableton, minus one. This is because the track number index starts at zero, not one. So the first track in your set is actually track zero. If you add a new track before the track that you are targeting for mapping, this will change the target track's number, which you will need to update in LinearMapper.
Device numbers are from left to right, in order of signal processing. So the very first device on your track is device one, and so on. Be aware that adding a device before the device you are targeting for mapping will change the device number, which you will need to update in LinearMapper.
Parameter numbers are a little more complicated. I recommend mapping Macro knobs to the parameters of the device you want to control, and then targeting the macro knobs for mapping. This is because Macro 1 is always parameter 1, and so on.
Devices within instrument/effect racks cannot currently have their parameters targeted directly - instead, you would have to map the desired parameter(s) to one of the group's macros.
Automatically find the path of a parameter
I highly recommend using the getLivePath device by synnack, which will help tell you the track, device, and parameter numbers of a given parameter. You can download it here.
In the future, I will figure out how to effectively implement the way getLivePath works into LinearMapper, so that the middle step will be eliminated and you can simply click on the desired parameter to map it. This is more difficult than it seems.
Scaling
If a parameter is being targeted correctly but not responding to changes in the LinearMapper, chances are the scaling needs to be set correctly. Click on the "scaling / save & load" button to toggle between the save/load menu and the parameter scaling menu.
The parameter scaling menu has 10 knobs, one for each of the ten parameters of LinearMapper. These knobs control the range (specifically, the upper bound) of the control that the LinearMapper parameter has on it's target parameter.
By default, these knobs are set to 1, which will almost certainly not be the correct setting. The right scale depends on the parameter in question, and what numbers Live is considering the highest and lowest value for it. The best scaling number to try is 127, and after that, 100 or 255. You may decide to use a different number to control less than the maximum range of the parameter.
In the future, I may add an option to set the lower bound as well, much like how other control devices such as the LFO work.
Setting Coordinates
Once you have correctly mapped and scaled the parameters you wish to control, you can set coordinates for the LinearMapper to interpolate between. You could do this step first, but to get the most out of LinearMapper, I recommend setting each coordinate while listening to how it sounds.
Selecting and Predicting modes
By default, LinearMapper will start in Selecting mode. This is the mode you need to be in to add coordinates to your dataset. Adding coordinates in Predicting will not work. Switch to Predicting mode once you are done adding coordinates.
Adding Coordinates
To add a coordinate, set each of the 10 sliders to the desired position. Then move the XY pad to the spot you'd like to correspond with the setting on the sliders. Once you have done this, press the "add coord." button. Repeat this process, making sure to move the XY pad each time, until your dataset is complete.
Once you are done, make sure to press the "fit data" button. It may appear to not do anything, but you need to press it at least once after entering new coordinates for it to work. This has to do with how the neural network finds the "line of best fit".
Once you have done this, the sliders should react to the XY pad cursor being moved.
Saving and Loading
If you have a set of coordinates that you really like, and want to be preserved after you close your Live set, you can save it in the "save & load" menu. Click on the "scaling / save & load" button to toggle between the save/load menu and the parameter scaling menu.
To save your current settings, press the "save" button. This will open up a file save menu where you can choose to save your file and what to name it. LinearMapper saves coordinates using .json files.
If you'd like to recall a certain setting using a previously saved .json file, you can do so in one of two ways.
Drag and drop: You can drag your .json file into the area within a blue box labelled "drop json file here". This will load your settings and you're ready to go.
Drop down menu: if you have a folder on your computer where you put your preset files, you can tell LinearMapper to open that folder and put its contained .json files in a drop-down menu for you to choose from. (Other file formats will not appear.)
Pressing the "set" button will open a file browser window for you to choose a folder. Navigate to the correct folder and press "open". The contained .json files will populate the drop-down menu labelled "select from folder". Simply choose a file from the menu to load it.
Additional Mappings
If you want to map multiple different parameters from different tracks onto the same slider, you can press the numbered button next to the colored box to open an window with four additional mapping options. These mappings have their own parameter scaling knobs - they are entirely unrelated from the scaling done on the "main" box.
Each of the ten main mappings has 4 more corresponding mappings that are all controlled by the slider of the same color as the main box.
This can be used if you want to target multiple parameters simultaneously in a way that cannot be achieved by macro mapping or grouping tracks.
Controlling the XY pad
Using the companion device "XYControl" with LinearMapper is a simple and easy way to control multiple LinearMapper devices at once, or to control LinearMapper with a MIDI controller.
Using the "controller" drop down menu on the LinearMapper interface, you can choose which XY pad (from left to right) on XYController that it is controlled by.
Each XY pad has a box that can control the x and y parameters individually, which are MIDI-mappable to a set of knobs, faders, etc.
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