The power of macros
Your keyboard’s mod wheel is one universal source that can be assigned to affect multiple parameters at once, but many synths also provide multiple macro controls. You can assign multiple parameter moves and custom ranges to one macro knob, allowing you to tweak many different global changes with a single mouse twist. You could, say, hook up a macro to fully open your filter cutoff, while simultaneously increasing amplitude envelope decay, sustain and release, plus reverb and delay mix amounts. We’ll explore this approach using Xfer Serum in the tutorial below.
Macros also make the process of automation more efficient. Hook up a single macro to alter several parameters at once, then draw in the motion of that one knob on your DAW’s timeline.
Many sound designers preassign parameter changes to macros, which can be interpreted as suggestions for how to edit the patch. A welldesigned preset could offer many variations for you to instantly shape. If you’re designing your own sounds, set up labelled collections of go-to controls for other preset surfers, to remind users of the most important sound-altering features.
Macros can also be assigned to your MIDI keyboard’s rotary controls. This helps bridge the gap between software power and hands-on control – get away from fiddly mouse tweaks and perform your patch away from the computer screen.
If you want to go further, you can use macro controls when you’re building your own multisampled instruments, synth stacks or effects chains, then package them up into one easy-to-build custom instrument.
We’ll do exactly that on the adjacent page’s tutorial, within Ableton Live’s powerful Instrument Rack environment.
1 Here in Live, we kick things off by loading an Instrument Rack on a new MIDI Track, then calling up an instance of u-he Diva inside the rack. We call up the MK Bass Pack Leader preset and record in a moody synth melody in the key of Amin. This first patch will provide the low end and ‘body’ to our overall sound.
2 In the Instrument Rack’s Chain List, we hold Alt and click and drag down on the first chain to duplicate the Diva instance to a second Chain. In this second Diva instance, we call up MK 90s Rave Minor patch from the Lead section. We add an EQ Eight in this chain, then sweep away low frequencies below 100Hz.
3 Next, duplicate this second lead synth’s Chain along with its EQ Eight. In this third layer, we call up the Percussive >> HS Kit 1 preset: a synthetic tom sound that adds a punchy transient and white noise. After naming each Chain to Bass, Lead and Top, we’re ready to assign the Rack’s eight macros.
4 On Bass Chain, click Unfold Device Parameters and toggle Configure. In Diva, click cutoff Frequency to add it into the Device Parameters list. By rightclicking on the Frequency control here, we Map to Macro 1. Repeat for the other synth layers, so the three cutoff frequencies are controlled by Macro 1.
5 Similarly, assign all three Diva’s filter Resonance to Macro 2. Within both the Lead and Top Divas, the Plate 1 effect is active: we direct their Wet controls to Macro 3, creating a Reverb macro. Assign the Top synth’s Plate 1 Decay to the same Macro 3 for a longer, more dramatic reverb space when Macro 3 is cranked up.
6 Diva does have a delay effect, but we can integrate some of Live’s native devices into our multilayered synth for more control. Add Ping Pong Delay to the Lead layer. After tweaking settings, we paste this device to the Top synth’s Chain. Leaving the Bass layer delay-free will keep our low end clean and uncluttered.
7 We assign the Dry/Wet of both Ping Pong Delays to Macro 4 – as it’s a native device, we can simply right-click on the parameter and select Map to Macro 4. From here, it’s a case of deciding which parameters will be useful to access from our eight-knob synth’s Macro panel…
8 Assign the Bass & Lead synths’ Waveform to Macro 5 – we can now switch through oscillator waveforms. For hands-on amp envelope tweaking, map the Decay of all three synths to Macro 6, and Sustain to Macro 7. Drop identical Overdrive devices onto all three layers for crunch, then map Dry/Wet to Macro 8.