Keyboard view¶

zcx can be configured to show a rudimentary melodic keyboard, as found on controllers like the Ableton Push.

Limitations¶

Keyboard feedback is limited to the notes you are currently playing via the zcx script; you will not see feedback for notes from other sources, like a playing clip or MIDI input from other controllers or tracks.
Keyboard feedback will not distinguish whether the played notes are being recorded, i.e., they will not be red.
Currently, the keyboard view is not designed for Drum Rack instruments. Better support for Drum Racks is planned for a future release.
Currently, the lowest note of the keyboard is always the tonic of the current scale. A future release will emulate the "fixed" layout seen on Push.

Issues¶

Aftertouch will be received even from controls that aren't part of the keyboard.

Configuration¶

The keyboard view is actually a specialized matrix section. To configure it, add a new section called __keyboard to your matrix_sections.yaml:

matrix_sections.yaml

__keyboard:
  row_start: 0
  row_end: 7
  col_start: 0
  col_end: 7

There is no need to create the file matrix_sections/__keyboard.yaml.

Once the section is created, add it to a page.

MIDI channel¶

Notes from the keyboard are sent on a dedicated MIDI channel. The default channel is 10, unless specified otherwise in the hardware reference for your controller.

You may change this with the preferences.yaml option playable_channel.

This preference is zero-indexed: the lowest channel is 0 and the highest 15.

The chosen MIDI channel must be completely reserved for the keyboard: if your controller has one button that sends MIDI on channel 7, then channel 7 may not be used for the keyboard.

Custom colors¶

You may set custom colors via the matrix section definition:

matrix_sections.yaml

__keyboard:
  row_start: 0
  row_end: 7
  col_start: 0
  col_end: 7
  colors:
    pressed: play_green
    in_key: white
    out_key: off
    tonic: track

track is a keyword referring to the color of the selected track.

You may provide named colors or MIDI values, but not animated colors.

Initial octave¶

matrix_sections.yaml

__keyboard:
  row_start: 0
  row_end: 7
  col_start: 0
  col_end: 7
  octave: 3

Set the initial octave of the keyboard. With the default of 3, and in the key of C, the lowest pad will play note C1 (MIDI note 36).

Melodic settings¶

Scale¶

The keyboard view follows Live's currently selected scale. You may set the scale with ClyphX Pro's SCL ROOT and SCL NAME actions.

Octave¶

You may set this via the keyboard command:

Absolute¶

gestures:
  pressed:
    keyboard:
      octave: 5

Or via the zcx user action:

ZCX <target script> KB OCT 4

Relative¶

gestures:
  pressed:
    keyboard:
      octave:
        up: 1
  released:
    keyboard:
      octave:
        down: 1

Or via the zcx user action:

ZCX <target script> KB OCT <
ZCX <target script> KB OCT >
ZCX <target script> KB OCT >2

In-key / chromatic¶

You may set this via the keyboard command:

gestures:
  pressed:
    keyboard:
      in_key: true

Valid options are true, false, or toggle.

ZCX <target script> KB INKEY
ZCX <target script> KB INKEY ON
ZCX <target script> KB INKEY OFF

Full velocity¶

When enabled, all notes will be sent at velocity 127.

You may set this via the keyboard command:

gestures:
  pressed:
    keyboard:
      full_velo: true

Valid options are true, false, or toggle.

Or via the zcx user action:

ZCX <target script> KB FULLVELO
ZCX <target script> KB FULLVELO ON
ZCX <target script> KB FULLVELO OFF

Note repeat¶

You may set this via the keyboard command:

gestures:
  pressed:
    keyboard:
      repeat_rate: off

Valid options are: ON, OFF, 1/4D, 1/4, 1/4T, 1/8D, 1/8, 1/8T, 1/16D, 1/16, 1/16T, 1/32D, 1/32, 1/32T, 1/64D, 1/64, 1/64T.

ON will activate the last repeat rate set, or 1/4 if no rate previously set.

Or via the zcx user action:

ZCX <target script> KB RPT
ZCX <target script> KB RPT ON
ZCX <target script> KB RPT OFF
ZCX <target script> KB RPT 1/16

keyboard control type¶

You may use the keyboard control to get feedback about the state of the keyboard.