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Control Ableton Live 11 via Open Sound Control (OSC)

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AbletonOSC: Control Ableton Live 11 with OSC

stability-alpha

AbletonOSC is a MIDI remote script that provides an Open Sound Control (OSC) interface to control Ableton Live 11. Building on ideas from the older LiveOSC scripts, its aim is to expose the entire Live Object Model API (full API docs), providing comprehensive control over Live's control interfaces using the same naming structure and object hierarchy as LOM.

AbletonOSC is currently (2023-01-07) a work-in-progress, and APIs may be subject to change. Many major APIs are now exposed.

NOTE: Since 2022-12-17, all getters have been modified to return the ID of the object being queried as well as the return value, for consistency with listeners. For example, /live/clip/get/name will return track_id, clip_id, name.

Installation

AbletonOSC requires Ableton Live 11, and does not support earlier versions.

To install the script:

  • Download a zip of this repository, unzip its contents, and rename AbletonOSC-master to AbletonOSC
  • Install it following the instructions on Ableton's Installing third-party remote scripts doc, by copying the AbletonOSC folder to:
    • Windows: \Users\[username]\Documents\Ableton\User Library\Remote Scripts
    • macOS: Macintosh HD/Users/[username]/Music/Ableton/User Library/Remote Scripts
  • Restart Live
  • In Preferences > Link / Tempo / MIDI, under the Control Surface dropdown, select the new "AbletonOSC" option. Live should display a message saying "AbletonOSC: Listening for OSC on port 11000"

Activity logs will be output to a logs subdirectory. Logging granularity can be controlled with /live/api/set/log_level (see Application API below).

Usage

AbletonOSC listens for OSC messages on port 11000, and sends replies on port 11001. Replies will be sent to the same IP as the originating message. When querying properties, OSC wildcard patterns can be used; for example, /live/clip/get/* 0 0 will query all the properties of track 0, clip 0.

Application API

Documentation: Application API
Address Query params Response params Description
/live/test 'ok' Display a confirmation message in Live, and sends an OSC reply to /live/test
/live/application/get/version major_version, minor_version Query Live's version
/live/api/reload Initiates a live reload of the AbletonOSC server code. Used in development only.
/live/api/get/log_level log_level Returns the current log level. Default is info.
/live/api/set/log_level log_level Set the log level, which can be one of: debug, info, warning, error, critical.

Application status messages

These messages are sent to the client automatically when the application state changes.

Address Response params Description
/live/startup Sent to the client application when AbletonOSC is started
/live/error error_msg Sent to the client application when an error occurs. For more diagnostics, see logs/abletonosc.log

Song API

Represents the top-level Song object. Used to start/stop playback, create/modify scenes, create/jump to cue points, and set global parameters (tempo, metronome).

Documentation: Song API

Song methods

Address Query params Response params Description
/live/song/capture_midi Capture midi
/live/song/continue_playing Resume session playback
/live/song/create_audio_track index Create a new audio track at the specified index (-1 = end of list)
/live/song/create_midi_track index Create a new MIDI track at the specified index (-1 = end of list)
/live/song/create_return_track Create a new return track
/live/song/create_scene index Create a new scene at the specified index (-1 = end of list)
/live/song/cue_point/jump cue_point Jump to a specific cue point, by name or numeric index (based on the list of cue points)
/live/song/delete_scene scene_index Delete a scene
/live/song/delete_return_track track_index Delete a return track
/live/song/delete_track track_index Delete a track
/live/song/duplicate_scene scene_index Duplicate a scene
/live/song/duplicate_track track_index Duplicate a track
/live/song/jump_by time Jump song position by the specified time, in beats
/live/song/jump_to_next_cue Jump to the next cue marker
/live/song/jump_to_prev_cue Jump to the previous cue marker
/live/song/redo Redo the last undone operation
/live/song/start_playing Start session playback
/live/song/stop_playing Stop session playback
/live/song/stop_all_clips Stop all clips from playing
/live/song/tap_tempo Mimics a tap of the "Tap Tempo" button
/live/song/trigger_session_record Triggers record in session mode
/live/song/undo Undo the last operation

Song properties

  • Changes for any Track property can be listened for by calling /live/song/start_listen/<property>
  • Responses will be sent to /live/song/get/<property>, with parameters <property_value>
  • For further information on these properties and their parameters, see documentation for Live Object Model - Song.

Getters

Address Query params Response params Description
/live/song/get/arrangement_overdub arrangement_overdub Query whether arrangement overdub is on
/live/song/get/back_to_arranger back_to_arranger Query whether "back to arranger" is lit
/live/song/get/can_redo can_redo Query whether redo is available
/live/song/get/can_undo can_undo Query whether undo is available
/live/song/get/clip_trigger_quantization clip_trigger_quantization Query the current clip trigger quantization level
/live/song/get/current_song_time current_song_time Query the current song time, in beats
/live/song/get/groove_amount groove_amount Query the current groove amount
/live/song/get/is_playing is_playing Query whether the song is currently playing
/live/song/get/loop loop Query whether the song is currently looping
/live/song/get/loop_length loop_length Query the current loop length
/live/song/get/loop_start loop_start Query the current loop start point
/live/song/get/metronome metronome_on Query metronome on/off
/live/song/get/midi_recording_quantization midi_recording_quantization Query the current MIDI recording quantization
/live/song/get/nudge_down nudge_down Query nudge down
/live/song/get/nudge_up nudge_up Query nudge up
/live/song/get/punch_in punch_in Query punch in
/live/song/get/punch_out punch_out Query punch out
/live/song/get/record_mode record_mode Query the current record mode
/live/song/get/session_record session_record Query whether session record is enabled
/live/song/get/signature_denominator denominator Query the current time signature's denominator
/live/song/get/signature_numerator numerator Query the current time signature's numerator
/live/song/get/tempo tempo_bpm Query the current song tempo

Setters

Address Query params Response params Description
/live/song/set/arrangement_overdub arrangement_overdub Set whether arrangement overdub is on
/live/song/set/back_to_arranger back_to_arranger Set whether "back to arranger" is lit
/live/song/set/clip_trigger_quantization clip_trigger_quantization Set the current clip trigger quantization level
/live/song/set/current_song_time current_song_time Set the current song time, in beats
/live/song/set/groove_amount groove_amount Set the current groove amount
/live/song/set/loop loop Set whether the song is currently looping
/live/song/set/loop_length loop_length Set the current loop length
/live/song/set/loop_start loop_start Set the current loop start point
/live/song/set/metronome metronome_on Set metronome on/off
/live/song/set/midi_recording_quantization midi_recording_quantization Set the current MIDI recording quantization
/live/song/set/nudge_down nudge_down Set nudge down
/live/song/set/nudge_up nudge_up Set nudge up
/live/song/set/punch_in punch_in Set punch in
/live/song/set/punch_out punch_out Set punch out
/live/song/set/record_mode record_mode Set the current record mode
/live/song/set/session_record session_record Set whether session record is enabled
/live/song/set/signature_denominator signature_denominator Set the time signature's denominator
/live/song/set/signature_numerator signature_numerator Set the time signature's numerator
/live/song/set/record_mode record_mode Set the current record mode
/live/song/set/tempo tempo_bpm Set the current song tempo

Song: Properties of cue points, scenes and tracks

Address Query params Response params Description
/live/song/get/cue_points name, time, ... Query a list of the song's cue points
/live/song/get/num_scenes num_scenes Query the number of scenes
/live/song/get/num_tracks num_tracks Query the number of tracks
/live/song/get/track_names [index_min, index_max] Query track names (optionally, over a given range)
/live/song/get/track_data [various] Query bulk properties of multiple tracks/clips. See below for further info.

Querying track/clip data in bulk with /live/song/get/track_data

It is often useful to be able to query data en masse about lots of different tracks and clips -- for example, when a set is first opened, to synchronise the state of your client with the Ableton set. This can be achieved with the /live/song/get/track_data API, which can query user-specified properties of multiple tracks and clips.

Properties must be of the format track.property_name or clip.property_name.

For example:

/live/song/get/track_data 0 12 track.name clip.name clip.length

Queries tracks 0..11, and returns a long list of values comprising:

[track_0_name, clip_0_0_name,   clip_0_1_name,   ... clip_0_7_name,
               clip_1_0_length, clip_0_1_length, ... clip_0_7_length,
 track_1_name, clip_1_0_name,   clip_1_1_name,   ... clip_1_7_name, ...]

Song status messages

These messages are sent to the client automatically when the song state changes.

Address Response params Description
/live/song/beat beat_number Sent to the client application on each beat when the song is playing

View API

Represents the view (user interface) of live

### View properties
Address Query params Response params Description
/live/view/get/selected_scene selected_scene returns the selected scene (start at 0)
/live/view/get/selected_track selected_track returns selected track (start at 0)
/live/view/get/selected_clip selected_scene selected_track returns the scene and track of selected clip

Track API

Represents an audio, MIDI, return or master track. Can be used to set track audio parameters (volume, panning, send, mute, solo), listen for the playing clip slot, query devices, etc. Can also be used to query clips in arrangement view.

To query the properties of multiple tracks, see Song: Properties of cue points, scenes and tracks.

Documentation: Track API

Track methods

Address Query params Response params Description
/live/track/stop_all_clips track_id Stop all clips on track

Track properties

  • Changes for any Track property can be listened for by calling /live/track/start_listen/<property> <track_index>
  • Responses will be sent to /live/track/get/<property>, with parameters <track_index> <property_value>

Getters

Address Query params Response params Description
/live/track/get/arm track_id track_id, armed Query whether track is armed
/live/track/get/available_input_routing_channels track_id track_id, channel, ... List input channels (e.g. "1", "2", "1/2", ...)
/live/track/get/available_input_routing_types track_id track_id, type, ... List input routes (e.g. "Ext. In", ...)
/live/track/get/available_output_routing_channels track_id track_id, channel, ... List output channels (e.g. "1", "2", "1/2", ...)
/live/track/get/available_output_routing_types track_id track_id, type, ... List output routes (e.g. "Ext. Out", ...)
/live/track/get/can_be_armed track_id track_id, can_be_armed Query whether track can be armed
/live/track/get/color track_id track_id, color Query track color
/live/track/get/color_index track_id track_id, color_index Query track color index
/live/track/get/current_monitoring_state track_id track_id, state Query current monitoring state (on/off)
/live/track/get/fired_slot_index track_id track_id, index Query currently-fired slot
/live/track/get/fold_state track_id track_id, fold_state Query folded state (for groups)
/live/track/get/has_audio_input track_id track_id, has_audio_input Query has_audio_input
/live/track/get/has_audio_output track_id track_id, has_audio_output Query has_audio_output
/live/track/get/has_midi_input track_id track_id, has_midi_input Query has_midi_input
/live/track/get/has_midi_output track_id track_id, has_midi_output Query has_midi_output
/live/track/get/input_routing_channel track_id track_id, channel Query current input routing channel
/live/track/get/input_routing_type track_id track_id, type Query current input routing type
/live/track/get/output_routing_channel track_id track_id, channel Query current output routing channel
/live/track/get/output_meter_left track_id track_id, level Query current output level, left channel
/live/track/get/output_meter_level track_id track_id, level Query current output level, both channels
/live/track/get/output_meter_right track_id track_id, level Query current output level, right channel
/live/track/get/output_routing_type track_id track_id, type Query current output routing type
/live/track/get/is_foldable track_id track_id, is_foldable Query whether track is foldable, i.e. is a group
/live/track/get/is_grouped track_id track_id, is_grouped Query whether track is in a group
/live/track/get/is_visible track_id track_id, is_visible Query whether track is visible
/live/track/get/mute track_id track_id, mute Query track mute on/off
/live/track/get/name track_id track_id, name Query track name
/live/track/get/panning track_id track_id, panning Query track panning
/live/track/get/playing_slot_index track_id track_id, index Query currently-playing slot
/live/track/get/send track_id, send_id track_id, value Query track send
/live/track/get/solo track_id track_id, solo Query track solo on/off
/live/track/get/volume track_id track_id, volume Query track volume

Setters

Address Query params Response params Description
/live/track/set/arm track_id, armed Set track arm state on/off
/live/track/set/color track_id, color Set track color
/live/track/set/color_index track_id, color_index Set track color index
/live/track/set/current_monitoring_state track_id, state Set monitoring on/off
/live/track/set/fold_state track_id, fold_state Set folded on/off
/live/track/set/input_routing_channel track_id, channel Set input routing channel
/live/track/set/input_routing_type track_id, type Set input routing type
/live/track/set/mute track_id, mute Set track mute on/off
/live/track/set/name track_id, name Set track name
/live/track/set/output_routing_channel track_id, channel Set output routing channel
/live/track/set/output_routing_type track_id, type Set output routing type
/live/track/set/panning track_id, panning Set track panning
/live/track/set/send track_id, send_id, value Set track send
/live/track/set/solo track_id, solo Set track solo on/off
/live/track/set/volume track_id, volume Set track volume

Track: Properties of multiple clips

Address Query params Response params Description
/live/track/get/clips/name track_id track_id, [name, ....] Query all clip names on track
/live/track/get/clips/length track_id track_id, [length, ...] Query all clip lengths on track
/live/track/get/clips/color track_id track_id, [color, ...] Query all clip colors on track
/live/track/get/arrangement_clips/name track_id track_id, [name, ....] Query all arrangement view clip names on track
/live/track/get/arrangement_clips/length track_id track_id, [length, ...] Query all arrangement view clip lengths on track
/live/track/get/arrangement_clips/start_time track_id track_id, [start_time, ...] Query all arrangement view clip times on track

Track: Properties of devices

Address Query params Response params Description
/live/track/get/num_devices track_id track_id, num_devices Query the number of devices on the track
/live/track/get/devices/name track_id track_id, [name, ...] Query all device names on track
/live/track/get/devices/type track_id track_id, [type, ...] Query all devices types on track
/live/track/get/devices/class_name track_id track_id, [class, ...] Query all device class names on track

See Device API for details on Device type/class_names.


Clip Slot API

A Clip Slot represents a container for a clip. It is used to create and delete clips, and query their existence.

Documentation: Clip Slot API
Address Query params Response params Description
/live/clip_slot/create_clip track_id, clip_id, length Create a clip in the slot
/live/clip_slot/delete_clip track_id, clip_id Delete the clip in the slot
/live/clip_slot/get/has_clip track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, has_clip Query whether the slot has a clip
/live/clip_slot/get/has_stop_button track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, has_stop_button Query whether the slot has a stop button
/live/clip_slot/set/has_stop_button track_id, clip_id, has_stop_button Add or remove stop button

TODO: Add more properties and methods


Clip API

Represents an audio or MIDI clip. Can be used to start/stop clips, and query/modify their notes, name, gain, pitch, color, playing state/position, etc.

Documentation: Clip API
Address Query params Response params Description
/live/clip/fire track_id, clip_id Start clip playback
/live/clip/stop track_id, clip_id Stop clip playback
/live/clip/duplicate_loop track_id, clip_id Duplicates clip loop
/live/clip/get/notes track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, pitch, start_time, duration, velocity, mute, [pitch, start_time...] Query the notes in a given clip.
/live/clip/add/notes track_id, clip_id, pitch, start_time, duration, velocity, mute, ... Add new MIDI notes to a clip. pitch is MIDI note index, start_time and duration are beats in floats, velocity is MIDI velocity index, mute is true/false
/live/clip/remove/notes start_pitch, pitch_span, start_time, time_span Remove notes from a clip in a given range of pitches and times.
/live/clip/get/color track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, color Get clip color
/live/clip/set/color track_id, clip_id, color Set clip color
/live/clip/get/name track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, name Get clip name
/live/clip/set/name track_id, clip_id, name Set clip name
/live/clip/get/gain track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, gain Get clip gain
/live/clip/set/gain track_id, clip_id, gain Set clip gain
/live/clip/get/length track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, length Get clip length
/live/clip/get/pitch_coarse track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, semitones Get clip coarse re-pitch
/live/clip/set/pitch_coarse track_id, clip_id, semitones Set clip coarse re-pitch
/live/clip/get/pitch_fine track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, cents Get clip fine re-pitch
/live/clip/set/pitch_fine track_id, clip_id, cents Set clip fine re-pitch
/live/clip/get/file_path track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, file_path Get clip file path
/live/clip/get/is_audio_clip track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, is_audio_clip Query whether clip is audio
/live/clip/get/is_midi_clip track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, is_midi_clip Query whether clip is MIDI
/live/clip/get/is_playing track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, is_playing Query whether clip is playing
/live/clip/get/is_recording track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, is_recording Query whether clip is recording
/live/clip/get/playing_position track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, playing_position Get clip's playing position
/live/clip/start_listen/playing_position track_id, clip_id Start listening for clip's playing position. Replies are sent to /live/clip/get/playing_position, with args: track_id, clip_id, playing_position
/live/clip/stop_listen/playing_position track_id, clip_id Stop listening for clip's playing position.
/live/clip/get/loop_start track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, loop_start Get clip's loop start
/live/clip/set/loop_start track_id, clip_id, loop_start track_id, clip_id, loop_start Set clip's loop start
/live/clip/get/loop_end track_id, clip_id track_id, clip_id, loop_end Get clip's loop end
/live/clip/set/loop_end track_id, clip_id, loop_end track_id, clip_id, loop_end Set clip's loop end

Device API

Represents an instrument or effect.

Documentation: Device API
Address Query params Response params Description
/live/device/get/name track_id, device_id track_id, device_id, name Get device name
/live/device/get/class_name track_id, device_id track_id, device_id, class_name Get device class_name
/live/device/get/type track_id, device_id track_id, device_id, type Get device type
/live/device/get/num_parameters track_id, device_id track_id, device_id, num_parameters Get the number of parameters exposed by the device
/live/device/get/parameters/name track_id, device_id track_id, device_id, [name, ...] Get the list of parameter names exposed by the device
/live/device/get/parameters/value track_id, device_id track_id, device_id, [value, ...] Get the device parameter values
/live/device/get/parameters/min track_id, device_id track_id, device_id, [value, ...] Get the device parameter minimum values
/live/device/get/parameters/max track_id, device_id track_id, device_id, [value, ...] Get the device parameter maximum values
/live/device/get/parameters/is_quantized track_id, device_id track_id, device_id, [value, ...] Get the list of is_quantized settings (i.e., whether the parameter must be an int/bool)
/live/device/set/parameters/value track_id, device_id, value, value ... Set the device parameter values
/live/device/get/parameter/value track_id, device_id, parameter_id track_id, device_id, parameter_id, value Get a device parameter value
/live/device/set/parameter/value track_id, device_id, parameter_id, value Set a device parameter value

For devices:

  • name is the human-readable name
  • type is 1 = audio_effect, 2 = instrument, 4 = midi_effect
  • class_name is the Live instrument/effect name, e.g. Operator, Reverb. For external plugins and racks, can be AuPluginDevice, PluginDevice, InstrumentGroupDevice...

Utilities

Included with the framework is a command-line console utility run-console.py, which can be used as a quick and easy way to send OSC queries to AbletonOSC. Example:

(1653)(AbletonOSC)$ ./run-console.py
AbletonOSC command console
Usage: /live/osc/command [params]
>>> /live/song/set/tempo 123.0
>>> /live/song/get/tempo
(123.0,)
>>> /live/song/get/track_names
('1-MIDI', '2-MIDI', '3-Audio', '4-Audio')

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Stu Fisher (and other authors) for LiveOSC, the spiritual predecessor to this library. Thanks to Julien Bayle and NSUSpray for providing XML API docs, based on original work by Hanz Petrov.

For code contributions and feedback, many thanks to:

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