Here is a link to a preset template for Pacer which is designed to work with Ableton Live:

To send the sysex data to Pacer, use Sysex Librarian (OS X) or Bome’s Send SX (Windows).

The sysex data will overwrite all of Pacer’s presets. If you do not want to lose your custom settings, please backup Pacer’s user presets before loading the sysex.

Once you have loaded the sysex, Pacer’s controls will be configured as shown below:

Track Presets

Pacer

  • Switch A: Track Preset
  • Switch B: Transport Preset
  • Switch C: Next Track
  • Switch D: Previous Track
  • Switch 1: Solo selected track
  • Switch 2: Mute selected track
  • Switch 3: Arm selected track
  • Switch 4: Metronome On/Off
  • Switch 5: MIDI CC 45*
  • Switch 6: MIDI CC 46*
  • FS1: MIDI CC 50*
  • FS2: MIDI CC 51*
  • FS3: MIDI CC 52*
  • FS4: MIDI CC 53*
  • EXP1: MIDI CC 7*
  • EXP2: MIDI CC 11 – Expression*

 *(assignable with MIDI Learn)

Transport Preset

Pacer

  • Switch A: Track Preset
  • Switch B: Transport Preset
  • Switch C: Next Track
  • Switch D: Previous Track
  • Switch 1: Arranger Loop On/Off
  • Switch 2: Rewind in Arranger
  • Switch 3: Fast-Forward in Arranger
  • Switch 4: Stop Playback
  • Switch 5: Play
  • Switch 6: Record in Arranger
  • FS1: MIDI CC 50*
  • FS2: MIDI CC 51*
  • FS3: MIDI CC 52*
  • FS4: MIDI CC 53*
  • EXP1: MIDI CC 7*
  • EXP2: MIDI CC 11 – Expression*

 *(assignable with MIDI Learn)

 

Installation & Setup

After downloading the file linked above and sending the Sysex file to Pacer, you will need to copy the ‘Pacer’ folder to the following location:

MacOS – ~/Library/Preference/Ableton/Live<version number>/User Remote Scripts (Image 1)
Note: 
This is usually a hidden directory. To access the user level Library follow these steps:

  • Open a Finder window.
  • Open the ‘Go” menu, and hold ‘ALT/Option’.
  • Select ‘Library’ and release ‘ALT/Option’
  • Open the ‘Preferences’ folder.
  • Open the ‘Ableton’ folder.
  • Open the folder for the most recent version of Live.
  • Open the ‘User Remote Scripts’ folder.

Windows – C:\\Users\\<your user name>\\AppData\\Roaming\\Ableton\\Live<version number>\\Preferences\\User Remote Scripts (Image 2)
Note:
This is a hidden directory. To access this directory you will need to configure Windows to ‘Show Hidden Files and Folders’ and deactivate ‘Hide Protected Operating System files’. Please follow the instructions on this page: Show hidden files.

Once you have copied the ‘Pacer’ folder to the correct directory, launch Ableton Live and do the following:

  • Open the ‘Preferences’ window in Live and select the ‘Link MIDI’ tab.
  • Select ‘Pacer’ from the list of Control Surfaces and set the Input and Output ports to ‘PACER’ on Windows and ‘PACER (MIDI1)’ in MacOS.
  • Once you’ve competed the above steps your preferences window in Ableton Live should look like Image 3 (Windows) or Image 4 (MacOS).

 

Selecting and Launching Scenes

If you would like to be able to select Scenes and launch Clips in Live’s Session view from Pacer, that is also possible. To do so, you will need to make a few control assignments using Live’s MIDI Learn Function.

In fact, stomp switches [5] and [6] are purposely left unassigned in the Track Presets, so that they can be assigned to parameters. You can also use Pacer’s foot switch inputs, if you have an external foot switch (such as a sustain pedal).

  • Start in Live’s Session view.
  • Click the ‘MIDI’ button in the upper-right corner, to activate Live.
  • Click on the function which you would like to assign to stomp switch [5].
  • Press Stomp Switch [5], to assign the function.
  • Repeat steps 3 and 4 to assign stomp switch 6 and the foot switch inputs (if you have an external foot switch)

The MIDI Assign image on the right shows the recommended configuration.

  • Switch 5: Next Scene
  • Switch 6: Previous Scene
  • FS1: Launch Scene

Note: MIDI assignments are stored on a per-project basis in Live. If you would like these settings to be retained when you create a new Live set, you will need to save the project as the Default set or as a Template set. You will find those options in the ‘File’ menu.

 

If you would like armed tracks to start recording when you launch a Scene, go to the ‘Record/Warp/Launch’ page in Live’s preferences and select and enable the ‘Start Recording on Scene Launch’ option, as shown in the Scene Record image on the right.