Shift button in Ableton Live?
Maybe I just have a blind spot somehow but I just don’t find a way to map a shift button in Ableton Live. 
I want to give my midi-controller a second layer but for that reason I would need a shift button… Anybody here who knows how to map one?
Are you using Live’s regular mapping system? Do you have Max for Live? Which controller are you talking about?
I do not have Max for Live so it would be great if one could do it with Live’s regular mapping system. We’re talking about any midi-controller in general but into go in details: I’ve got a Maschine here which I would like to use as a kind of production controller for Ableton (in midi-mode). But this needs a bunch of buttons and therefore some shift buttons would be necessary…
Maybe I should add that I would like to have them as permanent shift buttons, so that I press the shift button once and then the next layer is selected and I can use the functions on this layer until I press the shift button again. If possible I would like not to have to keep the shift button depressed all the time to use the next (=second) layer’s function.
I think what I am looking for is similar to the layer functionality of A&H Xone K2.
In Traktor it’s quite easy to map a shift button via changing modifier values. I just don’t know how Ableton Live handles this…
In Controller Editor, set up new custom templates. The Maschine controller supports multiple pages of knobs, and obviously supports eight pages of pads per template. If you need to toggle between more, use shift+control+transport buttons to toggle between more templates you’ve made.
Alright. Thanks for the advice so far! Definitely a great idea to map my Maschine controller! 
If I understood correctly this is more kind of a Maschine controller specific solution than one for midi controllers in Ableton Live in general.
What I know is that the APC 20 and 40 does have kind of a shift button (and is a controller for Ableton Live). Any chance, somebody could find out how they managed to get the shift button working in Ableton? Just because I think it’s hard to imagine that Live really does not support shift functionality…
Wasn’t able to find any comments on this on google though…
The APC40 does indeed have a shift button, and I’ve used it to select scenes (http://www.akaipro.com/tipsjun09) and also for 128s.
By the way - I have both a Maschine and an APC 40. Between those two, isn’t there quite a lot of control?
I can’t estimate as I don’t own an APC. That’s why I was asking how Akai dealed with creating a shift button… 
Is there a way to create a kind of “fake shift button” the following way: Creating several midi-mappings for the midi-contoller and map a “load template 1” and a “load-template-2”-button (and maybe even more of them)?
This would require the ability to save midi-mappings in Live and to map some “load-template-XY” functionality…
(It’s similar to botstein’s Maschine solution but I mean is it possible in general which means for other midi-controllers either)
The APC shift button is made using a script, not regular mapping. Have you tried the Maschine Ableton script + Mackie emulation? I’m getting mine delivered this week and after investigating on the subject thought it was the more versatile solution, either that or write a script for it.
@Botstein, only 2 knob pages? I see many templates running way more than 2.
oh. I just updated mine with 21 pages.
Release the kraken 
While you are at it:
Sounds really interesting. Do you think you could go a little more into detail explaining what your idea is about?
I know about the Mackie Protocoll and about Mackie mixers but unfortunately never heard of the Mackie emulation and the Maschine Ableton script.
I have still the question how to add a shift button in Ableton. I’ve got a Xone:K2 which doesn’t have a controller editor. I can use the 3 build-in pages but I don’t really like to skip through all 3 pages every time just for two control buttons. I do use Max for Live 5, so does anyone know a handy solution or tool?
Thanks
I use MidiStroke which is free and easy to use…
I use Ableton/Serato via Bridge and Maschine as a VST in Ableton, so by using Midistroke you can midi map functions that are not available in Ableton. ex. I use MidiStroke to midi map the “Tab” button to toggle back and forth between Session View and Arrangement view. Works really well…
Good Luck,
Ollie
I know this is an old thread, but has anyone worked this out in Windows?
This can be done EASILY using Bomes MT:
struggled to get to grips with the scripting…
but with translator pro out… might give it another go…