Using standard keyboard keys to control volume

I would like to be able to use two different keyboard keys to increase and decrease the volume of a track i have in ableton live. Because I do not have a midi controller with any dials/knobs or sliders, I am wondering if there is a way I can simulate turning up the volume by holding down a certain key so that while i'm holding it down, the volume will increase, and it will stop increasing when i release it. I want the same functionality for turning the volume down with another key. Is this sort of thing possible at all?

Hi,

yes, this is possible with Midi Translator Pro: use "Keystroke" as incoming trigger. Use MIDI as Outgoing Action, entering the MIDI message for setting the track level.

Now a problem is that you want to convert individual key presses to an absolute volume level.

For that, use MT Pro's Rules: use a global variable e.g. gv to store the current volume. Each time you press the "volume up" key, increase gv with this rule:
gv=gv+1
Now you must make sure that gv does not exceed MIDI's range of 0..127, so add this check:
IF gv > 127 THEN gv=127

For lowering the volume, use these rules:
gv=gv-1
IF gv<0 THEN gv=0

For both Translator entries, use gv in the MIDI message as value. E.g. if MIDI controller 7 is used for setting the volume, use the following message in the Outgoing MIDI field for controlling the track volume with value gv:
B0 07 gv
Enter this for both the "increase volume" Translator entry, and the "decrease volume entry".

Hope this explains some...
Florian

thanks for the reply. I am new to midi translator, i have managed to set it up fine but I am not sure how to assign it to stuff in ableton. e.g. i have chosen 'Q' to be the key to increase volume. I followed your instructions to set it up in MT Pro but I am not sure what I should be assigning and to where in ableton. I tried assigning Q to the volume of hte track but all this does is change the volume from fully on to fully off, it is not progressive like I wish.

sorry I don't know further from here. Maybe ask in an Ableton board?

Florian