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MIDI triggering is especially useful in Ableton Live, because it overcomes timing problems that can arise in Live when using latency-inducing plugins.

METHOD A: One MIDI track triggering one Cableguys plugin

1. In ShaperBox 3, FilterShaper XL and MidiShaper, turn on MIDI Trigger mode by clicking the MIDI button below the Wave Editor or in MidiShaper’s Source A, B, C or D section. In Snapback, select the MIDI option in the Trigger panel. In PanCake, select a 'MIDI Triggered' or 'MIDI 1-Shot' triggering mode. In ShaperBox 2, set the 'MIDI Trigger' mode to 'On' or 'On (1-shot)'.
   
   Note: If you are a Mac user, use the VST or VST 3 version of the Cableguys plugin and not the AU version, as AU plugins cannot accept MIDI input.

2. On a new MIDI Track, create a MIDI clip and add MIDI notes in the rhythm that you want to trigger the Cableguys plugin.
   
   Any note will work, except when ShaperBox's Wave-switching MIDI Trigger option is enabled, in which case only C notes will trigger the LFO.
   
   Note: The MIDI track must not host any instrument or effects plugins, or it will output an audio signal rather than MIDI.

3. On the MIDI track, set the upper Output slot to the track containing the Cableguys plugin. In the lower Output slot, select the Cableguys plugin if it isn’t already.
   
   Now the Wave envelope/LFO will play from the beginning with each incoming MIDI note. Please see the manual for your Cableguys plugin for more on MIDI triggering.

METHOD B: One MIDI track triggering multiple Cableguys plugins

You can use a single MIDI track to trigger any number of instances of ShaperBox, FilterShaper XL, MidiShaper, Snapback and/or PanCake within Ableton Live, using Live's External Instrument device. Here's how it's done:

1. Load an External Instrument device from the Instruments section of the Live library onto a MIDI track, then right-click it in the Details View and select 'Group', or select it and press Cmd/Ctrl+G. The External Instrument should now be contained within a Group on the MIDI track.
2. Set up a Cableguys plugin on any track in your project, and activate MIDI Trigger mode, as described above.
3. Program your triggering MIDI pattern on the External Instrument MIDI track, then set the 'MIDI To' field of the External Instrument device to the track with the Cableguys plugin inserted. If the Cableguys plugin isn't the only MIDI-receptive plugin on the track, select it in the menu below. On playback, the MIDI clip will trigger the Cableguys plugin.
4. Drag another External Instrument device into the Chain List of the Group on the MIDI trigger track to create a second Chain within the Group, then set up another Cableguys plugin on another track, again with MIDI Trigger mode activated.
5. Route the second External Instrument device to the second Cableguys plugin as described in step 3. Both Cableguys plugins should now respond to the MIDI clip on the triggering MIDI track. Repeat as many times as required, with a separate External Instrument plugin routed to each Cableguys plugin in your project.

Download an Ableton Live project demonstrating this technique: Cableguys-MIDI-Sidechain-Routing-Demo.zip

METHOD A: MIDI-controlled AU plugin

This method works with ShaperBox, FilterShaper XL and Snapback. We recommend it over Method B, as it gives the most accurate timing and is easier to set up.

1. Add a new track (⌥⌘N), choosing 'Software Instrument'.

2. On the Software Instrument track, replace the instrument (E-Piano by default) with the Cableguys plugin, found in the AU MIDI-controlled Effects sub-menu.

3. In ShaperBox 3, FilterShaper XL and MidiShaper, turn on MIDI Trigger mode by clicking the MIDI button below the Wave Editor or in MidiShaper’s Source A, B, C or D section. In Snapback, select the MIDI option in the Trigger panel. In PanCake, select a 'MIDI Triggered' or 'MIDI 1-Shot' triggering mode. In ShaperBox 2, set the 'MIDI Trigger' mode to 'On' or 'On (1-shot)'.

4. In the top-right of the plugin window, select the track you want to process as the 'Side Chain' input.

5. On the instrument track, create a MIDI clip, then draw or record MIDI notes in the rhythm with which you want to trigger the Cableguys plugin.
   
   Any note will work, except when ShaperBox's Wave-switching MIDI Trigger option is enabled, in which case only C notes will retrigger the LFO Wave.

6. Mute the original source track (or set its Volume to 0, or Output to 'No Output'), so that you only hear the output of the plugin.

METHOD B: IAC Virtual MIDI port

Virtual MIDI ports enable you to send MIDI between applications in macOS. You can even send MIDI back into the same application, as we will here to trigger audio plugins via MIDI in Logic.

1. Open the Audio MIDI Setup application, which you can find in the Applications/Utilities folder, or by doing a Spotlight search (⌘-Space) for 'audio midi setup'.
   
   In the Window menu, select 'Show MIDI Window', double-click the IAC Driver and make sure 'Device is online' is checked.

2. In ShaperBox 3, FilterShaper XL and MIdiShaper turn on MIDI Trigger mode by clicking the MIDI button below the Wave Editor or in MidiShaper’s Source A, B, C or D section. In Snapback, select the MIDI option in the Trigger panel. In PanCake, select a 'MIDI Triggered' or 'MIDI 1-Shot' triggering mode. In ShaperBox 2, set the 'MIDI Trigger' mode to 'On' or 'On (1-shot)'.

3. Click the cogwheel icon to open the MIDI setup page. Set the Input to the virtual MIDI port you're using (eg, 'IAC Driver Bus 1').

4. Add a new track (⌥⌘N), choosing 'External MIDI' as the track type, disabling the 'Use External Instrument plugin' option, and setting the Output to the IAC driver port (eg, 'IAC Driver Bus 1').
   
   Make sure the track is not record enabled.

5. On the External MIDI Instrument track, create a MIDI clip, and add some MIDI notes in the rhythm with which you want to trigger the Cableguys plugin.
   
   Any note will work, except when ShaperBox or ShaperBox 2's Wave-switching MIDI Trigger option is enabled, in which case only C notes will retrigger the LFO Wave.

6. Because the IAC virtual MIDI port routes MIDI out of and back into Logic, you must use 'Realtime bouncing' when you bounce your track. For more info, see Apple's related support page.