mackie emulation

spiral · Post by **spiral** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 4:52 am

for win http://home.earthlink.net/~flipotto/
for os x http://www.opuslocus.com/lcxmu/

a1studmuffin · Post by **a1studmuffin** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 10:36 am

Actually, while we're on this topic, I'd like to ask a question - is it really *easier* working with a control surface instead of a mouse + keboard + a widescreen monitor, or is it just a preference thing, ie. useful for those transitioning from the analogue to the digital realm of DAWs?

I've only really ever known the digital approach (as a lot of people new to the music production scene would), so I've gotten pretty efficient at using a mouse + keyboard to drive my sequencer, but if there's a huge advantage to a control surface, I'd be willing to consider it. But to be honest I can't see how it would be heaps easier, given that I normally have 20-30 tracks in a track anyway, and the control surface only maps to 8... ?

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 12:00 pm

Control surface HEAPS better.

But what do you mean that a control surface only maps 8 tracks? It depends on your control surface really.

The ol' Tascam US-2400 (fucking awesome unit!) had/has 24-seperate channels and a master - all with motorized faders.

So yeah - for mixing, control surface FTW.

I guess it all depends on the usual factors of: budget, amount of tracks/channels your running and your preferred method of mixing.

flippo · Post by **flippo** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 12:23 pm

best thing about having control surface for mixing, I recon, would be being able to close your eyes and just listen to what you are doing.

grooki · Post by **grooki** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 12:57 pm

I find being able to control things like filters and things with a physical knob (ho ho, chuckle) is much better. It feels more like I am in control, you can do more varied things because you can play it a bit like an instrument.

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 1:32 pm

grooki wrote:I find being able to control things like filters and things with a physical knob (ho ho, chuckle) is much better. It feels more like I am in control, you can do more varied things because you can play it a bit like an instrument.

Can be done with a basic MIDI controller, not really case-specific to a DAW control surface.

a1studmuffin · Post by **a1studmuffin** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 1:34 pm

Direktor wrote:The ol' Tascam US-2400 (fucking awesome unit!) had/has 24-seperate channels and a master - all with motorized faders.

Phwoar, that does sound pretty sweet.

What do you do if you exceed the number of tracks the mixer has faders for?

Oh and really good point flippo, I'm *totally* about closing my eyes and tweaking shit, makes a huge difference when you force yourself to really listen to what's going on.

Might have to think about it....

Stray · Post by **Stray** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 1:52 pm

I close my eyes when I have a tweak too.. wait.. which thread is this again?

Shadowgames · Post by **Shadowgames** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 1:58 pm

a1studmuffin wrote:
Direktor wrote:The ol' Tascam US-2400 (fucking awesome unit!) had/has 24-seperate channels and a master - all with motorized faders.
Phwoar, that does sound pretty sweet.

What do you do if you exceed the number of tracks the mixer has faders for?

I'd imagine it has multiple banks of faders (most other daw controllers do), so you can just flick between say 8 banks of 24 faders.

The Tascam US-2400 was discontinued though...

But a controll suface of some kind is the go really, especially when you put the time into mapping otu the buttons to usefull taks to minimise the mouse usage. Great for just mixing obvisouly

spiral · Post by **spiral** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:11 pm

my synths are set up away from computer so its good to be able to control synth filters and effects etc all from one place

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:11 pm

A real shame it was discontinued also (the US2400 that is).

Wasn't cheap, for a USB control surface you were looking at an RRP just under $3,700inc - and apparently they were discontinued as they were only going to be more expensive to produce!

And yes, it did have multiple bank buttons so you could control more than 24 tracks.

Shadowgames · Post by **Shadowgames** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:15 pm

that's crazy cheap! decent motorized faders don't come cheap, usually around the $100+ mark just for the part (more for p&g), without any of the other bits required for the unit.

but i guess they didn't sell enough

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:20 pm

Mate - sold lots of them!

Getting stock out of Japan was more the problem.

Shadowgames · Post by **Shadowgames** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:21 pm

wonder why they canned them? shame; as there's nothing else in that price range really.

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:23 pm

They were apparently canned for the reason already said... they were becoming too expensive to produce, there wasn't enough money in them...

Dunno, but that's what we were told by Tascam Japan.

You'd reckon they'd just raise the price - but no go, and no replacement either.

flippo · Post by **flippo** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:47 pm

I've been looking into the bahringer unit with the endless roatries with LEDS spinniing around them, comebined with a frontier resign tranzport. Out to all my povo cew. Would be nice to never have to touch the mouse.

flippo · Post by **flippo** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 2:48 pm

but I also need monitors, and a new computer, and a kaos padkontrol.....

should have become a fucking tradie I swear.

grooki · Post by **grooki** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 3:21 pm

Direktor wrote:
grooki wrote:I find being able to control things like filters and things with a physical knob (ho ho, chuckle) is much better. It feels more like I am in control, you can do more varied things because you can play it a bit like an instrument.
Can be done with a basic MIDI controller, not really case-specific to a DAW control surface.

ah sorry, I thought that was what they were talking about

Direkt · Post by **Direkt** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 4:06 pm

grooki wrote:
Direktor wrote:
grooki wrote:I find being able to control things like filters and things with a physical knob (ho ho, chuckle) is much better. It feels more like I am in control, you can do more varied things because you can play it a bit like an instrument.
Can be done with a basic MIDI controller, not really case-specific to a DAW control surface.
ah sorry, I thought that was what they were talking about

It can be confusing... not much difference between the two mate.

Spherix · Post by **Spherix** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 8:51 pm

i really dont mind both

i think sometimes with knobs youre lookin for such a fine change in the sound that you might as well not be touching the thing anyways, and you dont get that fine tuning, but with the mouse + ctrl you can get it on any knob/slider etc

you can close your eyes with a computer too

flippo · Post by **flippo** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 9:48 pm

i just like the idea of having all the sliders there at my fingertips when i close my eyes, instead of having to look around for the mouse. Also it's just way cooler

a1studmuffin · Post by **a1studmuffin** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:10 pm

It's not too bad with the mouse though - at the moment I just click down on the fader I want, close my eyes, then move it up and down. Live won't lose the fader selection regardless of too much horizontal movement so it's all good.

spiral · Post by **spiral** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 8:31 am

http://www.kontrolfreqs.com/

grooki · Post by **grooki** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 12:40 pm

flippo wrote:Also it's just way cooler

lol indeed

Lephrenic · Post by **Lephrenic** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 12:55 pm

Thinking about the Novation Remote SL, either the Zero or the 25 key version if I can afford it.

spiral · Post by **spiral** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 2:04 pm

i would have got SL but i found bitstream 3x in cashies