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DAW Remote Control


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Anyone using a midi control device for remote control of their DAW? I tried this a few years ago with Reaper but it wasn't happening although I think it was mostly for midi tracks which in hindsight doesn't seem all that useful. Anyway with Reaper updates and doing more audio tracks these days I gave it another try with this:

akai-mpd232-2.jpg

 

Feels like an actual mixing board with 3 banks of sliders, knobs and buttons to control virtual track faders, panning, record enable, mute, solo and the transport controls. Took some time to get this set up but well worth it.

 

Just not sure what those pad things on the left are for. :laugh:

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Well...the only task for which I might want to remotely control my DAW is starting and ending recording as I sit at my music keyboard (i.e. away from the computer monitor and keyboard).

 

And I think it is possible with Cakewalk by Bandlab (nee: Sonar) that I could assign any key or button on my musical keyboard to start and stop recording (or on another device such as a controller as pictured).

 

But....I have never bothered to try. The fact is I am now olde enough that I cannot see what is on the computer monitor from far away, so I have no great need to remote control the DAW.

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But....I have never bothered to try. The fact is I am now olde enough that I cannot see what is on the computer monitor from far away, so I have no great need to remote control the DAW.

 

Understood, believe me my eyes are no better. I do have an iPad remote app (TouchOSC) for "out of reach" transport control and such. However by "remote" I wasn't thinking proximity to/from the computer but rather using hardware controls instead of the mouse/keyboard.

 

NAUotVCh.jpg

With DAW updates sometimes you're not focused on certain features at the time and forget that you may already have everything needed to take advantage of them.

 

Yamaha Motifs and derivatives do a pretty excellent job of this with Cubase, Logic and Digital Performer.

 

Yup- I think I was on Cubase when I had my S90ES and messed around with this. I recall it was somewhat limited but still cool for the time.

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Fader port 8 or 16 is too good to pass!!!
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Fader port 8 or 16 is too good to pass!!!

Reading up on this along with the X-Touch there are enough compatibility issues with Reaper that will make me steer clear. Reminds me of older multiport midi boxes. Some of these critiques/issues came back to me as I now recall having looked into the FaderPort a few years ago. Avid makes Mac-centric products and the Behringer...well just research it for yourself. The other thing is I need these controllers to send out select-able CC messages for easy mapping to whatever.

 

 

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As usual I have a very restrictive size limitation for this. It has to fit on the slide out shelf where the MPD232 currently sits; height is only about 3.5". I wasn't really looking for anything when I originally posted this but now I'm intrigued by the possibilities and convenience factor...if I find something that really works for my particular requirements.

 

For a few hundred bucks it's worth a shot but weeding through reviews is like shopping for an appliance on Amazon. After a while you conclude everything just sucks. :wacko:

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Ive always used my Master MIDI Controller keyboards.

Oberheim MC3000 and these days the Physis K4.

My Transport section can do MMC or CC#s.

 

Then of course the I/Os are extreme, then 4 scenes per performance, each with 4 x banks of 9 slider, 9 knobs, 9 buttons, etc.

Ive been performing and recording standing up forever.

 

CCC51-ABC-E06-D-4-DA5-8-E1-E-BACF2-FD67-C32.jpg

 

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Ive always used my Master MIDI Controller keyboards.

Oberheim MC3000 and these days the Physis K4.

My Transport section can do MMC or CC#s.

 

Then of course the I/Os are extreme, then 4 scenes per performance, each with 4 x banks of 9 slider, 9 knobs, 9 buttons, etc.

 

This is similar to how I've got the MPD232 configured. 8 faders/8 knobs and 8 buttons to control Level/pan and record enable for 8 audio tracks along with transport controls. I then switch banks where the faders and knobs still control level/pan but the buttons are now used for mutes (bank2) and solo (bank3). Only this is not real convenient, i.e. which bank am I on? Crap I just disabled record instead of muting etc. So I'm now using the 8 buttons on my PC3x for the mutes. Don't care so much about the solo buttons.

 

I guess this is where a dedicated device might be really useful. Again it needs to be small and work with Reaper. Would be nice if it replaced the MPD232 but for programming VSTs these type controller don't just don't cut it. This will be a rare case for me where I buy something not knowing whether it will work or not. I'll have to forewarn the dealer.

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Fader port 8 or 16 is too good to pass!!!

Reading up on this along with the X-Touch there are enough compatibility issues with Reaper that will make me steer clear.

 

I use Reaper with the Behringer X-Touch and it works well for me. It is essentially a clone of the Mackie MCU Pro, which Reaper supports natively. I found it to be plug-and-play. A free Reaper extension called Mackie Klinke (google it) makes it work even better.

 

Another trick I've found useful for simple transport control operations is to use a USB remote clicking device (designed for PowerPoint presentations). It sends Page-Up and Page-Down for advancing slides. In Reaper, I have assigned these to Record and Stop.

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Thanks Steve - good to know. It is difficult to wade through all the critiques and know which version software and firmware folks were on at the time and which issues may have gotten resolved since. For example does the time code display on your X-touch reflect what's on the Reaper gui? Just something that stuck out in my research. With my current plan the x-touch is too physically large.
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For example does the time code display on your X-touch reflect what's on the Reaper gui?

 

There is a button on the X-Touch that lets you cycle through several time display options (measure count, timestamp, etc.). Pressing it a couple of times will make it show exactly what Reaper's GUI displays. I have not found a way to make it remember the setting, but I have not really tried to find a solution.

 

I believe there is also an X-Touch Compact that might fit your space requirements better.

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I am also space constrained, and I own the iCon pictured above. It's about as compact as you can go with 9 x 100Mmm faders + rotary encoders, and it's highly modular with even the meter bridge/scribble strip being an accessory. Build quality is outstanding. My main gripe is frequent problems with Windows 10 recognizing it; it often often takes me several attempts after rebooting for Device Manager to load it correctly.
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I am also space constrained, and I own the iCon pictured above. It's about as compact as you can go with 9 x 100Mmm faders + rotary encoders, and it's highly modular with even the meter bridge/scribble strip being an accessory. Build quality is outstanding. My main gripe is frequent problems with Windows 10 recognizing it; it often often takes me several attempts after rebooting for Device Manager to load it correctly.

 

Your input is also extremely helpful as this is the way I'm leaning. Knowing in advance that device recognition may be an issue will save me a ton of frustration if I encounter the same. I rarely reboot my PC so regardless it may be a non-issue. I do really like the form factor and you've confirmed what others have posted regarding build quality.

 

Thanks so much Irena and welcome to the forum. :cheers:

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Irena-

Regarding the Icon optional display does it tilt all the way back at a 90 degree angle, i.e parallel with the main surface of the icon? Not that I would use it that way but rather for sliding the shelf in when not using it. If so can you tell me what the total height is in this configuration?

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Close. The main surface is a bit sloped, and the optional display tilts almost parallel to the main surface. With the display as flat as I can get it, vertical clearance is 3 1/8" including feet, so 2U would easily do it.
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Well...the only task for which I might want to remotely control my DAW is starting and ending recording as I sit at my music keyboard (i.e. away from the computer monitor and keyboard).

 

And I think it is possible with Cakewalk by Bandlab (nee: Sonar) that I could assign any key or button on my musical keyboard to start and stop recording (or on another device such as a controller as pictured).

 

But....I have never bothered to try. The fact is I am now olde enough that I cannot see what is on the computer monitor from far away, so I have no great need to remote control the DAW.

 

That's about it for me too. I learned mixing on an old Harrison non-automated analog board, and enjoy working a console...but these days I can just use the mouse, draw automation, or map things to my little Korg midi slider/button dealie if I want to.

 

That said, with my weighted controller away from my desk, it's a pain to keep having to go back to hit transport controls. I could use midi but Logic came out with an ipad remote control app, works great so far. I just set it on the controller and don't need to look at the computer until I'm done playing.

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Close. The main surface is a bit sloped, and the optional display tilts almost parallel to the main surface. With the display as flat as I can get it, vertical clearance is 3 1/8" including feet, so 2U would easily do it.

 

Perfect - actually about 3/8" to spare! Thanks again!

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Mark, I bought the Nektar P1 a few months ago. I really like the integration with Logic, but unfortunately I haven't been able to dig into it as much as would like to (and need to).

 

 

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Thanks Rod - took a quick glance at the P1 a few days ago. While it does work size wise I think the Icon has the edge with motorized/100mm faders. Of course that assumes it reliably works. The plan is to have this supplement my MPD232. While they both can be configured CC-wise for each fader/button knob I don't believe you get multiple user patches for storage as with the MPD232. I pretty much have a unique patch for each VST.

 

This controller will be really for mixing and controlling Reaper. I do appreciate the suggestion.

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If you're using a Mac, Luna Display (https://lunadisplay.com/) is worth knowing about. Turns an iPad into a remote screen with touchscreen mouse. If there's a keyboard associated with the iPad, typing works as well. (No external keyboard means no typing so far as I can tell.) Keyboard/mouse/display attached directly to the Mac work at the same time so it can offer two locations to drive from. Does it's thing over WiFi so distance is pretty flexible.

 

Definitely not the same experience as a dedicated control surface, but it is very general and the product pretty much just works. ~$80, plus having an iPad of course.

 

-Z-

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

This never made it under the tree (especailly since we didn't get one) but this turned out to be the perfect solution in so many ways:

 

E6ARbB1h.jpg

It fits the spot perfectly and as a happy surprise I don't have to adjust the display tilt when sliding the shelf, extremely solid quality especially for the price and it works with Reaper/Win 10 flawlessly (once I figured out a couple of things).

 

Special thanks to Sven and Irena :2thu: .

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It's funny (or maybe sad) that I started this thread because I was so happy to be controlling Reaper with my drum pad controller. But having to switch banks to control record arm, mute and solo kind of sucks. And not having the button lights sync up with Reaper's record arm lights kind of sucks. Oh and those "real faders" ...

 

Thanks again everyone!

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