Motorised Faders For Midi CC - Why No Options?

[UK User]

Take a product like this: http://iconproaudio.com/product/platform-x/

 

 

Has motorised faders, low cost etc. BUT I do not think even though it says it can be custom mapped, it will have midi feedback enabling bi-directional communication.

 

Thing is having the faders show the current position of a CC in a track has its uses:

 

1. Fader is always in the right position, no more twiddling it to get it to sync.

2. Overdubbing changes becomes easier.

 

Now I know (at least in Logic) you could fiddle about in the environment to make the controls input CC data, but not sure how you would create midi feedback needed to make the faders update in real time.

 

So why are there no options out there? Or is there a way to do this in the environment?

[Atlas007]

By default, I think that if automation mode is set to Read, the motorized faders would move along automatically. 

[shivermetimbers]

[UK User]

I think you maybe both misunderstand. This controller emulates MCU so of course volume can be automated.

 

However mostly due to Logic's limitations the only way you can automate CCs is to do them as automation instead of cc as there is no simple way to send midi feedback to a controller. I found a way of doing it by cabling a track in the environment and placing a transformer on it. But that is unworkable for a large template.

 

Its a shame there is no way to globally output midi to a controller other than via an external instrument as it means there is no way to reroute cc data back out of Logic.

[David Nahmani]

Its a shame there is no way to globally output midi to a controller other than via an external instrument as it means there is no way to reroute cc data back out of Logic.

You can reroute your CC data back out of Logic using an external instrument. It may not be an elegant workflow, but you could move or copy the CC data to an external instrument track to have it routed to a control surface. Alternatively you could create an environment where a single track feeds both a software instrument AND also routes its CC data to an external MIDI instrument at the same time.

[UK User]

I have done that, cabling a Software Instrument to both a Midi Instrument Object and a Transformer. It works, but I would have to repeat for every track in my project.

 

I am also not sure it would not be a mess, as its likely every track would be sending data back to the controller at the same time (unlike when they are track focused when used via an MCU).

[David Nahmani]

I have done that, cabling a Software Instrument to both a Midi Instrument Object and a Transformer. It works, but I would have to repeat for every track in my project.

 

I am also not sure it would not be a mess, as its likely every track would be sending data back to the controller at the same time (unlike when they are track focused when used via an MCU).

Yup, far from being an elegant solution I agree. 

[UK User]

Hopefully someday soon Logic will have 2 extra features:

 

1. Ability to output MIDI from a Software Instrument.

 

2. Ability to output MIDI from an AU plugin.

[dnbhallifax]

I had posted about this yesterday not realizing someone already had.. 

 

I would only want this for 10-12 multitimbral instances of VEP (not multiport, 16 channels max for each instance). 

 

Would the transformer hack work on multitimbral instruments, and would I need to cable a transformer for each midi channel of the multi instrument? And, would the scribble strip update to reflect the CC selected and be selectable from the surface?

 

Cheers

[captainate]

Is there still no elegant way to accomplish this?

[des99]

To accomplish what?

[captainate]

The OP was asking about using a motorized fader bank (like the Icon Platform M+, which I also use) to control MIDI CC data bidirectionally. Essentially being able to assign, say, 8 different CC controls to your 8 faders, and have them follow written automation and be able to use touch mode, etc. like in this video where it is accomplished in Reaper:

 

[Dnonkong]

+1. Will be experimenting with the Platform M + Midi Translator Pro combination in Logic soon. Will report my results back to this thread.

[Dnonkong]

Upon a good deal of forum deep diving on this topic and talking to a few other composers- several good threads on the subject over on VI Control for the curious- I’m coming to the conclusion using a Fader surface (Icon Platform or other) in this manner with Logic is not currently possible, or prohibitively fussy as surmised earlier in this thread.

 

Of course this is only a problem if you want your motorized faders to respond a selected track’s MIDI data.

 

If anyone comes up with something down the road, please keep us posted!

[fuzzfilth]

using a Fader surface (Icon Platform or other) in this manner with Logic is not currently possible, or prohibitively fussy

Yes.