kschroeder
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Recommendations for a controller
Hey all. I'm looking for recommendations for a < $700 ACT controller. I am looking to easily tweak VSTi params, automation and channel controls. I bought a Mackie C4 last year hoping that I could do that, but was disappointed to learn that without ACT compatibility it basically can only act as a basic control surface for a minimum of the channel params. So it helps, but doesn't really do what I want it to do.
My primary synths are Rapture, Dimension Pro and Kontakt, so the controller that I'd want to purchase would ideally work seamlessly with all 3.
Does anyone have any recommendations?
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thomasabarnes
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Re:Recommendations for a controller
2011/01/26 20:37:48
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 "It's not a song till it touches your heart. It's not a song till it tears you apart!" Lyrics of Amy Grant. SONAR Platinum X64 (jBridge), Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit, Core i7 990X Extreme Edition Processor 3.46 GHz 6 Cores, Gigabyte EX58-UD5, Crucial Ballistix 24GB 1333MHz DDR3 @1333 MHz, TASCAM UH-7000, Behringer X-Touch, EVGA GTX 980TI Superclocked 6GB, 1TB Samsung EVO 850 SSD, 150GB, 320GB, 1TB 7200rpm HDDs
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BlixYZ
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Re:Recommendations for a controller
2011/01/26 20:56:46
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I have the C4 and it automotically maps the parameters of any vst plugin.
Many people don't realize this.
Hold down shift and track at the same time. Then press the encoder in the 2nd row that says "plugin". then hit the track button one or two more times and it will show the vst plugin in whatever track is selected.
Hitting bank up and down will cycle you through whatever plugins are in that track.
I'm not in my studio right now so i may have gotten some details wrong.
leyt me know if you cant get it.
The MCU Pro and C4 are amazing once you get them configured (takes ONE minute).
Nowe if they would just make the Pro Channel a VST or otherwise visible to the C4, then I would be the happiest of campers.
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kschroeder
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Re:Recommendations for a controller
2011/01/26 22:00:49
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BlixXY, you just gave me the best, quick run-through of the C4 that I have found (and caused me to file a bug report for the Pro Channel :-) ). I am able to access all of the parameters for VST effects. However, I'm not able to access the params for VST instruments like Rapture or Dimension Pro.
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ampfixer
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Re:Recommendations for a controller
2011/01/26 22:12:27
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The A-PRO series is not bad. I bought the A-500 and it does most things I want. My only caution is that if you use aftertouch, forget about the A-PRO series because it's not very good on this series of controllers. I find the Roland keys a little mushy. Overall I still think it's a good value and of course made by the same multinational corporation that makes SOnar.
Regards, John I want to make it clear that I am an Eedjit. I have no direct, or indirect, knowledge of business, the music industry, forum threads or the meaning of life. I know about amps. WIN 10 Pro X64, I7-3770k 16 gigs, ASUS Z77 pro, AMD 7950 3 gig, Steinberg UR44, A-Pro 500, Sonar Platinum, KRK Rokit 6
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BlixYZ
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Re:Recommendations for a controller
2011/01/26 22:30:44
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Try using the vsti by just inserrting it into an audio track instead of using it in the synth rack. This may allow you to access its params with the C4. This will require you to route a midi track to the audio track containing the vsti.
Does it work?
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SF_Green
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Re:Recommendations for a controller
2011/01/26 23:38:47
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ampfixer
The A-PRO series is not bad. I bought the A-500 and it does most things I want. My only caution is that if you use aftertouch, forget about the A-PRO series because it's not very good on this series of controllers. I find the Roland keys a little mushy. Overall I still think it's a good value and of course made by the same multinational corporation that makes SOnar.
that pretty much echos exactly what rbowser said. I still think I'm going to get one as soon as I find a local dealer other than Guitar Center that carries the A-Pro800.
AMD FX-8370, Gigabyte 990FXA-UD3, Win7x64 SP1, 16Gb CorsairDDR3-1600, GeForce GTX 950 (390.65), SSD 525Gb (OS), SATA 3 & 1.5Tb, MOTU microlite, RME FireFace 800 (D 3.124, fw 2.77), UAD-2Q, Adam A7X, A-800 PRO, CC121 Cubase Pro 10.0.5, SonarPt- 2017.10 (x64), Reason10.2, Live 10.0.5 Suite, Wavelab Elements 9.5.40, Komplete10Ult, POD Farm2.5, Omnisphere2.5, BFD3, Alesis QS7.1, Arturia BeatStep Pro, POD HD500, Alesis ControlPad, ARP Omni, many things with strings. GrSltz My Studio
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kschroeder
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Re:Recommendations for a controller
2011/01/27 08:05:10
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BlixY, yep, that worked. But now I have a different problem; I have pages and pages of parameters. 72 pages, with 48 params on each which is, suffice to say, too much information.
SF_Green, ampfixer and thomasbarnes, I had checked out the Roland ones, and I'm sure they're good, but I don't really need another keyboard. I have an 88 key that sits on my desk (music is, for the time being, a hobby so I need to retain SOME of my desktop real estate for my real work) so what I'm looking for is just an easier way of manipulating params. The C8 seems to go overboard in that it gives me access to everything and the Roland controllers have 8 pots on them, which given the number of available params on the screen of Dimension, wouldn't seem to be sufficient for hands-off-mouse control.
Or maybe I'm wrong, and 8 pots is enough.
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BlixYZ
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Re:Recommendations for a controller
2011/01/28 21:12:43
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im trying to figure out why you have 72 pages of 48 params.
what instrument has all thos params?
i tried using my c4 to control the B4 organ and it worked great. glad i thought of it!
i love how it automatically maps vst parrrams
BUT- it would BEYOND awesome if it worked with ACT as well
one can nly dream
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Dimaman
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Re:Recommendations for a controller
2011/01/28 21:21:48
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Just bought a Novation 61Sl MkII. Love the feel of it. Not heavy, obviously, but nice and bouncy keys, a bit of weight to em and the whole unit overall is working really well. I hadn't even seen the Roland controllers in GC, kinda wish I had.
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Re:Recommendations for a controller
2011/01/28 21:39:42
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SF_Green
ampfixer
The A-PRO series is not bad. I bought the A-500 and it does most things I want. My only caution is that if you use aftertouch, forget about the A-PRO series because it's not very good on this series of controllers. I find the Roland keys a little mushy. Overall I still think it's a good value and of course made by the same multinational corporation that makes SOnar.
that pretty much echos exactly what rbowser said. I still think I'm going to get one as soon as I find a local dealer other than Guitar Center that carries the A-Pro800.
Check out Banana's At Large. I know they're not in The City, but it's a perfect excuse to take a trip out to Marin. 
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SF_Green
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Re:Recommendations for a controller
2011/01/29 14:59:47
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Seth Perlstein [Cakewalk
]
SF_Green
ampfixer
The A-PRO series is not bad. I bought the A-500 and it does most things I want. My only caution is that if you use aftertouch, forget about the A-PRO series because it's not very good on this series of controllers. I find the Roland keys a little mushy. Overall I still think it's a good value and of course made by the same multinational corporation that makes SOnar.
that pretty much echos exactly what rbowser said. I still think I'm going to get one as soon as I find a local dealer other than Guitar Center that carries the A-Pro800.
Check out Banana's At Large. I know they're not in The City, but it's a perfect excuse to take a trip out to Marin.
Thanks, Seth. I actually did go up there a while a go to look, but they didn't have them in stock then. Maybe I'll have to swing back up and see if they have them now. Cheers! Bud
AMD FX-8370, Gigabyte 990FXA-UD3, Win7x64 SP1, 16Gb CorsairDDR3-1600, GeForce GTX 950 (390.65), SSD 525Gb (OS), SATA 3 & 1.5Tb, MOTU microlite, RME FireFace 800 (D 3.124, fw 2.77), UAD-2Q, Adam A7X, A-800 PRO, CC121 Cubase Pro 10.0.5, SonarPt- 2017.10 (x64), Reason10.2, Live 10.0.5 Suite, Wavelab Elements 9.5.40, Komplete10Ult, POD Farm2.5, Omnisphere2.5, BFD3, Alesis QS7.1, Arturia BeatStep Pro, POD HD500, Alesis ControlPad, ARP Omni, many things with strings. GrSltz My Studio
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