Using the Behringer X-Touch in SONAR Platinum

Matt Finley (Riojazz)   

**This is not intended to be a tutorial, just a few notes on getting it started in SONAR.**

Setup:
    From the instructions in the X-Touch manual, page 16, Configuration Menu, the default values for the X-Touch are:
            Encoder 1 - MC (Mackie Control - that's OK)
            Encoder 2 - MIDI (you must change that to USB)!
            Encoder 8 - 40%.  (this is the LCD contrast; seems OK as is)
            Don't forget to press Select again to store the change.

SONAR:
    Edit Menu, Preferences.
        MIDI, Devices: check the checkboxes in Inputs and Outputs for X-Touch
        Control Surfaces:  Add (yellow plus sign) Mackie Control and select X-Touch
            in the pull-downs for InPort and OutPort
   
    Utilities Menu, Mackie Control. 
        Under Options, Meters, the default is Off.  Change that to Signal LEDs and Meters.

riojazz
Project, MIDI: I'm not yet sure which of these are essential, but if you want the meters and timer to show anything,
you must check some options here. I checked these checkboxes:
               Transmit MMC
                MIDI Sync Output Port, X-Touch
                Send MIDI Time Code, Transmit MTC
                MTC Ouptput Porrt, X-Touch
       
There are still some settings that are not working, and I will update this thread as I discover solutions.

My guess that these settings have no influence on time display in Mackie Mode. And for sure they can not influence meters, for which there is "Meters" option in the Mackie Control configuration (default "off").

riojazz
Using the Behringer X-Touch in SONAR Platinum
......
 

Matt,
 
Thank you for sharing the set up info. Is the unit pretty much working with Sonar? Put another way, what does work and what doesn't?
 
I'm waiting for some positive feedback before I take the plunge.
 
Walt

Well, from the previous thread http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3312354 and after lengthy PM conversation with BlackWave, the conclusion is simple: this device is exactly Mackie unit Sonar plug-in expects, just with different labels in buttons section.

Azslow, I think I've been making too many changes at once and forgot an important one.  About the meters, this actually activated them on the X-Touch:
 
In SONAR, go to the Utilities Menu, Mackie Control.  Under Options, Meters, the default is Off.  Change that to Signal LEDs and Meters.
 

Matt,
You took the plunge!
I'm tempted.
Is the unit the same "footprint" (size) as the FW1884?
I've checked for specs and haven't found any.
Please keep us posted.
 
Tom

Hi Tom.  I finally found the dimensions, and I asked Sweetwater to measure it to verify.  They are  3.9" x 17.8" x 11.9".  It's silly Behringer hides this fact because it's one of the best things about the unit!  The Tascam FW-1884 used to balance (barely) on three legs on my desk; this X-Touch fits easily.  And this is the largest of their three models.
 
I have it working in SONAR to control the transport including markers and scrub playback, control tracks levels and panning, and record and playback with automation curves.  I programmed F2 to Save.  And it coexists fine with my iPad running V-Control Pro from another room, also using Mackie Control emulation.  Even if I don't get anything else working, that's what I wanted it for.
 
 

Can you jump to next measure or back 1 measure?
I swear, I use those 2 keys on the FW the most when I'm editing.
 
And thanks for the update!
 
T

riojazz
...I have it working in SONAR to control the transport including markers and scrub playback, control tracks levels and panning, and record and playback with automation curves.  I programmed F2 to Save.  And it coexists fine with my iPad running V-Control Pro from another room, also using Mackie Control emulation.  Even if I don't get anything else working, that's what I wanted it for.

 
Matt,
 
Thank you for taking the time to answer my question...
 
Walt
 

Tom, I don't know - never did that.  I think the first answer to any question about what it can do must refer to the Mackie Control functions, which I don't yet know that well.  The Behringer manual doesn't address ANY functionality in a DAW, but leaves it to each individual DAW's implementation of Mackie Control. 
 
The hardest thing for me to get used to that you will understand as a fellow 1884 user is that the X-Touch is not a soundcard, so I cannot use the master fader as a handy volume control for everything audio on my computer (for other programs besides Audition and SONAR, Internet videos, Windows Media Player etc.).  I keep reaching for that fader and it doesn't do anything outside of a DAW.
 
Walt, you're welcome.  I got it 24 hours ago and haven't used it except for the basics, so don't draw any conclusions yet about what it might be able to do (see above).  Others are much farther ahead; I just had not seen anything basic written about setup requirements yet so I posted here.  I can tell you the timing display doesn't seem to make much sense yet, but you can always look at the screen while using the transport controls, and the shuttle wheel with or without scrub on.