Things I've Learned About ACT and CGS (Cakewalk Generic Surface)

Here's some things I've learned about ACT and CGS (Cakewalk Generic Surface) since I started trying to hook up my new kit last week. Hope this helps...please feel free to add...

0. "ACT" is used to refer to 2 things, which leads to a bit of confusion: 1 - Mapping control surfaces to plugins (VSTs, DXs). 2 - The ACT controller "plugin" that allows physical controls to mapped to mixer params AND plugin param (via ACT, definition 1)

1. ACT doesnt allow advanced controls like button toggling, xRPN continuous data, etc.

2. CGS doesnt do Bus controls

3. ACT learn won't work unless you've "MIDI learned" your physical control to an ACT cell

4. If ACT Follows Context is on for multiple ACT enabled ACT controller mappings, then only the first will follow to plugins. Disable "follows context" on the second ACT controller and it will somewhat confusingly follow context between plugins though not back and forth to the console/track mixer

5. In CGS, for Inc/Dec style NRPNs, use NRPN with the correct parameter number and Increment/Decrement with value "1" for "Plus" and "0" for "Minus". Note, "Learn" might pick up a CC as NRPNs are sent via midi using 2 or more CCs (96-101 for xRPN and inc/dec values)

6. CGS doens't "follow context" between the mixer and plugins for ACT like the ACT controller does. BUT you can assign a button to turn ACT on/off (ACT here means controlling plugins only)

7. You can have multiple CGSs and ACTs mapped to the same MIDI device (eg if you have more than 8 knobs/sliders)

8. ACT (whether through ACT or CGS) intercepts midi data to the plugin. So if you midi learn your Mod wheel, it will no longer send Mod Wheel CC to the plugin (unless, I guess, you ACT Learn it to the mod wheel control on the plugin). UPDATE: I've observed sporadic behavior with this in CGS (sometimes it intercepts, sometimes not)

9. ACT Controller still makes itself 8 tracks wide even though you set it on single "Channel Strip" mode. Thus if you assign one of your buttons to Track|Mute and another to Next Track, and you have <=8 tracks, you can never actually navigate and mute tracks 2-8 :(

10. When Learning "momentary on"-style buttons in CGS, you might need to manually set the Trigger Value (usually to 127)

11. "Shift" key in the ACT controller requires a button than sends separate signals on press and release (eg 127 press, 0 on release) or one that toggles between 2 values. (My "Record" button didnt do the job)

12. "ACT" follows context means "between mixer and plugins" not "between plugins". "Active Controller Technology > Enable" follows context between plugins. So for just plugin control, disable the first and enable the second.

13. There seems to be a rather obnoxious bug that if you have more than 1 ACT enabled ACT controller, "follow context stops working" on occasion. I just restarted and now the problem is fixed. Similar there is a bug that if you select a preset from the dropdown in one ACT controller, if changes the preset label in all of them (even though the parameter and midi mappings are unchanged).

14. CGS will "follows context" away from the mixer when you are focused on an EQ window. Use "Lock" to prevent this.

15. In the ACT plugin the "Control Strips Visible in..." section is allows you remove ACT control from channel strips that are hidden. Since the console and track view have separate hide/show facilities, you get the option of either or alternative, to access all (even hidden) tracks. Nothing for the CGS though

16. For CGS, if you want to be able to edit track params WHILE a VST is active you must tick the "both" option under"Use ACT or Channel Strip" (???)

I've been putting some effort in to use a Korg nanoKontrol with my setup with some success. I do a lot of tweaking of Dimension Pro to build sound effects. It is a different experience to adjust the three parameters of a filter with three knobs. I can close my eyes and just listen, not being influenced by the absolute settings.
It is better!

Something that I learned about ACT: The ACT banks allow 4 sets of meanings to be assigned to a learned MIDI control. So for something like DimPro with lots of parameters, you can map them all to the 16 continuous controls of an ACT definition one bank at a time. For instance, DimPro has four elements, each with over thirty possible continuous controls. I've mapped my 'most used' controls of element one to bank one and I used the same mapping for the other three banks. Element volume is mapped the same in all banks. It took a half hour to do, but it really helps.

The biggest deficiency in ACT is button handling. There are only 8 unshifted buttons. The $50 nanoKontrol has 24 buttons. Transport control uses 6 of them leaving 18 buttons that will require more ACT controllers. This gets confusing fast.

What control surface are you interfacing?

I'm using an Akai MPK49 and KORG padKontrol. I've just purchased them (after using cheaper kit for years) and love them dearly :)