Cubase Controller

M

MusicBernd

New member
Hi folks!

I am currently using Cubase 5 with an M-Audio interface (2 inputs). I do all mixing stuff by using mouse and keyboard. However, we need more inputs now and - if possible - wanna get rid of mouse and keyboard as much as possible.

My question: I've seen DAW controllers out there. I can't imagine the workflow with them. What if I load a project in cubase - the faders in cubase won't match the faders on the hardware unit (which also applies to eq knobs etc) - how do they get in sync? Are they motorized?

Can you suggest a (16 track minimum) DAW controller that's also a audio interface (USB or firewire, USB preferred)? Price is not the most important criteria!

Thanks in advance,
Bernd
 
I have a projectmix, and I use the transport, jog wheel, locate sections, and mute button on a talkback track *only*. And even for those parts - I only use them when tracking and talking back to whoever's recording. It actually is faster for me for that if we're doing a lot of punching in. I used to work in a studio with a C24, and nobody ever used anything on it's controls unless they were trying to impress somebody who was touring the studio. It takes way, way longer to fiddle around with all the menus and stuff on their little readouts than to do the same thing with a mouse.

Some surfaces have motorized faders (including both I listed above), and you can switch "banks" of tracks so like... if at first the faders are for channel 1-8, you hit bank+ and now they're for 9-16. Beyond moving the faders up and down for track volume and turning the pan knobs for pan, though - the workflow is just ridiculous (which even these trivial things are done more quickly with a mouse, in my experience). You select a track, then switch the surface mode to effect control (or something similar), then you select an effect to control, then if the plugin developer actually labeled all their controls in an understandable way, and if they actually made all the controls available for external control, you will have a list of parameters to choose from that should be labeled on the readout over the knob that controls it (you can expect to be choosing from ["param0", "param1", etc] just as often as ["Frequency", "Q", "FilterType" etc] though... and sometimes they just won't all be there, period). So you turn the knobs for those and maybe get some kind of feedback on the readout about what it's doing. More often than not - it's not going to be useful feedback, and you're going to look back at the computer screen anyway to see what the knob is doing (like switching between low shelf and high pass for example)... It's really just retarded, and I couldn't, with any clear conscience at all, recommend anybody waste any more money on these stupid things.
 
TyphoidHippo said:
It's really just retarded, and I couldn't, with any clear conscience at all, recommend anybody waste any more money on these stupid things.
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I think I should have written "It's really just retarded for mixing, and I couldn't, with any clear conscience at all, recommend anybody waste any more money on these stupid things, again, for mixing."

I could recommend getting a simple transport controller with some kind of mute control for your talkback channel and a jog wheel if you spend a lot of time with musicians who have to do a gazillion punchins.
 
TyphoidHippo said:
I think I should have written "It's really just retarded for mixing, and I couldn't, with any clear conscience at all, recommend anybody waste any more money on these stupid things, again, for mixing."

I could recommend getting a simple transport controller with some kind of mute control for your talkback channel and a jog wheel if you spend a lot of time with musicians who have to do a gazillion punchins.
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You get transport controls on the free Cubase iPhone app, which I find quite useful when I'm tracking. V control for iPad is a lower cost option (there's a free trial version) for a control surface. I've yet to try it out, though.
 
I have a mackie control.

It ends up being used for transport controls. I hate mixing with it (faders are sort of buggy).

Love it for transport controls, setting locators and going through markers. If I could go to something that only did that I would be good.
 
Hi!

Thanks for your replies. Seems like no-one is recommending a DAW controller. Guess I'll spend the money in a decent interface, better laptop and a good, big tft monitor for the laptop instead.

So to adapt my question: which audio interface can you recommend? Important: Low Latency (guess that has to do something with the drivers being shipped with the interface, also)!

Thanks,
Bernd
 
You'll probably have best results making a new thread for that question and listing your budget and I/O channel count needs in the title.
 
That FaderPort one does everything I ever actually use my surface for and looks like it wouldn't be very tedious to use at all. I think I might just grab one of those... Cool, thanks for the link stratmaster :)

Wait.. no jog wheel, but the pan knob could probably be overridden, which would be fine for me.
 
I have the Faderport, as well as a Steinberg TP. I occasionally use the FP fader, but the TP my left hand all day for transport control. The 'Night Rider' touch slider is pretty damn cool. :)
 
Oh, and the pan knob on the FP is basically useless with Cubase. To go full left to full right, takes like 10 turns of the knob. My only complaint tho.
 
TyphoidHippo said:
That FaderPort one does everything I ever actually use my surface for and looks like it wouldn't be very tedious to use at all. I think I might just grab one of those... Cool, thanks for the link stratmaster :)

Wait.. no jog wheel, but the pan knob could probably be overridden, which would be fine for me.
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no problem, glad I could help!
and here is another one http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/steinberg-channel-controller/h77575000001000

jimmys69 said:
I have the Faderport, as well as a Steinberg TP. I occasionally use the FP fader, but the TP my left hand all day for transport control. The 'Night Rider' touch slider is pretty damn cool. :)
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what are you referring to with the "steinberg TP"?

EDIT: you are referring to this? http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/steinberg-transport-controller
 
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TyphoidHippo said:
I used to work in a studio with a C24, and nobody ever used anything on it's controls unless they were trying to impress somebody who was touring the studio. It takes way, way longer to fiddle around with all the menus and stuff on their little readouts than to do the same thing with a mouse.
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I can't disagree with this enough. The C24 and control 24 are fantastic if you know how to use them.(That's not meant to be a jab)
Like any tool though, it takes a little while to get used.

Fair enough, I'd rarely use it for controlling effects parameters because that is a little bit cumbersome, but the idea of just hitting flip and have a complete bank of bus levels at your finger tips is such a time saver.

With the mouse you have to open bus one, adjust, open bus two, adjust, yawn, then give up on the session.

The transport is so much quick than reaching for the mouse, as is record arming.
Having mute and solo and your finger tips for immediate comparison of two tracks is something you just can't do with a mouse (unless you automate); You can only click one thing at a time.
Dialing in volume and pan automation too....man, I know I'm making a heck of a list, but I really found digi control surfaces to be fantastic.

Fair enough, your main point was about the effects but having said that, the only time I'd go to the hassle of controlling an effect parameter with a fader/knob is if I plan to automate over a long period of time.
In this case, the 15 seconds taken to find out how to do it saved me about three or four minutes of pointing and clicking.

I guess it's personal preference but I'd actually buy a used c24 if i saw one come up on the cheap.
 
Steenamaroo said:
I can't disagree with this enough. The C24 and control 24 are fantastic if you know how to use them.(That's not meant to be a jab)
Like any tool though, it takes a little while to get used.
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No jab taken. I do know how to use it, I just honestly can't say it's any faster to do anything on it (or any other one) mixing-wise, than with keyboard shortcuts and a mouse. Plus on that one, it's so big, you have to physically move your body to reach the controls... It's just not faster - and...well, for us - that was always the main concern. GTFO for the next guy's session, go go go! :D
Steenamaroo said:
Fair enough, I'd rarely use it for controlling effects parameters because that is a little bit cumbersome, but the idea of just hitting flip and have a complete bank of bus levels at your finger tips is such a time saver. With the mouse you have to open bus one, adjust, open bus two, adjust, yawn, then give up on the session.
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I'm not sure what you're talking about. I always put all the busses on one mixer, and assign it to F4. Press F4 and all their levels are right there to adjust with the mouse.
Steenamaroo said:
The transport is so much quick than reaching for the mouse, as is record arming.
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I also use the transport when tracking. I think everybody in this thread so far does.
Steenamaroo said:
Having mute and solo and your finger tips for immediate comparison of two tracks is something you just can't do with a mouse (unless you automate); You can only click one thing at a time.
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I can't think of that being useful, but I probably do a lot of things you wouldn't find useful too - there's a billion ways to "skin the cat" :)

Your points about automation are good ones. I agree it's easier to write smooth automation with controls rather than a mouse cursor. I hardly ever automate anything, though, to be honest... again - many ways to skin that cat.
 
TyphoidHippo said:
Plus on that one, it's so big, you have to physically move your body to reach the controls...
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I'll definitely give you that. I usually used it standing up <sigh>, but i have to admit the digi 003 was a lot more usable for me.
I'm quite lazy.....standing up or moving isn't really on my daily to do list. :p

TyphoidHippo said:
I'm not sure what you're talking about. I always put all the busses on one mixer, and assign it to F4. Press F4 and all their levels are right there to adjust with the mouse.
Click to expand...
Ahh, that's probably a cubase thing then. My point is probably only applicable to protools. D'oh.



TyphoidHippo said:
Your points about automation are good ones. I agree it's easier to write smooth automation with controls rather than a mouse cursor. I hardly ever automate anything, though, to be honest... again - many ways to skin that cat.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's it man. Different strokes.

Now sing! "the world don't move to the bea........."
 
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