M-Audio ProjectMix I/O questions

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NashBackslash

NashBackslash

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Hello, I have some questions for this unit (which I hope to buy within the next two days) and I hope anyone of you who owns this fine piece of gear can shed some light on the matter.

1) Using the ProjectMix I/O as a controller only.

Is this possible? I am using Sonar 6. I imagine I'd just hook the MIDI ports of the PM into my USB MIDI port device and in Sonar 6, use the Mackie Control Surface plugin. Would this work?

2) Using the ProjectMix I/O stand-alone.

I plan to use the PM stand-alone when I do any mobile recording. Instead of bringing all the stuff in my studio, I can just bring my Firewire-equipped laptop, the ProjectMix I/O and some mics. Now the question is... how does the fader automation work if I want to use it stand-alone? Do I need to bring my USB MIDI port device as well, or does the software driver handle motorized faders and the audio inputs using the Firewire connection?

I've searched this forum thoroughly, read lots of reviews but none of them really detailed how does this device really works.

Thanks in advance.
 
The motorized faders are handled through software via firewire, and all information travels through there as well. The motorized faders won't just move and are also controlled via automation.

1) Using the ProjectMix I/O as a controller only.

Is this possible? I am using Sonar 6. I imagine I'd just hook the MIDI ports of the PM into my USB MIDI port device and in Sonar 6, use the Mackie Control Surface plugin. Would this work?
Click to expand...

The MIDI on the ProjectMix are for other external devices, not for the ProjectMix itself, i don't think. The information also would be sent via firewire, onto the software controls, which then would you use the Mackie Control, no through MIDI. The Project Mix would basically be your console, where your IO's for mic's or instruments go into, and where you can control the record send/returns, and record/playback without needing to click.

The MIDI on there, is basically if you had an external keyboard and wanted to hook it up, and didn't have an interface with MIDI, you would use the MIDI provided by the ProjectMix (which is basically your DAW controller).
 
Hello, thanks for the reply.

My current setup uses a Behringer MX9000 for the 24 mic preamps, individually fed into all the inputs of a MOTU 24 I/O. I use an ESI M8U USB MIDI port to get 8 MIDI ports.

If what you say is true (that the MIDI ports on the ProjectMix is only for external devices and not for the PM itself), does that mean I am not able to use it as a controller only for my existing setup?

Do you have a ProjectMix I/O? Have you tried to see if the MIDI ports on it can send and receive automation data?
 
we have both 002 setups & ProjectMix setups in our project workstations at the studio, approx 12 of them, 6 002 setups 6 project mix setups.

We have an EMU 49 keyboard, plugged directly up to the project mix, and the project mix io's are routed to the patch bay to the Mackie consoles we have on each of the workstations. The ProjectMix works in the same way the 002 does. Just not as proprietary and with a few features that are included or not included.

Both automation are done in like say Sonar 6, you would automate a plug in, or automate volume control, and then play back, the faders will start moving via automation. Or you group the faders together, like all drums on x faders, and you can move 1 fader, and the rest of the group moves along with it. Through Firewire, the device itself is a controller/interface. It's like having your interface & mixer all in one device.

I personally use Pro Tools, because all studios I use have it, so easy transferring of sessions. When you hit the Record button on the Project Mix, Pro Tools record mode turns on. When you pull a fader down on channel 1, th channel 1 on pro tools is turned down.

Basically the MIDI is one of the many IO paths for the controller. It gives you MIDI capability for your DAW. I mean, through firewire, it "acts" like a midi controller, but isn't. I see what your talking about, i think. The MIDI is there so that you have a MIDI IO for your DAW now. Not for connection between the Project mix controls itself & your DAW.

With this thing, you control every aspect of the DAW program through a physical standpoint.

All automation for these types of products are done through software anyways. If a MIDI controller, has knobs that you want to automate, you would just turn on automation write/touch/latch mode and start automating by turning the knob. When your finished, turn off automation. And it'll have right the automation out. Maybe the knob itself on the MIDI controller (Say it was a Korg Kontrol49 for instance) will not turn because it's not featured for the MIDI controller, but by you moving the knobs or faders during an automation write, than it will be saved.

Your not trying to purchase this item for automation are you? It's a great piece of hardware but what will be your application on it so I could better explain if you didn't get it yet
 
I currently use a Behringer B-Control fader for my mixing sessions with Sonar 6. I hook it up into one of my MIDI ports, set Sonar to Mackie Control mode and it works great. Automated faders and stuff. It was good for a while but I hated how it doesn't have any LCD displays on it and I have to look at my LCD monitor constantly just to see which channel's fader I'm playing with.

I was actually interested in purchasing the Mackie Control Universal, but, believe it or not, it costs me a lot more to buy an MCU than a ProjectMix because I live in a country with no Mackie distributors so basically Mackie stuff has to be ordered online.

A local music shop is selling the ProjectMix for less amount of money (and waiting) it would take me to order a Mackie Control Universal.

So, yeah, initially, all I was looking for was a MIDI control surface. I was in love with the MCU but it's just too expensive and too much time to wait for me to order it.

Now all I need to know is if I can just plug in the ProjectMix (via MIDI) into my existing setup, and use it as a control surface ONLY, so that I can ditch my Behringer B-Control Fader.

I know, it sounds crazy, but if for the same amount of money I can get a MIDI control surface AND an audio interface (with some nice pres and then some other extras), and get it immediately too, why should I go through the hassle of ordering a Mackie Control Universal?

Plus, as I've stated in one of my earlier posts in this thread, if there was ever a need for me to record shows or anything, I can just bring out the PM and my laptop.

But first... I have to make sure it can be used as a control surface only. Any help on this is much appreciated.
 
Now all I need to know is if I can just plug in the ProjectMix (via MIDI) into my existing setup, and use it as a control surface ONLY, so that I can ditch my Behringer B-Control Fader.

I know, it sounds crazy, but if for the same amount of money I can get a MIDI control surface AND an audio interface (with some nice pres and then some other extras), and get it immediately too, why should I go through the hassle of ordering a Mackie Control Universal?

Plus, as I've stated in one of my earlier posts in this thread, if there was ever a need for me to record shows or anything, I can just bring out the PM and my laptop.
Click to expand...

You won't be able to use the ProjectMix via MIDI incorporating it into your existing setup. But buying a ProjectMix just for the purpose of a controller for the price isn't the best game plan. Using the PM with your laptop would be no problem at all.

One thing your using the MOTU as the interface already, so the PM can only replace the MOTU. The Project Mix could basically replace the MOTU & the B-Control totally, but your needing all the channels you can get correct?

Then again, I could be wrong on it being used as a control surface only. But then that would mean that you would need to still install the PM along with the MOTU, and that could cause device failures due 2 two different interfaces installed onto the DAW. If you could do that, than I don't see why not... You would just choose whatever input you want to the MOTU, and the outputs, and the PM would still control whatever...
 
Some reviews I've read in the last few minutes say that you can activate a MIDI mode so that it'll function like a generic MIDI controller.

So this means that I can use it as a Mackie Control surface.

Can anyone confirm this?
 
Anyone? The local shop that's selling the ProjectMix had it reserved for me for 4 days already and he says if I'm not confirming my purchase, he's selling it to someone else, and the next shipment will take forever to arrive at the shop.
 
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