What are you using for a control surface?

  • Thread starter Thread starter RecordingMaster
  • Start date Start date
BushmasterM4 said:
Mackie still sells them at $60 a pop (kind of steep). Its not that hard to take it apart and remove the faders. A simple cleaning with deox and some white lithum grease on moving parts should clear up any issues.
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Heck no. haha

I bought the thing for $300. If I wanted better faders I would probably dump this thing for something else. Honestly right now it just acts as a glorified transport controller. I would love some of those steinberg ones (the faders, not the others) if the design wasn't so utterly useless.
 
Guitargodgt said:
Heck no. haha

I bought the thing for $300. If I wanted better faders I would probably dump this thing for something else. Honestly right now it just acts as a glorified transport controller. I would love some of those steinberg ones (the faders, not the others) if the design wasn't so utterly useless.
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Im starting to use mine more and more. I used the mouse for so long that it became second nature. But for writing automation you cant beat the control surface.
 
BushmasterM4 said:
writing automation you cant beat the control surface.
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I can agree with that. For me though one fader was just as effective for this (I started with the alphatrack by frontier design, I wish I could get 8 of those faders as they are considerably better than the ones on this old mackie).

The problem with the alpha track was the buttons, I didn't like how much force was needed to press them and they felt a little cheap under my fingers. Also the touch sensitive knobs were of a poor design, however replacing them proved to make them much better functionally. The other issue however was when using with cubase you had to do at least 3 full revolutions to pan from C to R in cubase. Pro tools didn't seem to have the same issue. This was brought up to the company and I'm not sure if it's fixed or not at this point.
 
All-in-all, I just find using a mouse feels like a joke compared to a control surface. Mostly for mixing stage. For example: you want to test and see how it will sound to slowly fade out 4 different faders, or you want to quickly raise up the volume of gang vocal 1 and 4. Using a mouse would take 2-3 times the amount of time by the time you actually find your cursor, aim it at the target, then click and drag, and repeat. Another example would be soloing a group of tracks that aren't in a bus. With a mouse, you're "click" wait a second's time "click", "click", etc. With a control surface, you just run you finger down the solo or mute buttons (like playing a keyboard). Same goes for if I want to instantly solo one track and unsolo another. They both happen at the same time when pushing hard buttons. With a mouse, it's not as easy to a/b something. You can't do it instantly.

Anyhow, I just wonder how so many people have elaborate setups and mix itb, but all's you see is a mouse and keyboard. I don't get it. Carpel-tunnel anyone?
 
RecordingMaster said:
All-in-all, I just find using a mouse feels like a joke compared to a control surface. Mostly for mixing stage. For example: you want to test and see how it will sound to slowly fade out 4 different faders, or you want to quickly raise up the volume of gang vocal 1 and 4. Using a mouse would take 2-3 times the amount of time by the time you actually find your cursor, aim it at the target, then click and drag, and repeat. Another example would be soloing a group of tracks that aren't in a bus. With a mouse, you're "click" wait a second's time "click", "click", etc. With a control surface, you just run you finger down the solo or mute buttons (like playing a keyboard). Same goes for if I want to instantly solo one track and unsolo another. They both happen at the same time when pushing hard buttons. With a mouse, it's not as easy to a/b something. You can't do it instantly.

Anyhow, I just wonder how so many people have elaborate setups and mix itb, but all's you see is a mouse and keyboard. I don't get it. Carpel-tunnel anyone?
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Amen Brother!! :thumbs up:
 
I learning PT10 at a snails pace. One thing about the Mackie MCU is PT doesnt recognize the "Master Fader". Thaught I had something wrong, but its just how it goes.
 
I've been using a Steinberg CC-121 for the last year or so and it works great with Cubase. Although the motorized fader was a reason why I bought it, its the least likeable feature. The best feature is the integration with Cubase and the improved workflow. Mixing with a mouse is just not efficient with a large monitor.
 
dxm2dxm2 said:
I've been using a Steinberg CC-121 for the last year or so and it works great with Cubase. Although the motorized fader was a reason why I bought it, its the least likeable feature. The best feature is the integration with Cubase and the improved workflow. Mixing with a mouse is just not efficient with a large monitor.
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Was looking at that the other day, I have the sing transport controller which I like but don't like the fader controller for the single series and was thinking of getting this to replace it and add eq knobs and was wondering if you use more than just the transport controls often enough to justify it's purchase.
 
Simman said:
Digidesign Pro Control
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Yeesh, now there's someone who cares! Wow, how much did you pay for that beast? Is it a full 24 or 32 channel? Or...does it only start wuth 8. Can't find much as most sites have it as discontinued.
 
RecordingMaster said:
Yeesh, now there's someone who cares! Wow, how much did you pay for that beast? Is it a full 24 or 32 channel? Or...does it only start wuth 8. Can't find much as most sites have it as discontinued.
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I picked it up off of e-bay for about $900 about 8 months ago it is very clean and fully functioning; so far I'm impressed. Just 8 faders, had the option to purchase another eight with it but it is easy to quickly switch banks. Only problem is Pro Tools version 9 is the last version that will support it so, I don't think I'll be updating (protools 10) any time soon.
 
The pro control is fucking slick as hell. I've used one of those with a couple fader packs and the keyboard/surround control. Faders are SOOOO nice.

This is also nice to work on (school had one), although I don't like how far away some of the controls are, but it's pretty well layed out. Like working on a giant 003 (I like the 003's controls and faders).
 
Guitargodgt said:
The pro control is fucking slick as hell. I've used one of those with a couple fader packs and the keyboard/surround control. Faders are SOOOO nice.

This is also nice to work on (school had one), although I don't like how far away some of the controls are, but it's pretty well layed out. Like working on a giant 003 (I like the 003's controls and faders).
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Lower priced options anyone?
 
RecordingMaster said:
Lower priced options anyone?
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Interesting enough Avid discontinued the Pro Control but offers a replacement; the D-Command ES for the very low price of $16,000.00 :eek: I understand upgrading your product line but...:wtf:
 
Simman said:
Interesting enough Avid discontinued the Pro Control but offers a replacement; the D-Command ES for the very low price of $16,000.00 :eek: I understand upgrading your product line but...:wtf:
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WTF indeed. At prices like that, it's clearly aimed at full-fledged high end digital studios that have a large enough budget for things like that, owned by the "company" and not one man in his house.
 
Mackie MCU Pro to run Logic... love it! ...but I really wish I had picked up a Mackie C4 to with it before they discontinued the damned thing
 
I forgot about this thread! As a follow up, I ended up just getting another used BCF2000. To my delight, it's actually a hell of a lot smoother than the original I had. The original one's sliders are way noisier, especially when playing back slower automation moves. And when i turn it on, the sliders all do a quick little jitter. The new one's (still used but new to me) and tighter and don't vibrate or make any noise duing autyomation playback. They're also more accurate. SoI am happy I bought it!

I took the shitty/cheap looking sides and fronts off of them and had my father in law build me a custom enclosure. Really makes it look more "analog" and retro. I'm loving the extra faders as I don't have to hit the "bank" button nearly as much as before. Another 8 would be nice (full 24), but until I have a bigger desk/room, It's sort of out of the question! haha

Check it out! Forgive the mess/pic, this was taken while I was doing some percussion overdubs in the control room. Desk.webp
 
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