Subject:Controller Surfaces

Posted by: whentomorrowfails

Date:8/9/2008 9:06:24 PM

What kind of controller surfaces is everyone using? I have been using Acid since 2.0, and have found ways to multitrack stuff. however, i'm looking into controller surfaces. right now i have a MOTU Traveler, but my laptop has been having issues with the firewire card for some reason, and have only gotten it to work once. so, i'm looking at a controller surface, much like DigiDesign's (looks like a mixer) but not that expensive. Tascam makes one for like 500$ but a review i read states that they weren't able to get it going with Acid or Vegas....any suggestions?

Subject:RE: Controller Surfaces

Reply by: drbam

Date:8/10/2008 6:44:15 AM

If you have the budget, the Mackie MCU Pro is the way to go. Otherwise the Behringer units seem to be the best buy. Do a search on these forums - a lot of folks use them.

Subject:RE: Controller Surfaces

Reply by: jackn2mpu

Date:8/14/2008 11:48:45 AM

Don't buy a Behringer - quality is a hit or miss affair with them, and more on the miss side of things. If you don't mind working one channel at a time, the Frontier Design Group Alphatrack which currently doesn't directly support Acid, but their Tranzport does support Acid Pro.

Jack

Subject:RE: Controller Surfaces

Reply by: whentomorrowfails

Date:8/22/2008 7:28:17 PM

nope, gotta be able to do at least 8 at a time. i'm a drummer by trade, so i have to have at least 8 mics at a time.

Subject:RE: Controller Surfaces

Reply by: drbam

Date:8/23/2008 7:24:04 AM

The "don't buy Behringer" comment was too broad IMO. Yes most of the stuff is crap but the BCF2000 has proved to be a very good buy and quite reliable (as are a handful of other B units). That said, go for the MCU Pro if you have the budget.

Subject:RE: Controller Surfaces

Reply by: SHTUNOT

Date:8/23/2008 12:10:47 PM

I second drbam suggestion to get a MCU. I own the original and love it. I have it connected to my computer via a Edirol UM-3ex.

Warning...The MCU pro usb drivers as of last I heard don't work in either vista 32 or 64 versions. So if you want to connect it to the computer you have to do it the old fashioned way of connecting it via midi in/out's.

If anyone has updated info on the usb driver please post.

Ed.

Subject:RE: Controller Surfaces

Reply by: jackn2mpu

Date:8/23/2008 12:57:14 PM

whentomorrowfails said:
nope, gotta be able to do at least 8 at a time. i'm a drummer by trade, so i have to have at least 8 mics at a time.

My reply:
In your original post you first asked what control surfaces people were using, then you mentioned your audio interface. It seemed to me you weren't clear as to what you exactly were asking for - a control surface (which has nothing to do with audio), or an audio interface. Or were you asking for something that was a combo of the two? There are some pieces that combine the two functions - if that was what you wanted, why didn't you say so to begin with? And how is either of these pieces going to help your issues with the firewire setup you have? Any decent combination of the 2 will be on firewire. And the Digidesign piece is only a front end for mainly ProTools; don't know if it can work with Acid (or any other real daw).

Subject:RE: Controller Surfaces

Reply by: ozzborn

Date:8/23/2008 4:38:17 PM

i bought the mcu pro and retuned it...

the problem for me is that i kept losing connection with acid for the track names.

if my songs were only 16 or 24 tracks it would not be a problem, but most of my songs are like 60 tracks.

its not hard in a project to stack 3 or 4 snares, 3 or 4 kicks, than some hihats and and subs, that could be 15 + tracks right there.

than, mulitiple tracks of each instrument ,for instance, bass, 1 track for hook, 1 track for verse.
strings 1 track for vese ,1track for hook,

vocals, 1 track for hook , but 3 tracks for lead , just for slight eq diffrences, or lighter or stronger dessers on that take, if nessary.
and 1 track for adlibs.

it adds up quick,

the mcu pro out the box worked great out the box,( except for losing communication) the transport was good, watching the faders move to the automation was really cool,using the buttons for makers was good.

the reason i retuned it was for 1300.00 , losing communication was unacceptable, i had to figure out what track i was on too often.

for a transport i have the m-audio axiom 61, and akai mpd 3200,
i progamed the buttons on the 3200 to do the markers/regions.
but i do miss watching the faders.

i still spent that 1300.00 on music.

2nd music computer 550.00
to run v-stack, and a bunch of vstis that dont run so good in acid, (sampletank 2, emagic exs 24 1.6,battery 3,)

mpd 3200
300.00

a video camera to start messing with video
550.00

money better spent right now but 1 day i will try the mcu pro again.

www.myspace.com/ozzborn