DAW Controller Advice Please

All about the tools and techniques involved in capturing sound, in the studio or on location.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply

DAW Controller Advice Please

Post by soundproofer »

Hello
I write in hope to get advice from someone who has experience and is an expert in / on DAW controllers, and specifically with cubase.

I am interested in learning which hardware controllers can be used simultaneously together to control various features of cubase.

Ideally, I am looking more towards the lower priced units, which don't costs thousands of pounds / dollars per component.

I ask about the compatibility, as I am aware that some of the controllers on the market employ the use of the Mackie Control or HUI protocol (Mackie Control, SSL UC1, SSL UF8).

So I imagine that it will not be possible to use several different controllers, if they come from different manufacturers and all need to use to use the Mackie Control protocol (or perhaps I am wrong?, perhaps they all will work and control the same and different parameters that they are designed to?).

I have noticed that some manufacturers have written their own software, either to work as a driver so that their device works seamlessly with cubase (such as their CC121), or that works as a plug-in which needs to be loaded up in cubase and saved as a template, in order for their control surface to work (such as Softube Console 1 and fader 1).

I also am aware of the EUCON which was originally developed by what used to be called Euphonix, who had a couple of really nice small controllers on the market before they were brought by Avid, and later then used as the protocol to drive their new series of hardware controllers. Although, Avid controllers tend to be on the pricey end of the scale.

Personally, I am interested in combining a single channel style controller (console 1 or UC1), with a CC121 (for constant Aux send control, as well as transport) with a Mackie Control style controller which i plan to use to control the basic volume / pan (either Mackie Control, Behringer X Touch / Ext, SSL UF8)

I was thinking as Softube Console 1 uses its own software protocol / driver,
CC121 uses its own driver different to softube and Mackie Control / HUI,
and the fader controllers use Mackie Control.

I assume that I will be able to combine these without problems.
However, I am aware that sometimes unseen problems occur, for example,
the various software may clash and cause conflicts.

And the only way to find out as to whether such devices are compatible together is to do the practical, and the people who truly know the answer to my questions are those who have tried out the various configurations mentioned above and so know from experience.

So, if there is anyone who has extensive experience in this area, I would be grateful for your advice. (certainly be easier than trying to an answer out of the Steinberg user support).

Thanlks
soundproofer
New here
Posts: 8 Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2015 12:00 am

Re: DAW Controller Advice Please

Post by The Elf »

The answer to my Cubase controller prayers was Behringer's X-Touch. I've found it very reliable and fully compatible. I also like the Frontier AlphaTrack, but it's secondhand only and you have to do a spot of fiddling (nothing too onerous) to get it to work with Windows 10.

That said I've also written my own MCU-compatible Layout under MIDI Designer Pro (iPad) and I'm happy to share it with you if you want to try it out.

For pure short-cut key combos I also use a Stream Deck - the most used controller in my studio.
User avatar
The Elf
Jedi Poster
Posts: 19938 Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2001 12:00 am Location: Sheffield, UK
An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

Re: DAW Controller Advice Please

Post by Music Wolf »

X-Touch plus Extender with Cubase Pro 10.5 here. Does all that I need which, 95% of the time, is faders, pan, mute, transport and muting my monitors.
User avatar
Music Wolf
Frequent Poster (Level2)
Posts: 2753 Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:00 am Location: Exiled to St Helens

Re: DAW Controller Advice Please

Post by Mixedup »

It depends very much what you want to do and how much customisation you're prepared to do. You can easily mix and match controllers if you want to dive into the Generic Remote. And if you pick a controller that can send keystrokes as well as MIDI, you can access any command that has a keyboard shortcut, any macro and any Generic Remote command. Personally, I've gone off bigger (eg eight fader plus) control surfaces, as they take up too much desk space for the benefit they offer me. A single fader one plus a touchscreen and trackpad has me covered...
User avatar
Mixedup
Jedi Poster
Posts: 4548 Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 12:00 am Location: Cambridgeshire, UK

Re: DAW Controller Advice Please

Post by Mixedup »

...that said, I had great fun/success with this setup for a while: https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques ... rip-cubase
User avatar
Mixedup
Jedi Poster
Posts: 4548 Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 12:00 am Location: Cambridgeshire, UK

Re: DAW Controller Advice Please

Post by Drew Stephenson »

Mixedup wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 10:54 am ...that said, I had great fun/success with this setup for a while: https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques ... rip-cubase

An approach I've copied for Reaper. :)
User avatar
Drew Stephenson
Jedi Poster
Posts: 24450 Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 12:00 am Location: York
(The forumuser formerly known as Blinddrew)
Ignore the post count, I still have no idea what I'm doing...
https://drewstephenson.bandcamp.com/
Post Reply