Akai MINIMIX control surface?

[begals]

Hi,

I picked up an Akai MIDIMIX control surface, thinking that though it’s rare to find mixcraft premaps (Though I found an mc7 preset on my contour shuttle pro of all things, which was intended mainly for Premiere), I can always use MIDI learn.

Well, kinda. For one, all the buttons map as notes so I have to make sure they aren’t mapping my keyboard at the same time, but having them on different channels isn’t hard. Unfortunately, I realized that Akai’s setup has a “Solo” button at the end of the “Mute” row, intended to be held to change the mute buttons to solo buttons. Poor thinking on Akai’s part maybe, because I can’t think of any way to use MIDI learn to change the use of buttons like that, I’d expect that to be an onboard thing (it’s not though, by default that solo button plays a note).

Along the same vein, it has 8 sliders w/ the mute buttons, but bank left and right buttons to switch the sliders to cover a different 8 tracks, so you could control 16 plus the master. They too just play notes by default.

I searched but only found a question about it where I don’t think the guy got it. Does anyone use one with full functionality?

Or have any clue if midi learn can trigger a button change? I tend to think not. I can of course just use the 8 and be mostly okay , and map the buttons to whatever. There’s a slim chance Akai offers software for it but the manual makes no mention so I rather doubt it, still I’ll give them a shot.

Since it came from Amazon and a return is stupid easy, does anyone know of a good control surface , or, gasp, one with mc presets? I suppose the drop down list is the place to start looking since they are definitely covered, but I’d willingly take advice.

I would pay a bit extra for motorized sliders that went to the right spot for a track. I don’t think the behringer that has motorized was on the list, and it’s possible I recall something about it not going to where it should anyway.. though if anyone knows one that does, I’d love to hear. IMO faders are only a little useful if you basically unset it. y touching them, it’s only ever good while it’s open, then you start over. If sliders went to where they were in the DAW... seems so simple.

Edit:: Also, I went through the list of control surfaces. Didn't realize Akai is included as the APCs, though for the most part, that's unnecessary. I have an MPC Touch, along with an MPK225 (I do like Akai quite a bit), so getting a thing that's a whole lot of pads plus some control ala most of the APC line seems off. I do have a question that's related though: For each, would you need the exact mentioned product? Or can you use one and have it work for products from the same company, just with no guarantee? It doesn't seem to make this work any better but I don't think those feature the same sorts of buttons. It's possible that if the buttons are generally the same type, it would be recognized.. or it's possible it has to be exactly what's listed. What has me unsure is that some from looking up looked like they make have been like VSTs in that they were software controllers, perhaps I'm wrong about that, but that could mean there are ways to get stuff to work. As is, on the list, the only motorized thing I see is the Mackie MCU and MCU XT, which at $1100 is no cheap control surface, I'm sure it's nice but not something I'm ready to grab atm. The behringer motor was a much more reasonable 2 hundred something, though I see no behringer products on the list. TBH, I don't really see anything that's similar to this in terms of being just a control surface on the list. Is there any chance Acoustica adds support for more, that are just dedicated controllers sans pads or keys like this?

Oh and hi! Love the program, friend turned me on to it and taught me, I’ve tried the more common names and preferred MC every time. He says it’s for live creation first but I find it far easier than any of the big ones for quickly composing a new chord prog or lead or whatever, and tend to others for live recording, but then again I only record vocals, no music, I can see there may be some benefits there. Regardless I love it, just wish more had native support (Akai particularly ignored it, and I love the MPC).

Thanks!

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

Select "MIDI Control Surfaces" from the Mix menu to find additional MIDI mapping options (or just right-click on the MIDI Learn button). You can map Mute and Solo there. You can also control how many tracks are in a bank in the # Faders settings (the default is eight).


Greg

[Mark Bliss]

He meant the default is 8
It's a forum software smiley quirk.

[Acoustica Greg]

Ha! Fixed it.

[Mark Bliss]

Izawlrite, I had yer back

[begals]

Thanks for the reply!

Bank L/R works perfectly.

I’m not seeing how to do the solo though. I see the solo option under the mix menu settings, but it seems to want a single button, but I need it to trigger a change the way the bank buttons now do (I like that it just automatically knew to go to the next 8 w/o further mapping), to make the normally-mute buttons into solo.

Maybe you did explain that and I don’t get it, or maybe I didn’t explain it well. I see plenty of toggles but nothing that seems quite right. Then again I didn’t think the bank thing would work and it works well.

Thanks again, even if it can’t do that at least that’s one minor issue only. Well that and the lights dont come on, but oh well.

Edit: I’m pretty sure I explained it right but just in case, to reiterate: There’s a single SOLO button at the end of the mute row. Akai’s instructions say that pressing and holding the SOLO button will change the MUTE buttons to be solo buttons in their action, and repeating will switch back. With the lights on, I imagine they would flash or something.

If anyone has the faintest idea how to get the buttons to light up, let me know. That could just be a defect as they should default to on, but I have Ableton Lite so I can at least test it on a definitely-supported DAW. If it is defective, I think I would switch up.. I’ll do a hopefully fruitful search but if anyone has advice or link to a thread about the best surface, I’d appreciate it. Just wish that damn good one wasn’t $1100..

[Rolling Estonian]

Not sure about the mute issue but there should be settings in the Akai software that allows you to control the light parameters. I have a Korg Nanokontrol and that's what I had to do. I'd poke around in the Akai software for your other issues too

M

[begals]

Seems like that’s just a big f-up on Akai’s part, there’s a lot of results when searching, all about the light protocols and that they basically only work w supported DAWs. Apparently they didn’t give a way to send a message to it..

I think I will be returning it, even with the banks the lack of lights kinda defeats the purpose of not having to look at the screen. Looking through what is supported, I found the Mackie MCU, which is sweet looking, but pricey. However, it’s supported, which is key.

The budget motorized option is definitely the X-Touch from Behringer. The description says it uses Mackie command protocols and will work with any DAW that accepts them. Does that mean that if I selected the MCU, the X-touch would also have full functionality?

If the MCU didn’t seem doomed, the C4 already having been discontinued, I’d jump on it, screw the cost. But the C4 controls seemed great for someone like me that uses Serum a lot, since it could do everything. I could get one used but anything discontinued makes me nervous due to lack of support. The behringer is a lot cheaper and definitely supported, but I’d want to know it’ll work for mixcraft..

If anyone knows, please do let me know! Ty!

[Rolling Estonian]

Gregg or someone else will know better but Mackie control will get you in the ballpark with the controls, you'll still have to do manual to get what you want. I'd also be interested to hear how the motorized faders and lights work out. The Compact looks okay for the price, even though Behringer stuff can have build quality issues.

M

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

If the hardware supports Mackie, then selecting Mackie Control in Control Surface preferences will give you the motorized faders. They should work just fine.

Greg

[gbconvert]

updated link....
I just received an X-Touch (it was in my GC Cart List to Santa) To get MC to see your X-Touch follow the link below from Behringer about a minute in Titled X-TOUCH How To: Out Of The Box with Logic:

https://youtu.be/Pn0R7OazjDI

I used the MC setup and it kicked in after rebooting and selecting it in the Control Surfaces. Motorized faders, LED lights (Select, Mute, Solo, Rec) rotor wheel, etc all appear to be working. I haven't messed with personalizing anything as of yet.

[Rolling Estonian]

Link didn't work, you need to select add link. Someone else was asking about the X earlier.

M

[Nomadd44]

Hi I have the Midimix as well, so are we saying that there is no way to get the lights to work under MC?

Bert.

[Rolling Estonian]

Hi I have the Midimix as well, so are we saying that there is no way to get the lights to work under MC?

I looked at Midimix a couple years ago, my understanding is that the lights only work with Ableton but can be programmed in some other DAW. Not sure if that's still the case, you'd think they'd make that an easy fix.

M

[Nomadd44]

It's a pity for the money it a good little mixer, just wished I could get the lights working.