USB transport and/or mixer controller
- Lunkhead
- You're No Good
- Posts: 8175
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 12:14 pm
- Instruments: many
- Recording Method: cubase/mac/tascam4x4
- Submitting as: Berkeley Social Scene, Merisan, Tiny Robots
- Pronouns: he/him
- Location: Berkeley, CA
- Contact:
USB transport and/or mixer controller
Do any of you use a USB transport (e.g. play/stop/record/etc.) and/or mixer (e.g. with faders etc.) controller with your DAW? I'm thinking about trying one and am curious about how well people have found them to work.
- ken
- Hot for Teacher
- Posts: 3881
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:10 pm
- Instruments: Guitar, bass, drums, keys
- Recording Method: MOTU 828x, Cubase 10
- Submitting as: Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff
- Pronouns: he/him
- Location: oakland, ca
- Contact:
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
I used a Presonus Faderport for a while and really enjoyed the external transport controls. I couldn't get into the fader or any of the fancier features.
Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff - Berkeley Social Scene - Tiny Robots - Seamus Collective - Semolina Pilchards - Cutie Pies - Explino! - Bravo Bros. - 2 from 14 - and more!
i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
- Lunkhead
- You're No Good
- Posts: 8175
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 12:14 pm
- Instruments: many
- Recording Method: cubase/mac/tascam4x4
- Submitting as: Berkeley Social Scene, Merisan, Tiny Robots
- Pronouns: he/him
- Location: Berkeley, CA
- Contact:
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
Did you stop using it and if so why?
- ken
- Hot for Teacher
- Posts: 3881
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:10 pm
- Instruments: Guitar, bass, drums, keys
- Recording Method: MOTU 828x, Cubase 10
- Submitting as: Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff
- Pronouns: he/him
- Location: oakland, ca
- Contact:
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
I kind of forget why I stopped using it, but either it had issues or it just got in the way. Maybe I ran out of USB ports? I still have it, but I haven't added it to my current set up. I'd probably be just as happy if I could map those functions to my keyboard. Hell, maybe those functions already are available via the number pad or something....
Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff - Berkeley Social Scene - Tiny Robots - Seamus Collective - Semolina Pilchards - Cutie Pies - Explino! - Bravo Bros. - 2 from 14 - and more!
i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
- fluffy
- Eruption
- Posts: 11097
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:56 am
- Instruments: sometimes
- Recording Method: Logic Pro X
- Submitting as: Sockpuppet
- Pronouns: she/they
- Location: Seattle-ish
- Contact:
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
I've tried a number of different transport controls/mixer surfaces over the years, and for whatever reason none of them stuck and I keep going back to good ol' keyboard shortcuts. I feel like the main reason I always stop using them is that they don't actually speed me up anywhere, because they have so much contextuality to their controls that I could never figure out what controls would do which actions in which situation, aside from the transport controls but I can press 'r' and 'space' and 'enter' just fine from my keyboard.
I sometimes use the transport controls built-in to my current MIDI keyboard, though. The little shuttle knob is pretty useful when I'm having brain moments while playing keys.
I sometimes use the transport controls built-in to my current MIDI keyboard, though. The little shuttle knob is pretty useful when I'm having brain moments while playing keys.
- ken
- Hot for Teacher
- Posts: 3881
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:10 pm
- Instruments: Guitar, bass, drums, keys
- Recording Method: MOTU 828x, Cubase 10
- Submitting as: Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff
- Pronouns: he/him
- Location: oakland, ca
- Contact:
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
I vaguely remember being jealous of one that @JB had that was wireless, so you could take those controls away from your computer while you were recording. I want to say it was called Tranzport or something clever like that.
Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff - Berkeley Social Scene - Tiny Robots - Seamus Collective - Semolina Pilchards - Cutie Pies - Explino! - Bravo Bros. - 2 from 14 - and more!
i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
- fluffy
- Eruption
- Posts: 11097
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:56 am
- Instruments: sometimes
- Recording Method: Logic Pro X
- Submitting as: Sockpuppet
- Pronouns: she/they
- Location: Seattle-ish
- Contact:
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
I use a Bluetooth keyboard for that. But a proper full wireless transport would probably be more useful.
- Sober
- Ice Cream Man
- Posts: 1709
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:40 am
- Instruments: Mandolin, hammond, dobro, banjo
- Recording Method: Pro Tools
- Pronouns: he/him
- Location: Midcoast Maine
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
I use this cheap little guy. The only thing I really use it for is riding faders for automation, though. Wish more things played nicely with Pro Tools.
- Lunkhead
- You're No Good
- Posts: 8175
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 12:14 pm
- Instruments: many
- Recording Method: cubase/mac/tascam4x4
- Submitting as: Berkeley Social Scene, Merisan, Tiny Robots
- Pronouns: he/him
- Location: Berkeley, CA
- Contact:
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
The main reason this came up in my mind this time was that I was tracking some vocals and doing them near my desk but not so close that t was super easy for me to hit the * key on the keypad on my keyboard on my keyboard tray. I was wishing I had something small and simple on the top of my desk with big fat start/stop/record transport keys mainly that I could easily hit without having to lean over and be precise about it with my fat fingertips.
- fluffy
- Eruption
- Posts: 11097
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:56 am
- Instruments: sometimes
- Recording Method: Logic Pro X
- Submitting as: Sockpuppet
- Pronouns: she/they
- Location: Seattle-ish
- Contact:
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
Oh yeah, sometime I use my iPad with the Logic Remote, when I remember to do so. It can be kind of glitchy though; it’s what caused part of Lunkhead’s set to get cut off at Song Fight Live in DC.
- ken
- Hot for Teacher
- Posts: 3881
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:10 pm
- Instruments: Guitar, bass, drums, keys
- Recording Method: MOTU 828x, Cubase 10
- Submitting as: Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff
- Pronouns: he/him
- Location: oakland, ca
- Contact:
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
It looks like Cubase does still have an iOS app: https://www.steinberg.net/cubase-ic-pro/ I know you don't have an iPhone, but maybe you've got an iPad lying around?
Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff - Berkeley Social Scene - Tiny Robots - Seamus Collective - Semolina Pilchards - Cutie Pies - Explino! - Bravo Bros. - 2 from 14 - and more!
i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
- Lunkhead
- You're No Good
- Posts: 8175
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 12:14 pm
- Instruments: many
- Recording Method: cubase/mac/tascam4x4
- Submitting as: Berkeley Social Scene, Merisan, Tiny Robots
- Pronouns: he/him
- Location: Berkeley, CA
- Contact:
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
No iPad. I have an ancient iPod Touch that used to be able to run that app. But I think some piece of all that stopped working a while ago. It was nice while it lasted though. Maybe I could pick up a use old iPad for cheap somewhere for that.
- ujnhunter
- Ice Cream Man
- Posts: 1827
- Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 1:09 pm
- Instruments: Bass, Keyboards, Crummy Guitar & Animal Noises (especially Donkeys)
- Recording Method: Reaper 5.9x, Tascam FireOne/Behringer UMC202HD/Avid Eleven Rack/Line 6 UX2, Win 7 PC / Win 10 Laptop
- Submitting as: Cock, Chth*.*, D.A.H. (Der Alter Hahn)
- Pronouns: His Infernal Majesty
- Location: CT, USA
- Contact:
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
I use both a v1 PreSonus Faderport and Nektar Panorama P1 for recording and mixing respectively... Both work well for my needs in Reaper, I don't know if they play nicely with other DAWs or not. The Faderport (v1) is mainly just used for the transport controls for me... as it is much easier to hit the big red Record button than hitting ctrl+R on my keyboard in the exact situation you're describing... I also have a Stream Deck that I use for other things, but I've been meaning to create some nice custom actions for use in Reaper... just have no time to do so. Also have a footswitch hooked up to my Nektar that I've been meaning to make into a "footswitch record" for recording guitars easier instead of currently setting my transport marker further ahead than needed to get my hands in position... again... time.
-Ujn Hunter
Photovoltaik - Free 6 Track EP - Song Fight! Liner Notes
Photovoltaik - Free 6 Track EP - Song Fight! Liner Notes
Billy's Little Trip wrote:I must have this....in my mouth.....now.
- ken
- Hot for Teacher
- Posts: 3881
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:10 pm
- Instruments: Guitar, bass, drums, keys
- Recording Method: MOTU 828x, Cubase 10
- Submitting as: Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff
- Pronouns: he/him
- Location: oakland, ca
- Contact:
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
Some of my googling pointed to being able to map anything in Cubase to midi, so you could also buy a midi foot pedal or use a keyboard to trigger different functions. I expect this depends on how big of a problem this is and how much energy/money you are willing to spend to solve it.
I was going to suggest this: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... er-fcb1010
and also saw this: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... touch-mini
You could certainly buy a used Presonus Faderport for under $100
I was going to suggest this: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... er-fcb1010
and also saw this: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... touch-mini
You could certainly buy a used Presonus Faderport for under $100
Ken's Super Duper Band 'n Stuff - Berkeley Social Scene - Tiny Robots - Seamus Collective - Semolina Pilchards - Cutie Pies - Explino! - Bravo Bros. - 2 from 14 - and more!
i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
- fluffy
- Eruption
- Posts: 11097
- Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:56 am
- Instruments: sometimes
- Recording Method: Logic Pro X
- Submitting as: Sockpuppet
- Pronouns: she/they
- Location: Seattle-ish
- Contact:
Re: USB transport and/or mixer controller
Another thing to consider is getting a macropad, like this one. I have one which I’ve set up as a multi-layer keyboard macropad although I haven’t gotten around to actually setting it up for my studio or trying it out in there. It’s pretty versatile though.