Sometimes, you just want to grab a fader. Maybe it’s not about elaborate custom parameter assignment, or clip launching, or playing an in-tune Phrygian scale on a colored, light-up grid as you solo on a bowed marimba sample.

You know, you just want to fade a track. There are surprisingly few controllers out there tailored to this application. So, that makes the new LaunchControl XL from Novation a potential stand-out. It’s just faders and pots: 8 faders, with three knobs each. Each column also gets two triggers; these are switchable when used with Ableton Live to control mute, solo, and record arm functions.

As on the Launchpad, Novation also provides separate user/factory templates you can access with a push-button, and switches for selecting tracks and sends, all mapped to Ableton Live. The upshot is, you’ve got a MIDI controller that makes it exceptionally easy to mix eight tracks. And this being a Novation controller, it’s also lightweight and compact: the footprint is the same as the Launchpad, and it weighs in at under a kilogram. You can use it anywhere, because it’s bus-powered and driverless, so it works with iOS, Windows, OS X, and Linux. I expect Ableton Live will be the most popular use case, though, so let’s begin with how Live integration works.

Ableton Live Control It’s hard to remember, but a few short years ago when Novation unveiled the original Launchpad, there weren’t any mass-market controllers dedicated to the software. (Boutique maker Faderfox, for instance, was a pioneer.) Now, they’re all over the place. In addition to Ableton’s deep and beautifully-made Push hardware, Akai alone has three new additions to its APC family introduced just this year.

Ableton works in collaboration with some of these vendors to make integration work so well, and it shows. When you want dedicated mix controls, however, many of these devices disappoint. Ableton’s Push is a great example: you can adjust track parameters, but only on encoders (not faders), and it requires switching modes. That can be confusing if you’re in the middle of playing and just want to reach for a send or volume. Others will provide faders and knobs but in combination with clip launching. If you use an iPad for clips, or you have another hardware controller, or you focus on instrumental playing, that’s overkill.

That’s where the LaunchControl XL hits a sweet spot. Its main selling point is its eight 60mm faders. These aren’t the fanciest faders you’ll ever encounter – they’re single-rail and so you’ll feel some slight wobble, as on nearly all controllers in this price range – but there’s enough resistance to mix with some accuracy. Each strip is coupled with three rotary pots. These have center detents so you can use them for pan (oddly, all three of them, not just the one labeled pan). That detent is subtle enough that you can also ignore it – for example, if using as a send – though that makes me worry slightly about wear over time. There are simple LED indicators below each to see which is active.

Each strip also has a Track Focus switch for quickly moving Live’s display to a particular track, plus a second trigger that mutes, solos, or record arms tracks. For device control, there’s also a Device switch, useful in conjunction with Instrument, Drum, and Effect Racks. One obvious pairing is the LaunchControl XL with a Launchpad, though it’s just one option. There’s no Ableton logo on the LaunchControl XL as on the Launchpad, but it definitely feels like a Live controller when used with that software.

There’s literally no setup whatsoever for Live. Plug in the hardware, start a compatible version of Live, and you’ll instantly be in control. There’s not even so much as an installation; you only need to download something to use the custom editor. I love Ableton’s Push, but the LaunchControl XL quickly addresses some of its shortcomings – particularly when used live. You’re never more than one button away from selecting a track you need, or two buttons away from quickly record enabling. (The latter is essential to me as a keyboardist for switching instruments.) And until Ableton comes up with its own mixing-friendly controller (Ableton Fade, perhaps?), LaunchControl XL is essential. The LaunchControl XL isn’t limited to mixing, either.

Thanks to the User/Factory template switch, you can assign one layout to something like a custom instrument or Max for Live device, and another to the main mixing functions, then toggle between them easily. For studio work, then, I like having the Novation kit alongside Push as much as the obvious application of sitting it alongside a Launchpad. For live performance, since I don’t necessarily need to play on a grid, it’s quickly become the one thing I always put in my bag, just because it’s light, it’s rugged, and it does something you almost always want.

For Launchpad owners, too, it’s likely to be a no-brainer, and you can fit this and a Launchpad into a bag with less weight and girth than a Push. Not to offend Ableton here; Push is great. But I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting to leave Push on my desk for starting tracks, and take along something more basic for live gigs, especially since I sometimes focus my performance on hardware or a keyboard.

It’s just another example of how diverse live rigs can be. A live rig application – the LaunchControl XL joins keyboards, Faderfox UC3 in a collaborative setup with me and Robert Lippok on the 4DSOUND system at Amsterdam Dance Event. Dude, Where’s My Track? There’s just one feature missing, and it’s a big one: the absence of a display means it’s too easy to get lost. If you have more than two sends, you have to toggle using the Send Select up and down buttons. If you have more than eight tracks, you use the Track Select buttons.

(You can only move by one at a time, too, not “pages” of eight at a time.) In each case, the only feedback on the hardware is the colored LEDs that show send and track state, which don’t give you very clear bearings. Onscreen, things aren’t much better.

You can tell which sends, pan, or volume mostly only by twiddling knobs or moving faders – and then, it means looking at the computer display rather than the hardware. A Ring Focus Box, the colored rectangular outline that provides a visual indication of which clips are currently mapped to a controller, might help. It would still mean looking at your computer screen, and the LaunchControl XL is selecting tracks, not clips. But currently the Ring Focus Box is made available to hardware out of the box for the APC and Launchpad devices as part of a support collaboration with Ableton. (iPad apps use their own custom installers.) CDM is working on possibly providing a custom hacked script to those who want it unsupported. This is what Ableton Live shows you so you know which track you’re on, in place of the “red box.” Not remotely helpful. This isn’t just a LaunchControl XL issue, though; it’s generally an issue with keeping track of larger sets, visually and mentally.

And it’s compounded when you have more than one person playing (I now work in several projects that are collaborative). For now, my approach has been to limit some live performances to eight tracks, which is conceptually simpler as well as solving control issues. If you have thoughts, I’d love to hear them. If you are using the LaunchControl XL with another piece of kit – like the Launchpad – there’s an excellent solution, so long as you have Max for Live (included in Live Suite).

It’s called LaunchSync, and it moves multiple controllers in tandem. So, if you change which clips are active on one controller – via Push, APC, Launchpad, or even Livid Base – everything else moves. This solves both the visual feedback problem and the question of getting confused with multiple controllers. Isotonik As a Generic MIDI Controller Another reason to buy the LaunchControl XL is that its usefulness isn’t limited to Live’s own interface. It’s also a terrific generic MIDI controller, which opens up both custom control applications in Live and giving it utility with other software. To be honest, at first I didn’t realize there even was an editor for the hardware’s mappings because it’s pretty useful out of the box.

Without any drivers, you can connect to a computer and start sending MIDI, or even connect to an iOS device with a Camera Connection Kit. The LaunchControl XL is especially nice in that nearly everything is MIDI-assignable. The send and track toggles on the right send MIDI messages away from Live (or in Live, with the User template).

Once you do open the editor, each assignment is customizable. The LCXL’s editor is huge and exhaustive – and means you might consider the hardware even if you never touch Ableton Live. If you want hardware to do double-duty rather than be a single-tasker, it’s perfect. Novation has gone one better, too.

Not only have they made every single colored LED addressable via MIDI, but they’ve done two implementations (one with MIDI notes and one with System Exclusive data), and written a handy programming guide that clearly explains how to do it: This is the way hardware should work; I’d love to see more manufacturers adopt this approach, and the only way to convince them to do so is to loudly reward those who do. If you can spare some extra weight and cost, the DS1 from Livid is the other gear to consider. The biggest advantage: enough dedicated sends/EQs that you don’t need bank controls. The Competition I had to double-check that I hadn’t lost my mind and forgotten something, but in fact there aren’t many direct rivals that do what the XL does. The Akai APC is probably what most people will consider.

An does the job reasonably well already, even before looking at the recent (hint: it’s flatter). And if you just want faders, there’s the inexpensive, though the build is much more satisfying on the (more expensive) Novation gear. But what you won’t get is sends right next to the channel strip, which for a lot of us is hugely desirable. The APC line wins on all-in-one functionality with clip launching, but the LaunchControl XL is a better mixing surface. Ableton’s Push, as I said, is brilliant stuff. But it’s too complicated to use as a generic programmable controller, and mixing means twisting encoders and using toggles to get at the settings you need.

It’s just hardware that solves a different set of problems. If it’s only faders you want, there’s the, which is tiny and has a brilliant build quality, plus encoders with pages of assignments. You could even use that crossfader as a master fader and ignore the fact that it’s sideways. But you only get eight encoders, and no toggles for Live integration, so I like the UC3 better as a controller for devices and synths and so on rather than Live’s mixer.

Livid has a couple of offerings to look at, too. The is a great solution, and has a master fader, which the LaunchControl XL lacks. The faders are shorter-throw, but feel really good. You’ll mainly sacrifice the convenient toggles on the LaunchControl XL for Ableton Live integration. Livid’s, made in collaboration with Dubspot, is probably the most robust competition as a mixing control interface, with both a master fader and tons and tons of knobs.

In fact, the DS1 is the only controller I know of that allows either a bunch of sends or dedicated EQs for each strip. It was designed specifically for this digital mixer use case I describe. But I’m not getting one. Apart from cost, I’m just happy having something lighter and smaller, so I’m willing to make some sacrifices to use the Novation. Behringer’s BCF2000 is of course major competition, with motorized faders, though it doesn’t have the dedicated send controls of the DS1. Again, it does add weight. I would choose the extra sends of the DS1 over the single rotaries on the BCF, but the motorization is convenient and street prices of the BCF are around US$200.

It lacks faders, but with tons of rotaries, there’s also the BCR2000, made more appealing by the recent availability of a. Finally, there’s Novation’s own original. If you just need some knobs for sends and/or device control and toggling track state, it’s cheap and tiny.

But, of course, the XL is for those of you who wanted faders, so that’s no question. Cats love it. From a session with my Alchemic Harm project. Conclusions I didn’t really appreciate how much I wanted the LaunchControl XL until I lived with it for a while.

Sends plus faders plus track toggles plus lightweight and small equals stays on my desk and in my bag and doesn’t go on my Shelf of Lost Gear. It’s not perfect. Finding which track you’re on is a chore, which makes me long for displays – though the. And there’s hardware that feels a bit better (Livid, Push, Faderfox). US$249.95 list is a bit high by Launchpad standards, though that’s hitting a street of about US$200. (Similar street pricing is available in Europe and the UK.) All in all, the LaunchControl XL might not be alone, but it’s for me uniquely perfect. Never underestimate the value of faders you can easily drop in a bag.

The post appeared first on. Keyboard and controls and triggers all in one tiny bus-powered unit for just over $100 street. The APC this year also goes tiny. For any tool that has “live” in the name, physical control will be important. And so even with a broad market for controllers targeting Ableton’s flagship software, now including the slick Push hardware from Ableton themselves, AKAI’s re-vamped APC line earned intense interest when it debuted at Musikmesse this month. Let’s make sense of what the new APCs can do and how you might choose between models.

I got some hands-on time at Messe, and now even in advance of a review of finished, shipping hardware, it’s worth teasing out the breakdown of the 2014 APC line. The original Akai APC, short for Ableton Performance Controller (despite obvious, intentional similarity to “MPC”), came out in 2009. Then, there was just one model, the APC40, later seeing a companion, cut-down APC20. Now, there are three distinct models: APC MINI. US$99 street. This is a serious challenger to the currently popular entry-level favorite, the Novation Launchpad. In addition to a Launchpad-style 8×8 grid with three-color feedback, you get the faders (8 channel + 1 master) the Launchpad is missing.

Basically, imagine a tiny Ableton control surface squeezed into AKAI’s mini-keyboard: clip matrix plus 8 controller knobs. You get the triggers and faders as on the MINI, but also a crossfader, dedicated mix controls, and, crucially, Device controls.

The ultra-portable MINI, now with faders. (And I have fairly small hands.) There are a number of features these units have in common. They’re USB bus-powered.

You don’t need a power supply as on the original APC – a big leap forward in convenience. They don’t require drivers. Hackers, that means you could make these controllers for other software, like Renoise, Bitwig Studio, Reaper, or your custom SuperCollider rig.

There’s a bunch of great software included. AIR Music Tech is one of the most exceptional plug-in developers around.

Unfortunately, while Avid Pro Tools users know their wares fairly well, they’re less known among other users. This could change that: the lovely Hybrid 3 instrument is included in the box even on the APC MINI and APC Key 25 – which for me means it’s going to be hard not justifying buying at least one of those.

The crazy-cool morphing synth is included on the APC Key 25 and APC40 mk II. And, okay, sample packs and Live Lite – but getting one or two great synths is what’s likely to sweeten the pot for readers here. You have a ridiculous number of shortcuts. This is a bit unclear just looking at the units and press materials, but there are triggers that let you access mix values, panning, and sends.

In fact, repeatedly triggering the send key lets you control sends for any track, and toggle through as many sends as you’ve gotten. (On the mkII, there are dedicated send triggers up to 8, which is about as many as I’ve seen anyone use who isn’t named Richie Hawtin.) Even on the tiniest APCs, you can control nearly anything; on the mkII, you can do so with more dedicated controls and a mixer-style layout. You have to get the hang of the SHIFT key and triggers, but once you do, you’ll find dedicated controls for:. Clip stop. Track controls: select, mute, solo, record arm. Knob controls: Volume, Pan, Send (any send, as I said), and Device. Transport controls (minus the APC MINI) And you get those on the entire line.

So, you’d absolute need them on bigger controllers, yes, but seeing them in a little tiny keyboard is really nice. Mobile musicians I think will really like this.

Specialized trigger shortcuts can map a variety of parameters to the onboard controls, across the whole APC line. This is the Keys 25 close up.

The APC40 mkII could turn out to be the most logical, dedicated mix controller for Ableton yet. There are more generic controllers on the market – the upcoming is one to watch. And the APC40 is definitely set up with Ableton in mind. But it is as such terrifically logical when it comes to accessing mix controls – in stark contrast to Ableton’s Push. In fact, Push and the APC40 mkII would make a nice pair. Push focuses on creative tasks and starting tracks, step sequencing, instrumental playback, and parameter control.

The APC40 mkII focuses on traditional mixing tasks: you get conventional channel strips, a crossfader, shortcuts for assigning tracks to the different crossfader buses, mix parameter controls, and a separate Device control section. The Device controllers were one of the best features of the original APC. What’s nice on this year’s model is that the layout finally looks like a conventional mixer, with parameters right by the faders. The APC40 mkII now really looks like the mixer strips in Ableton’s Session View. Knobs are at the top, and can be mapped to pan or sends. And note the dedicated A and B buttons for assigning tracks quickly to the crossfader. That could make the APC40 mkII a preferred controller for live/DJ use.

These aren’t instrumental controllers. Readers were asking if the pads meant velocity control.

Oh, and here’s another confusing thing about the lineup from InMusic (Akai/Alesis/Numark/M-Audio etc.) in 2014. Previously, “AKAI” products came with MPC-style, velocity-sensing pads, which made sense – the MPC was always an AKAI product. Now, Alesis keyboards have the 4×4 MPC pads with velocity, and AKAI is putting Ableton controllers on a keyboard without velocity. The APC40 mkII is no Push. In feel and looks, the APC40 mkII feels has none of the luxurious fit and finish of Push, either. Now, what that means for actual, real-world ruggedness is impossible to say, but the user experience is certainly of a less-expensive product. First impression?

It’s pretty clear the entry-level models are a no-brainer if you need something ultra-portable. The APC Key 25 is surprisingly capable, with 8 controller knobs and a trigger matrix.

The APC MINI does what many Novation Launchpad owners wished that control surface did: it adds faders. (Novation’s Launch Control add-on, actually, could be a nice combo with the APC MINI: the APC MINI’s faders work for mixing while the Launch Control could have dedicated Device controllers.

It seems, somehow, Laptop Battle worthy.) The APC40 mkII is in a trickier spot. At $400, you’re approaching the price of the Ableton Push, plus some very beautifully-made offerings from the likes of. And my concern is that the APC40 mkII feels a little too much like its cheaper counterparts.

In contrast to the firm triggers on the original APC, the model on the Messe show floor has squishy-feeling pads. Since those pads aren’t velocity-sensitive, I would have happily had something firmer. The faders also feel pretty basic in comparison to some rival pieces at the same price.

And it’s worth comparing the APC40 mkII to Push, because Push even gives AKAI an engineering credit on the box. I wish some of that aesthetic and feel had rubbed off on AKAI’s line. That said, the APC40 mkII has a serious edge in terms of layout and controls for a lot of applications. The A/B assignment and crossfader alone will win over some users.

And all around, it’s a logical counterpart to Push’s focus on instrumental playing. If what you want from a Live controller is clip triggering, mixing, faders, and parameter control, any one of the APCs here can quickly become the hardware to beat. And on the mkII APC40, you do get a logical evolution of the functionality and control of the breakout-hit original. So, I look forward to testing the final units. We’ve got some time: AKAI says they expect to be done around summertime.

And that will be the time to really test the feel and durability of the gear. All of this is to say nothing of the M-Audio Trigger Finger Pro, also from InMusic. I was pleasantly surprised by the step sequencing functionality of that, particularly in standalone mode – more on that soon. 2014 should be a good year for controllers.

I hope we see more of the usual DIY and creative applications, too, of course, not just what’s at the trade shows. Stay tuned, as always.

The post appeared first on. If you’re dreaming of creating your own controller from scratch, there are certain basic elements you’ll need – and a strong case for reusing, not reinventing, the wheel.

There are a range of products out there that cater to you DIYers; Livid’s Builder line is certainly one of the most comprehensive. It’s a line of hardware accessories that help you piece together MIDI controllers with all the requisite knobs and buttons and sensors you might like, and its brain just got an upgrade. The soul of any controller is the electronics and microcontroller that read all of those inputs and let them talk to a computer. And it’s that “brain” that Livid recently upgraded, with their Builder Brain v2. Messages from controls go in, messages to devices like lights go out, all via a connection to your computer that’s USB powered, class-compliant MIDI. (That means you won’t need any drivers – not on Mac, not on Windows, and not on Linux.

You could even plug this into one of those Raspberry Pi devices, if you’re lucky enough to have one!) They also operate standalone with a 5V power supply. The Brain v2 is for some seriously large and complex controllers, with support for up to 64 analog inputs, 128 Buttons, and 192 LEDs. (Fortunately, a companion board called the Omni, and connections via ribbon cables, mean that you won’t create complete spaghetti trying to do that.) In fact, it’s so powerful I’d recommend considering something simpler for less-ambitious projects, but if you’re planning a big controller, it’s tough to beat Livid’s offerings. New in v2:.

A Bus Board for easier control connections. LED support up from 48 to 192, extra circuitry for ultra-brights. Encoders now work with LED encoder ring support, so you can make a big circle of ultra-bright lights to go around your encoder. RGB LED support. 5V standalone power is new. Add those features to cool extras from the original, like accelerometer and velocity-sensitive surface support and programmable MIDI settings. CDM asks Livid’ Jay Smith to tell us what this is all about.

CDM: Who is this for? Jay: That’s kind of a loaded question! It’s really for anyone wanting to create a class-complaint MIDI device of their own. An artist, a maker of commercial products, a musician, a visualist?

With Brain version 1 we’ve seen a MIDI controlled electric mandolin, Moldover’s Mojo, and The Choppertone to name a few. We’ve also powered some other pretty sophisticated commercial devices for other companies with it, so it’s not just a DIY solution. With v2 we’ve really expanded the functionality by adding almost any kind of control you’d want to hook up to it, and made the process of doing that much easier. If you are talking about standard MIDI controller type controls, our Omni board support thousands of configurations with just one circuit board.

This isn’t just for building “controllers” in terms of software controllers either. We’ve added external power so you can use it to control analog gear and other MIDI controlled devices.

Apart from those examples, what can you build with Builder and the Brain? Anything that has a button, LEDs, potentiometer, encoder, FSRs, accelerometers, sensors, and more. Single LEDs, RGB LEDs, and “groups” of LEDs of 6,12, or 24 can be created and controlled with one MIDI note or CC or locally controlled with an encoder or pot.

As a result, inventive, designs with interesting lighting feedback are possible. VU meters driven by CCs, or a clever array of LEDS that make glyphs or patterns can be arranged with your controls to provide novel, custom feedback that would never make it on Guitar Center’s shelves, but mean something special to you. The omni board provides enough physical limitation that you can think about a “chunk” of a controller and isolates parts of your project into digestible parts, and allows you to sensibly expand and modify your control surface with only 1 brain. Why would you choose this over another platform?

Frankly there is no other platform for controller building that is this packed with features, well documented and supported, and easy to use. Since the release of Brain v1 three years ago we’ve spent a lot of time listening to our user’s requests, thinking about the features we’d like for our own use, and developing them into a platform for others to use. We didn’t spend much time looking at what else was out there, we looked for what wasn’t and tried to fill in those gaps.

When it comes to building your own device, whether for creating music, controlling lights, or something else completely, there are really only other “solutions”, not platforms, which is what we intended to create. Who is this not for? If you are looking for an all-in-one solution for your dream controller but don’t want to do any of the labor, this is definitely not for you.

We’ve really set out to create the most comprehensive platform that has the smallest learning curve. There are some other great solutions out there, but some of them either have a big learning curve or require programming to achieve results.

If you have a smaller project and don’t care about MIDI, the ability to edit, expand, and have a long terms solution, there are certainly cheaper solutions out there. We tried to make the process more streamlined, feature packed, and have taken a lot of the guesswork out of it with Brain v2. With the addition of the Bus Board we’ve added things like resistors, transistors, and chips that make the building process much easier. Quick start video: Find out more. While Ableton’s logo is stamped on Novation’s Launchpad and Akai’s APC, there’s a lot to be said for the tried and trusted Faderfox as a controller for Live. The work of one man – German designer Mathias – these controllers run a bit pricier than some of their rivals but deliver great-feeling controls and ultra-compact designs. They’ll fit into cramped quarters when the APC won’t, and they offer features like high-quality joysticks.

The models could be used with any software you like, but they are designed with certain tools in mind. Following an update for DJ-centric, Traktor-ready models, Ableton users now get their new Micromodul: the LV3. The competition for your audio interface dollar is pretty heated these days, but MOTU’s latest – the Audio Express – packs a pretty impressive feature set for something costing US$449 list. It’s both a 6×6 audio interface and a mixer, with standalone mixer functionality so you can mix signals from the front-panel knobs without a computer attached.

Express

It also has connectivity features generally seen only in pricier, physically-larger boxes. MOTU tells CDM the quality is equal to their higher-end offerings, and other rivals in the $500-800 range. MOTU winds up on my short list as far as hardware that makes happy audio interface owners. For now, we’ll just have to look at the Audio Express “on paper.” That looks like this:. 6×6 interface, 6×8 independent input/output channels. Use either FireWire (with bus power, generally only if you’re on a Mac) or USB2 (without bus power).

Some nice monitoring options. Each output pair – main, line, S/PDIF, and phones – can have its own independent mix of six inputs, with or without your computer tracks. And naturally, that also lends itself to use by DJs and live electronic performers. Two mic/guitar combo jacks: Hi-Z 1/4″ guitar input or XLR mic input with phantom power, 20dB pad, etc. (Often only one is a guitar jack, especially at this price.). Balanced stereo inputs, balanced stereo outputs, 24-bit/96kHz S/PDIF digital. Trim on the volume inputs is digitally-controlled analog, for approximately 1dB adjustments.

Front-panel mixing with LEDs for metering and dedicated volume knobs on each input. Time code support, low jitter.

Connect your MIDI gear: sample-accurate MIDI on 1 in x 1 out. Connect your analog gear: DC-coupled TRS outputs for software like MOTU’s own Volta. Operate as a standalone mixer, no computer – just connect power. Mactopos wyoming for macbook pro. Plug-and-play USB2 operation, plus 32-bit and 64-bit native drivers for Mac and Windows. You can also rack-mount it as a half-rack unit, although I like the ability to toss something this small into a backpack or messenger bag to head to the gig.

To me, just having dedicated front-panel input knobs, decent-enough I/O, and standalone mixing on a box with good timing and audio quality is pretty nice. I have to say, I think the Audio Express could fill an ideal niche as a mid-range audio interface – it’s a crowded field if you get cheaper or if you get more expensive, but there isn’t much in the $400-500 budget that competes well with this. And for that reason, I’ll try to get one in for review. As commenters suggest, the real question is whether you spend a little extra on the additional I/O on MOTU’s. But the UltraLite doesn’t have those convenient front-panel mixing knobs, and I’m not sure everyone necessarily needs DSP effects.

Kvr: motu announces the audio express audio interface for mac free

I think it depends on your needs, and we’ll have to see what street may be on the Audio Express. Also, judging from those product shots, it’ll look great on my clean, white, mirrored lab table next to my MacBook Pro. Boy, am I glad I got that off the set of. Let’s face it: a lot of people ignore the four-deck features of Traktor. But for those who exploit that power, and who are willing to invest in a high-end, boutique design, here’s the controller for you. Faderfox has long been respected for making boutique-quality MIDI controllers for DJing and Ableton Live performance. The previous Faderfox line, though, was restricted to compact devices focused on one task.

Now, enter a small-batch controller for simultaneous four-deck DJ control, specifically in Native Instruments’ Traktor Pro. While NI’s own has a “4″ in it, it doesn’t actually allow the simultaneous use of four decks without switching, preferring instead to reserve that space for jog wheels. The 4midiloop is a different animal: no jog wheels, just an array of dedicated controls for all four decks and all four effects slots, a strong dose of German and Swiss aircraft engineering.

Kvr: Motu Announces The Audio Express Audio Interface For Mac Pro

(.) The resulting design, contained in a housing machined from a single piece of recycled aluminum, and built to exacting specifications from heavy components, is something unique. It’s all in a layout worthy of a 747 cockpit. And yes, unlike previous Faderfox hardware which had MIDI-only connections and required separate power, the new device is powered entirely by USB with USB communication with the computer. Features, in a nutshell (see the full specs on their site):. 47 potentiometers for effects, nine rubber encoders for browsing, seek/scratch, 152 LEDs, and 166 push buttons.

(Damn.) Four faders, “pro” crossfader. Ready-to use with Traktor Pro 1.2.4 and later on Mac and Windows. 3.6 kg, even with all that metal. USB class-compliant and bus-powered. You pay for that quality – 1300EUR.

Then again, count up the number of encoders and buttons, and that isn’t outrageous for a boutique-quality item. Preorder starts this month, shipping in October. Here’s a quick preview, as well as a conversation with designer Mathias of Faderfox. I like that Mathias is opinionated about what a DJ controller should be – working with DJ Mole – and what his ideas reveal about the possibilities of different workflows and controllers, even as an alternative to NI’s “official” vision with the S4.

CDM: Let’s compare this to something like the Traktor Kontrol S4. Aside from the obvious lack of the jog wheels, where does the 4midiloop fit in – how does it differentiate itself? Mathias: The difference to all available 4-deck-controllers is the fact that you have all possible controls for all 4 decks and 4 fx slots on the 4midiloop. So there are no limits and no necessary shift-switchings like on the other devices.

The S4 is a 4-deck-mix-controller with capability to control 2 fx slots and deck function of only 2 decks (simultaneously). And of course these jogwheels — which I hate and which are unnecessary for techno and similar styles (my opinion).’ I simply use encoders for seek/scratch functions it saves so much space 4midiloop has no audio capability (on board soundcard) because my experience is that users mostly prefer to use their individual favorite sound card to have the perfect sound and latency. The 4midiloop has more mixer controls: 4-band-EQ, key control, kill-buttons for each eq band, filter on/off, key lock, 4 fx assign keys, cross-fader assign keys, dedicated master section and maybe the world’s best faders (Eclectic Breaks – Pro X Fade) What would a typical setup look like with the 4midiloop? You need only: – laptop (MacBook recommended) – 4midiloop – A soundcard (simple ) or – + turntable if you want to control by timecode vinyl (scratch system, see youtube video) That’s it. No external power supplies! It’s completely USB-powered. You don’t need any additional control gear because it’s an absolutely complete device.

So you will find more and more new possibilities in Traktor Pro through this no-limit-controller, and the easy access to all possible functions in Traktor. BTW, it’s no problem to reassign all controls (there are also shift functions on each control). So you can also use new functions in later versions of Traktor Pro, like the sample decks, etc.

For

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Which will be taken over from the S4 in the future. Regarding price: of course, it’s quite expensive, like other good mixer gear too (see Pioneer, Allen&Heath, etc.) But note that you get a handmade device which is produced in very small lots in Germany/Switzerland. And there is no plastic (except the knobs) We working on a second version (black faceplate with gray buttons). Here’s the video from January with DJ Mole: And a high-res gallery.

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