1 Topic by ebulb (edited by ebulb 2020-10-21 07:32:55)

  • ebulb
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Topic: OSC..master faders alongside input faders ??

is there anyway to create an OSC layout which has a combination of faders from totalmix top row and also one fader to control master volume from the bottom row ? its been a while since ive needed to create a new layout and there has been some good OSC changes in totalmix but still the only way I see this is possible is to create a button to switch from inputs to outputs and then another button to return to input faders again ? Am I missing something or are these extra buttons still the only option ?

2 Reply by bsfreq (edited by bsfreq 2020-10-26 23:42:57)

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Re: OSC..master faders alongside input faders ??

Not without using some workaround.

RME promised to add global OSC control support to TMFX years ago, but unfortunately they were never able to deliver. (This would have allowed any fader or button on any submix to be controlled at any time without switching submixes or rows.)

Depending on the software you use, you could make a template on your own. However this would require you to either send the command to switch to outputs / inputs first, or do as I and use multiple TMFX windows linked to different Osculator windows which are then connected to same controller / control layout. At least Lemur allows multiple OSC targets inside the same controller layout. You could also translate OSC to midi with Osculator or any other OSC to midi translator. Actually in this simple case you could use a single TMFX window, and enable midi control alongside OSC just for the Main out control.

I’ve been able to successfully program partial submix syncs with synced faders, synced solo buttons between only specific submixes etc.

This was a lot of work and while it works most of the time, I still get some panic states when the synced faders get their levels from a wrong submix or something else resets my submixes. Usually this happens when starting up TMFX and connecting my controllers.
Also I often have to disable and enable OSC control from TMFX settings to get things up and running, so not the most elegant solution, but it’s possible.

I still hope that global OSC will be added some day, but I’m not holding my breath anymore.. hmm

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3 Reply by ebulb (edited by ebulb 2020-10-27 03:59:19)

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Re: OSC..master faders alongside input faders ??

i recall hitting this problem a number of years ago but it was reminded to me again during this latest bit of work i was doing.. its not great to have the inputs/playback/outputs restrictions, i wondered if the purpose of this was to support mackie controllers maybe ? seems like that is how they work..

The other thing that makes it hard to manage for my scenario is the lack of channel mutes via midi CC.. i dont know why they would restrict that ability ? for my situation no mutes via CC along with no global OSC control starts limiting things.. I want to automate totalmix from a DAW a little and volume control is easy with CC's but the ability to use mutes is buried in mackie control.. there seems to be no official map of what mackie controllers do so i went ahead and worked it out in a basic capacity and its too cryptic to easily automate.. 

its good RME added the lock to submix function that is a big help.. i think they added support for mute/solo/fader groups recently also as im using a mute group in a handy way..  since doing that i realised you could probably use fader groups to access master channels from busInputs OSC page ? just add a single fader on from the bottom row to the group and then access it globally with /3/faderGroups/4/1  ? this should work but i havent tried it yet..

With that in mind if RME cant add global OSC support it would be good if they could increase the amount of mute/solo/fader groups.. if it was raised to 8 it would help manage the other limitations a lot easier.

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Re: OSC..master faders alongside input faders ??

ebulb wrote:

i realised you could probably use fader groups to access master channels from busInputs OSC page ? just add a single fader on from the bottom row to the group and then access it globally with /3/faderGroups/4/1  ? this should work but i havent tried it yet..

That’s a handy workaround if you’re not using all the inputs. Just mute one and link it’s fader with the main out using a fader group. I believe the fader groups osc command is for turning on/off fader groups, so after linking the faders (with same levels) and turning that fader group on, you would simply use OSC to control the input channel fader you linked with that group.

ebulb wrote:

With that in mind if RME cant add global OSC support it would be good if they could increase the amount of mute/solo/fader groups.. if it was raised to 8 it would help manage the other limitations a lot easier.

I remember asking for this back in the days too, but I would need a lot more than 8 so personally I don’t see this as a realistic solution and definately not a substitute for true global OSC.

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  • ebulb
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Re: OSC..master faders alongside input faders ??

yeah the fader group thing is not too bad... it would sacrifice 4 input channel but like you say if you're not using all of them its an option, I never use AES so that's at least one channel available and being able to hide those grouped input channels would keep it looking clean.

I suspect the global OSC problem might be related to breaking compatibility with something else ? like Mackie control maybe ? mute/solo/fader groups would be probably be easier to add development wise so hopefully they will consider it..

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Re: OSC..master faders alongside input faders ??

ebulb wrote:

yeah the fader group thing is not too bad... it would sacrifice 4 input channel but like you say if you're not using all of them its an option, I never use AES so that's at least one channel available and being able to hide those grouped input channels would keep it looking clean.

Remember that you can also group mono faders with stereo ones, so in this case you should probably mono the input channels to minimize the number of 'lost' inputs.

ebulb wrote:

I suspect the global OSC problem might be related to breaking compatibility with something else ? like Mackie control maybe ? mute/solo/fader groups would be probably be easier to add development wise so hopefully they will consider it..

Yeah, probably TMFX wasn't originally built with this in mind. However after they said they would add this feature, I believed they would have..

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  • ebulb
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Re: OSC..master faders alongside input faders ??

bsfreq wrote:

Remember that you can also group mono faders with stereo ones, so in this case you should probably mono the input channels to minimize the number of 'lost' inputs.

good call.. that means you really only loose 2 stereo inputs which isn't too bad..

i looked at the OSC implementation chart, all groups are a toggle control as expected.. in theory they should be able to add a linear command to adjust fader group volume also...  /3/faderGroups/4/Volume ?? That along with 8 or more groups would solve all the shortcomings for me..  Once again i think its not a case of if it can be done but rather do they want to do it. in the meantime the fader group workaround taxing 2 input channels is ok..

8 Reply by hselters (edited by hselters 2020-10-28 20:55:55)

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Re: OSC..master faders alongside input faders ??

As Total Mix allows for 4 OSC controllers, I am using that as a workaround, like Controller 1 for Inputs, Controller 2 on a different port for Outputs.
Using Max here to send and receive OSC, it is controllable from any mobile device with wifi and a browser.