• Registered: 2019-11-11
  • Posts: 5

Topic: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

I use a Fireface ufx+ with reaper as the heart of my studio, and I use Totalmix to create headphone mixes for the musicians.  I use 4 old iPhones running touch OSC as personal monitor controllers for musicians to manage their own headphone mixes.

I find that many clients are intimidated by the complexity of the RME remote app, so I made a touchOSC layout that just has 3 faders: one for their own monitor level (labelled "you"), one for the playback level, and one for the click track. Each iPhone controls a corresponding dummy track in reaper which translates the incoming OSC messages to relevant midi signals, and redirects the midi to Totalmix with the apple IAC driver.

Since the "you" fader needs to be assignable, I have it set up to control an unused MADI input fader, which I use as a sort of VCA master by putting it in a fader group with the input faders that I want to control with the "you" fader in that particular submix.

Right now I am limited to 4 remotes, but I often need up to 8, is there a way to enable more remotes? In addition, I will need to be able to make up to 8 fader groups, is that possible? This seems like a purely software-based limitation, is there a reason Totalmix is limited to 4 remotes and groups?

  • Registered: 2019-11-06
  • Posts: 140

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

Following...this is very interesting.

3 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

We discussed this and it might be possible to extend the number of OSC remotes to 8 in a later TotalMix update. But there are two points:

- so far you are the only one who ever asked for this, so usually this will not happen unless we see some more demand.

- basically all you wanted can be had with the Remote software. Use Channel Layout to remove channels for the respective musician, and use the rights management to restrict his actions to his submix. I don't see how such a stripped down version of TM FX could be too hard to understand.

The number of fader groups can not be raised easily, sorry.

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Matthias Carstens
RME

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  • cyrano
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Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

Sounds like a Very Good Idea. So here's some more demand big_smile

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  • Registered: 2019-11-11
  • Posts: 5

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

MC wrote:

We discussed this and it might be possible to extend the number of OSC remotes to 8 in a later TotalMix update. But there are two points:

- so far you are the only one who ever asked for this, so usually this will not happen unless we see some more demand.

- basically all you wanted can be had with the Remote software. Use Channel Layout to remove channels for the respective musician, and use the rights management to restrict his actions to his submix. I don't see how such a stripped down version of TM FX could be too hard to understand.

The number of fader groups can not be raised easily, sorry.

Thank you for the reply, I hope the number of remotes can be expanded soon! I realize I could use your remote app, but I only have one iPad. I had a bunch of old iPhones laying around, but the remote won’t run on iPhones.

  • From: Portland, Oregon USA
  • Registered: 2010-11-23
  • Posts: 92

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

I think the remote software is great. I wish it could work on iphones too.  Like MC said, It's easy enough to edit the channel layout to make it simple for anyone to use.

  • Registered: 2018-12-21
  • Posts: 433

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

basssalad wrote:

I think the remote software is great. I wish it could work on iphones too.  Like MC said, It's easy enough to edit the channel layout to make it simple for anyone to use.

Ah wow, can you have individual channel layouts for different remote clients?
I will need to try this again, last time it was also affecting the channels on the iMac's Total Mix...

  • From: Portland, Oregon USA
  • Registered: 2010-11-23
  • Posts: 92

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

yes each remote can have it's own channel layout.  on the ipad app. go to settings/ options and you'll see channel layout.

  • From: Portland, Oregon USA
  • Registered: 2010-11-23
  • Posts: 92

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

On the host computer. Go to options/network remote settings. There you can set each remote to only adjust certain channels. I only have one ipad so I haven't tested this. Let me know if this indeed works!

10 Reply by MindyGonzales (edited by MindyGonzales 2021-09-05 10:43:49)

  • Registered: 2021-09-05
  • Posts: 1

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

Amen to this. 

The UFX+ seems an incredible piece of kit, but I'm holding off til I can give artists an android(!)/ios link to control their monitor mixes.  Ideally I'm just looking for a web link like (ahem) one of your competitors to give access to a massively locked down aux bus, as making up a touchosc app seems likely to be a lengthy pain in the butt.

Advice very welcome, I'll check back

  • From: Utah, USA
  • Registered: 2020-10-08
  • Posts: 129

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

I could use more mute, solo, and fader groups also.

Always found it a bit odd that they're limited to 4 each, I'd think this would be something that is infinitely expandible. Starts with one group, hit a plus button to create a new group, etc.

MADI FX | Digiface Dante | Fireface UFX+
  • gigi
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  • Registered: 2010-02-27
  • Posts: 31

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

a strong vote for more groups from me too.

I am using a MIDI surface to control headphone and main monitor submixes of the hardware inputs in totalmix. My goal is to listen to my synths without having to monitor through the DAW software (conveniently adjusting monitoring levels or listening to a different mix while recording). Sometimes I listen to them through headphones and sometimes through loudspeakers. TotalMix groups allow me to group the input faders in both submixes. It is quite a common application, I think.

I am very happy how this works, but currently TotalMix is limited to four channels (mono or stereo), so funcionalitly is very limited.

Cheers

  • Registered: 2014-08-14
  • Posts: 29

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

I have the exact same need for the exact same reason. The TotalMix remote could make the job, but removing what can me removed doesn’t make the app very appealing for musicians who need only a few faders and the App is not available for Android while we have a mix of iOS and Android smartphone/tablets in bands. So a third party OSC app is the solution but we need more remotes, at least one per possible submix.

  • Registered: 2023-08-22
  • Posts: 11

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

Yes please, more remotes and more fader groups.

Also why the remote app is only for Ipad? This is the most expensive option. Android tablets are cheap and I am sure they can do the job just fine.

ps. Only 4 fader groups? Whyyyyyyyyyy

15 Reply by Ninbura (edited by Ninbura 2023-08-22 18:31:33)

  • From: Utah, USA
  • Registered: 2020-10-08
  • Posts: 129

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

ariskimon wrote:

Also why the remote app is only for Ipad? This is the most expensive option. Android tablets are cheap and I am sure they can do the job just fine.

I mean, you can pick up a 2nd gen iPad for less than $50 & it'll run Totalmix Remote. Kinda plays into your point, but just saying there are dirt cheap options.

Would be awesome if they brought the app to phones. Then when you have guests in your studio you can just tell them to download the app, give them 1-5 faders that are applicable to their headphone mix.

MADI FX | Digiface Dante | Fireface UFX+
  • Registered: 2014-08-14
  • Posts: 29

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

Sheabug wrote:

..I use Totalmix to create headphone mixes for the musicians.  I use 4 old iPhones running touch OSC as personal monitor controllers for musicians to manage their own headphone mixes...

@Sheabug, perhaps you could share your TouchOSC TM FX phone template, such that other users could see the benefit of having more OSC remotes available? ;-)

  • Registered: 2026-02-01
  • Posts: 8

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

I am also finding myself desiring more fader groups.

UFX III | Logic 12.0.1 | Mainstage 4.0 | Sequoia 15.7.4 | MBP Jan 2023 16" M2 Pro 12/19 | 32GB RAM

18 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2026-02-15 10:28:49)

  • ramses
  • ramses
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Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

As a workaround, use up to the first nine Workspace Quick Select slots (out of 30).

Switching between the first nine slots is fast via keyboard:
Windows: ALT-1 … ALT-9
macOS: Option-1 … Option-9

Steps:
1. Clone your current workspace into slots 1–9. This keeps the same routing (snapshots 1–8) in each slot and effectively gives you 9 × 4 = 36 fader groups.
2. Access up to 36 fader groups via the nine Workspace Quick Select slots.

Surely there might be some limitations, as four fader groups have to be combined within one workspace.
But maybe this is not too hard, as you might only need to double the amount of fader groups from 4 to 8.
Then it could be useful to create workspaces that fit a certain use case, possibly mixing, mastering,
or another distribution across multiple workspaces.

BR Ramses - HDSPe MADI FX, M-1620 Pro D, 12Mic, UFX III, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, Nuendo 15, Win10 IoT Ent
  • Registered: 2026-02-01
  • Posts: 8

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

Thanks, I’ll work with this and try to make it natural. I am often moving faders within my set configuration a little bit up and down depending on the day and conditions, which is why I haven’t fully adopted the snapshot/workspace workflow yet.

UFX III | Logic 12.0.1 | Mainstage 4.0 | Sequoia 15.7.4 | MBP Jan 2023 16" M2 Pro 12/19 | 32GB RAM
  • Registered: 2013-12-31
  • Posts: 8

Re: Is there a way to enable more fader groups and more remotes?

I am starting to use TotalMix more and more at gigs (FOH or doing our own FOH) and I do concur that more groups would help:

- Fellow musicians are less tech-savvy and the TotalMix Remote app is too flexible (read complex) for them. Preferable they manage volumes for groups of channels not every single one of them.

Using the software playback as those groups is one way one of my bands does it, yet requires an extra loop out of the apparatus so less desirable and more software to learn. And defies the 'computer fails, apparatus just keeps functioning' concept.
- Having a layout per group makes it more manageable, users can select the layout and then set the faders. But then also there the grouping of faders is limited to 4 of of those, and in general one would expect drums, bass, guitar, synth, vocals at the minimum. And lower the volume of the drums, not every mic separately.

- The concept of the three layers I now understand and love dearly even, but it is not useable enough for my fellow musicians when handling their monitoring.
I do understand the architecture does not really makes this easy,

- perhaps submixing via de software playback layer (like a shortcut input to software playback instead of going to the DAW) would be possible in the architecture (so you flip the 'Use as Group' switch on the channel, you have a submix on it as if it where an output channel, and if you hide all the input channels, display only the software playback channels.....

As always the users (or in this case me) requests suggest we ask more simplicity where the results are often a more complex beast to handle either externally or internally. So still grateful with the great flexibility and solid solution we have now, I am.