• Registered: 2011-02-23
  • Posts: 3

Topic: Controlling TotalMix from software

hi,

I've bought a Fireface 400 primarily for its ability to be controlled over midi (though the excellent quality is a draw too :-) )

This is for a project I'm working on for a permanent installation at a junior school in the UK. The main software part of the installation is something I'm building in max/msp, and as part of the functionality I want to be able to route different software outputs to the 4 powered speakers in the hall, so that the "front" of the audio image can be at any side of the hall. (The system output will sometimes be "quad" and other times stereo. Flexibility is important!) I may also want to route different inputs to the main outputs - so that an external dvd player can be plugged through to the hall without having to go through the computer.
It seems to me that the best (only?) way to do this is to create a number of presets for the different routings, and use midi notes to recall them.
I'd also like to have software control over the 4 main output levels, probably using software faders, though I may see if I can find a small midi fader box to do this (though it seems that everything is now USB!)

I've tried using one of the max/msp internal midi busses to connect to the FireFace - I got the midi notes to presets to work once, but then it just "flaked out". I've completely failed to get the faders working - I send (eg) cc 102 on channel 1 to TotalMix, and various faders jump to full or to zero (seemingly at random), but nothing else seems to happen.

As far as I can tell, I'm doing what it says in the manual, but it may well be that I'm missing something. I'm not even sure if I've given enough information for anyone to guess at what the problem might be, so please let me know if there's anything I've missed.

We're starting the physical installation next week, so any helpful information would be much appreciated!

This is on a Mac Pro, with Fireface 400. Latest versions of all OS and software. Fireface Mixer 2.90
By the way - what's the difference between Fireface Mixer and TotalMix FX? I tried downloading TotalMix FX, and it runs, but when I select New TotalMix Window nothing happens!

thanks

David

2 Reply by MC

  • MC
  • MC
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  • From: Germany/Thailand
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: Controlling TotalMix from software

You send cc102 with what value? See manual for examples. That will work. Same for the presets. If is freaks out then I expect there is more sent than just one note.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

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  • Registered: 2011-02-23
  • Posts: 3

Re: Controlling TotalMix from software

Ok, having finished a bunch ormother programming, it's time to get this sorted!

I've just tried the following, just to see if I can get midi working with an external controller, before I go back to trying to set up software control.

Connected an USB keyboard, set to midi channel 1.
In Fireface mixer, Enable Midi Control is on.
In Preferences, Midi Input is set to the external keyboard, Midi Output is set to None.

On the keyboard, I play G2 (and then every other G just to be sure), but the Preset doesn't change.

Is there any reason why that shouldn't work? Some system setting maybe?

4 Reply by MC

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  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: Controlling TotalMix from software

Preset 1: 36 / 54 / #F 3
    Preset 2: 37 / 55 / G 3
    Preset 3: 38 / 56 / #G 3
    Preset 4: 39 / 57 / A 3
    Preset 5: 3A / 58 / #A 3
    Preset 6: 3B / 59 / B 3
    Preset 7: 3C / 60 / C 4
    Preset 8: 3D / 61 / #C 4

Mackie Control requires full velocity or the note will be ignored. Please try.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

MC's Website

  • Registered: 2011-02-23
  • Posts: 3

Re: Controlling TotalMix from software

Aha! The thing that wasn't specifically clear to me was that Fireface mixer _needs_ to have Enable Protocoll Support enabled in the Mackie Control Options. I'd assumed that as I wasn't using any kind of Mackie compatible device, I didn't need to set any of those items. Shouldn't Fireface Mixer still respond to midi messages when it isn't in Mackie mode?

Also, I found (using the USB keyboard) that the note on velocity doesn't seem to matter, and that the change happens on note off, rather than note on.

Anyway - I've now got scene switching happening from Max. Next I'm going to try out fader control.

Thanks

David