When producing a new track I feel I could use some external device to be faster in putting the pieces together.
Just to make some examples:
browsing through channels and working on the EQ
adding a new channel and selecting a new instrument
adding a new channel and activate recording
browsing on the timeline
adding a plugin or routing to a channel
opening groove agent and entering a quick beat (to be refined later)
cutting and removing parts of an audio file
At the moment a really entirely on the track pad of my mac and keyboard shortcuts. Works pretty well now that I got used to it.
However, i see producers that use an external controller with a big knob to browse through the tracks and do other stuff, other use a MIDI controller keyboard that has knobs, faders, pads. Others really on mouse or trackballs.
What are you using to be more efficient when producing music?
Thanks
Pablo
I use a CC121 which does most of the common tasks on tracks, transport, EQ, as well as the AI knob for both timeline browsing and controlling all plugin parameters.
I use the custom buttons for delete, zoom to project and metronome settings.
Nothing that I have experience with personally.
Most of the things you listed can be done through key commands (with the exception of EQ and browsing the timeline), so anything with lots of assignable buttons can already do much for you.
It’s been discontinued, but a steinberg CMC-PD could get you a long way. You can add another unit from the CMC range to accompany it for channel controls, EQ, transport controls etc. If you can get your hands on them depends on your local retailers, because they’re no longer in production. The beauty of the CMC range is that they integrate with Cubase very nicely.
Other than that, there are many generic midi controllers that combine many different functions. I can’t give suggestions here, but find one that seems to have a logical layout for what you need it to do and after spending some time to assign all the functions most of these should work fine. Unfortunately, within your budget you won’t have access to motorized faders, which I personally wouldn’t want to miss. (edit: I see a faderport is within your budget, which has a motorized fader. It mostly has transport controls though, not sure how useful it would be for you).
Thanks, appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback.
I have been looking at the CMC series, and you can still find quite a bit out there.
The one you mentioned is obviously oriented to the beat section. What do you think of the CMC-QC? I saw a few tutorials and it seems it gets very close to what I need to do. What do you think?
I am relatively new to music production (one year and half), what is the benefit of the motorized fader?
Every CMC has it’s own benefits, pick the one that fits you most, or get more than 1
A motorized fader is a fader that automatically moves to the position of the fader of your selected track. In practice, that means that when you select a different track, the fader will automatically move to the correct location. Note that the CMC’s fixed that in their own way, by using led indicators and a touch strip instead of an actual fader.
Opening this thread again as I am now evaluating Nektar Panorama P4 vs Impact LX 49.
Has anybody had a chance to use both and share their experience? Pros and cons of both.
For the sake of not throwing out a super generic question, what I am looking for is production efficiency.
Just to make some examples:
browsing through channels and working on the EQ
adding a new channel and selecting a new instrument
adding a new channel and activate recording
browsing on the timeline
adding a plugin, tuning the plugin (turning the knobs) or routing to a channel
I’m considering a controller and was looking at the CC121, you say it can control all plugin parameters but I have seen in videos that you have to use a mouse to put the curser on the control before you can do anything with it, this seems to defeat the object of not using a mouse…have I missed something?
Yes, you’re right. I use the CC121 more as a keyboard replacement than a mouse replacement. Having a physical knob to change parameters feels better to me than dragging rotaries with the mouse as well.
You can however use the CC121 to control quick controls, which of course work without your mouse.
