all_on_black

Im not very experienced with the whole analogue synth/sequencer thing (yet :P), but maybe you could use rotary encoders, and use a vertical LED "ring" so that you have an encoder to physically move, but its setting is shown on the LED meter. You might have to make some changes to be able to have more than 11 LED's though, but its just an idea. Or i guess you could try using LED displays, like those of a digital clock, as they would be a lot clearer than LCD displays.

yes and no. you can, but you have to open each track window, which takes up way too much space (i only have a 15" tft), but then even on a 19" you wouldnt be able to fit 16 audio tracks onto the screen. I'll edit this post with a picture later, but basically it takes up too much screen space to be able to see all the level meters without having the mixer window ontop of the tracks, and having the mixer in the way was what im trying to avoid. hmm, this would probably be the best option, and probably quite easy to make too. I might do this. Its a very nice design though, eeaasy to navigate and such. Yeah, the faders did seem a little cheap considering the total price, but the buttons were quite hard and firm, i didnt feel like i was going to break them. Anyway, its a nice design, especially for metering purposes. The reason i want some form of external metering is so that i can get a good idea of where everything is in the mix without having to open any windows on screen, as i have too little screen space as it is :-\. i want to be able to just look down and if something looks too low i can just bring the relevant fader up. [Edit] Thats what it looks like with just 3 tracks open :-\ Theres no way i can fit 16 on, hence wanting a meter bridge. Just out of interest, could i make an independant meter bridge (ie, to be used without the midibox LC), might make one before the LC, just to get a feel for how it all works and such. Thanks for all the help guys :D

Heh because i could put them in a 2U rackmount box and have the box under my PC monitor, as it will be on a raised desk platform, so it would be easy to see the general picture of the mix. Yes, an option would be to get another monitor and have the mixer on one and the tracks on the other, but then my monitor speakers probably wouldn't fit properly. Its just a matter of logistics really. Yeah i guess.. is there any way of using more than 11? If not, then yeah i might consider just having a clip LED above each channel on the LC, would be useful i guess. I like the metering on the Digidesign Control 24 (I had work experiance in a recording studio so got to play with it ;D :P), i was thinking of hopefully including a meterbridge (or external box) like that. Im sure it only has a few more LED's than midibox (around 15 i think).

woops should have seen that ::) i try to avoid opening pfd's on my computer, it doesnt like them much :-\ cool, so would Sonar just transmit a midi message saying "this signal is loud" or whatever? Also, i assume you can have more than just 8 meters? Lol, while im at it, is there any way of making a seperate metering device (in a rack unit for example), as this would free up space on my control surface (would fit in my room better:p)

Is it possible to build Level Meters onto a midibox LC? If i decide to build myself a midibox, i would really like to be able to monitor each channels output (from Sonar 4 Pro). Would they monitor midi data, or actual audio. Im not hugely experianced with midi, so im not too sure of what exactly it can and cant do, so im not sure if it's possible, though Axel has meters on his big LC, so i assume there's a way? I noticed another picture in the gallery, cant remember who its by but it was a 3D design of a midibox layout, and on the back it had "VU Meter" outputs in what looked to be 3.5mm jacks.. i also know CV's are sent through 3.5mm jacks, so maybe its possible to use those to send meter information? Sorry i sound like a n00b...technically i am one, but whatever. Thanks if you can help, Gaz

So if i wanted to build a 24 fader LC using the Mackie Protocol, i would need 3 cores and each would in effect, be a seperate controler?

[Made this a new topic rather than a reply, not sure if i was ment to put it in the other topic :-\] Hey guys, lol, welcome another n00b to the forum ;) Heh, nah been reading this for a few weeks so decided to register and actually do something about my ideas! After reading over the spec's of the various projects i think i've found that the midibox LC will do the things i want from a control surface, and from what i gather, its based on the Mackie Control?, which is supported by most Sequencers (I'll be using Sonar 4 Producer edition or Cubase SX 3, probably Sonar). Another reason why the LC sounds like the best idea for me is because i can expand on it easily, buy just adding another core with the 'mixer' section, and hopefuly set it up as the Mackie Control XT (the extention bit)... thats the theory anyway? After looking around and giving it some thought i decided on the modules i would require. From what i gather, i'll need the following for the 'main' part of my surface (ie, with no 'extentions'): Core Module x 1 DIN Module x 3 DOUT Module x 4 MF Module x 1 LCD Module x 1 I believe this will allow me to have: 8 Touch Sensitive Motorised Channel Faders 16 Channel Encoders + 1 Jog Wheel Encoder 24 Buttons with LED's for Channel Controls (Solo/Mute/Select) 8 Buttons with LED's for the Channel Assignments (Pan, EQ, Plug ins etc) 32 Extra Assignable Buttons With LED's for various control uses 4 Buttons for Fader Banks +/- and Fader Channel =/- 5 Buttons with LED's for the transport bar 5 Buttons for a D-pad 1 Main LCD Display (1 2x 40?) 1 Timeclock Display I have made a quick render of what the surface will look like, though it needs some work, it gives a basic idea. On the picture i missed out 8 of the 'assignable buttons' (should be 32 not 24), and forgot to add the buttons for the fader +/-. woops. ::) [found another mistake, the LCD should say 2x40, not 2x50! hehe] http://myspace-375.vo.llnwd.net/00174/57/36/174216375_l.gif > Does this seem about right for a MidiBox LC, and have i missed anything out? > Will it be possible to link another core module to the controller i have 'made' and use it as an extention? Thats about it for now, il see what response i get before i ask anything else, as i cant really think of anything at the moment :-\