Idea, but is this possible

[Guest jimminy]

I'm thinking a bit about how to add an eq section to each channel strip of my MIDIBOX without adding a ton of knobs and space to the unit.  I use Cubase which gives you 4 parametric EQ's per channel and wouldn't it be nice to have them on the MIDIBOX surface but each of the 4 has 3 knobs, so really 12 per channel.  Ouch.

What I was thinking is this:  Rather than have 12 per channel (8x12=96), I could have one 12 knob set, and then have a momentary button at each channel to activate it for that channel by holding the button.

It would require encoders obviously, but is this possible?

[pay_c]

Perhaps also a possibility (which works nearly like yours):

Use the meta events of the MB64 for switching the bank up/down with two buttons. When you make those buttons the Bank Switch buttons for all your presets, you can easily make 12 pots (or encoders) for every channel, just switch the channels through by switching through the banks.

[Guest jimminy]

Hmmm...that's a good idea too.  But would you have to hit the button 7 times to switch from channel 1 to 8?  It wouldn't be so bad.  It would be better to just hit a button somewhere on the channel itself to select the it rather than have to hold it the way I said before.  Do you have to modify the OS in order to customize this way or is it just a matter of programming buttons?

Oooh, I had another idea.  I've never used a control surface with cubase before, but could you use a knob as a transport to scrub along a track?  I think I might have to build another DIN...

[pay_c]

So my idea wouldn´t require any programming. It´s just a button assignment thing (those META Events are doing all the job).

Perhaps a workaround for the hitting the button 7 times: You can also use two other META events: One for entering the BS Menu and one for entering the display menu.

This way you just hit the BS Menu button and hit the button of the desired channel (those buttons 1-16 then become Bank Selection buttons as long as you are in the menu). Then you can either stay there (for changing the channels faster) and change your stuff or change back to the display with the other button. That would do the job quite well, wouldn´t it?

Second question: Yes, the whole transport bar can be assigned to buttons, but I would rather recommend the keyboard: Cubase already assigned certain keys to the transport bar (and many other useful things). This way you can work damn fast.

E.G. the numpad is assigned following way: Enter is Play, 0 is go to 00.00.00, / is Loop (I think) and so on.

I did it this way (cause nobody can remember all those keys): Just write the Cubase shortcuts directly on your keyboard and put a light layer of transparent color over it (mate!!) to conserve it. Perhaps I could post a picture of that keyboard to show what I mean. I think it´s dammit useful, all important stuff is a fingertip away (Mixers, Metronom, Transport, VST Stuff, different Cursors and so on).

[Guest jimminy]

Yeah pay_c, that's how I work with the transport too.  Actually, what I find even more useful is a USB numeric keypad which I can take to wherever in the room (15' cable extension on mine) I want to use it, say when I'm sitting at the drums or in my isobooth/room.  It's better than taking the whole computer keyboard.

What I was talking about though was having a large assignable data wheel/knob on the MIDIBOX, that could be assigned to the cursor in the track view of cubase or the wave editor.  Usually to scrub you use the mouse or the << >> buttons on the transport.  I think it would be really nice to use a mod wheel to control the cursor.  I'm not sure if this explanation is any good.  Some VCR's I've seen have this capability.  You can go back and forth at the speed you turn the wheel.

Dunno if this makes any sense.

Just got confirmation that my parts are on the way!!

[pay_c]

Ahh, now I understand what you meant... but just no idea... (sorry!)

I even dont know if Cubase would support something like this (also this would be veryvery cool indeed).

[Rowan]

Hi

Here is how I did this on my MB64.

Each channel on the MB has a "select" button, and I've made a separate EQ section with 12 pots and 4 buttons (And 8 Aux send pots, and 8 insert on/off buttons), the buttons turn each band on/off. I've assigned differnt MIDI CC's to each pot and note on/off to the buttons. this is all the configuration which is required within the MB. All of the rest is done within the "generic remote" setup in Cubase SX.

I've assigned each on the "select" buttons to select a track in Cubase. When I press the select button, the corrosponding track is highlighted in cubase. Now in the generic remote the pot's/encodes to EQ band you want. Here is the trick, Instead of assigning that pot to a specific track, assign it to "selected" in the "generic remote setup" in cubase. This way which ever track is high-lighted the pot will control the assigned band. It's that easy, no messing round with MIOS code. If this is unclear let me know and I'll write a little example.

I hope that make life a little simpler.

I sugest you open up the remote set up window and have a good look around you even start to build your MB. There are alot of clever things thing that can be done in this window. you can save alot of knobs/buttons if you are familar with what is possible with the "generic remote" in Cubase.

Rowan

[pay_c]

Cool, thnx also from me for that one, Rowan! Didn´t know that!  :)

[Guest jimminy]

That is excellent Rowan!  No doubt about it, this is the way to do things like the eq section and send effects.

I was just re-reading pay_c's earlier posts and I think I missed the point of something you said.  When you talked about bank up and bank down, I think now you were talking about switching from channel 1-8 to 9-16 to 17-24 and so on, right?

I never thought of this, of course.  If this is what you were saying, and if not, if this is possible, then this is way more powerful than I previously thought.  

I am getting extremely stoked to get this thing going.  Unfortunately, I just got word that the parts are out of stock and I'll have to wait a bit...arrrrgh! :)

[Steven_C]

Is something like this possible with the LC? Don't really need it though, as LC is cool already

[pay_c]

Nope, sorry to dissapoint you:

I talked about switching the banks of the bankstick.

E.G.: You have 64 Pots. 16 of them are assigned to a specific channel (like eq section & send effects). So in Bank 1 (of the MB Bankstick) there would be place for channel 1 - 4. Per pushing the button, which sends the META Event for banking up (in the MB) you select the next bank. When this is assigned to channel 5-8, you have something similar like you thought, but not quite the same.

I really do think Rowans solution is one of the best ones (will use that one, too). @ Rowan: Why don´t you send your generic remote setup to TK or to Poeleq so we all can use that in no time? Would be cool.

[Guest jimminy]

I just had a peek at Cubase SX 2.01, and noticed that the new transport bar has a virtual version of EXACTLY what I was talking about, a scrub dial!  Way cool, and I would have to assume that it is assignable to a remote controller, like saaay, I dunno, a MIDIBOX?  sweet, now if I could just get my parts...zzzzzz.