BioTek: How to record movement and assign MIDI Learn

[Astralv]

Hey there

I use BioTek with Sonar Platinum. I need to know how to access MIDI Learn (if it is available) to assign knobs on my M-Audio or NI Kontrol controllers.

I also need to know how to record a mouse movement. It is nice to move the mouse and see the industrial view changing in to the nature, but how do I record the movement? I attempted to record automation. In Sonar, it would let me record any controller, but only one at a time. Is it X-Y style controller that needs two CC Numbers to record movement?

Is there "Up" and "Down" knobs for presets? So far I have to double click on each preset to select, there should be up and down or "Next" option, or ability to assign Program Change to change presets via controller..

Thank you for your help.

[jabe]

I'm not sure if the TSC people are back from NAMM yet, which is where they were when you posted.

I haven't access to BioTek to try things out, alas. The only thing I can think of that you might try is to set up a MIDI track in your chosen DAW and embed some CC changes in it. I've no idea which ones do which thing (I reckon the X-Y will be two, as you suspect). I gather also that different selections from the preset list have different controls on their screens.

[frankvg]

Automation and CC controler data are two different things. In Tracktion it is very easy to write automation: enable the green 'automation write' button and move any slider while in play or record mode. I don't know Sonar so couldn't tell how that works. Haven't tried midi learn.

[Astralv]

Yeah, got reply from Traction/BioTek. They say, "It is easy to record automation in Traction. Is the Sonar so limited, really?" I am like, "Seriously- you sold me something without testing in top 5 DAWs? So basically they say- they have no idea how to do it in Sonar. They say- I should use DAW to record mouse movement (automation) and Midi Learn to assign midi data to their controllers. Well- Sonar is doing it fine with other DAW, but with traction it does not work. Most of software provide Midi Learn function inside the plugin. The only one I know without MIDI Learn is Nexus by reFX. It looks like a trick to encourage users to switch to Traction and make them feel as their DAW is limited, when in reality they sold a software synth that supposed to work in all DAW and not only in Traction.

[jabe]

I don't understand what you mean by "Sonar is doing it fine with other DAW, but with traction it does not work."

Did you see that your fellow Sonar user jps has posted on your Cakewalk forum thread a link to a video showing how to record mouse X and Y movements at the same time when using Biotek?

You might like to take a look at this video which shows how to automate volume but also shows where plug-in parameters can be chosen for automating.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84qQ2876Gec

[jabe]

I've read your thread on the Cakewalk forum again and looked on Google for Sonar MIDI Learn. I found this article which might help.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may07/a ... p_0507.htm

Before I go on, I should say that I have never used a hardware controller.

The article is from 2007 but appears to be still relevant. Sonar's ACT settings allow mapping of a plug-ins parameters to hardware controls. I get the impression that Sonar may have a database of such mappings. It may be that you are the first to try it with Biotek. The MIDI Learn option is a Sonar feature; it works with plug-ins that - as the article describes it - expose automatable parameters, which Biotek does.