KVR Audio

auricle · Post by **auricle** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 9:40 am

I managed to get a colleague of mine to bring back an iPad from the USA. One of the main reasons I got it was the AC7 Pro Mackie Control emulator. As I work with a variety of hosts depending on my mood (Samplitude, Live, Studio One) it would be nice to have a controller that is wireless and works with these hosts. I don't have much desk space for a real Mackie Control (although I'd love one - or two, or three!)

Generally, it works really well! The basic functions work with all hosts (faders, transport, channel buttons such as mute, solo, etc) but some of the more advanced features were more sporadic.

For PC the track names aren't used (which is disappointing) but I've heard it's coming in an update.

In Samplitude the level meters and bar/beat/smpte display isn't updated - it's stuck on 0000.

Other than that, it's great and well worth the paltry asking price!!

topaz · Post by **topaz** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:00 am

IMHO it needs an update to use OSC, the dsmidi app bridge is a pain.

Touch OSC is much simpler to integrate, also there is no lag on fader feedback.

auricle · Post by **auricle** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:02 am

topaz wrote:IMHO it needs an update to use OSC, the dsmidi app bridge is a pain.

Touch OSC is much simpler to integrate, also there is no lag on fader feedback.

Does it work with all hosts?

topaz · Post by **topaz** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:05 am

auricle wrote:
Does it work with all hosts?

I use it with live and logic.

I'm not saying take away the dsmidi support just add a osc mode.

auricle · Post by **auricle** » Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:11 am

topaz wrote:
auricle wrote:
Does it work with all hosts?
I use it with live and logic.

I'm not saying take away the dsmidi support just add a osc mode.

I'll check out Touch OSC

auricle · Post by **auricle** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 8:15 am

I've been in touch with the developers about the Samplitude problem. Apparently, within a week or so AC7 Core will be released. It doesn't need dsmidi and will be based on CoreMIDI (a licensed version will have to be downloaded for Windows). It will enable FULL Mackie Control compatibility for all hosts so Samplitude will work okay.

The downside is that it's not a free update. There will be an introductory price for existing users in the App Store.

Ah, the GUI has been redesigned. Also, when a channel is selected the jog/shuttle wheel controls the pan.

buscemi · Post by **buscemi** » Thu Nov 11, 2010 3:25 pm

Can't wait for track names on the PC version and if that happens before Cubase does a nice iPad version of their control app, I'll get this. I have MCU though, so it might be a pain if there's any switching back and forth involved.

olja · Post by **olja** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:51 pm

So, AC7 Core is out: http://saitarasoftware.com/Site/AC-7_Core.html
Anyone else tried it yet? I can get basic functions like transport, solo, mute etc to work, but still no track names sent to the iPad from Cubase 5, and most of the more advanced functions seem to still be lacking. I'm a little disappointed, the idea and potential for this app is great, just hope it gets fixed and developed further. Would be interesting to hear how it works for others.

buscemi · Post by **buscemi** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:54 pm

Good thing I got too busy to buy it today. They say it supports Cubase specifically and that a feature is track names so I thought that meant it WORKED. I need to have it work in Cubase, with track names. This is disappointing as I was going to try it tonight.

auricle · Post by **auricle** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:03 am

From the conversation I had with them, I gathered that a lot of the new features need iOS 4.2

buscemi · Post by **buscemi** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:12 am

auricle wrote:From the conversation I had with them, I gathered that a lot of the new features need iOS 4.2

Thanks! I have 4.2 on iPad and iPhone so I'll give it a whirl. I don't buy Starbucks but if I did, I'd skip it to make up for the $$

olja · Post by **olja** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:34 am

I have 4.2 as well. Might just be me who's doing something wrong though. Tell us how it worked for you.

auricle · Post by **auricle** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 12:49 am

I haven't updated yet

I will tomorrow though (it's late here) and report back.

buscemi · Post by **buscemi** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 6:48 am

olja wrote:I have 4.2 as well. Might just be me who's doing something wrong though. Tell us how it worked for you.

I also had to take some time to be sure I could set up an ad-hoc network because I don't want to use WiFi on the studio machine. So on top of any of the AC-7 stuff, I was able to put the iPad on a private ad-hoc wireless network with the computer wired to the router (so no WiFi at all) and the communication worked well. I used exporting a GrooveMaker tune as a test first, since I'm familiar with the way that works over a network. All worked well, so on to AC-7.

Anyway, I'm on Windows and it wasn't too hard to set up. I just followed the directions, and then reset the iPad for good measure. To see the track names, I had to hit the little "Pan" button up top on the right. The names showed up, and all other functions seemed to work well. I'm familiar with Mackie Control since I have one, so it all seemed to make sense for the most part.

Very happy overall but I have to play with it more. Setting up the networking B.S. (which was due to MY idiosyncratic needs) took longer than the AC-7 setup though.

auricle · Post by **auricle** » Wed Nov 24, 2010 7:02 am

Well done buscemi,

Well I don't know if I botched my installation but my iPad doesn't show up at all that midi application. I'm on Windows 7 but I also tried it on my Hackintosh and it doesn't pick it up in that as well.