Automap brainstorming. Zebra layout?

[Mighty Pea]

Hey guys,

I've been trying to map Zebra to my Novation sl mkII, only to run into the limited amount of controls zebra exposes. Urs has commented on this issue, saying it could change in future, so with our eye on the future I hope you could help me think up the most universally usable layout.
In addition, this might help Urs with realising which parameters we'd like to have acces to most. Toggling sync/phase on and off comes to mind.

There must be some Automap users here already, is there anyone that has made a layout he/she is pleased with? Please feel free to share, I'm curious how other people have tackled this.

A few things to consider are:
limiting the selection of controls has the advantage of allowing multiple components per page, while having a page per component allows us to list all parameters. Additionally, having a page per component does allow us to always map similar controls (for instance: tune on osc1/2/3/4 & fmo1/2/3/4, frequency on vcf1/2/3/4 & xmf1/2) to the same knob or button) for clarity.

To me, live use seems the most important aspect, so things like Pan/Width seem to be of minor importance, whereas Sync/Wave/modulation controls seem vitally important. This way, we could list (for instance) all osc's on one page, all fmo's on another and all filters on yet another. Another option is to have 1 osc, fmo and filter per page, so page 1 has osc 1, fmo1, vcf1/xmf1, page 2 has osc 2, fmo2, vcf2/xmf2.
In addition to parameters for live use, I would love to be able to cook up a patch from init without touching the pc, so envelopes are quite important to me as well. Personally I think the sliders are a great choice for that, but any input is welcome!

Here's an image of the possible controls (disregard the controls I mapped already, they're not optimal)


Even if you don't have an automap enabled controller, please do join the discussion and tell us which parameters you think this needs most!

With urs' blessing, he could include the preset with Zebra. Whatever the case, it will be an improvement over the automatically generated mess Automap offers!

[AzureWave]

I have the SL 25 Mk II.

It is interesting to map the Zebra XY controller.

I don't think it is worth mapping other parameters on a semi modular synth such as Zebra. I find it easier to use the GUI.

I'm also not convinced that there is any benefit in exposing more automation parameters, as in many DAWs this makes automation more confusing. Logic works quite well in this regard, as it groups parameters into folders, but there are so many it is could be quite overwhelming for most users! Live8 works rather differently (you have to move a parameter before you can map it).

In general the approach that Novation have taken with the built in Logic Pro plug-ins and in the 3.8 update (just announced) Waves plug-ins seems to work best.

[Mighty Pea]

Even with the limited amount of features I've mapped, I've found it to be well worth it! The reason I got a controller was largely to bypass having to do everything on the computer, and even for a semi-modular synth that's still my goal.
If I'm really the first to try, or the only one to think about this I'll take it all on myself, but since everyone might benefit from this I would appreciate any input.

You're absolutely right about the xy's, by the way. They're a wonderful addition to the modwheel, as far as performance controls go. With pages you can even map all four of them and step to the one you want!
Although the display shows x2 and y2 while you're using it as well, which makes me wonder if there's another way to switch to an alternate x/y-pad that I haven't found yet.

[aMUSEd]

If you check out the work I did on a template for NI Kore 2 (see my site) I ended up using a modular approach since each preset in Zebra may have a different set of modules used. So I created User pages for each module that can be dragged into position for the particular preset being used. I also created a Performance user page that mapped just the XY's (and in Kore 2 you have the added extra of being able to use the moroh grid with these)

[Mighty Pea]

Could you post an image? I don't own Kore.
Unless the format is human-readable ofcourse, then I can just check it out myself.

[AzureWave]

For anyone that doesn't have automap, but does have an iPhone or iPod Touch you can purchase an app that allows you to setup the iPhone or iPod Touch as controllers for any plug-in.

http://www.novationmusic.com/products/s ... ipod_touch

So you can join in the fun for almost no cost!

Aside
Now if someone could make an iPad app with 4 XY controllers...

[bmrzycki]

Now if someone could make an iPad app with 4 XY controllers...

I was under the impression you could do just such a thing with hexler's TouchOSC app and gui builder tool:
http://hexler.net/software/touchosc

I don't own an iPad or I would certainly try it...

[Echoes in the Attic]

I think Urs does pretty good with exposing parameters for automation, even the modulation selection list is exposed so you can assign that to a knob. That's the main thing I can't make up my mind about - whether or not to map out modulation destinations. I haven't yet made a Zebra template because I haven't worked up the courage, so many controls. I have the same desire for my automap templates though, that is to be able to make a patch from init without touching the mouse. Of course some things you will never be able to do, like graphic envelopes or additive waveforms, but being able to get the basic sound shaping on hardware is cool. One of these days I'll get around to it. For now I just use the xy controls...

[Mighty Pea]

Echoes: One example that comes to mind is toggling sync and phase on and off. It's true that a lot's exposed, but some of the things that aren't are missed by me.

[clif321]

This morning I tried out Spectrasonics' new iPad app for remote touch/slide control of Omnisphere, and it is really neat stuff -- a page with buttons for patch selection; a page with a pitch ribbon and sliders for tweaking assignable patch parameters; and a page for manipulating Omnisphere's new "orb" control (sort of a souped-up x/y-type controller but with more options and capabilities). It would be great to have something similar for Zebra, starting, perhaps, as suggested above, with a page divided into quadrants for controlling each of Zebra's x/y pads. But perhaps, as someone else suggested above, there is already a generic iPad midi controller app which can be programmed to achieve this. Has anyone investigated?