New MIDI Mixer for Ableton

[koens1]

Hi everyone,

With the risk of getting told my controller is missing about everything :
I’m currently creating a MIDI controller (mixer) for Ableton. I already have a design ready (see midique.com).

The controller is a bit similar to the Novation Launch Control but focuses on knob ‘feel’ and sturdiness plus it has RGB leds for every track that will assume the color of the track in Ableton (which I found the Launch Control was really lacking).

I would love to hear from other Ableton users (or anyone really) if they would definitely change something to the current design now that I still can change things.

Thanks in advance!!

[thecontrolcentre]

Looks nice. I would like mute and/or solo buttons on there too ... any idea on price range?

[antic604]

Is there really demand for such a controller? For Live, at least?

When someone plays live they won't be controlling levels & sends like that and they'd rather use Push or Launchpad because those give them many additional functions, so they'd have to have both anyway.

In studio this seems also very limited and an overkill - how often do we really move the level faders and/or send knobs?

Also this bit killed me

made from strong German oak and aluminium

Anyway, the design & quality look really great, but I'm not sure this will sell.

[pottering]

While I like the sound of your idea about using a simple naming pattern, what happens with user errors, like naming more than one knob in the same track with the same name, or loading a FX preset with a certain name pattern into a track with a instrument that is already using the same name?

Wouldn't that have the same effect of clicking the wrong button at the wrong time in Launch Control? Same confusion about what is controlling what?

Also. MIDI 2.0 is looming, could bring a lot of that "smart assignment" stuff with it, you may want to check it before building your controller.

[koens1]

Hey all,

Thanks for all the responses!

While I like the sound of your idea about using a simple naming pattern, what happens with user errors, like naming more than one knob in the same track with the same name, or loading a FX preset with a certain name pattern into a track with a instrument that is already using the same name?

Wouldn't that have the same effect of clicking the wrong button at the wrong time in Launch Control? Same confusion about what is controlling what?

Also. MIDI 2.0 is looming, could bring a lot of that "smart assignment" stuff with it, you may want to check it before building your controller.

In case of faulty naming, it will just fallback to using the sends (if any, otherwise to instrument macros, if they lack too then yeah, they'll just be pretty ). In case the same name is used twice, it'll use both. It'll use a prefix like MIDIQUE_ (just an idea) which I doubt is already in use elsewhere.

This is however all still open for input. I mean, I also see that it might be overkill to have a naming system even though you could also just use macro 1 & 2 etc. But I thought this would be a very handy system to select whether you'd want to control sends sr macros without having to change MIDI parameters etc.

I'm definitely going to look into MIDI 2.0! It's a long read and it was only recently officially announced (even though it was coming for years) so I have some catching up to do there .

Is there really demand for such a controller? For Live, at least?

Maybe. The Novation Launch Control XL also sold really well and that is also targeted mainly at Ableton users. I personally use the Launch Control XL next to my LaunchPad for my live set to mix my tracks using the faders and add effects using the knobs. So while I know that it won't be the one controller to rule them all, I think for some people (like me ) it can really work well.

As for the German oak: Haha, yes I was told people like those kind of things . Anyway, I chose these materials because I think it looks awesome. Better than plastic I think.

Looks nice. I would like mute and/or solo buttons on there too ... any idea on price range?

Thanks! I was actually doubting to put them in but ultimately decided not to. Do you use them often? I personally never use them and also most people I spoke to don't but I might be living in a no-mute-solo-bubble

Price will probably be a bit in the high end but I'm still waiting for offerings from metal and wood factories before I can really say anything about it.