sorry to bump this thread, but I’m having a bit of a G.A.S. moment…
I currently use a NanoKontrol + USB Host to control the Octatrack… wich works pretty great, but since I’ve added a few synth modules to my setup, I’m looking for other possibilities…
I’m also interested in using it for the iPad, since it’s class compliant… specially since it has that Snap mode for the faders - I don’t know of any other controllers that have that function from hardware…
@novosonic, I’m curious about how that “Send Request” MIDI CC works along the UC4… would you mind giving an example? I mean, I understand the concept (I even tried to make it work some time ago with a Novation SL MKII, but unfortunately it didn’t), but I would like to hear an example performance-wise…
currently my main use with the NanoKontrol is volume (AMP page, so it doesn’t cut FX tails) and mutes/solos…
speak_onionO hai
that’s by far the sexiest Midi controller for the Octa ever / I’d use it on the Octatrack for sure, I do want instant access to the leves and the effect parameters without menu jumping…
I have a UC4, which I primarily use for Ableton Live. I can only give praise to this little piece of gear! Best MIDI controller I’ve ever had, and I had a whole bunch of them. It’s really easy to set up, well designed, compact and I am told that it also uses very high quality components (I’m not expert enough to judge that myself). I sure feels different from the cheap crap you find in most controllers from bigger brands, like the Novation ones I had, or from the Korg Nanocontrol (though of course it also costs more than the latter). The thing that impressed me most are the encoders. Usually I’m not a big fan of encoders, but these really have a great feel! So if you have to go with a controller for the OT, I think this is really one of the best you can find!
I did try to set up the UC4 to use it with the 
but there’s something I don’t get. Is there a way to map the 8 faders to the 8 level controls on each track, so I have instant control on the volumes of all 8 tracks? As far as I can tell, the incoming MIDI CCs will only control the currently active tack on the but maybe there’s some trick I’m not aware of…
In the OT settings, you select which track responds to which MIDI channel. In the Faderfox settings, you set the channels per fader settings accordingly. You always use the same CC value for channel volume, just the MIDI channel is different.
I was wondering, how did you set up the UC 4 to work with the ? I use the encoders to control the cue (since I need to be able to send the signal to my modular) and the faders for the track level. The problem of course is that I get parameter jumping when changing patterns/parts, does anybody know if there’s a way to solve that at least for the encoders?
BTW, arming one-shot trigs is done by holding the YES button (or the assigned button on the controller) and it will only arm the trigs that are “played” while the button is held, since playing a re-armed trig will automatically disarm all one-shots. Is there some setting to change that? I can’t find any… but maybe I’m looking in the wrong place
I think something like CC 61 was something like “parameter request”, but don’t know enough about that to be honest… Hoping somebody chimes in.
As for the ‘arm trigs’, I think that can’t be changed in the Octatrack – but couldn’t you change the button on the UC4 to be a toggle instead of a momentary button?
yes I can do that. I was more wondering in general. But I guess you are right. I can’t be changed.
Quick note:
This probably rocks as a controller for the Novation Circuit. You can just use a TRS minijack cable to get MIDI going between the two, just tried it!
The annoying thing of TRS mini jacks is that some use a certain polarity while others have it the other way around. So for example you can plug this directly into an Electribe 2…
But fortunately the OT still have some good ol’ DIN connectors.
Hi there fellow Elektronists!
I just received my UC-4 the other day and I have mostly used some time to make a second DIY mini-jack to DIN (with multimeter and soldering iron, so it should be bulletproof).
But I did try it out for 40 minutes and I realised a couple of things (one was, that the manual is VERY simple, so the things you understand is short and precise and tight when you need to go back and look up a certain thing, which is good, but when you don’t understand a feature you are fu****!).
I havn’t managed to find Faderfox userforums or support yet. (I assume it is a small and simple company).
I stumbled over two specific questions:
-
How do I actually copy settings among the controls (So I can set all the green buttons to toggle switch, CC49, etc. and only change the MIDI-channel for each of them, to make mute-buttons for all the 8 channels)?
-
I tried to go to edit mode and change Grp1 to Grp2, set it up differently than Grp1 (making Grp1 mute-buttons and Grp2 Solo-buttons) and then exit and switch between Grp1 and Grp2, but suddenly both groups were solo-buttons.
I have to investigate more and give it more test, try and error - but it did annoy me that they didn’t explain it with a couple more words, so there wasn’t any doubt.
After I solve these two, I will LOVE to here about how other people have it setup and maybe even sharing some good templates for some good inspiration?
Thanks
Psypher
Yes afaik Faderfox is basically one guy doing everything.
How do I actually copy settings among the controls (So I can set all the green buttons to toggle switch, CC49, etc. and only change the MIDI-channel for each of them, to make mute-buttons for all the 8 channels)?
What do you not understand about copying? It’s pretty clear from the manual to me… but I have never tried to actually copy/paste something.
When in edit mode try to push all the buttons that you want to have the same assignment as the one your are editing, until you see an animated pattern on the screen. This should apply the same settings on all controls inside that group.
I tried to go to edit mode and change Grp1 to Grp2, set it up differently than Grp1 (making Grp1 mute-buttons and Grp2 Solo-buttons) and then exit and switch between Grp1 and Grp2, but suddenly both groups were solo-buttons.
You need to understand how the Faderfox works first. There’s Groups and there’s Setups. Setups are your presets, you get 16 setups, + 2 which are setup for Ableton live (17 and 18).
Once you pick a setup (let’s say you have picked #1) you can edit it and save its configuration.
Settings on controls like encoders and fader/buttons are organized in groups (8 groups in total). So for example you can set up different CCs for each group. You need to select the setup/group before entering edit mode if I remember that correctly. groups can be changed for everything or independently for encoders and faders/buttons. If I remember that correctly the faders and buttons are linked together.
Thanks, Papernoise - always good and precise answers.
Yes afaik Faderfox is basically one guy doing everything.
Ah, I see. I thought that it might be something like that, but if it is only one guy - he is doing hell of a job!! 
What do you not understand about copying? It’s pretty clear from the
manual to me… but I have never tried to actually copy/paste something.
When
in edit mode try to push all the buttons that you want to have the same
assignment as the one your are editing, until you see an animated
pattern on the screen. This should apply the same settings on all
controls inside that group.
With a combination of spending more time with the little devilious box and the manual, I realised that I thought that when the display showed lines I thought it was already copied. The fact is that is that you need to hold it, it needs to show the lines (like a progressbar moving from left to right) and then return to showing the parameter - then it is copied. I confused that, because of how a lot of other user interfaces works.
A little more words, explained in two different ways or even an example would have helped a lot and I would have understood it faster.
I have actually also tried the copy/paste and it worked perfectly, in the same way as above, so knowing how to copy parameters to the other encoders, buttons or faders in the group, makes me able to copy/paste in the setupmenu too.
I have used the CPyb/PStb to move groups around.
You need to understand how the Faderfox works
first. There’s Groups and there’s Setups. Setups are your presets, you
get 16 setups, + 2 which are setup for Ableton live (17 and 18).
Once you pick a setup (let’s say you have picked #1) you can edit it and save its configuration.
Settings
on controls like encoders and fader/buttons are organized in groups (8
groups in total). So for example you can set up different CCs for each
group. You need to select the setup/group before entering edit mode if I
remember that correctly. groups can be changed for everything or
independently for encoders and faders/buttons. If I remember that
correctly the faders and buttons are linked together.
Yeah, you kinda answered it there. I thought it was 8 whole pages you could select, but it is much better and actually encoders/encoderpushbuttons and faders/green buttons independently and that is even better than what I thought to begin with!
So I was basically switching the encoder group and couldn’t understand why the green buttons didn’t follow, but holding shift and pushing one of the green buttons solved everything!
The last thing was actually explained good enough in the manual, but I was probably too annoyed with the former problem, so I might have skipped that sentence.
So, everything solved! Perfect. 
After I solve these two, I will LOVE to here about how other people have
it setup and maybe even sharing some good templates for some good
inspiration?
I am now open for that if people have really good ideas or comments about this. ATM I have only used it with OT and havn’t even thought about (until this second) splitting it up and make it control multiple machines (AK, MnM or MD - or maybe something non-Elektron!) - how does that work for you guys?
Thanks a lot for the reply.
Thanks, Papernoise - always good and precise answers.
Glad to help, if I can!
Ah, I see. I thought that it might be something like that, but if it is only one guy - he is doing hell of a job!!
that’s just what I have heard… what is sure is that if it’s not one person, it’s still a very small team.
A little more words, explained in two different ways or even an example
would have helped a lot and I would have understood it faster.
It sounds like a confusing thing indeed. As previously mentioned I hadn’t tried that myself, so probably it would have confused me as well
And I agree, it could have been mentioned in the manual!
So, everything solved! Perfect.
Great!!!
how does that work for you guys?
Haven’t tried that either, but I suppose since the OT could be handled with using 8 midi channels (one for each track) you still get 8 more channels to control something else. Might get a bit complicated though. I have the UC4 set up so that the faders control the track LEVEL for each track and encoders control the CUE (I’m using it mostly in studio mode). I mostly play slow ambient stuff using the OT to play back, process and slice field recordings, I also send some tracks to a modular rig for further processing, so that’s why it’s handy to use it in studio mode with a controller to control the CUE outs.
I’m still unsure what to use the buttons for. I’ve tried several things, but in the end resorted to tweaking things on the OT directly.
Now the only slightly annoying thing about this type of setup is that when changing parts or banks I have to deal with parameter (volume) jumps… still have to figure out how to solve that.
Thanks for answering.
ATM I am mostly brainstorming what to try out and how to setup the UC4 in the best way. The setup is IMO still VERY easy to fuck up (especially on MD, where every MIDI-channel takes care of 4 different tracks!), but thank God for MIDI-learn (without I would have returned the product).
I have tried to make a setup for and one for 
.
The is kinda easier when there is 8 of most things (that makes sense for the encoders, faders, buttons, encoderpushbuttons) and when I do the same for the I use encoders and faders as the same (16 all together for s 16 tracks) and buttons and encoderpushbuttons combined too - not always the best (for instance only LEDs for 8 mutebuttons), but usable.
I have thought of these level, volume, SRR, delaysend, reverbsend, retrig, filter-cutoff (maybe I forgot a couple?) and now CUE (I kinda forgot that, but and my strymon Bigsky - as a send-fx. I can use for instance faders to send track 1-6 to Bigsky using cuelevels and recieve on track 7).
Buttons are mostly used for mute and solo ATM.I also wants to try to use some of the buttons for switching patterns instantly or on the beat.
Please feel free to inspire me.
I havn´t tried the thing you mention, but I am confused if UC4 supports the “Send Request” or not, if so, if it is setup correctly then it would work even when you switch parts or banks.
Cheers.
The OT responds to the Send Request Command - meaning you have to feed it cc 61 from some other source, then the OT will spit out all it’s knob positions to whatever it’s connected to. If the connected controller is mapped to the correct OT cc’s, the controller should update knob positions. The thing is, AFAIK, the OT doesn’t “send all” when changing parts or machines or whatever. You have to manually send it cc 61. I just map a dedicated button on my controllers to do that. I think it’s the best we can do right now.
No idea either. both the and the UC4 manuals are pretty vague about it…
@Zac_Kyoti thanks for the tip… so that’s how it works! I’ll try to do that when I get a moment.
Looking at photos of the rear of a UC4 it has midi in and out via 2x jack sockets and 1 USB socket. How is it powered? Is is through the USB socket via an adapter? Does it always need to be plugged in to work?