Livid Instruments CNTRL:R - perfect match?

npfrs · 2014-10-25T03:47:52.000Z

I’ve been lusting after a Livid Instruments CNTRL:R for awhile now and some poking around on their website shows that every button/knob/slider can be programmed to pretty much anything. Correct me if I’m wrong but wouldn’t this be perfect for the Octatrack? 8 faders, enough knobs to provide hours of tweaking, 16 pads in a line…?

Anybody thought about this or even tried it yet?

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npfrs · 2014-10-25T14:34:52.000Z

Anybody use any Livid Instruments controllers?

Barfunkel · 2014-10-26T11:03:25.000Z

Scary price, but if every slider/knob/button can be literally mapped to anything, this would be amazing for the OT.

MichalHo · 2014-10-26T11:34:16.000Z

it works with banks/channel groupings. this means not every control element can be freely assigned, which always put me off.
i feel it should have less programming limitations at that price.

npfrs · 2014-10-26T15:19:52.000Z

""MichalHo"":

it works with banks/channel groupings. this means not every control element can be freely assigned, which always put me off.
i feel it should have less programming limitations at that price.

Can you explain this a little further? It appears as if anything can be mapped to anything?

MichalHo · 2014-10-26T15:52:26.000Z

""npfrs"":

It appears as if anything can be mapped to anything?

only the encoders are fully mappable, the rest of the control elements can be mapped by CC number but not by MIDI channel, instead you get “banks”, which allow you to group elements to MIDI channels. not how i like to work.

http://forum.lividinstruments.com/discussion/2143/assigning-custom-channels-to-individual-ctrlr-buttons-instead-of-entire-banks/p1

zeropoint · 2014-10-26T16:57:30.000Z

I got quite excited a couple of years back by the same thing ( I was rich then ! Lol) but did a little digging on their Wiki and found this:

“Using a standard five-pin MIDI cable, connect the CNTRL-R MIDI in and out to the MIDI in and out of your sound-card or other MIDI interface. The CNTRL-R must be plugged into a USB host and have MIDI software running (even if it’s something basic like MIDI Monitor (http://www.snoize.com) or MIDI OX ([url=“http://www.midiox.com/”]http://www.midiox.com) running. This is a by-product of USB-powered class-compliant devices with no external power source. However, once you have the CNTRL-R connected to a computer and some simple MIDI application running, you can send the CNTRL:R’s MIDI out the MIDI output jack. It is worth noting that there is a special “MIDI Merge” function that determines if the MIDI data from using the controls on the CNTRL-R will be sent out the MIDI jack. By default, MIDI Merge is enabled, however, if you are not getting MIDI data from the CNTRL-R out the MIDI jack, it is worth double-checking [url=“http://wiki.lividinstruments.com/wiki/CNTRL-R_Editor#MIDI_Merge”]MIDI Merge in the Editor.”

i.e although it has 5 pin midi DIN out, you cannot use it standalone with the OT. Bye bye CTRL.R. The dream was nice while it lasted…

t · 2014-10-26T17:53:08.000Z

That’s kinda silly. I’ve used more than a few devices that are powered over USB and that have both MIDI-over-USB and good ol” vanilla 5-pin DIN MIDI sockets, but none of them require a connection to a computer in order to function; they’ll run happily with power over USB only using for example a mobile phone charger.

I can’t think of a reason why they did this. Are you sure this limitation still exists?

zeropoint · 2014-10-26T18:59:54.000Z

Very silly, I agree.

I’ve opened a support ticket with them querying whether the situation is still the same and will post back when they reply.

musicmagus · 2014-10-27T08:51:06.000Z

I spent about a month looking into various controllers and checking the midi specs vs the OT midi specs. I ended up getting the Quneo controller. It’s pretty mind blowing what you can do with it and it’s taken the OT to the next level for me.
It’s USB only on the Quneo itself, but they make a little $45 MIDI 5 pin in/out box for it too.
It’s not going to be ideal for everyone, but you should really check it out. Plus, used ones go for pretty cheap!

MichalHo · 2014-10-27T09:03:07.000Z

Can only recommend BCR2000 or iPad+touchOsc(or similar app).
Faderfox has a brand new one that looks decent too.
If you like faders, octakontrol.
Bitstream if you find a working one.
Not many contenders actually.

I never buy usb only controllers (no dongly stuff either). Ever. Din5 FTW.

LMLMLM · 2014-10-27T17:07:13.000Z

Behringer X-Touch Compact might be worth a look as well:

http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/X-TOUCH-COMPACT.aspx

Not sure if it can be used without a computer, but the Novation Launch Control XL looks good too:

http://global.novationmusic.com/midi-controllers-digital-dj/launch-control-xl#

(albeit without DIN connectors)

zeropoint · 2014-10-29T00:13:38.000Z

Ok. CTRL R now has Renegade Mode for standalone operation. The unit needs to be powered by a typical USB phone charger when used like this…and I read on the forums that the LEDs were only responding to midi feedback when connected to a computer via USB.

Just waiting for confirmation from support that this has been fixed…

jeffe · 2014-10-29T01:01:01.000Z

""zeropoint"":

Ok. CTRL R now has Renegade Mode for standalone operation. The unit needs to be powered by a typical USB phone charger when used like this…and I read on the forums that the LEDs were only responding to midi feedback when connected to a computer via USB.

Just waiting for confirmation from support that this has been fixed…

MIDI feedback by definition needs a midi signal sent to the device. I imagine the ot is not designed to send midi feedback like that. So I wouldn’t say the Livid controllers (or any other) need to be ‘fixed’.

However, you can, in the livid editor, change how the leds behave. You really can customise almost everything on their controllers - whether pads send notes, cc, what value, how the behave - though yes, yer likely restricted to one channel at a time.

I really dont know another controller that allows you to customise how it behaves so deeply.

zeropoint · 2014-11-02T01:51:04.000Z

This just in from Livid support:

[table][tr][td]You are correct, currently in renegade mode, the LEDs are only controlled by local control. The input from the MIDI jack does not update the LED state.

We are planning to add this feature into the next update for CNTRL:R! This will be in the next couple of months.[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]

musicmagus · 2014-11-02T03:54:27.000Z

[quote=“” zeropoint""]
This just in from Livid support:

[table][tr][td]You are correct, currently in renegade mode, the LEDs are only controlled by local control. The input from the MIDI jack does not update the LED state.

We are planning to add this feature into the next update for CNTRL:R! This will be in the next couple of months.[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]

[/quote]

The OT doesn’t send out any midi notes for the trigs in audio mode. Only the midi tracks will send notes out.

zeropoint · 2014-11-02T12:24:52.000Z

yeah I’m aware of that, thanks.

not that i’m about to jump out and buy one, but i wouldn’t need the note feedback for my purposes.

npfrs · 2014-11-02T17:04:43.000Z

I’m honestly surprised not enough people have requested the ability to assign MIDI channels to the individual faders for them to implement this.

automating · 2014-11-03T14:20:13.000Z

I’ve been burnt by livid stuff before in relation to the OT

check this thread

Midi controller for OT Octatrack

Wouldn’t this be perfect for the OT? http://www.machinewerks.co.uk/cs-x51#.UlPnlbH8JzM I am looking for such a device.

npfrs · 2014-11-12T04:41:12.000Z

UPDATE: Heard direct from Livid (via twitter) that mapping each fader to a different MIDI CH is not possible due to lack of onboard memory. Oh well…