I realise that I'm jumping into a deep subject as defined by the huge volume of posts on here regarding the use of an external hardware device (often a midi keyboard) with its associated knobs, pads and buttons, and how to best map the hardware to the DAW's functions - in this case Bitwig obviously.
So, while I have been reading both here and elsewhere, and it being such a large amount of posts, hopefully I'll be forgiven for starting another post rather than wade through thousands of search results and appending there. I am also rather new to this aspect of setting up the hardware. I've been using Bitwig for a couple of years now, and I'm STILL (much to my own frustration) using mouse+shift to fine tune a setting. It's time consuming and often really frustrating (because depending on the exact mouse and its CPI, one can easily 'overshoot' a fine setting. And yes, when budget permits I'll buy something much better supported already e.g. Nektar CS12 (a motorised fader! Oh joy!!)
And so... I do need to make the effort to understand what my current keyboard can do for me, and how to best go about it. And yes, I do have the DrivenByMoss installed. I also have another third party script for my controller because it's not in the above script, and the device itself is discontinued, and in all honesty was never really well integrated in the first place.
I have a Novation Impulse 61. I've done all the basic set up as per manual etc. So it "works" but, it's not yet terribly useful, because the piano bed is great (and the main reason for owning it), but like so many others, I'm finding it way less than intuitive or natural when it comes to this idea that oh, I'll now just tweak this VST or FX plugin using the rotary controller on my keyboard!!
My thoughts are this: I really, REALLY want to get away from the sheer time suck caused by keep shift-clicking controls via a mouse... oh, that's too high... that value's too low. Wait... I'll triple click and type it in... Yeah, five hours later I've spent more time wrestling with the DAW than I have actually making music.
The more I can do everything I want via hardware, macros etc. the happier I'll be. But then there's another issue... Let's say I'm trying to fine tune a Mixer level, and I grab the hardware channel fader, only to discover that the scaling for it makes it WAY heavy-handed for the fine grain I need. My keyboard has the little 45mm faders. It's harder to make a small adjustment with one of those than it is using the mouse!
This isn't a rant, I'm simply laying out where I am, where I'd like to get to, such that some helpful soul might point me to the links or resources to provide me with clear explanations for how to get the optimal set up, bearing in mind that this device is actually rather limited in the first place.
Let me start with editing an Instrument Track. So, I've added my VST - let's say I'm using Modo Bass. And let's say I've disabled all the sound processing inside the VST, using it just to create the sampled bass notes. I then add Bitwig's compressor, some delay.
First of all... I'd like to be able to use my computer keyboard (arrow keys?) or midi device to navigate the channel strip. Then, to navigate "across" that strip to either the instrument or the plugin. THEN I can finally start twiddling the knobs on my midi controller.
But this "ideal" workflow seems out of reach at the start. I have to reach over, grab the mouse, click on a track to select it, click on the device within the track that I want to edit. Well... since I'm now holding the mouse, there's very little point in moving my hands back to the midi keyboard to grab a rotary encoder... I may as well stick with the mouse and just finish the edit.
So, after that wall of words above (sorry), hopefully it's clear how little I know about or use the power of my midi controller.
I would add that I did find a link on here to the large list of user generated VST mappings. But, not only do I not own most of those (and avoid VST2 where possible), but that seems to be going back to front because I don't even have a basic understanding of how I can best integrate this hardware.
Any advice, comments or suggestions anyone?![:)]( "Smile")
So, while I have been reading both here and elsewhere, and it being such a large amount of posts, hopefully I'll be forgiven for starting another post rather than wade through thousands of search results and appending there. I am also rather new to this aspect of setting up the hardware. I've been using Bitwig for a couple of years now, and I'm STILL (much to my own frustration) using mouse+shift to fine tune a setting. It's time consuming and often really frustrating (because depending on the exact mouse and its CPI, one can easily 'overshoot' a fine setting. And yes, when budget permits I'll buy something much better supported already e.g. Nektar CS12 (a motorised fader! Oh joy!!)
And so... I do need to make the effort to understand what my current keyboard can do for me, and how to best go about it. And yes, I do have the DrivenByMoss installed. I also have another third party script for my controller because it's not in the above script, and the device itself is discontinued, and in all honesty was never really well integrated in the first place.
I have a Novation Impulse 61. I've done all the basic set up as per manual etc. So it "works" but, it's not yet terribly useful, because the piano bed is great (and the main reason for owning it), but like so many others, I'm finding it way less than intuitive or natural when it comes to this idea that oh, I'll now just tweak this VST or FX plugin using the rotary controller on my keyboard!!
My thoughts are this: I really, REALLY want to get away from the sheer time suck caused by keep shift-clicking controls via a mouse... oh, that's too high... that value's too low. Wait... I'll triple click and type it in... Yeah, five hours later I've spent more time wrestling with the DAW than I have actually making music.
The more I can do everything I want via hardware, macros etc. the happier I'll be. But then there's another issue... Let's say I'm trying to fine tune a Mixer level, and I grab the hardware channel fader, only to discover that the scaling for it makes it WAY heavy-handed for the fine grain I need. My keyboard has the little 45mm faders. It's harder to make a small adjustment with one of those than it is using the mouse!
This isn't a rant, I'm simply laying out where I am, where I'd like to get to, such that some helpful soul might point me to the links or resources to provide me with clear explanations for how to get the optimal set up, bearing in mind that this device is actually rather limited in the first place.
Let me start with editing an Instrument Track. So, I've added my VST - let's say I'm using Modo Bass. And let's say I've disabled all the sound processing inside the VST, using it just to create the sampled bass notes. I then add Bitwig's compressor, some delay.
First of all... I'd like to be able to use my computer keyboard (arrow keys?) or midi device to navigate the channel strip. Then, to navigate "across" that strip to either the instrument or the plugin. THEN I can finally start twiddling the knobs on my midi controller.
But this "ideal" workflow seems out of reach at the start. I have to reach over, grab the mouse, click on a track to select it, click on the device within the track that I want to edit. Well... since I'm now holding the mouse, there's very little point in moving my hands back to the midi keyboard to grab a rotary encoder... I may as well stick with the mouse and just finish the edit.
So, after that wall of words above (sorry), hopefully it's clear how little I know about or use the power of my midi controller.
I would add that I did find a link on here to the large list of user generated VST mappings. But, not only do I not own most of those (and avoid VST2 where possible), but that seems to be going back to front because I don't even have a basic understanding of how I can best integrate this hardware.
Any advice, comments or suggestions anyone?
Statistics: Posted by alan9990 — Wed Sep 04, 2024 3:18 pm — Replies 0 — Views 37