S4 - Fx tricks in midi mode (new user video)
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S4 - Fx tricks in midi mode (new user video) Posted on: 20.01.2011 by Kecia Wnukowski I copy here the video's description:Because of the fast communication protocol (generally used), many people tend to forget that the S4 is ALSO one of the best midi controllers out there. Facing the difficulties to be limited on how you can manage different FX parameters with the jogwheels or some buttons, I decided to have a go at a FX management midi mode to pull out quickly some tricks. The idea was to be able either to play with the buttons like pads ( a bit like a midi-fighter) or emulate with the jogwheel and faders - in this case the pitch fader - the juggle mode from the VCI100. The video is only here to 'showcase' what is the endless potential that you could add to the existing S4's embedded mapping. You can see I switch to midi mode as the browse button will lit in blue (and I've created some led behaviours on the sample play buttons). Only two tracks mixed basically here and me playing with the FX combinations I set up. As I said this is a test, I usually don't twist songs that much with effects so please be gentle with me . The coloured faders were painted blue & white to match decks' colour code with some acrylic paint but comes originally from Djs face like the orange knobs used on all D/W knobs. Playlist: Kenny Larkin - You are (Planet E communications) Hobo - Berlin booty (Minus) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF0VsLlq0Fc Hope it will give you some ideas. | |
| Kecia Wnukowski 21.01.2011 | Effects chosen for the buttons
I'm using Fx units in pairs so units 1&3 are either for decks a&c or both, units 2&4 for decks b&d. The 8 buttons (HT & samples) 'usually' control the 1st or 2nd unit depending on which side you're working on, the 'sync', 'cue' & 'play' buttons 'generally' control the 3 & 4 units likewise.
* gater + either delay, flanger or peak filter * either formant filter, peak filter or phaser pulse + T3delay * beatmasher (50% d/w) + either delay, iceverb, or "freeze" * beatmasher (100% d/w) + either F92lfo or reverse grain + either delay or iceverb * beatmasher, transpose, gater + either t3reverb or delay * beatmasher, filter, flanger pulse + either delay, flanger or freeze * reverb, lofi, beatmasher + either delay, gater or freeze It's not very well thought out, especially the choices of FX that colour the first group. Some of the above are also a bit redundant with my native settings. Issues I met: none really for the mapping, when you switch to midi mode all your controls are free, you can do whatever you like, it's a virgin blueprint so you don't have to create fancy modifiers tricks (unless you want to). I just mapped critical controls (volume faders+ led, EQ, cross fader, play/stop, etc... ) and I used the In and Out buttons to assign the FX units so I have everything close. It should also replicate the loop recorder (something I didn't do) as that could add a real value to the system. But it is really easy to do. Really. As mentioned all controls are free of any command so you can get crazy with what you want and can do. Start with something simple like the slicer in advanced mode to play with it with buttons: * configure the buttons accordingly in the controller editor (usually to a note/gate type). 1/Create something simple to call your slicer with desired settings - usually a shift + a button (that's your 'FX preset') 2/Create a way of assigning your FX unit(s) - a simple on/off toggling command 3/Map to a button all the FX settings you want and engage the FX(s) with an 'effect(s) on' function on the button set to 'hold'. 4/Done, repeat step 3 for another button 5/ have fun Note: that's a simple caricature. Good news is if you want to create a juggle mode, the faders (at least the pitch fader I used) are sending much more precisely info back to the software it seems (unlike some previous units I had so putting in place a system was a bit unreliable). Create a modifier for your fader and then create your effects settings to happen at the chosen states of your modifier. It took me 5 full evening s to map everything - but I went a bit complex - as a test only to check if that would suit me (going 'native' to 'midi'). I don't intend to dwelve into it for the time being, I'm just fed up. Gosh, the controller manager is so user UNFRIENDLY. Wouldn't it be so hard to create at least a ctrl+ paste something to be able to fill in several lines at the same time? It's currently idiotic. So no tsi to pass around (by the way you'll have to use the controller editor too) as I would have to work on it more to tidy it (I'm going to puke if I have to set up another function or try to find back what I did and where) and eventually to give some kind of follow up (and I prefer to pass my 'free time' listening or playing with music, you'll excuse me). I really prefer to discuss and exchange ideas, or answer - if I can- direct questions (depends: the other day someone asked me how to apply an effect on a channel..are you kidding me??? RTFM) In the end: I believe it is a workaround and should be taken like that. Even if I don't like the idea as that defeats the concept of an all-in-one unit , an additional controller may still be the best choice. That's what I may do in the future and I'm believeing about something with a jogwheel, some faders and buttons and turn that into an FX machine. Or a midi fighter (those kits are sexy. Me. Want. One). Yours is nice Photojojo!! |
| Kecia Wnukowski 21.01.2011 | The led behaviour on the sample play buttons were made like that: each one is a beat phase monitor output, I've just divided the range in 4 for a group of four buttons (and reverse the order of the settings for the other group: 1st setting -0.3; -0.3 2nd: -0.1; -0.1 3rd: 0.1; 0.1 4th : 0.3;0.3 midi range is still 0 to 127 I've duplicated for each button 4 times the function, each one assigned to one of the 4 decks (so that's 4 output functions to create per led). I did it that way because of the limitations of the beat phase monitor itself (doesn't work if your track is within a loop under 1 beat) or because of the assignment itself (ie doesn't work if your track isn't playing). Duplicating the function for each deck maximise the chances the leds will blink in any given time. As Photojojo mentioned it can be easily done using a volume output command instead (probably the master level and you divide the range between the buttons) and it may be a better choice actually (because you don't have to duplicate like I did the beat phase monitor). Issues I met speaking of leds: - when switching to midi mode the led states may or may not be updated (when going from native to midi). That sucks a lot, even by adding some send monitor state commands you can't really trust what you see (as you may want to map some critical controls like FX units assignments and have led feedback for that). - in midi mode, the S4 can't handle the led feedback I've created in the first place. Originally, all three ranges of buttons for a deck layer were blinking in turn. Then when I did the same for the other layer, suddenly some leds started to not be updated anymore. I checked everything. I don't know if I 'overloaded' the capacity of the S4 by using beat phase monitor commands so many times but after 10 buttons mapped, then I realised the following leds didn't work properly). It happened whatever the buttons I mapped and in what order, after several, everything messes. I don't really know what to believe about that. - even if I can do some tricks with midi mapping, it seems I have issues with simple commands now when it comes to the S4. I've only opened the controller editor for the first time recently, changed the messages accordingly but for some buttons it seems I'm not able to map a simple on/off led output. Weird. |
| Oswaldo Appeldorn 21.01.2011 | +1 about share, plz mane ^^ |
| Yajaira Hibbitts 21.01.2011 | nice work. btw on behalf of djtt community would you mind sharing your tsi file for this? |
| Gigi Weese 20.01.2011 | Yul, Could you post some of the FX Combo's you are using? |
| Cristian Carmona 20.01.2011 | sic video, much props on the video |
| Murray Hoffa 20.01.2011 | Waits for someone else to ask if you will upload the .tsi... |
| Charline Dye 20.01.2011 | Good stuff as always! You know your midi. Like your flashy lights too. |
| Kecia Wnukowski 20.01.2011 | For the leds on the sample buttons, it's a modified beat phase monitor(s) settings. I just divided the range 4 times so each one pulses one after the other. For the buttons: I'm using Fx units in pairs so units 1&3 are either for decks a&c or both, units 2&4 for decks b&d. The 8 buttons (HT & samples) usually control the 1st or 2nd unit depending on which side you're working on, the 'sync', 'cue' & 'play' buttons generally control the 3 & 4 units likewise. Note: I'll edit the post later to answer your question, I need to open Traktor once again and it's quite late here (2am), I'll come back tomorrow. Thanks for your comments. |
| Leeanna Ayla 20.01.2011 | Very nice as usual. I especially like your sample button volume meters. I'm in the middle of working on an S4 companion mapping for my Midi Fighter. What are some of the FX combos you're using? |
| Hailey Westen 20.01.2011 | very nice... you sure know your way around your S4 kudos |
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