MIDI Control for your DAW Transport - Here's how to!

[gbbaker]

Just posted a Custom Tone to the CUSTOMTONE site called "MIDI CONTROL1"  to show how to set up your floor unit to use as a Transport control in a REAPER DAW.

 

It has been tested in REAPER only but may/should work in most MIDI compliant DAWS.  The one issue is the "RECORD" command which is not universal but determined by the DAW'S creator.  The Code should be notated in their documentation.

 

Here are the notes as entered on the download page:

 

This is NOT a sound Patch file although I have added six blocks in path 1 A and B. This is a TEMPLATE to use as a startng point to build a patch that has MIDI TRANSPORT CONTROL for the REAPER DAW and possibly other DAWS as well.

 

Delete the Blocks in Path A and add your own!

 

Using Footswitches 7,8,9,10 and 11 in STOMP MODE you can transmit REWIND, RECORD, PAUSE, STOP and PLAY commands to your DAW. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE note that Footswitchs 7,8,9,10, 11 must not be assigned to any Blocks or you will cause a real mess!

 

In the GLOBAL settings the MIDI/TEMPO settings to make this happen are:

 

Midi Base Channel = 1; Midi Thru = On: MIDI Over USB= On; MIDI PC Send/Receive = On

 

Set the FOOTSWITCHS Global settings to: Preset/Mode switches = Preset/Stomp; Stomp Mode Switches = 10 Switches; Up/Down Switches = Banks Of Course, you may want to set these to someting else when not working with a DAW which is fine.

 

I have a Bank set for DAW patches and others set for "LIVE" i.e. not recording patches. Switching back and forth on Globals in no way effects your patches

 

Once these Global settings are made:

 

The MODE Button (6) will switch between: Bank Mode: switches 1 and 7 provide Bank up/down + switches 2,3,4,5 provide patch A, B, C, D AND switches 8,9,10,11 provide RECORD, PAUSE, STOP and PLAY as it is in "Stomp" MODE).

 

The Stop Mode: Switches 1,2,3,4,5 provide Block select On/Off in either Path 1 or Path 2. What matters is that NO BLOCKS ARE ASSIGNED TO SWITCHES 7, 8, 9, 10 11

 

Switches 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 are now assiged to the the REWIND, RECORD, PAUSE, STOP and PLAY functions. You can go to the Command Center in either the HELIX or the HELIX Editor and see the commands and assignments.

 

All the command messages are "MMC" (MIDI MACHINE CODE) except the RECORD command. That code is a "CC toggle

 Command Code-toggle). This code is defined by the DAW and is defined as CC#28 in REAPER. Other DAWS may have a different code and you will need to refer to that DAW's documentation and change the number in order for the RECORD switch to work. Good Luck - Bo Baker  ( listed as Gary Baker on CUSTOMTONE)

[Digital_Igloo]

Great! There's also the built-in 8 TEMPLATES > 04C DAW Remote (MMC) Template. Many DAWs just require you enable MMC (MIDI Machine Control) input.

[gbbaker]

Right you are.  The one thing missing from the Line6 Template is the "RECORD" function - which is an important function if you are a one man shop! LOL.

 

I made this so you can begin the "RECORD" MIDI function "Hands Free" and not rely on a "pre-roll" count in, in order to be prepared to begin recording.

 

The Record function, as you know, is not a MMC code and does not show up in the MMC options in Helix.  Rather it is a different CC# for each DAW and thus the comments on reading the DAW's documentation for the RECORD implementation.

 

This works, as is, for the REAPER DAW as that is what I tested it on.

 

Helix is a great product and I can't say enough great things about it.  Way to GO!!!!

 

Bo Baker

[LaurentJoulzy]

HI !

 

What I understand is that for now, you have to assign the same footswitchs to DAW control in ALL your presets. That's why you use a template (your own or the stock one mentioned by DI). If you switch to a preset not based on this template, you cannot control your DAW. Do I get it right ?

 

I would need to do something similar to control some MIDI-enabled pedals, so I recently proposed this idea: https://line6.ideascale.com/a/dtd/Custom-footswitch-layouts/865069-23508. It would allow us to define some layouts or pages where footswitches could be assigned to generic functions (like sending midi PC or CC messages, controlling the looper, etc.) independant from the current preset or snapshot. These layouts could be reached from any preset or snapshot. You could cycle through them with the MODE switch for example.

 

The term "page" is not very clear. I borrowed it (and the whole idea in fact) from the RJM Mastermind PBC, which is not a direct competitor but has great tweaking possibilities regarding the controls.

 

Do not hesitate to upvote this idea if you like it :)

 

Raph

[gbbaker]

Hello Ralph,  Yes, the MIDI control switches are only programable at the Patch level.  Thus, you need to start with this template or review/edit your current patches to re-assign your control blocks.  Not elegant but it is where we are at for now.  Also remember that the Line6 template does not have a RECORD function - which was the reason I posted the MIDI CONTROL1 Template.

 

I have spent a little time setting up Patch triggers in REAPER and it works great.  Just remember that you must do it in a MIDI track.  I record Audio in 3 or 4 tracks and set up a MIDI track under that on track 5.  Then program any patch changes/CC changes I want to try anywhere in the song's MIDI track ( one or many changes) and play back the tracks.

 

If you have a  pedal to send MIDI INFO you can program it to make the same changes "on-the-fly" for live use.  Of course HELIX can do a lot of this but this extends the type/number of contol messages you can send on a "per patch" basis.

 

As a side note - don't forget that the Helix can pass through MIDI messages so you can use this same method to control external devices also on other MIDI channels.

 

As for your idea for "layouts/pages"  that would be a "biggie" as the footswitches are either "on or Off" so if they are assigned as MIDI controlers on a "page" you would loose their use as "stompswitches" (just like now.)  Never say never, but it would be a MAJOR rethink of how the switches work.

 

Having said that - IF you want to invest in a separate MIDI controler then MAYBE there is a way to make it work on ALL patches.  I'll have to give that a little more thought.  The biggist issue is that the "Command Center messages are tied to a  HELIX controler" and that negates their use as anything but MIDI control once assigned.

 

Now the RECORD command is a CC# number so you could send RECORD with an external MIDI controler or use up just one Helix switch (programmed at the patch level); but  you would have to have a PC or external MIDI controler near by to send all the other messages.

 

In any case, I think a lot of players just use a looper to do most of what we used to do with MIDI so it may all bel a moot point.

[duncann]

I have spent a little time setting up Patch triggers in REAPER and it works great.  Just remember that you must do it in a MIDI track.  I record Audio in 3 or 4 tracks and set up a MIDI track under that on track 5.  Then program any patch changes/CC changes I want to try anywhere in the song's MIDI track ( one or many changes) and play back the tracks.

 

As an alternative to this (using a MIDI item on a track) in Reaper, particularly for automating parameters or Helix's expression controllers, you can use the built in plugin, ReaControlMIDI. Use the bottom portion of the plugin (control change) and make sure raw mode is checked. Now you can use the envelopes/automation feature for the track that the plugin resides on.

[Digital_Igloo]

What I understand is that for now, you have to assign the same footswitches to DAW control in ALL your presets.

 

Yes, but don't forget that you can quickly copy and paste all Command Center assignments from preset to preset:

1. From the Command Center page, press ACTION and then Knob 2 (Copy All Commands).
2. From the Command Center page of a different preset, press ACTION and then Knob 3 (Paste All Commands).
3. Repeat step 2 for any other presets that should have the same commands.

[HonestOpinion]

You can also copy snapshots across presets, or if you want to go for the whole kit and caboodle, just copy your entire preset over to a new one as a template and modify as needed.

[zooey]

Copying snapshots across presets doesn't actually work very well. The blocks, rooting, everything could be completely different, how could it?

 

I know that's true in principle, and it's what I've seen in practice, but it's possible it would work if all blocks were the same, with the same routing between them.

[gbbaker]

Good point DI!

 

Copy/Paste will work great on creating a new patch,  But I don't think this will work very well on any "current" patches that use stompswitchs 7,8,9,10 and 11.  Correct me if I am wrong, "please!", but if you assign a Block Command in Helix to a stompswitch AND you assign a MIDI Command to the same switch, HELIX will execute BOTH of them.  Thus, a Block ON/OFF assigned to Switch 8 and a MIDI RECORD command assigned to switch 8 also would start record (assuming the track is armed for record)  but alternate between ON/OFF for the Block assigned to switch 8.  Thus my strong caution not to assign anything other than MIDI Commands to switchs 7,8,9,10,11 in my MIDI COMMAND1 patch.

 

If I am wrong, that would be great.

 

 

DUNCANN:  Yes, that is exactly what I am doing!  ReaControlMIDI is just one more reason I luv REAPER!

 

LAUREN:  Well not ALL your patches - just the ones you want to have MIDI Control over by using Stompswitches.  You can mix-and match presets in the same setlist.  This is a "per preset" process.  So, "yes" if you want MIDI Control using the stompswitches you need to program it in at the Preset level for that particular Preset.  But it ony effects that Preset - not all others.

 

What will effect ALL your Presets are the GLOBAL SETTINGS as outlined in the notes for this Template until you switch them back to any other GLOBAL settings.   You don't  loose anything, they may just be "covered up" due to the way you like to have the Preset/Stomp/Snapshot views show up.

 

Really, when you are in "I'm going to work on recording something" mode, use my Preset MIDI COMMAND1 with the GLOBAL Settings as outlined. Then when you are done, just switch back to your GLOBAL Settings of choice.  That is how I invisioned the Template being used.

 

 Hope that makes it clear.  Doing this will not effect any other Presets you have. (((( Unless you edit current Presents and they already have Block assignements to switches 7,8,9,10 and 11.))))

 

Thanks for all the comments - Bo Baker

 

One last comment.  I have chosen to prefix all the Presents that I programs with MIDI Commands with a small "m".  That way I can quickly see which Presents I can use for recording.  You could also just set up a separate Setlist but I doubt you would need that many Presents with this functionality.

[abteenz]

Sorry for reviving this thread.

 

Is there any way to use HX stomp for transport controls for Start (FA) and STOP (FB) command?