Avid Artist/MC Control + Artist/MC Mix Setup Guide

[qthegaijin]

Using both the Artist Control and Artist Mix together in MackieControl mode works wonderfully. When combined with the Push 2 it makes the hands on experience of Live incredible.


I went through and remapped all the touch screen soft keys to:

-Work with Mac (default was all the windows commands)
-Icons now mimic the MCU Pro Ableton Overlay
-Have a more logical layout on the Banks page
-Bottom row soft keys have had a few more options added to them
-Make sure Returns and Channel Flip worked correctly



Download XML:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lvors0prl6swc ... s.zip?dl=0

Place the xml in MacHD/Library/Application Support/Euphonix/UserSets/MC2User/MC_USER_SET__Root

Setup:
Just like the manual says, but only set up 1 instance with Midi 1-4.



Restart Computer. Make sure Eucontrol is running BEFORE turning on the units!

Open up Ableton and set the MIDI prefs like so:

If you have more than 1 Artist/MC Mix, add another MackieControlXT for each unit in slots 3 &4. If you are just using an Artist/MC Control, Only select MackieControl on Slot 1.

Quit Ableton and Select "Restart EUCON Applications" from the Eucontrol top menu icon. Once this has rebooted the Artist Control/Artist Mix should be arranged how you would like them. I have my Mix set as the first device and the Control as the second.


Open up Ableton. The artist control now should switch the screen to show the Ableton track count and softkeys.


Notice how there are 16 audio tracks showing? I actually have 17 there because the way that Eucon handles MackieControl banking it tricks the program into thinking there are 16 physical faders when there are only 12. You can still adjust the volumes of tracks 13-16 with the encoder knobs, but if you want them on a fader you have to make a minimum of 17 channels then Nudge left. This does not happen when using just an MC/Artist Control

Fader Flip, Pans/Sends/Returns all seem to be working when controlled by the touch screen. THEY DO NOT WORK IF YOU TRY TO USE THE MC/ARTIST MIX PHYSICAL BUTTONS!


As well as Plugin control. If the plugin parameters don't appear on the Touchscreen, hit the back button until the first menu appears and Push Inserts. (Topmost rleft Encoder Knob). To select what plugins are to be used, touch the encoder knobs on the MC Mix and the names will appear below the track name. Use the Arrow buttons on the touch screen to scroll through plugin parameters if more than 16 are available.


Pro Tip: If you want specific parameters to flip to the 12 faders, Hit the CONFIGURE button in the Ableton plugin insert window and rearrange the desired parameters by dragging and dropping them in the order you want.

The few quirks I have found:
Banking/Nudging over 12 faders - Requires more than 16 tracks.
0db in Ableton is +5.8dB on the physical faders.
Shift+Touch to Zero is -2.7db in Ableton
Flip to Fader sometimes peaks .01 to .1 less than the limit but not when using the encoders.

This method also works with a single MC/Artist Control. IT DOES NOT WORK WITH JUST AN MC MIX. That part of the software is borked and who knows when it will be fixed.

I hope this helps some people. I spent the better part of a week pulling my hair out trying to get this to work right, and luckily it wasn't all for not.

[splnlss]

This is super helpful! I can't believe no body has responded to your post.

Would you mind re-sharing your xml file? The dropbox link is now dead.

Big thanks!

[Oryx]

Hi!

À question since I'm looking around for an MC Control V2.

I wondered is it possible to move 4 fader banks further with a click of a button?
On some YouTube video the guy said it moved only in banks of 8 (on a MC Control unit) but since you only have 4 faders this was kind of annoying.
You experience the same with the MC control?

I plan to use it on a windows 10 workstation so unfortunately I can't use your mappings.

[qthegaijin]

This is super helpful! I can't believe no body has responded to your post.

Would you mind re-sharing your xml file? The dropbox link is now dead.

Big thanks!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/rom86m83dyprp ... s.zip?dl=0

Here is the XML!

[ian1122]

You rock man! Just spent 2-3 frustrating hours messing with this with no luck. Thanks to your super in-depth explanation, it all works now! I normally don't post anywhere like this, but wanted to say thanks!

[Rickyd12]

dude you're a G! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[thisissami]

Question to everybody in this thread: when using plugins (VSTs) within Live with this controller...

1) Does the LCD showcase the values of the different paramaters being shown at that point in time? Can you program the LCD to show you the actual value of the paramater in question (AKA "378hz" instead of the loading-bar style visual)?

2) Do the motorized faders work as you go through different pages parameters for a given plugin?

[Oryx]

Hi, I realize this is an old topic.
Fact is I'm interested in buying a 2nd hand euphonix mc control/avid artist mc control.

The guy who sells it said to me that the touchscreen will not work in ableton because ableton doesn't support the economy protocol.
He used this controller in another DAW with economic protocol support so he's not really sure what will and what will not work.

Can you explain and maybe make e YouTube video what does and doesn't work with the mc control unit?

I searched the whole internet but there's not much to be found using the mc control in ableton.

My thinking is to buy the mc control to support my push 2 controller in an even further 'hands on' experience.

Thank you in advance!

[bellison]

I have been through this post several times and I still can’t get my (2) AVID Artist Mix and Control to work with Live 10. The controllers are “seeing” the program but nothing else happens after that.

[Da hand]

I have been through this post several times and I still can’t get my (2) AVID Artist Mix and Control to work with Live 10. The controllers are “seeing” the program but nothing else happens after that.

My Avid Artist Control is working great with Live, so it is certainly possible. But there is so much information that is missing from your post that it is hard to help for the moment.

1) What does it mean the controllers are "seeing the program"? What is showing up on them to tell you that they are connected to Live? What is showing up in Live?
2) "Nothing else happens after that" - What are you expecting to happen exactly?
3) what steps have you done (all of them, drivers installed, settings, setting in Live, etc.... ) so far?
4) what OS are you on?
Etc....

[mickglossop]

I used this guide to successfully set up my Artist Control with Ableton Live 9 Suite several years ago and its been working fine.

However, I've just created a new system using Mac OS X 10.12.6 and although most of the Artist Control functions work (soft keys, etc.), I can't control the Live mixer from the Artist Control, i.e. faders, mutes, solos.

But...if i move a fader or hit a mute button inside Live, the Artist Control responds and its faders move. So it would appear that communication is only one-way.

I've configured exactly the same setup as in my old system (Mac OS X 10.8.5) so I can't see why anything should be different, unless there's some kind of bug specific to Mac OS X 10.12.6.

Any ideas anyone?

[otalgia99]

Hello everyone

I apologize for posting a new inquiry on such an old -- and probably, by now, worn-out -- topic, but i do have a question about using a Euphonix (not Avid) MC Control with Live 10 Suite.

My system configuration is:

- Mac Pro 3,1 (early 2008)
- OS 10.11.6
- 40 Gb RAM
- Eucon 3.6.0.
- and, as noted, Live 10 Suite.

I already use my MC Control with MOTU Digital Performer and the two are working quite well together. I want to try and get Live working with the MC Control as well.

But -- I don't want to risk blowing all the support I have for DP by trying to squeeze Live into the equation, and before I download & install the linked xml file (assuming one can even still access it) I want to ask:

Is there any potential that installing this XML file will cause my DP Configuration to be either lost or inaccessible to the MC Control?

My apprehension centers around the fact that I am using such an old version of EuCon, but unfortunately I have no choice in that matter -- it is the latest one that my outdated operating system can host (the OS itself being the latest one my outdated workstation can host!).

In any case, I cannot find in my version of EuCon the "Preferences" pane pictured in the initial tutorial post in which applications can be added to the list of ones EuCon is expected to recognize -- there's just nothing like that anywhere (that I can find, anyway). If I could find that, I would probably feel better about trying to configure the additional application.

Given my skittishness about losing DP support, without downloading the XML file i went into LIVE's preferences anyway and set up its control surface options as they are pictured in the initial tutorial (though I was aware that it was pretty optimistic to think that this alone would deliver functionality).

And, as expected, when I launch Live and power up the MC Control, nothing much happens. The MC Control does report that it is "aware" that Live is in focus, the soft keys all change their appearance (matching more or less the image of the soft keys in the how-to) -- and that's all I get.

Touching the soft keys doesn't execute their labled commands; remapping them to new key commands (I tried "SHOW / HIDE BROWSER") also has no effect.

Additionally, the MC Control TRACKS display does not address the tracks currently in use in the current LIVE set whatsoever.

And naturally, there's no transport response either.

So it's obvious that I have missed out on some aspect of the setup, and it's a likely bet that the linked xml file could have something to do with it. I just really don't want to lose my good DP vibes.

I understand completely that my inquiry (which I realize is long, and might not even be a welcome one in the first place) has so many variables in it that it could be very difficult to answer. But you know how it is with wanting it all -- that's why they don't call it "wanting it mostly"!

Thank you all for reading and for your consideration.

[qthegaijin]

UPDATE FOR 2020:

The latest Eucon driver that avid offers breaks Mackie/Hui control in Mac OS Mojave and later.

Download the working Euphonic Midi Plugin here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/govotuzmnia9o ... n.zip?dl=0
Place in /Library/Audio/MIDI Drivers

This is ripped from the 3.6.1 installer. You can install the latest version and replace the midi driver with this one and everything will work again.

Make sure to have everything in both the Eucon Control Panel AND the System Preferences Eucon pane set to how the guide is.

Tested and working with Live 10.1.7 and Mac OS Mojave 10.14.6.

[otalgia99]

Greetings, and thank you very much for your reply!

I am getting closer in my quest to enjoy MC Control functionality with LIVE, but I'm not all the way there yet.

Any thoughts you all could contribute would be greatly welcome!

STEPS TAKEN
- downloaded & installed EUCON 3.6.1.
- downloaded xml file and placed it in the correct folder in Macintosh HD/Library.
- configured Eucon in System Preferences as outlined
- configured LIVE preferences as outlined
- restarted computer

RESULT
- I can now use the MC Control SOFT KEYS, if i apply key commands to each one manually. (It appears the the SOFT KEY layout on the touchscreen is basically a serving suggestion; in many cases one must actually apply the commands one wants to the keys).

- Other commands, such as SAVE, seem to work natively.

CONTINUING PROBLEMS
- The control surface still does not address any of the tracks in a Live set (the whole fader block is dark, in fact -- no buttons are lit)
- MC Control transport buttons do not control the LIVE set's transport (or even light up).

...WORTH NOTING?
My configuration differs from the one outlined in this thread's setup tutorial in that, in my case, Digital Performer already has taken MIDI ports 1-4.

So, in SYSTEM PREFERENCES I added Live to the Applications pane, and assigned it Mackie Control and MIDI ports 5-8.

In LIVE preferences, I also applied Mackie Control and ports 5-8, rather than 1-4 as described in your instructions.

In EUCON SETTINGS "ASSIGN" pane has faders set to <auto assigned>.

Could the 5-8 configuration be the reason that LIVE is not communicating with the faders and transport on the MC Control?

I gather that this settings are midi EMULATION, not the assignment of physical ports, so my thinking is that a "virtual" assignment of ports 5-8 should be ok as long as all settings are in agreement about that.

But of course, I could be wrong on that one!

Any thoughts or suggestions warmly welcomed.

All the best
O-99

[otalgia99]

My apologies, I neglected to add one additional factor:

I am occasionally seeing an error message:

EUCON MACKIE EMULATION STARTUP ERROR
An error was encountered while starting EUCON Mackie Control Emulation....

This error is mostly appearing when i QUIT Live, it does not seem to throw while I have LIVE open (i have been looking behind the LIVE focused window for the error just to make sure that the error isn't hiding back there somewhere).

Also, in my system's AUDIO / MIDI SETUP, MC Control is pictured as active (not greyed out) and possessing 8 ports.

I hope this helps you all help me!

Very best regards,
O-99