Mackie C4

niksinkola · Post by **niksinkola** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 4:04 pm

Hello all,

Does anyone know if Live 8 supports full use of the Mackie C4?? A lot of us have been waiting for many years/versions.

dom · Post by **dom** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 4:06 pm

No, sorry, nothing changed regarding the C4.

Best,
Dom

niksinkola · Post by **niksinkola** » Fri Apr 03, 2009 4:34 pm

Ok,

Is there a SDK or something for someone to write the a bility externally? Are there any plans to support this device? I think this would be an extreamly useful device for live gigs. Having three or four connected and each one controlling different virtual devices like synths, loop players, reverbs, etc. That is what I want to do. I've looked at the other similar devices and I find them not to be as nice.

Is there any hope?? If there is a way for me to write the code, I'd give it a try.

SoundValve7 · Post by **SoundValve7** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:43 am

I've always wondered why more companies haven't jumped on the Automap bandwagon. The Mackie C4 would make an ideal device for the Novation technology. It bugs me that my plasticky ReMoteSL Zero is allowed to play with the rest of my metalware.... I want to say that there is an editor available to create your own templates with the C4 so you could certainly connect a few and write the templates yourself. Then again, the price is a bit steep for only 32 knobs and LCD screens. I am currently building a custom controller that has 64 knobs and a black anodized case with decorative silver etching for about $300 more than a C4. I may even do a crazy graphic anodize job on the front panel. Granted it's all still in pieces but I know it's going to be really slick with double the control of a C4 and MUCH higher quality. I'm spending a little under $800 for custom machined industrial knobs and super heavy duty potentiometers. A Doepfer usb64 board is the brain and the case is 1/8 inch 6061 Aluminum that is hopefully getting anodized in the next week or two. The knobs are each approximately 1 inch in diameter making them wicked chunky and ultra precise. The total size is the same as my Korg Zero 8 mixer, which it will sit next to once I have a case built to hold them both. To be honest I am tempted to buy another usb64 board and switch to a 0.75"d primary knob and then use 0.5"d secondary knobs to build a super badass controller with 128 top quality knobs.

niksinkola · Post by **niksinkola** » Sat Apr 04, 2009 5:31 pm

I agree on some form of software like Automap. It's the way of the future of midi.

You may want to think about making your device too big. I think a modular approach would be better. Allow for expansion by adding more. Like many of the mixing consoles.

I'm trying to get ahold of dizzib, who was the person who started writing C4!Live but never finished it.

We'll see. I am interessted in your device also.

Nik

disco judas · Post by **disco judas** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 3:18 pm

Please keep this thread going.

Support for C4 with Live5 was announced in several major magazines back in 2005.
I bought C4 immediately and have been waiting patiently. And I will also buy the new AKAI controller.

I have waited so long that I would consider pay for someone at Ableton to make it compatible.

Please guys !

beats me · Post by **beats me** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 3:24 pm

Why does the MCU work fine with Live but the C4 doesn't??

stutter · Post by **stutter** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:23 pm

c4 has 4 banks of encoders, thus does not follow quite in line with the MCU protocol - potentially there's a not overly complicated hack wherby you convince Live your C4 is in fact an MCU and extenders - but then you've used up 4 of you 6 control device slots.
I want more than 6 control device slots.

If anyone sends me a C4, I will create a Max patch that enables it to work as an MCU and 3 extenders - procided I can keep the C4.

I'd like to get hold of one, but even second hand they're a bit expensive considering how poorly supported they are (no support in Cubase either)

disco judas · Post by **disco judas** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:51 am

Will the max patch then involve some kind of virtual midi cable setup, or will it work like the supported devices (SL zero)?

disco judas · Post by **disco judas** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:12 am

Aha!

live.object, live.path, and live.observer objects

So the c4 will be up and running after all

stutter · Post by **stutter** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:56 pm

pre-Max4Live it would work with virtual midi cables. Live and the Max patch would exchange MCU protocol sysex and cc's - the Max patch would then reroute these to the C4's displays, and probably switch between controlling volume and effect parameters, and making other MCU protocol functions available on the C4. This would be the easiest solution I can think of (for someone who can use Max)
I don't know what Max4Live can do yet, since it's not released. Probably even the covops aren't beta testing it yet.
The really smart way to do it would be to learn Python and the LiveAPI material, and then write a python file for a Mackie C4 - this I think is the way that Ableton would do it. I'd like to learn, but haven't the time.

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