Whats the best way (or different ways) to set the BCR2000 up for controlling 3 audio channels ans their corresponding eq4 or eq3.
I keep trying different setups myself and I'm just not achieving a clever system. Any ideas to help me along would be appreciated...
BCR-2000 and EQ4 or EQ3 Setups
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DeadlyKungFu
- Posts: 3603
- Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2005 8:26 pm
I've also been through a few different configs.
If you just want to use one preset you could use the top row for channel 1, middle row for channel 2, bottom for channel 3. That's 8 encoders per channel, 3 for Q3, 4 for EQ 4.
I prefer to use 1 preset per channel. I filled presets 1-8 with cc#s on channels 15, 14, and 13.
The encoder groups are all on channel 16 and are all the same for every preset. These are global controls like volume, pan, scene select, clip launch, etc. The buttons below the encoder groups are for track on/off and fader A/B select.
The thing about the BCR is that you can change presets very quickly, just hold down the up or down preset button and turn any encoder. To tweak track 3, go to preset 3 etc.
The loosest way to use this setup is to assign encoders to Ableton as you come up with the project. Initially I filled each preset with controls for EQ, Delay, Auto Filter, Beat Repeat and Gate for audio tracks, for midi tracks I selected chord, scale and arpeggiator.
I also assign the buttons in the lower right to FX on/off.
But it's so quick and easy to assign cc#s to Ableton controls I more or less make it up as I go.
oh yeah... another method I've used is with one preset. Use the encoder group knobs as sends for 8 tracks, then split up the lower encoders to control each sends' parameters.
All of these methods can be used with one BCR configuration because it's setup as a generic bank of CC#s.
If you just want to use one preset you could use the top row for channel 1, middle row for channel 2, bottom for channel 3. That's 8 encoders per channel, 3 for Q3, 4 for EQ 4.
I prefer to use 1 preset per channel. I filled presets 1-8 with cc#s on channels 15, 14, and 13.
The encoder groups are all on channel 16 and are all the same for every preset. These are global controls like volume, pan, scene select, clip launch, etc. The buttons below the encoder groups are for track on/off and fader A/B select.
The thing about the BCR is that you can change presets very quickly, just hold down the up or down preset button and turn any encoder. To tweak track 3, go to preset 3 etc.
The loosest way to use this setup is to assign encoders to Ableton as you come up with the project. Initially I filled each preset with controls for EQ, Delay, Auto Filter, Beat Repeat and Gate for audio tracks, for midi tracks I selected chord, scale and arpeggiator.
I also assign the buttons in the lower right to FX on/off.
But it's so quick and easy to assign cc#s to Ableton controls I more or less make it up as I go.
oh yeah... another method I've used is with one preset. Use the encoder group knobs as sends for 8 tracks, then split up the lower encoders to control each sends' parameters.
All of these methods can be used with one BCR configuration because it's setup as a generic bank of CC#s.
Here is my current setup using one preset for djing. It controls 3 audio channels and one return channel. More is always nice but I found I can control 3 channels easily with the layout of the BCR200 being what it is. Again this is for playing out, for other applications I also use the mackie control preset pair LIVEMCE3 provided on this forum. The BCR changes presets so fast you can readily access any of these presets during a gig as you need. Anyway, here is my BCR 2000 preset setup for DJing with 3 audio channels and 1 send/return.
ENCODER GROUP 1 ENCODER GROUP 2
1. audio 1 vol (audio1)PUSH:beat_repeat repeat_button TURN:grid
2. audio 2 vol "" "" for audio 2
3. audio 3 vol "" "" for audio 3
4. master out Delay time for delay on return ch
5. BPM delay feedback "" ""
6. cue/headphone vol wet/dry for saturator on master ch
7. x-fade <off>
8. scene select / jog wheel <off>
ENCODER GROUPS 3/4 not currently used
BUTTONS
TOP ROW BOTTOM ROW
1. select audio ch1 Loop (activate/inactivate)
2. select audio ch2 Begin loop
3. select audio ch3 End loop
4. select audio return select master ch
5. follow toggle clip view / effects view (MCE msg)
6. start audio 1 stop audio 1
7 start audio 2 stop audio 2
8. start audio 3 stop audio 3
BOTTOM KNOBS
ROW 1
1. audio 1 eq3 bass
2. audio 1 eq3 mid
3. audio 1 eq3 hi
4. audio 1 eq4 low pass frequency
5. audio 1 eq4 hi pass frequency
6. audio 1 send to return ch
7. audio 1 eq4 low pass resonance
8. audio 1 eq4 hi pass resonance
ROW 2 same but for audio ch2
ROW 3 audio ch3
This is a work in progress.
I originally had LOOP start, end and length and position incorporated into a pair of encoders using a push/pull configuration but changing step values for the length and position of loops is not working well. I think it can be done but I have done done it right yet,
I get a lot of mileage out of the MCU code for toggling the effect/clip view.
The eq4 low pass/hi pass filters are good for filter sweeps or for cutting bass/highs depending on the resonance settings. I wish I could incorporate this without using so much BCR real estate.
I originally had channel A/B configs for crossfade adhering to the original Live scheme were each channel could be assigned to A, B, or OFF but not only did this take 6 buttons for 3 channels, it would often mysteriously stop toggling correctly on the BCR. There are some problems with shared midi assignments and my generic windows drivers (ie when I assign 2 buttons to the same midi assignment but make one A/off and the other B/off it works for awhile but at some point during use it would stop and a button would lock up and not change on or off and the other button assigned to that parameter would also stop working.
Limiting myself to 3 channels make a lot of functions and moving around possible. Perhaps it would be smarter to have just 2 buttons assigned to moving back and fourth among channels. But for DJing you do not need everything, but you can have what you use the most right in front of you.
I like deadlykungfu's idea of having the top encoders set for controlling the same functions among different patches and then having the different patches utilize bottom knobs for each channel. I did not realize you could do this with the encoders by using a common midi channel! That would be baddass since you could have 4x16 encoders functions common to 3 presets (one for each channel) and then the bottom rows of knobs (24 knobs) for each channel. This scheme also gives a means of assigning the two rows of buttons per channel. Thats awesome and I may make a set of presets like that.
ENCODER GROUP 1 ENCODER GROUP 2
1. audio 1 vol (audio1)PUSH:beat_repeat repeat_button TURN:grid
2. audio 2 vol "" "" for audio 2
3. audio 3 vol "" "" for audio 3
4. master out Delay time for delay on return ch
5. BPM delay feedback "" ""
6. cue/headphone vol wet/dry for saturator on master ch
7. x-fade <off>
8. scene select / jog wheel <off>
ENCODER GROUPS 3/4 not currently used
BUTTONS
TOP ROW BOTTOM ROW
1. select audio ch1 Loop (activate/inactivate)
2. select audio ch2 Begin loop
3. select audio ch3 End loop
4. select audio return select master ch
5. follow toggle clip view / effects view (MCE msg)
6. start audio 1 stop audio 1
7 start audio 2 stop audio 2
8. start audio 3 stop audio 3
BOTTOM KNOBS
ROW 1
1. audio 1 eq3 bass
2. audio 1 eq3 mid
3. audio 1 eq3 hi
4. audio 1 eq4 low pass frequency
5. audio 1 eq4 hi pass frequency
6. audio 1 send to return ch
7. audio 1 eq4 low pass resonance
8. audio 1 eq4 hi pass resonance
ROW 2 same but for audio ch2
ROW 3 audio ch3
This is a work in progress.
I originally had LOOP start, end and length and position incorporated into a pair of encoders using a push/pull configuration but changing step values for the length and position of loops is not working well. I think it can be done but I have done done it right yet,
I get a lot of mileage out of the MCU code for toggling the effect/clip view.
The eq4 low pass/hi pass filters are good for filter sweeps or for cutting bass/highs depending on the resonance settings. I wish I could incorporate this without using so much BCR real estate.
I originally had channel A/B configs for crossfade adhering to the original Live scheme were each channel could be assigned to A, B, or OFF but not only did this take 6 buttons for 3 channels, it would often mysteriously stop toggling correctly on the BCR. There are some problems with shared midi assignments and my generic windows drivers (ie when I assign 2 buttons to the same midi assignment but make one A/off and the other B/off it works for awhile but at some point during use it would stop and a button would lock up and not change on or off and the other button assigned to that parameter would also stop working.
Limiting myself to 3 channels make a lot of functions and moving around possible. Perhaps it would be smarter to have just 2 buttons assigned to moving back and fourth among channels. But for DJing you do not need everything, but you can have what you use the most right in front of you.
I like deadlykungfu's idea of having the top encoders set for controlling the same functions among different patches and then having the different patches utilize bottom knobs for each channel. I did not realize you could do this with the encoders by using a common midi channel! That would be baddass since you could have 4x16 encoders functions common to 3 presets (one for each channel) and then the bottom rows of knobs (24 knobs) for each channel. This scheme also gives a means of assigning the two rows of buttons per channel. Thats awesome and I may make a set of presets like that.