Ableton Forum

8 channels. Motorized faders. 5 Assignable Buttons light on/off when activated per channel. 2 assignable knobs per channel. 8 character LCD per channel.

Linkable/Chainable add as many 8 channel units as you need.

There could also be a matching unit with knobs only and a crossfader, but these abound.

Come on, really, is this so hard??? There are many controller products and some of these features are available on some of them, but why can't someone make something with ALL of them in a simple, expandable box? Yeah yeah I know I could do a MIDIBOX but honestly I don't have the time... Come on manufacturers, let's get on the ball!

Close... really need those LCD per channel though. And 4/5 buttons PLUS a couple of knobs per channel. This is definately a step in the right direction though...

Not sure if any of the kit form stuff allows for LCDs...... Maybe....

If not you'll need to learn ASM coding get a PIC coder and..... etc.... but if
you go the home programmed way u can do anything..... Once you sort out
the code for the midi, the code to run the LCDs (they are all basically the
same protocol) etc.... Then you have to fit it all into the paged memory of
the chip.... Not really hard.... but definitely not easy..... not easy at all.

edit: oh u didn't do that pic as a design for something that u were going to
build..... just something u wish for.... for a company with experience
making that kinda thing is pretty easy, maybe just not as sellable as
something with flashy smooth design and some new feature that can be
given a big name and sold to idiots..... Simple good ideas like this
generally don't go so far cause only smart ppl buy them and there aren't
enough smart ppl in the market.

-Ben

Yeah this is DEFINATELY not an actual design, just something I whipped up real quick as an example of something I wish would be produced. The problem is that although this is MY dreambox, there are as many ideal controller designs as there are Live users... So it's either build one yourself or try to work with one of the commercially available ones. But I think something similar to this should appeal to enough people to make it worth it.

I've been around these forums for a while, and control surfaces are a topic of discussion SO often, that I really can't belive the market isn't completely flooded with tons and tons of options. AND this has been said before, but I really can't believe there isn't some sort of dedicated Ableton box, at least some sort of partnership with a manufacturer to make one... Maybe someday.

it looks good, but i guess the faderfox stuff is pretty close to your design...?
never actually seen one, only here on the forum in a faderfox thread... but they seem to be pretty dedicated to live...

what i am missing is something like a mackie HUI control in a much cheaper at least half price version... maybee a little simpler but basically a fader controller with more then 1 assignable knob per channel (2-4 would be nice) and full transport, with 6 faders for a *pocket* size with 2 or 4 banks, e.g. 12 or 24 channels... usable for any pro DAW logic, pro tools, etc. and of course ableton...
and maybee an aditional unit with just knobs, again maybee half of the width of the *main* controller and able to be fixed attachable (with a sort of clamp to dissmount it everytime for transport) to the *main* unit so that it builds one solid piece... nice!

Again, close but not quite... Too small, need more channels, buttons and knobs per channel, LCD, etc... I appreciate the suggestions but I know about everything out there and this just doesn't exist. Why???

the bcf2000 is quite close to your stuff

scottorlans wrote:Again, close but not quite... Too small, need more channels, buttons and knobs per channel, LCD, etc... I appreciate the suggestions but I know about everything out there and this just doesn't exist. Why???

Slow market research

It'll be there eventually...

I'm actually looking for a software solution for the display of midi parameters.
Why a software solution? Because we all look at things in a different way.

I want a drag and drop kinda app where i can make the interface i need for the set or recording session in question.....
Buying a controller with minimal display feedback.. or having a custom designed screen to glance at....

If only i had a team of coders...

spiderprod wrote:the bcf2000 is quite close to your stuff

Yeah. and if you're on pc.. There's an app that emulates the lcd screen on the bcr or bcf, free for download i think.

The only thing tiny LCDs on a controller would do for me is scream "WE WERE VERY EXPENSIVE HAHAHAHA". Build a controller into a case with a 12" TFT that has a regular VGA/DVI input and we're talking...

Ahh, I like it!

hoffman2k wrote:

spiderprod wrote:the bcf2000 is quite close to your stuff

Yeah. and if you're on pc.. There's an app that emulates the lcd screen on the bcr or bcf, free for download i think.

I have a Tascam US-2400 that has on on screen display "Scribble strip" thingy. BUT the big thing software solutions are missing is you don't want to have to look up at the computer screen at all!

scottorlans wrote:

hoffman2k wrote:

spiderprod wrote:the bcf2000 is quite close to your stuff

Yeah. and if you're on pc.. There's an app that emulates the lcd screen on the bcr or bcf, free for download i think.

I have a Tascam US-2400 that has on on screen display "Scribble strip" thingy. BUT the big thing software solutions are missing is you don't want to have to look up at the computer screen at all!

It depends which you prefer... little display or bigger display with all the relevant info at hand.
It doesn't bind you to one controller. This way, you can use anything you want.

Ok, silly to argure the details. But for me, an onscreen display does nothing. I want to see a readout like right above the channel strip that tells me what it is controlling without having to look at the computer screen at all. And keep in mind that I would chain like three of these units to control 24 channels, so even a 17" laptop screen would not be wide enough to line up the onscreen with the channel strips...