What controllers (numbers) are best to use for remote control?

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#1

I have an old Peavey PC 1600x free-form controller unit, that has sixteen sliders, sixteen buttons and a large spinning “data wheel”, each of which can be programmed to send any controller data I want. (Also can send sysex data, program change data, etc. Very versatile!)

I want to set it up as a controller for remote control of my Cantabile sessions, as well as use it with my DAWs and VSTi instrument plugins. It allows the programming of several sets of the 16 sliders + 16 buttons + 1 data wheel, so I can create custom setups for different uses.

I was wondering what are good controller numbers to use? I looked at the MIDI controller map here and saw several “not used” items. I already use 4 and 12, 16 and 17 coming out of my Wavestation. I have been told that even though the ones above 64 are “traditionally” used for button controllers, that they CAN be used for continuous slider data as well.

With all the routing possibilities within Cantabile, I wanted to set up the Peavey with some standard seldom-used ones I could then redirect at will within Cantabile or use the learn functions of my VSTi instruments with. I am just hoping for a little guidance here, as I do not know what NOT to do! :wink:

Terry

#2

Terry, among those that aren’t used much, I haven’t noticed any difference in the utility of various numbers. I’m using some in the 90’s at the moment and they work fine for sliders.

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#3

Hi Terry,

16, 17, 18, 19 and 80, 81, 82, 83 are all “general purpose” controllers which are probably suitable for what you want and less likely to conflict with other uses.

Cantabile doesn’t care which CC’s are buttons and which are sliders - do whatever you like in this regard.

The other possibility is to use NRPN’s if your controller can send them - this’ll give you a ton of flexibility as there’s thousands of them, and you can use them as fine controllers too.

Brad

#4

Brad,

Yes, it can be programmed to send NRPNs - I need to look into those possibilities. Thousands of them, you say??? Aren’t they typically a hardware synth item, where you need to refer to their reference guide to find them and what they do? Are they usable in Cantabile with VSTi instruments?

Terry

#5

Hi Terry,

Cantabile supports (N)RPNs in it’s bindings so anything that can send this kind of event can be bound to any bindable target (including VSTi parameters).

Brad

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#6

That qualifies as sensationally A.W.E.S.O.M.E!!! :smiley:

#7

what is (N)RPN? I’m not familiar with the term

#8

Lee,

Here is a good article on them.

http://www.2writers.com/eddie/TutNrpn.htm

Usually NRPN’s are manufacturer-specific, but if you have a device that can send custom-made ones, Brad is saying that Cantabile’s bindings can be set up to respond to them, so you needn’t feel limited by what you come up with to bind to anything you like within Cantabile using any numbers you can send.

Terry