control surface in Sonar

[bozmillar]

I may have asked this before, but I still can't find an answer. Is there a way to set up a control surface that sends standard MIDI CC data back and forth and use it as a control surface?

For example, I have a BCF2000. When I run it in mackie emulation mode, it works as expected. I move a fader, the control moves in sonar. I move a control in sonar, the motorized fader moves in the BCF2000.

My problem is that I want to set up the BCF2000 to make the buttons do what I want them to do. I want set up the faders to send CC data that controls sonar, and I want sonar to send that data back to my controller. I have the first part down. I move fader 1 and the volume changes on track 1. BUT if I adjust the track volume from sonar, the information is not sent to the BCF2000, and the motorized faders don't work. It seems like unless I am in mackie emulation mode, Sonar doesn't output any data to the controller.

Is there a way to utilize sonar with my BCF2000 without having to use macke emulation mode? It doesn't make any sense to me why this shouldn't work.

[Danny Danzi]

Originally Posted by bozmillar

I may have asked this before, but I still can't find an answer. Is there a way to set up a control surface that sends standard MIDI CC data back and forth and use it as a control surface?

For example, I have a BCF2000. When I run it in mackie emulation mode, it works as expected. I move a fader, the control moves in sonar. I move a control in sonar, the motorized fader moves in the BCF2000.

My problem is that I want to set up the BCF2000 to make the buttons do what I want them to do. I want set up the faders to send CC data that controls sonar, and I want sonar to send that data back to my controller. I have the first part down. I move fader 1 and the volume changes on track 1. BUT if I adjust the track volume from sonar, the information is not sent to the BCF2000, and the motorized faders don't work. It seems like unless I am in mackie emulation mode, Sonar doesn't output any data to the controller.

Is there a way to utilize sonar with my BCF2000 without having to use macke emulation mode? It doesn't make any sense to me why this shouldn't work.

Boz, do you have ACT in your version of Sonar? If so, why not enable it to do everything you want while using your BCF? That should work perfectly as ACT allows you to configure anything you want to your controller. I use a JL Cooper mini desk as well as Tranzport in my drum room and ACT allows me to do things beyond what both of those units do on their own and it makes everything fully configurable. Read up on ACT and see if it can work for you. Best of luck.

[Hoox81]

Danny,

How are you using your Tranzport with ACT?

I've got a BCF2000 as well and like how it runs in Mackie emulation mode (bi-directional feedback). But I also want something tactile I can use to make changes to settings in plug-ins.

If I can do something like that with the Tranzport, it'd be awesome.

BTW, I've tried using ACT with a couple of different devices and could never really get it to work as sold...

Thanks
Hoox

[Danny Danzi]

Hoox, I've not actually used Tranzport along with ACT, but use my JLCooper Mini desk with it all the time. The Tranzport unit is in my drum area just used to control Sonar from afar. The JL Cooper was easy to configure using some preset that I customized in the drop-down list I believe. I have the Cooper set to control ACT via midi, so it works perfectly there. I'd have to try this with Tranzport to see if it were possible, but I don't see why it wouldn't. You just have to set ACT up in midi options to be controlled by the Tranzport midi in/out and then set up how you want it to work. I'll see if I can try it for you when I get a minute...but I see no reason why it shouldn't work like a charm. It works great using the Cooper which is an old discontinued device.

[bozmillar]

I haven't had much success with ACT. I need sonar to talk back to my control surface, and I haven't been able to find a way for ACT to do this.