Looking for a controller.

[Landon]

Hey all. Recently looking into a new controller. Nothing fancy for now im not going to get into what I would like to have. I have narrowed it down to two different controllers. Wondering if anyone has any experiences having owned or tried these, or other suggestions.

First is the Novation Remote SL

Can check it out here. Looking for the one without the keyboard as I already have one of those.

http://www.novationmusic.com/product...bArchive=False

The other is the Personus Fireport

http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAM...FaderPort.html

I like the fact that the Fireport has 1 simple motorized fader. Seems like it would certainly make simple adjustments quick without the clicking.

The Novation says it loads the values of your mix onto the "smart" faders. I don't know how much that would help, but it sounds interesting.

Using cubase sx3.
Usually when im working I bus guitar to two channels, Drums to one, and voxx to two. It would be nice if I could make a new template to load my general bus mix onto the Novation. But... Almost seems more practical to keep it simple with the Presonus. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas?

[richiebee]

I've faced this same dilemma. Luckily, I don't have any money, so there's no choice to make. However, Frontier are releasing the Alphatrack in January that's similar to the Presonus, and from all reviews so far is a lot better. I think the choice comes down to whether you need mroe than one fader. In terms of quality and precision the Presonus or Frontier will win the day, but if you need more than one fader, you're screwed, in which case the Novation is your answer.

I'll be going for the Alphatrack when I've paid for everything else that needs paying for.

R.

[brandondrury]

I'm intrigued by the "more than fader" concept. I guess if mixing is a performance ( like back the old days) you'd certainly need a zillion faders.

I kind of look at mixing in Cubase or any other recording software is more like sculpting where you chisel out one thing at a time. Maybe other people work differently, but it seams like one fader would be enough.

Maybe not.

Brandon

[damoh]

Faders are the instrument through which an engineer plays music.
Watching a good engineer mix on a real console is like watching any good muso play their instrument.
When you are creating freely your mind is working predominantly through the right side of your brain which is spatial and non linear, unlike the left half which is totally linear and logical.

When working on one thing at a time on a computer your mind is forced to work in a linear fashion by the left side of your brain.

Music, art, creativity is all right brain function. Having all your sounds laid out intuitively in front of you with faders allows your mind to stay in the creative zone.

I honestly do feel sorry for young guys passionate about sound these days that no longer get to understand what it is like to use a console for mixing and think that it is just the same using a mouse.

The truth is that it is not the same and there is a big piece of the puzzle missing in working that way.

I dont think any top mix engineers ever mix with a mouse. People may mistakenly come to this conclusion because so many people are usng computers these days.
If they are not using a real console then they would be using a big fat control surface to replicate one.

Brandon, mixing still is and always has been a performance, just as creative and essential as any other element in a great song.

[dach]

I've read about that brain stuff and have even been accused of having one on occassion, but 1 motorized fader is about as useful as no arms and a roll of toilet paper... while staring at a lava lamp.... after a steak buffet....

I mean if there's a will, there's a way, but just because a product is for sale doesn't mean it actually has value... a product is just a response to the marketplace (where both you and I are considered sheep with wallets anyway).

2 motorized faders would actually be helpful.

[damoh]

Dach, in case you have mistaken my post as advocating for a single fader I would like to point out that I am actually advocating for mixing with a real console or a control surface with many faders as opposed to mixing with a mouse.

It was in reply to Brandon's intrigue at the more than one fader concept and his idea that it was outdated.

[dach]

no, I'm totally with the plan...

[dach]

Oh... i didn't catch it... I gave the L/R brain lecture here sometime ago... I also drew a diagram about moving faders to the groove at some point in time... pretty basic... i thought

[damoh]

I didnt see your previous article on brain function and mixing Dach. I am kinda new here, old to recording, but still young.
I started my career in music when we used to record to that funky new retro thing called analogue tape and there was a crazy new idea emerging called digital audio.
I never thought those adat things would really take off! Hehehehe..

[brandondrury]

Brandon, mixing still is and always has been a performance, just as creative and essential as any other element in a great song.

No one is denying this.

Since I dont' have the pleasure of using a real console, the DAW and mouse is all I have. For me, there are times when I make take an hour to get a 4 second automation thingy just right. It just seams that this would be impossible to get exactly right (whatever that is) on an old school console... which brings me to a theory I have that may attribute to modern "sterilization".

I think that the mixing (and especially doing rides and such) on an old console is a lot more "hit and miss". The notion of perfection is thrown out the window or maybe not even considered as 4 guys/ 8 hands on the console all try to memorize their "parts" and snag a great mix off the board.

It seams that this idea of "perfection is thrown out the window and maybe not even considered" is what is missing in modern music. Now anyone can zoom in to see if a kick drum is off by a ms and hit some form of quantize as the brain gets sucked more and more into over analyzing everything.

I can see how the randomness of the conventional mixing console can be fun, but I'm curious if music is really more effective when you just say SCREW IT! and going for it.

Dach has mentioned about many of the benefits of the control surfaces when bumping to the beat and things of that sort. Those all seam great, but could be done with a single fader.

Brandon

It's clear in my head with 4 guys all gathered around the console to do their various rides that you are just having fun as opposed to being overly analytical.

Brandon