Softube Console 1 as MIDI controller for the SSL mixer

[Ahornberg]

Is the remote mapping file compatible with Console1 Fader, too? I have the Fader, the console is great but won't work with Reason.

From my perspective, no because while developing the remote map I didn't have access to a Console 1 Fader.

[joefrost01]

Okay I finally bit the bullet and created a Codec that uses the 20 Select Track buttons to navigate between control of each track. Again there is no documentation so you'll have to read through the Map and mess around with it to see how it is set up. Some brief notes:

1. The Select Track buttons switch between Mix Channels 1-20 and allows control of the channel strip Gate, EQ and Compressor.

2. Pressing the Track Copy button switches to Master Channel and allows control of the Master Buss compressor and Insert Effects.

3. The Mute and Solo button overview is not available in this version. Mute / Solo is handled by accessing the individual mix channels using the Track Select Buttons. Mute All Off and Solo All Off are mapped to the Mute / Solo buttons in the Master Channel (press Track Copy button).

4. The FX Insert controls and FX Send controls are not available in this version. This version uses 21 layers. I will investigate whether it is possible for each layer to have a second page, but I think this isn't possible.

5. The Preset button is mapped to Undo.

6. This version of the Console 1 map is set up as a separate Codec named (Console 1 - 20 Channel). This means you can disable your usual mapping and switch to using this one and vice versa. This makes it easy to switch back to other maps if you prefer the version with a row of mutes instead of the track navigation.

7. I have included an Excel and CSV versions of the mapping file in the zip file as it is easier to read than the remotemap file. Feel free to edit, hack and make your own variations of these maps.

This is fantastic, thank you so much for your hard work!

I've had a look through the files and they pretty much make sense. I was wondering, is it possible to implement some sort of a shift button for track select so that the buttons select tracks 1-20 unshifted and 21-40 shifted?

[dioxide]

This is fantastic, thank you so much for your hard work!

I've had a look through the files and they pretty much make sense. I was wondering, is it possible to implement some sort of a shift button for track select so that the buttons select tracks 1-20 unshifted and 21-40 shifted?

It might be possible. but the yellow Shift button doesn't transmit MIDI – it must communicate with Softube's software some other way. It also doesn't change the MIDI output of the Select Track buttons even if you're holding down Shift when you press them. So you'd have to choose a different button to sssign to the Shift button.

I can't commit to adding this at the moment unfortunately. I need to focus on work so anything music related is on the backburner for a while. But feel free to modify what I created and redistribute it however you like.

[Ahornberg]

In MIDI mode, the shift-button only enables "fine adjust". This means, turning a knob increases/decreases the corresponding MIDI CC value by one (in the range from 0 to 127). Without the shift button pressed, turning a knob on Console 1 increments/decrements the CC value by 3.

The Console 1 controller can also be switched into MIDI SysEx mode (this is done by the software provided by Softube). Unfortunately there's no documentation available about the SysEx codes that the Console 1 controller can send/receive. In SysEx mode, the shift-button can act as a real shift-button.

[joefrost01]

I think using one of the other buttons would be fine, maybe the group button perhaps.
Is it even possible to implement shift type behaviour in the codec or does it rely on the hardware to send a different value for a button when shift is held?

[Ahornberg]

I think using one of the other buttons would be fine, maybe the group button perhaps.
Is it even possible to implement shift type behaviour in the codec or does it rely on the hardware to send a different value for a button when shift is held?

As far as I know, the possibilities in the codec are very limited. The codec is more a mapping-table than a programming language.

In my codec posted on 20 Feb 2016 viewtopic.php?p=246441#p246441 I tried to map the Attac knob on Console 1 to both Peak and Fast buttons on the Reason mixer with the formula

"(1-remote.get_item_value(33)/127)*85+(1-remote.get_item_value(34)/127)*42"

to get all 4 logic combinations of the 4 buttons (both off, peak on with fast off, peak off with fast on, both on) while rotating the knob. This works fine as long as you don not try to record the controller datra for a mixer channel.

[jam-s]

I suppose with a luacodec it should be possible to implement a shift function.

[joefrost01]

Ok, I think I managed to do it, I had to intercept the Page+/- buttons and create the equivalent of 20 button presses like this in the codec:

Code: Select all

function remote_process_midi(event) 

	ret=remote.match_midi("b0 60 xx",event) 

	if ret~=nil then 
		for i = 1,19,1 
		do 
			local msg={ time_stamp=event.time_stamp, item=66, value=1 } 
			remote.handle_input(msg) 
		end
	end 

	ret=remote.match_midi("b0 61 xx",event) 

	if ret~=nil then 
		for i = 1,19,1 
		do 
			local msg={ time_stamp=event.time_stamp, item=67, value=1 } 
			remote.handle_input(msg) 
		end
	end 

	return false 

end 

I also mapped the "Drive" knob to rotary1 of the insert rack, maybe with the idea of having a combinator with Scream in it on tape mode with the knob mapped to control Damage and Master inversely so that it maintains a constant-ish volume level while adding drive.

Here's the new version - it's 99.9% the one that Dioxide made so I can take very little credit:

SoftubeConsole1WithPaging.zip

I've got a support ticket open asking how to implement it so if Reason support come back with a more elegant way then I'll upload a new version.

[bluedog_sd]

I know that the question was about Softube but it also is about a controller for the SSL so I thought it would be OK to throw in a pitch for my template for TouchOSC that I call JQD Mirror - it's a fully mapped template for the SSL mixer that runs on a tablet over WIFI. I know it's a different thing than the actual feel of buttons and knobs but it is completely mapped to every single control on the SSL and it costs $20 ($10 goes to TouchOSC and $10 goes for the Mirror template) . You can check it out here https://jqdmirror.com/ and if you have any questions about it feel free to ask!

[riesenexperte]

Hi Peops, as a sort of thank y'all I'd like to share this Combi 2 template I've like to use for Softube Console 1 mapping situations. It might be usefull for somebody else ...

Fight the power

[dioxide]

I also made a backdrop for the Console 1.
viewtopic.php?t=7524519

[drsix]

Is the remote mapping file compatible with Console1 Fader, too? I have the Fader, the console is great but won't work with Reason.

Yes it seems to work now with Studio 1 and Logic. But in Reason there is no sync between fader and the SSL Mixer which is really a pitty.
I hope Softube works on the integration in Reason. Sometimes it feels Reason is always left behind with the other DAWS but it is so long on the market now.

I mean it's not even listed: https://www.softube.com/support/faq-con ... jXpZTPd0sM

[Ahornberg]

But in Reason there is no sync between fader and the SSL Mixer which is really a pitty.
I hope Softube works on the integration in Reason.

I asked Softube several times about that, but every time I got a clear "no".

[drsix]

Hm, I just got this reply from Softube :

Hi ! At the moment this is not possible in Reason. A deeper integration between Console 1 + Console 1 Fader and Reason is definitely something we would like to see. This is something that we must work on together with the DAW vendors though. Unfortunately I can’t give any time frames or promises at this point.

I will save your message as a Feature Request, but it might also be a good idea to contact Reason Studios and let them know that this is something you'd like to see happen. Thanks! // Oskar at Softube