Mackie MCU-compatible fader controllers

Mixbus supports fader controllers that use the Mackie “MCU” protocol

To use a Mackie control device, you must follow these steps:

1. Consult the device’s manual, and configure the device for “Mackie Control” protocol ( not HUI )
2. Open Preferences->Control Surfaces, and click the checkbox to enable “Mackie”
3. Double-click the Mackie line to open the configuration panel.
4. Choose your device, or the closest equivalent, from the “Device Type” list
5. Choose the MIDI input and output ports for the device
   

…. after step 5, the faders should immediately jump to their correct position.

Because the capabilities of fader controllers vary widely, you may find that some buttons don’t exist, or don’t work as expected, on your device. The documentation below applies to the original Mackie MCU, and very-similar devices such as the Behringer X-Touch.

Encoder Assign Buttons:

The Encoder Assign buttons define what the knobs above each fader do.

• Track: To use the Track controls, you must first “select” a channel using a channel Select button. The 8 knobs will switch to show the channel’s Input trim, solo isolate, solo lock, and polarity switches.
• Pan/Surround: This is the default setting. When this is selected, each channel’s knob will control its pan. Clicking the knob will toggle the master bus assign on/off.
• EQ: To use the EQ controls, you must first “select” a channel using a channel Select button. The 8 knobs will switch to show the selected channel’s EQ settings (this varies for channels vs mixbuses vs master bus )
• Send: To use the Send controls, you must first “select” a channel using a channel Select button. The 8 knobs will switch to show the channel’s mixbus send levels. You can adjust the send level with a knob, or click the send to enable/disable it. You may also click the “Flip” button to control the mixbus send levels from the fader.
• Plug-In: this feature is currently unimplemented.
• Inst: For Mixbus, “Inst” is used to control the channel compressor. To use the Compressor controls, you must first “select” a channel using a channel Select button. The 8 knobs will switch to show the selected channel’s compressor settings.
  

!The EQ, Send, and Dyn (“Inst”) modes will follow the selected channel. Selecting EQ mode, and then selecting a different channel, will continue to show the EQ knobs, but for the new channel. This is a very nice way to advance through your channels and adjust each channels EQ, in turn.

Global View Buttons:

The Global View buttons select which subset of available channels will be visible on the fader surface.

• Global View : this resets the view to showing channels in sequential order, with the first available mixer channel on the far left of the surface.
• MIDI Tracks: this shows only the MIDI (instrument) tracks on the surface. Audio tracks and buses will be skipped over, if you adjust the Channel or Bank buttons.
• Inputs: This shows “buses” that were created with the New Track dialog. Buses are often used as live inputs to the mixer. MIDI tracks, audio tracks, and mixbuses will be skipped over, if you adjust the Channel or Bank buttons.
• Audio Tracks: this shows only the Audio tracks on the control surfaces. Midi tracks and buses will be skipped over, if you adjust the Channel or Bank buttons.
• Audio Inst: This operates the same as MIDI Tracks button.
• Aux: This operates the same as the Inputs button.
• Buses: This shows the mix buses.
• Outputs: Currently unimplemented; this will show the Click (metronome), Auditioner (solo bus), and Monitor buses in the future.
• User: This shows the first 8 channels that are “selected” in the mixer GUI. This allows you to select a discontiguous collection of channels, and control them side-by-side on the control surface.
  

Function Buttons:

The 8 Function buttons can be assigned any “action” ( keyboard shortcut ) in the Macke setup dialog.

Modify:

The Modify buttons are used, similar to modifiers on your keyboard, to add additional features to the Mackie protocols. For example, Shift+Undo is “Redo”. Note that the Mackie modifier keys do NOT affect what you are doing with the keyboard/mouse. The “Shift” key is largely used for default functions. The “Control, Command, and Alt” buttons are reserved for users to assign their own actions.

Automation:

The Automation buttons apply to the selected track’s fader. The “Group” button currently turns automation OFF. “Latch”, and “Trim” are currently disabled, but these features will be added in the future.

Utility:

• Save: Saves the currently-opened session snapshot
• Undo: un-does the most recent editor operation (such as a recording). Shift+Undo to “redo”.
• Cancel: Deselects all tracks and objects.
• Enter: Selects all tracks.

Transport:

• Marker: Creates a new marker. Shift+Marker deletes the marker (if one is currently under the playhead). Marker+ffwd = next marker; Marker+rewd = last marker
• Nudge: Combined with the ffwd/rewind buttons, this will nudge the playhead forward or back.
• Cycle: This initiates a “loop” playback between the Loop markers, if you are currently playing. Shift+cycle = use currently selected range as the Loop range.
• Drop: sometimes called “Mark In”: This uses the current playhead location to set the selection start time. Shift+Drop = Toggle Punch IN.
• Replace: sometimes called “Mark Out”: This uses the current playhead location to set the selection end time. Shift+Replace = Toggle Punch OUT.
• Click: this toggles the Click (metronome) on and off. Shift+Click = Set Punch range to current range selection.
• Solo: This clears any track solo’s that are currently engaged. Shift+Solo =
• Fader Bank: this advances the faders by 8
• Channel: this advances the channels by 1
• Scrub: currently no function is assigned to this button.
• Zoom: this modifies the directional arrows and Jog Wheel to “zoom” rather than move the view.
• Directional arrows: the directional arrows move the editor view. If the Zoom button is engaged, they zoom the x and y axes.
• Jog Wheel: adjusting the wheel will move the playhead. If the “Zoom” button is engaged, then the wheel zooms in&out on the timeline

* The Mackie remote-control protocol talks to the Mixbus session directly, and isn’t directly related to what you see on the screen. However it does follow the order of tracks in the mixer page, and it does not show “hidden” tracks.

The Mackie MCU protocol support is largely developed by the Ardour open-source community. To learn more about fader controllers using the Mackie MCU protocol, please visit the Ardour manual pages: http://manual.ardour.org/using-control-surfaces/devices-using-mackielogic-control-protocol/

*Mixbus does not currently support the older Mackie “HUI” protocol. Many devices provide the “HUI” protocol because it is the only 3rd-party protocol that can be used with ProTools. However, the HUI protocol is very limited. Nearly every device implements the newer “Mackie Control” protocol, which provides higher-resolution faders, more buttons, and other benefits. Mixbus uses this better protocol to talk with your device. Check your device to see which modes it provides.

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