LeMackie v2 - Mackie Emulation for Cakewalk's Sonar

Subject: Re: LeMackie - Mackie Emulation for Cakewalk's Sonar (releas

Feel free to use my codes/ideas, as I did with yours. I used your ideas for "click"-ing buttons and pots, waiting for the feedback from sonar to change the actual state of them. I still cannot figure out how to properly initialize the leds for the faders/pots assignment. I gave them value 1 as the initial value, but if the first button pressed is Pan, Plugin, EQ or Comp and Assignment is not TR than the LED of Track/Bus will be still on.

Subject: Re: LeMackie - Mackie Emulation for Cakewalk's Sonar (releas

I think with softcore and kiss we can fix the display isssue i think thanks too you to ive got an idea what we could do so display reads out value. as long as you touch the fader it reads out infoinstead of just track when showing volume.So if there is a way for the z message to be held on release of fader volumes woud stay. Also that on caps only is a great idea can use faders traditonaly or new school to use fader to do big quick jumps.

Subject: Re: LeMackie - Mackie Emulation for Cakewalk's Sonar (releas

Coming soon: version 2 with new features (most of them due to the superb ideas and scripting from Kisslorand (Lori)

1. VPots with push function (emulating the original device), LED rings complete with bottom LED feedback
2. Small re-arrangement of some elements to provide better visual "feedback" of what does what
3. Selected track visual feedback by brighter fader and VPot
4. Deprication of "Meters reset" button - addition of user adjustable time delay after which Red LED Meters reset - found in "Mackie Settings" page, ranging from 0 to 4000 milliseconds (4 seconds)
5. Complete re-write of .pdf manual to also include usage instructions and example photos
6. Minor changes and bug-fixes

Subject: Re: LeMackie - Mackie Emulation for Cakewalk's Sonar (releas

I felt in love with this template, I have no patience to see what will you come up with.
Sneek peek pls

Subject: Re: LeMackie - Mackie Emulation for Cakewalk's Sonar (releas

The love is bi-directional then, as I fell in love with your additions - mainly the Vpot stuff! Brilliant! I really think this has become the best Lemur mackie realisation ever!

Subject: Re: LeMackie - Mackie Emulation for Cakewalk's Sonar (releas

Ok guys version 2 is out....

Version 2 features:
- V-Pots with LED feedback and push (tap) function (big thanks to Kiss 'Lori' Lorand)
- Master Fader double tap reset (enable/disable setting available in "Mackie Settings")
- Level meters to quickly see the presense of signal and if a track is clipping (Meters change color to RED). Delay time of resetting to "green" adjustable in "Mackie Settings"
-detailed set up and usage instructions in PDF included pdf. Re-written, now includes tables with all the Mackie functions adopted to the Lemur emulation and its unique features ("edit" dual color LED, "flip" dual color LED, v-Pots bottom Led dual color)
- perfect integration, no flakey feedback, what you see displayed on Lemur is always what is really going on in the software
-selected track displays brighter fader and V-Pot
-Intuitive layout: pressing any of the modifier buttons changes the context of all the relative buttons, nearly no manual or instructions needed for the implementation of Mackie in Sonar - just press any modifier button and all the controls change to reflect current operation
- visual displays for "view" mode, numeric input mode, flip modes etc etc via leds
- bonus ACT Controller page to control individual plug in synths and/or effects (on top of the existing Mackie control for plug ins)
- buttons and functions all named after the specific Sonar Lexan overlay
- a few functions not even mentioned in the manual are also displayed relative to context (M3 Modifier ->Input Monitor)
- settings page for behavior of faders, sensitivity of VPots and more


Here are some pics!

LeMackie page

[img]http://i48.tinypic.com/x7ew6.jpg[/img]

LeMackie page - M1 modifier pressed

[img]http://i48.tinypic.com/sobh2h.jpg[/img]

ACT Controller page

[img]http://i47.tinypic.com/2ce5el0.jpg[/img]

ACT Controller page - Shift button pressed

[img]http://i48.tinypic.com/og9v11.jpg[/img]

Settings Page

[img]http://i47.tinypic.com/nx2ls.jpg[/img]

First post of topic updated with latest info!

Thank you so much! I created an account just to comment here and thank you for this! I'm a long time Sonar user and hadn't initially found any Lemur templates for Sonar and while I was very interested, I couldn't justify the $50 price tag without one. Finding this finally gave me the incentive to make the plunge.

Loving this template so far. Just noticing something on the Mackie side... I can't seem to access my HMF settings for my EQ on X2. I'm able to see just about every other parameter for the EQ. Also, Comp gives me no parameters to tweak. And yes, I do have both enabled.

Thanks again,

TC

Thanks for the kind words! Long time user of Sonar here too, and one of the things I was "dreaming" even before buying Lemur was this template. Furthermore I noticed there was a "hole" so to speak for this DAW and figured it would be a nice addition.

Now, as for the specific functions, I think if you search Cakewalk's forum about Mackie support from X1 and after you will realize its not a problem of this emulation: even users of the original hardware complain that from X1 and after (with the addition of the "ProChannel modules") some things went berzeck. Whatever the case, you can still control added plug ins (in FX bin) so I think the missing features is not that much of a big deal.

By the way, I noticed that if you re-arrange the default pro channel modules, the "EQ" view then acceses the compressor and vice versa - but of course this re-arranging also means alteration of the signal path, something that may not be desired.

Generally speaking, I think if you 'dwelve" into Lemur you will soon realize its a good buy even if this template didnt exist. Imagine adding up multiballs ( xy pads in a way) in this existing template for example to control parameters of Sonar etc etc.

In fact Im already thinking of the next update of the template which might as well feature an additional page with multiballs and "assignable" targets - be it on the Mackie parameters or the existing ACT-enabled parameters!

Awesome! That would be fun. What would REALLY make my day is if there was a fully customizable hex key / piano key page that ran on an additional midi channel! (Just a little food for thought :p)

Yeah, I wasn't sure if maybe I had something set up in sonar incorrectly for Mackie control. I guess I should have looked around on my own first before commenting. I'm thinking it will just be easier to manipulate the Pro Channel with the mouse anyway.

Thanks for the reply, I'm looking forward to the update!

PS: I also just noticed that the timecode on the mackie page is a little wonky. The measure isn't separated from the beat. Lemur problem?

The template is just gorgious. The led pattern used for pan it is different than on mackie. The one used in this latest template on mackie is used for values {-x, ...., x}, for example EQ band gain that goes from -xdB to xdB. This template inherited the same minor text missalignement from the previous one (I am on iPad 3, maybe that matters). Leds for vPots/faders assignement are still not initialised when template is loaded.
Anyway it is still the best mackie emulator yet.
Holiday is over so I do not have time for playing with my iPad, but I still have in mind a few things. One is the leds for buttons for vPots/faders assignement and the other one is to display the parameters assigned to vPots/faders. I know, mackie doesn't have that, but let's make it better than mackie!

tcfrombn wrote:I also just noticed that the timecode on the mackie page is a little wonky. The measure isn't separated from the beat. Lemur problem?

Yes, Lemur problem.

I don't think the LEDs for assignment should bother you too much (i.e. be initialised) as they do get initialised once a project is loaded in Sonar and communication is established - at least that's what happens here.

The Pan LEDs setting was just my own aesthetic choice - I dotn have a Mackie so I dont really know where/when each LED mode is used.

As for the text misalignment - Im not sure, everything looks ok in iPad2 but then again perhaps you are spotting a detail Im failing to see!

Whatever the case, thanks again for your additions and of course, you are always free to share-upload any alterations-additions of the project, here or in the user library!

...if I wink one more time, I might end up with a permanently closed eye! lol

Hi Softcore,

Do you know if it's possible to send numerical values (numpad) 0-9 from Mackie control? I've experimented with Lemur sending out keyboard messages, but not had much luck.

Cheers

I updated the LED's for vPots but it seems it was in vain, Sonar don't really care about Mackie.

Now that they made X2 "touch surface enabled" I guess they think no other surface is of use.....lol

Subject: Simple Rec/Solo/Mute Toggle Function for Sonar

Hi,

I am a noob to the whole control surface and Lemur stuff, so am rather excited about its possibilities.

My task is simple - I am trying to create a custom control surface for Sonar X3. I have set up the connections right and Sonar connects to Lemur as a Mackie Control. I managed to get the connection done using the other forums. Special thanks to Softcore for the Mackie Sonar Template.

Now I am not sure if I am doing something fundamentally wrong. When I try to create a simple button that arms the rec/solo/mute controls, I seem to get a midi-echo from Sonar. Here is what I did:
- create a new project
- write code so it connects to Sonar when Sonar sends a device id request sysex
- create a custom button (behaviour is pad).
- Assign the midi for this button to Note On for midi event 0 (values 0 to 127) - per mackie protocol, this should toggle rec/rdy for track 1.

The template connects with sonar well. I have also got a fader to work. But when I click this button, Sonar switches state and almost immediately send the same note back thus reverting to the previous state. Even the LeMackiev2 template shows the same behaviour.

Has anyone else faced this issue? I have ensured I dont have midi echo on in the track. The only situation in which it works is if I set the Mackie Control Output Port in Sonar to None (so Sonar does not send the echo or any other data back).

Thanks in advance.

**edit - Did some more digging and the problem only seems to be there when I connect wirelessly (via Lemur Daemon using loopMidi). If I connect my iPad using a camera connector and a midi cable, I dont get this issue. Anyone with any info? I also checked the SonarLeMackie2 manual once more. It asks to create 2 ports (1.Internal MIDI + 2.Internal MIDI) for the MCU bit. Is that really required?

Yes, it is essential that you use a DIFFERENT internal midi port for in and outgoing messages, otherwise unwanted midi feedback loops will occur.

In simple words, for each Lemur target connection you need TWO internal midi ports - one for incoming, one for outgoing. Perhaps this explains, why your "sent" message ends up once again being sent into Sonar - you are sending the "feedback" message (from Sonar TO Lemur) BACK into the Sonar's input

Thanks Softcore . What confuses me is why the behaviour is different from a hard-wired connection. . I have a Tascam US122 which has midi ports. Connecting Lemur via the wires works fine! I suppose even the original Mackie unit would be connecting only to one Midi port. Just wondering if it is a Sonar issue or a loopMidi issue.

In any case, I'll go wad with my experimentation using 2 ports for now .

Well i cant really comment on wired midi BUT my USB-to-Midi interface which I use with a controller whose USB built in midi interface went dead, STILL has TWO midi plugs - one in, one out....So is your Tascam, there is ONE midi in port, a DIFFERENT midi out port...you dont use the same plug for both directions of midi data (FROM and TO tascam)....so you get what Im saying!

It might appear as ONE port (Tascam midi in, Tascam midi out) in your software....but is it really one?

Now think of the virtual midi thing in our Windows....when it says Internal Midi 1 in and Internal Midi 1 Out....it refers to ONE "virtual midi cable" per se, and its both "ends". Midi data goes from one of its virtual endpoints (In) through to the other (Out). Now you "plug" this virtual midi cable FROM Lemur TO Sonar....there.....the virtual midi cable 1 is now in use and occupied. You now need a SECOND virtual midi cable ...lets name it Internal Midi 2 to connect FROM Sonar TO Lemur.

It actually makes pretty sense to me, that you need TWO of those cables, doesnt it?

Now think of the virtual midi thing in our Windows....when it says Internal Midi 1 in and Internal Midi 1 Out....it refers to ONE "virtual midi cable" per se, and its both "ends".

When you put it that way, yes it does. I probably got confused about the the same name TASCAM-IN and TASCAM-OUT in the displays. And then you have DAWRemote that connects just over 1 port (one pair of in-out). Again, I think rtpMidi might be managing the "Cables" internally when it links up the PC ports on the wireless network.

Yes - now the confusion resolved. Thanks Again.

I Spent the last couple of days making a custom surface display to get data for a Mackie C4 (dont like the default surface LCD of Lemur - cant do much with it ). All 4 displays responds perfectly to the data Sonar sends (including the split modes). But alas, Im not able to get the knobs to work. I have not got the slightest clue on how C4 tells Sonar that its knob is moving CW or CCW. From the way I read internet information, I guess no one has figured that out yet . Would have loved to have a 32-Knob controller as my first Lemur project.

The fight is on. Lets see where the future takes me

Oh Im sorry man! I 've been busy with some other stuff so I hadnt seen your post. But it looks like you pulled it off!