# MIDI Keyboard Has No Mod Wheel - Mod Wheel Substitute for Kontakt? Maschine?



## DitraJazz (Nov 29, 2020)

Good morning all,

I am new here. I recently got back into music production after a several decade hiatus. There is much to re-learn. Anyhow, I am using a MacBook Pro with Logic Pro. Most of my instruments are in Kontakt (except for BBC Core). I am using a Yamaha P-125 Digital Piano for MIDI, and an old Scarlet 2i4 (first generation!). On my symphonic pieces, I am missing the benefit of a mod wheel, which I need. I do not want to replace my Digital Piano, as it works great, and it is new.

-What can I use as a replacement standalone USB powered MOD Wheel? I don't mind if it has pads or other I/O aspects.
-If I buy a Maschine by NI, does that have a Mod Wheel on it, and can I use that simultaneously with my Digital Piano for MIDI? That would be ideal because of its functionality. I am unable to tell if it has a Mod Wheel, or something that can be used somewhat like a Mod Wheel.

Thank you!


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## yiph2 (Nov 29, 2020)

Does your MBP have a touchbar? If there is you can use it as a fader


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## Laddy (Nov 29, 2020)

Do you have an ipad? Then you can use an app to send midi to your daw. I use touchOSC, its cheap and easy to use.


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## Justin L. Franks (Nov 29, 2020)

Nakedboards MC-8. Will fit right on top of your piano (may want to use velcro to get it super secure). Set one of the faders to CC1 (mod wheel). And you have 7 others to set to other various controls (vibrato, expression, etc.).


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## DitraJazz (Nov 29, 2020)

This is very helpful! Here are my responses to the points above. I appreciate your insight.

-My MBP Does have a Touch Bar, but I do not see any resources online where I can convert the Touch Bar to a CC1 (Mod Wheel).
-I have an iPad Air. What software would I use to allow it to be used as CC1?
-I will look at that Nakedboard MC-8 - that looks great!

Do you guys happen to know the answer to my Maschine question? I would love to get one, but unsure if it can be used to control CC1. Thanks!


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## jbuhler (Nov 29, 2020)

If you get a Maschine with knobs you can assign one to cc1 but knobs aren’t great for controlling CC1. I don’t think any of the Maschines come with sliders.


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## Laddy (Nov 29, 2020)

Look for TouchOSC in app store. I dont know if it's the best, but it works for me.


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## Markrs (Nov 29, 2020)

I have a Roland FP10 digital piano which also doesn't have a mod wheel, so I use a Korg nanokontrol2, which I think quite a few people use.


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## Jeremy Spencer (Nov 29, 2020)

Laddy said:


> Look for TouchOSC in app store. I dont know if it's the best, but it works for me.



+1 to this. Best $6 I ever spent....I use my iPhone for my MOD wheel.


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## vitocorleone123 (Nov 29, 2020)

There's a few controllers handy for an iPhone (or iPad). Two of my favorites are Ribn and Knob Lab.

Or go all in and get something like MIDI Designer Pro. I've never used TouchOSC anything and I spent a couple years making music on my iPhone for a change. But the main thing is: get whatever works!


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## Alex Fraser (Nov 29, 2020)

Midi Designer Pro is great, as is touch osc.

If you go the tablet route, invest £4 in a few "finger sleeves" off Amazon - something that gamers use to get a more consistent feel on touch screens. Helps for those days when the sweat is running off your hands thanks to a late deadline and too much coffee.


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## Antkn33 (Nov 29, 2020)

DitraJazz said:


> This is very helpful! Here are my responses to the points above. I appreciate your insight.
> 
> -My MBP Does have a Touch Bar, but I do not see any resources online where I can convert the Touch Bar to a CC1 (Mod Wheel).
> -I have an iPad Air. What software would I use to allow it to be used as CC1?
> ...


Download touchosc from the App Store. Tons of uses besides just mod wheel


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## Fidelity (Nov 30, 2020)

Also consider getting an expression pedal (assuming the P125 supports one? not sure) or something like an FCB1010 (which includes two expression pedals and has switches, but is quite large and potentially complicated to program).


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## jcrosby (Nov 30, 2020)

DitraJazz said:


> -My MBP Does have a Touch Bar, but I do not see any resources online where I can convert the Touch Bar to a CC1 (Mod Wheel).


Grab MidiTouchbar. It's free and gives you tons of CCs you can assign freely to your touchbar. It's super easy to setup. IIRC when you 1st run it has CC sliders setup by default. You can have one slider, 2, 4, and assign whatever CCs you want to them. Logic should get MIDI from it straight away as long as its running. (I.e. you don't have to do the Ableton Live step he shows you, that's specific to live... Logic sees it as a controller if it's running on your Touchbar.)






MIDI Touchbar


Midi Controller for Apples Touchbar



urbanlienert.com









Or you could use Audioswift. It takes a llittle getting used to but it's pretty cool, it can send any CC, it even does aftertouch, MPE and receives velocity all from your trackpad  It's pretty insane. You can demo it to see if you like it and with the discount on the main page it's $12...Again, it takes some getting used to so demo 1st...









AudioSwift - Trackpad MIDI Controller


Control virtual instruments, faders, panning, make beats, write automation easily and play notes in your DAW.




audioswiftapp.com








*MPE MODE:*


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## Zero&One (Nov 30, 2020)

DitraJazz said:


> Do you guys happen to know the answer to my Maschine question? I would love to get one, but unsure if it can be used to control CC1. Thanks!



Maschine has a touch strip, set to CC1 as default. It's horizontal so that's a consideration. Just enable Midi mode and you can assign basically anything. I have an expression pedal hooked up to it also.
Could also replace your soundcard as it's built in


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## dr0p1n (Jan 11, 2021)

jcrosby said:


> Grab MidiTouchbar. It's free and gives you tons of CCs you can assign freely to your touchbar. It's super easy to setup. IIRC when you 1st run it has CC sliders setup by default. You can have one slider, 2, 4, and assign whatever CCs you want to them. Logic should get MIDI from it straight away as long as its running. (I.e. you don't have to do the Ableton Live step he shows you, that's specific to live... Logic sees it as a controller if it's running on your Touchbar.)


Hey jcrosby, I just came across your idea while researching for an option to use the TouchBar as ModWheel for the stand alone version of Kontakt. I had the same idea and tried MIDI Touchbar, but it does not seem to be as easy as I thought. Right now I have the issue to tell Kontakt that my Fader 1 (PitchBend) and 2 (Volume Control) are the Pitch Bend and the ModWheel. If I go to the automations tab in Kontakt I see a red dot at CC 0 while moving fader 2. The closest option to use the TouchBar I see at the moment is the "Control Surface Mode", but the controls are just bad and not customizable. Did you try it in stand alone aswell and know how to work with that? Cheers!


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## Cinebient (Jan 11, 2021)

The midi Touch Bar is really a gem and it replaced my iPhone (and hardware midi controller) as multitouch midi controller. Many people seems to dislike the Touch Bar but I find its one of the greatest things on my MacBook for music production. 
There is even a version of the awesome iPad app Samplr for the Touch Bar.
I like that I can use 4 sliders (but I also would have the option to have more at once) or also can use just 1 giant slider for more detailed control. It also can do 14 bit midi and more. This tool is really fantastic for me. Together with the AudioSwift app it gives me almost all I loved about my iPad (sold it a while ago and just use an iPhone now for iOS).


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## jcrosby (Jan 12, 2021)

dr0p1n said:


> Hey jcrosby, I just came across your idea while researching for an option to use the TouchBar as ModWheel for the stand alone version of Kontakt. I had the same idea and tried MIDI Touchbar, but it does not seem to be as easy as I thought. Right now I have the issue to tell Kontakt that my Fader 1 (PitchBend) and 2 (Volume Control) are the Pitch Bend and the ModWheel. If I go to the automations tab in Kontakt I see a red dot at CC 0 while moving fader 2. The closest option to use the TouchBar I see at the moment is the "Control Surface Mode", but the controls are just bad and not customizable. Did you try it in stand alone aswell and know how to work with that? Cheers!


You DONT want to be in Control Surface Mode. That mode is for controlling your DAW's mixer only... (Basically non-traditional MIDI messages that won't talk to plugins via CCs, so that mode won't send the MIDI Messages you're trying to send).

Make sure Control Surface Mode is UNCHECKED and you should be good! Logic and Live receive MIDI from the touchbar immediately if _CSM_ is dsiabled... Depending on your DAW you may need to enable the touchbar, but in most circumstances it should more less just be plug and play once as long as you're not in Control Surface Mode... So for example in Logic and Live as long as I have CSM disabled I can immediately see MIDI data coming into both DAWs MIDI monitors, and in Logic you can even confirm the CC number since Logic shows the incoming MIDI data right on the transport...


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## jcrosby (Jan 12, 2021)

Cinebient said:


> The midi Touch Bar is really a gem and it replaced my iPhone (and hardware midi controller) as multitouch midi controller. Many people seems to dislike the Touch Bar but I find its one of the greatest things on my MacBook for music production.
> There is even a version of the awesome iPad app Samplr for the Touch Bar.
> I like that I can use 4 sliders (but I also would have the option to have more at once) or also can use just 1 giant slider for more detailed control. It also can do 14 bit midi and more. This tool is really fantastic for me. Together with the AudioSwift app it gives me almost all I loved about my iPad (sold it a while ago and just use an iPhone now for iOS).


Hooray for Audioswift! I recently bought a generic controller with just pitch and modwheel to replace my dying ancient Axiom 61 because these two apps have replaced the need for other controller boxes for me... An ios version would be nice though... Unfortunately when I emailed Audioswift they said the app store was just too competitive, which I totally get... Maybe with a little luck it'll prove worthwhile for them in time... An ios version would be pretty handy...


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## Alex Fraser (Jan 12, 2021)

Currently, I'm using the touch strips/knobs on my Native Instruments M32.
Touch strips for broad strokes, encoders for detailed work. The "pitch" strip is remapped to control vibrato. I've also got a midi script that allows a single encoder to transmit both dynamics and vibrato, for lazy days. And of course the Finger Sleeves which I've already droned on about.

All this been said, I'd rather it had a mod wheel.

I had I play with Audio Swift but couldn't quite get on with it. The floating window kept disappearing. Maybe I'll give it another shot.


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## Golden Frog (Jan 16, 2021)

Alex Fraser said:


> Currently, I'm using the touch strips/knobs on my Native Instruments M32.
> Touch strips for broad strokes, encoders for detailed work. The "pitch" strip is remapped to control vibrato. I've also got a midi script that allows a single encoder to transmit both dynamics and vibrato, for lazy days. And of course the Finger Sleeves which I've already droned on about.
> 
> All this been said, I'd rather it had a mod wheel.
> ...


Hi. In AudioSwift, click the little star in the upper right corner to keep the Console window always on screen:






Also you can drag it all the way down of your screen, where you can only see the top bar. This way it won't bother you with the other windows on screen. Just make sure to not hide it too much or you won't be able to pull it up again. 

Beside using the trackpad as sliders for pitch bend and CC, AudioSwift can also be used as an XY pad with automatic return to a default value:


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