# Affordable midi slide fader controller unit to use with LogicProX.



## VleiRat Films (Feb 27, 2020)

All the "portable" units advertised are overkill for someone who needs: expression dynamics and vibrato .. Am I missing something?


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## gsilbers (Feb 28, 2020)

VleiRat Films said:


> All the "portable" units advertised are overkill for someone who needs: expression dynamics and vibrato .. Am I missing something?


 
They follow the hui protocol for mixing in 8 track banks. And also can send midi CC.

These mostly are used to mix audio and not for controlling orchestral articulations.

There are a few modular products that sell just what you want. 3 faders and a main head. Forgot the name. Christian hensen channel has a video on it.


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## mgnoatto (Feb 28, 2020)

This is the one that has Christian Hensen








Monogram Store - A modular, freeform Creative Console


Simple. Powerful. Adaptable. Monogram is a versatile creative console flexible enough to fit your workflow and boost productivity.




store.monogramcc.com




But he claims that it's expensive for what it does in one of the videos
If you're handy you can build your own:








DIY MIDI CC Controller w/100mm sliders for under $100 - 2018 Edition - Gearspace.com


I brought this over from another forum that didn't have much traffic. I built a 3-channel, programmable MIDI controller, for about \\\5. Since then, I have found linear sliders for much less, bringing the total down to \\\. It works awesome! The detai



www.gearslutz.com


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## mgnoatto (Feb 28, 2020)

Is this one (Palette), but when you go to buy they direct you to Monogram








Workflow: Audio and Music Production


Add dynamic expression and a tactile experience to your digital music composition with Creative Console. Personalize your compositions and productions with the uniquely modular toolset that can be used with Digital Audio Workstations.




palettegear.com


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## scoringdreams (Feb 29, 2020)

I recommend NakedBoards MC-8, does the job really well with Logic Pro.

I had tried a Studiologic Mixface but found it a little hard to exert pressure on the faders given their small grips. Same goes with the Palette Gear ones.

The nicer / simpler they look, the more expensive they become. Strangely.


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## SupremeFist (Feb 29, 2020)

Korg nanokontrol is cheap and cheerful.


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## VleiRat Films (Feb 29, 2020)

mgnoatto said:


> This is the one that has Christian Hensen
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Very expensive for us in South Africa with our ZAR at 20 to a pound sterling and over 15 to a $. I'm not tech enough to build one but I hear you. Thanks.


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## VleiRat Films (Feb 29, 2020)

scoringdreams said:


> I recommend NakedBoards MC-8, does the job really well with Logic Pro.
> 
> I had tried a Studiologic Mixface but found it a little hard to exert pressure on the faders given their small grips. Same goes with the Palette Gear ones.
> 
> The nicer / simpler they look, the more expensive they become. Strangely.


Thanks .. I'll try the NakedBoard MC-8


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## VleiRat Films (Feb 29, 2020)

SupremeFist said:


> Korg nanokontrol is cheap and cheerful.


But will it work for just controlling midi input signals from my Fantom X8 using orchestral software instruments?


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## VleiRat Films (Feb 29, 2020)

SupremeFist said:


> Korg nanokontrol is cheap and cheerful.


Thanks wil check out the Korg nanocontrol.


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## jbuhler (Feb 29, 2020)

VleiRat Films said:


> Thanks wil check out the Korg nanocontrol.


IIRC, the nanokontrol studio gives you a longer throw. I’ve also had good luck with the LaunchControl XL, though it’s much bigger and doesn’t sit neatly on top of my keyboard like the nanokontrol studio. If you are working with Logic you should know that the nanokontrol is a bit quirky. If you install the Korg plugin you can only operate it in hui mode, but if you hook it up without the plugin it works only as a midi controller. It seems that it’s possible to get around this but I spent several days trying to figure it out and wasn’t able to do it. So I basically do without the hui capabilities.


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## Mark Stothard (Feb 29, 2020)

I’ve got my eye on this one. Any users out there?


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## Ashermusic (Feb 29, 2020)

I really like my FaderControl, a DYI unit that one of our members sold for a while, but he seems to have stopped doing it and indeed has not even been showing up here. Too bad because it has longer throwfaders than most, feels good, and here hasbeen flawless, both the unit and super simple app for assigning MIDI ccs to the faders.

I would imagine there are others here with a similar skill set so it is likely a business opportunity for someone.


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## gh0stwrit3r (Mar 1, 2020)

VleiRat Films said:


> But will it work for just controlling midi input signals from my Fantom X8 using orchestral software instruments?


I use the Korg NanoKontrol 2 with a NI Komplete S49 and Logic without any problems. I assigned a special fader for modulation, one for expression and another one for vibrato.


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## jbuhler (Mar 1, 2020)

gh0stwrit3r said:


> I use the Korg NanoKontrol 2 with a NI Komplete S49 and Logic without any problems. I assigned a special fader for modulation, one for expression and another one for vibrato.


Have you figured out how to use the NanoKontrol in both modes (mixer and assignable)? (I have the Studio.) Even if I set it to assignable mode on the NanoKontrol, if I have the NanoKontrol plugin installed for Logic, it defaults to the hui mixer control. I can delete the control surface assignment in Logic and that will allow the NanoKontrol to revert to midi, but the next time I launch Logic the NanoKontrol is again in mixer mode. Or I can uninstall the plugin and then the Nanokontrol will open in assignable mode in Logic. But there seems no easy way to move back and forth like you can in other DAWs.


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## VleiRat Films (Mar 1, 2020)

Thanks for all the helpful info .. Much appreciated.


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## Wavelore Insts (Mar 2, 2020)

Not sure if this really meets your criteria, or if cheap Chinese stuff is allowable, but I got one of these to do what my keyboard controller can do, but w/o the keyboard, and it’s exactly the ticket :


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## VleiRat Films (Mar 2, 2020)

Wavelore Insts said:


> Not sure if this really meets your criteria, or if cheap Chinese stuff is allowable, but I got one of these to do what my keyboard controller can do, but w/o the keyboard, and it’s exactly the ticket :



Certainly looks like it would. And better than either the Korg or Akai, because of the "play return record etc" buttons. I'll check out if Amazon Canada deliver to South Africa and the exchange rate. SA is not the best place to be making music these days as our economy has been stolen by the current bunch of kleptocrats... Thanks for the lead.


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## Wavelore Insts (Mar 2, 2020)

VleiRat Films said:


> Certainly looks like it would. And better than either the Korg or Akai, because of the "play return record etc" buttons. I'll check out if Amazon Canada deliver to South Africa and the exchange rate. SA is not the best place to be making music these days as our economy has been stolen by the current bunch of kleptocrats... Thanks for the lead.



Oops - amazon Canada was jut my first hit on google. Do try other sources if you want or need.


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## SupremeFist (Mar 2, 2020)

jbuhler said:


> Have you figured out how to use the NanoKontrol in both modes (mixer and assignable)? (I have the Studio.) Even if I set it to assignable mode on the NanoKontrol, if I have the NanoKontrol plugin installed for Logic, it defaults to the hui mixer control. I can delete the control surface assignment in Logic and that will allow the NanoKontrol to revert to midi, but the next time I launch Logic the NanoKontrol is again in mixer mode. Or I can uninstall the plugin and then the Nanokontrol will open in assignable mode in Logic. But there seems no easy way to move back and forth like you can in other DAWs.


There is definitely a way to get the transport buttons working along with the faders assignable to user-definable ccs at least (which is all I wanted since I don't use it for mixing), but I just looked up the video where I learned how to do that and it has been deleted. :(


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## jbuhler (Mar 2, 2020)

SupremeFist said:


> There is definitely a way to get the transport buttons working along with the faders assignable to user-definable ccs at least (which is all I wanted since I don't use it for mixing), but I just looked up the video where I learned how to do that and it has been deleted. :(


Yes, I've seen some videos of folks working with it that way as well, but they never explain how to set it up and when folks ask in the comments, no one seems to remember how to do it.


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