# If you had 8 faders, what MIDI CC #'s would you use?



## Soundbed (May 20, 2021)

I am having a "custom" MIDI controller built and I get to choose the pre-programmed MIDI CC values. Of course I can change them later but it's hex code and I'd rather get it "right" the first time.

Here's my first stab: what do you think?

Should I pick anything different? Re-arrange them?

(Keep in mind not every instrument allows you to "learn" MIDI...)

1st fader = 1 mod wheel
2nd fader = 11 expression
3rd fader = 2 breath
4th fader = 21 undefined (Spitfire vibrato)
5th fader = 5 portamento time (rate)
6th fader = 3 undefined
7th fader = 9 undefined
8th fader = 7 volume

Wide open question, open to all inputs! (Keep it civil.)


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## RonV (May 20, 2021)

Certainly 1,7, and 11 (though 7 is often set and forget). 2 is breath by definition, but is often vibrato control in many libs. cc21 is vibrato in Spitfire libs.


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## jononotbono (May 20, 2021)

I would have Volume of 5 and leave the last three to be mic positions.

Can it Bank?


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## brek (May 20, 2021)

In addition to what you have:

CC123 is nice to have for those sticky notes.

and I have the rest set to mic faders.


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## Nick Batzdorf (May 21, 2021)

The standard and most common ones are 1 mod, 2 breath (do you have a reason to remap it to 3?), 7 volume, and 11 expression.

And then you have the other four, about which I have no opinion other than to find out what your favorite library uses and set it up for that.


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## Soundbed (May 21, 2021)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> The standard and most common ones are 1 mod, 2 breath (do you have a reason to remap it to 3?), 7 volume, and 11 expression.
> 
> And then you have the other four, about which I have no opinion other than to find out what your favorite library uses and set it up for that.


3 indicates I’d put breath on the 3rd fader


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## Soundbed (May 21, 2021)

RonV said:


> cc21 is vibrato in Spitfire libs.


great! Thanks for pointing that out. I adjusted things and moved 21 onto a fader. 


brek said:


> CC123 is nice to have for those sticky notes.


Cool idea. Though I’d rather not “waste” a fader on something a button should do. Plus I rarely get hung notes.



Nick Batzdorf said:


> find out what your favorite library uses and set it up for that.



that’s why I decided to post this ... I have so many libraries I’m hoping to crowdsource some ideas




jononotbono said:


> I would have Volume of 5 and leave the last three to be mic positions.
> 
> Can it Bank?


it could change banks though I rarely do that — is that what you meant?

mic positions don’t seem to be standard midi controls so they’d be the unassigned and I’d “learn” them, sure.


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## Soundbed (May 21, 2021)

Soundbed said:


> 1st fader = 1 mod wheel
> 2nd fader = 11 expression
> 3rd fader = 2 breath
> 4th fader = 21 undefined (Spitfire vibrato)
> ...


Ok I’ll be going with this setup. The last one is volume because it’s easy to remember.


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## Soundbed (May 21, 2021)

Ordering this ... with different fader caps.






Sparrow 8x60 MIDI Controller - Etsy


Our 8, 60mm travel fader MIDI controller supports MIDI mappings within the applications you use for photo, video, audio applications and more! These controllers are MIDI compliant and plug-and-play compatible with Windows and OSX The controller connects using an included 6 foot USB cable and passes




www.etsy.com


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## AlexRuger (May 21, 2021)

1st fader = 1 mod wheel
2nd fader = 11 expression
3rd fader = 7 volume
4th fader = 2 breath
5th fader = 81 (close mic)
6th fader = 82 (mid mic)
7th fader = 83 (far mic)
8th fader = whatever; assigned to selected track's volume in Cubase Generic Remote


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## storyteller (May 21, 2021)

Mine are:

1 : CC 11 (expression)
2 : CC 1 (Mod)
3 : CC 2 (Breath)
4 : CC 21 (Vibrato)
5 : CC 22 (Mic 1)
6 : CC 23 (Mic 2)
7 : CC 24 (Mic 3)
8 : CC 25 (Mic 4)
9 : CC 26 (Mic 5)

The rotary knobs are CC#'s 13 through 20 above the faders.


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## Soundbed (May 21, 2021)

jononotbono said:


> You won't care. Just get the fader unit and use it how you want.



 Main thing was mod wheel because Performance Samples and many others don’t have a “learn” function for that.


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## TimCox (May 21, 2021)

I put CC1 in at the second fader position and put expression and breath on either side. I like being able to have my middle finger ride mod and work either breath or expression with my ring or pointer


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## DCPImages (May 21, 2021)

Not sure what you all are using 'breath' fader for?


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## storyteller (May 21, 2021)

DCPImages said:


> Not sure what you all are using 'breath' fader for?


CC2 is used by a number of libraries. Voxos, for example, uses CC2 to crossfade between Oohs and Aahs in some of their choir patches. Some libs have it attached to vibrato or other controls as well.


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## David Kudell (May 21, 2021)

I do 1, 11, 2, 3, and 7.

The last 3 I use something undefined like 81-83 and I set those to metronome level (super handy when working on quiet parts), reverb send level, and track volume level (not cc7 but the DAW track automation level).


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## Saxer (May 22, 2021)

1, 21, xx, xx, xx, xx, 2, 11

The "xx" are somewhat in the 20s and are temporarily learned to something I need (like filter cutoff in synths or portamento speed in Audiomodeling).

But actually the "xx" make more problems than not. I also have a keyboard with joysticks and a synth with CC sending knobs and a breath controller and a wind controller. When I bang on the keyboard the joysticks sometimes move and send something. When I move one fader it happens that I touch another one unintentionally. Most of the time something uncontrolled happens. Samplemodeling Brass start to growl or Audiomodeling Strings play high speed vibrato, Spitfire Outriggers rise or the harp stops playing... depending on the selected track and the instrument. And I don't realize it immediately until the "somethings wrong" feeling comes up. No fun to find the evildoer CCs in a full arrangement.

What I do now is having a MIDI CC filter for everything I don't need in my templates and empty songs. It blocks all aftertouch and all CC 64 pedal data except value 01 or 127 and most CCs. It's only open for CC1, CC11, CC21, CC2, and pitch bend. That's enough for most cases. If I need more I can change the input filters. Life is much easier that way.


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