# What do you use for transport controls?



## babylonwaves (Feb 6, 2021)

Hey guys,

the Saturday night quizz arrived. Place you bets please. 

thanks!


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## BassClef (Feb 6, 2021)

Mostly iMac keyboard... sometimes mousepad... sometimes StudioLogic controllercontrollers


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## SlHarder (Feb 6, 2021)

Nektar LX61. Painless integration of its transport controls with daw.


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## companyofquail (Feb 6, 2021)

most of the time native instruments s49mk2. hoping to upgrade that to an 88 this year but i am also wanting to wait and see if they do a mk3 this year and hoping it will just have the audio interface in it(like maschine)


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## R. Soul (Feb 6, 2021)

In Cubase it's easy to use the keypad, as play and stop are literally the 2 biggest keys: '0' and 'enter'. In addition, space bar both plays and stops as well.


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## JJP (Feb 6, 2021)

Studiologic SL Mixface. Two things I particularly like:
1. I can switch between DAW and MIDI control with a single button
2. I can control the DAW transport even while using another application like Finale.


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## chillbot (Feb 6, 2021)

Question, maybe I'm misunderstanding... but I'm also curious. What do you need transport controls for if you are sitting at your computer?

Oh wait, maybe JJP answered this in "control the DAW while using another application". This makes sense but I'm wondering if this applies to everyone.

My Yamaha Motif keyboard has transport controls right in front of me, but I've never bothered to set them up to work because space bar on the computer keyboard (start/stop) is so much handier.

My mixers (Yamaha 02Rs) do have transport controls and I do use these all the time, because they are far enough away from my computer/keyboard. But I know very few people mix externally like this.


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## gpwilliams (Feb 6, 2021)

I use Steinberg’s CC121 with Cubase. It sits on the left so I operate it with my left hand while my right hand uses the mouse. I got this about 15 years ago. Using the keyboard works well, and I still sometimes use for transport functions but 90% of the time it’s the CC121. Also it is a solid piece of equipment.


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## ReleaseCandidate (Feb 7, 2021)

The only time I need transport controls is when recording audio, for that I use a bluetooth keyboard. MIDI is retrospective record only, so I only need to press 'play'. 
What is really awesome when using Mixbus is the ability to trigger the transport with a noise gate on the audio input to start the recording - so clapping your hands starts the recording. 
The only other transport controls I have are on my Arturia Keystep, but they are useless because Arturia didn't implement a way to turn off the arp and sequencer.


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## companyofquail (Feb 7, 2021)

chillbot said:


> Question, maybe I'm misunderstanding... but I'm also curious. What do you need transport controls for if you are sitting at your computer?


Some people just like hardware. I like to use my keyboard as the transport and mixer because it goes with the workflow. I love being able to switch back and forth between computer keyboard/mouse and my keyboard controller. I like using the keyboard controller because it is a different interface than what I used 80 percent of my working days.


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## babylonwaves (Feb 7, 2021)

chillbot said:


> Question, maybe I'm misunderstanding... but I'm also curious. What do you need transport controls for if you are sitting at your computer?


that's exactly what I'm asking myself. I have 3(!) separate sets of transport controls in front of me right now and what do I use? the keyboard ...


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## JonS (Feb 7, 2021)

Studiologic SL Mixface and Tascam US-2400.


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## psmk (Feb 7, 2021)

I also have 3 options for the transport controls and I only use the keyboard.


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## Loïc D (Feb 7, 2021)

Jog shuttle ! (I must be a rare bird here)
And SL Mixface & StreamDeck.

After years of practice on dozens of software, I know one thing for sure : my memory sucks at keyboard shortcuts.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 7, 2021)

Keyboard, but I also have a separate Bluetooth 10-key. It's made by Belkin, but it matches the Apple Magic Keyboard.


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## FGBR (Feb 8, 2021)

Keyboard for me, I've always found external transport control more of a hassle than a convenience. (Even when I had a Mackie MCU Pro + Extender at one point I still used the keyboard).


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## Divico (Feb 8, 2021)

Keyboard and external controllers depending of what I am doing and if I’m sitting infront of the keyboard or not


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## cmillar (Feb 8, 2021)

StreamDeck makes life much easier.

plus, you can transfer settings from one computer to another, customize, etc etc


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## chillbot (Feb 8, 2021)

babylonwaves said:


> that's exactly what I'm asking myself. I have 3(!) separate sets of transport controls in front of me right now and what do I use? the keyboard ...


It's funny, or not funny... I bought a faderport and ran a USB cable into my recording booth for the sole purpose of having transport controls so I could record myself from the booth... and once I did that I realized I use a wireless keyboard and it was just as easy if not easier to pick up the dang keyboard and bring it into the booth...


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## jbuhler (Feb 8, 2021)

babylonwaves said:


> that's exactly what I'm asking myself. I have 3(!) separate sets of transport controls in front of me right now and what do I use? the keyboard ...


This is me too, except that sometimes the transport controls are a bit more convenient. And I’ll use the transport on the keyboard, especially if I’m recording midi, since I don’t have to move my hands as far.


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## Stringtree (Feb 8, 2021)

Mackie Control Universal. Flying faders make mixing fun. Transport is right there.

VSTi open in Reaper? Unless the focus is changed to the main Reaper window, Ctrl-R (record) or spacebar (play) don't work; they do something else with the VSTi.

I'm probably just dense, but I hate using the mouse. It's on the MIDI controller, and it is uncomfortable to use it lots.

For recording to the main rig (audio with mics) Reaper gives me a remote control URL I can type into my phone or iPad. This has a transport, works perfectly, and I can view recording waveforms as they are minted, on a secondary monitor in the padded bedroom cell.


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## easyrider (Feb 8, 2021)

FaderPort and Ipad for macros.


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## Dex (Feb 8, 2021)

Stringtree said:


> VSTi open in Reaper? Unless the focus is changed to the main Reaper window, Ctrl-R (record) or spacebar (play) don't work; they do something else with the VSTi.


This. Also other vsts frequently capture the keyboard. Pro-Q does this all the time and it drives me mad.


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## Polkasound (Feb 8, 2021)

It depends what I'm doing at the time. When I'm recording my own tracks, I mostly use an external controller. (At my studio its a Steinberg CC121, and at home it's the transport controls on a Nektar keyboard.) But when I'm recording other people, editing, or mixing, my mouse is pretty much glued to my hand, so that's what I use. Occasionally I'll hit the space bar on my computer keyboard to stop playback.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 8, 2021)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> Keyboard, but I also have a separate Bluetooth 10-key. It's made by Belkin, but it matches the Apple Magic Keyboard.



Also, the reason for the Bt 10-key is to enter locations quickly. It's the best transport controller for Logic.

For example, you type . 10 Enter on the 10-key to go to bar 10, then Enter to play. It then remembers bar 10, so you just type . Enter Enter.

You can do that from the regular keyboard too, but if you know the 10-key by touch it's more convenient.


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## 24dBFS (Feb 8, 2021)

I am using WATSON to navigate:


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## RoyBatty (Feb 8, 2021)

I use a Behringer X Touch One. I setup the scroll wheel to toggle between scrolling by grid or scrolling by millisecond. I also set the fader up to be CC control all the time.


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## pmountford (Feb 8, 2021)

For transport controls I use a mix of Behringer xtouch one, alphatrack and touchscreen, depending on where my hand is closest. Oddly enough, never the keyboard.


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## Vin (Feb 8, 2021)

Mix of keyboard and Metagrid.


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## bill5 (Feb 8, 2021)

chillbot said:


> Question, maybe I'm misunderstanding... but I'm also curious. What do you need transport controls for if you are sitting at your computer?


? Transport controls = play, record, rewind, etc. It can be hardware or software. At least that's how I've always heard it defined and referred to...


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## jcrosby (Feb 8, 2021)

Metagrid and keyboard as well...


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