Using a Novation Impulse 49 MIDI Controller with DP

[pacificm]

Hello,

If this is not the correct forum for this question, please advise which forum to use.

I'm using DP 8. My current controller is a Fatar Studio 90 with great weighted keys for pianos. But it does not have a mod or pitch wheel and has no connection for an expression pedal. I want to start to do more work with woodwinds. So, I got a TEC Breathcontroller. It works fine, but it has become apparent that I need an additional MIDI controller which has mod and pitch wheels and a connection for an expression pedal. I have lots of VIs for sounds, so I don't need any patches built into the MIDI controller. My primary concern is a good set of keys. My user review search has turned up the best recommendations for keys with the Novation Impulse 49 MIDI controller. Curiously, even though the Novation web site states it works with all major DAWs, it doesn't list DP as one of them. I'm interested if anyone here has had experience using the Impulse with DP. Any suggestions on using the Impulse with DP? Or, any recommendations on any other MIDI controller you would suggest considering? Thanks!

[FMiguelez]

Curiously, even though the Novation web site states it works with all major DAWs, it doesn't list DP as one of them. I'm interested if anyone here has had experience using the Impulse with DP.

It should work with DP just fine.

I have two SL MkII´s and they are awesome with DP. Both, Automap and manual modes work flawlessly. They also control Waves quite well.

[daniel.sneed]

In my live and studio setups, Novation 25 and 49 SLMKII are fine with DP, too.

[pacificm]

All of my work with DP is done in a studio - not in a live performance. It was mentioned above using the Novation Automap software which came with my new Novation Impulse 49. I haven't read anywhere a clear reason why I would want to use Automap. DP has full functionality for recording and mixing. So, I don't understand why I would want Automap to do some of that instead of DP doing it all as I currently have it configured. But, maybe I just don't understand fully what Automap has to offer. Any explanations as to why it is good to use Automap with DP and what Automap has to offer?

Thanks!

[FMiguelez]

All of my work with DP is done in a studio - not in a live performance. It was mentioned above using the Novation Automap software which came with my new Novation Impulse 49. I haven't read anywhere a clear reason why I would want to use Automap. DP has full functionality for recording and mixing. So, I don't understand why I would want Automap to do some of that instead of DP doing it all as I currently have it configured. But, maybe I just don't understand fully what Automap has to offer. Any explanations as to why it is good to use Automap with DP and what Automap has to offer?

ALL of my work takes place in the studio and not at live performances.

With Automap, you can control much more than just DP's transport and mixer buttons (I actually don't even use it for this at all because of the bank limitations). I use it to write MIDI CC automation in DP for every parameter that my VSL library with VI Pro offers. That's 12+ parameters right there at my fingertips, plus key switches and different keyboard regions for different instruments.
So each knob and button sends a specific CC mapped to a VI Pro parameter. I customised them to my liking.

I also programmed lots of MachFive 3 parameters to the keyboard hardware, which in turn, send the corresponding MIDI CCs that DP sees as automation, so I don't need to mouse around the interface. It feels much more natural to use knobs and buttons instead of the mouse!

Same with Waves' plug-ins. You can certainly program all that yourself bypassing Automap, but the interface is much easier to use.

I'm pretty sure you can get almost any plug-in to respond to AM. I think you should try it! You'll wonder how you mixed before without it.

Find out more about it here and in the user's manual:
http://global.novationmusic.com/software/automap

[daniel.sneed]

[...]DP has full functionality for recording and mixing. So, I don't understand why I would want Automap to do some of that instead of DP doing it all as I currently have it configured. [...]

Just an example: Automap sets automatically my DP faders, tracks arming buttons, mute buttons, solo buttons, to be controlled by my Novation SL keyboard faders and buttons.
This has much sense to me in live situations, where any movement on stage is a question, but in studio I prefer to go with mouse drags and clicks.
Same apply with plugins and virtual instruments controls, which I haven't used yet, though.

[pacificm]

Thanks for your replies! It helps a lot in giving me ideas how it might be used.

[BKK-OZ]

I don't like Automap now.

When I started up DP today, it decided to re-scan all my plugs, this time with (Automap) appended at the end of their names.

Following some of the advice above, I finally got around to setting up my Novation SL to work with DP. When I started up DP today, the Automap Server was up and running when I went to start DP (must have changed something there, it isn't usually open for me).

DP hung while trying to scan Mach 5 Automap, so I closed the Automap server and told DP to skip that plug (second re-start had to mark it as invalid).

DP then went on to finish scanning (re-scanning) everything. Now I have multiples of all my plugs listed, the standard AU's (some VSTs), and now (Automaps).

Makes scanning for plugs pretty messy. Me no like Automap now.