Cheap and easy wireless DP remote?

[philbrown]

My drums are across the room about 20 feet from where I sit at the computer. I'd like to be able to play, rewind, record and undo from the drums with some kind of wireless remote. I don't have an iPhone, iTouch, iPad or iAnythingElse nor do I want any of that stuff. The Apple wireless keyboard would be perfect except it doesn't have a numeric keypad. I know this is probably been discussed here and I did try to search but got too many irrelevant results. I bought something to do this several years ago - a nice little wireless numeric keypad but it ended up being Windows-only.

TIA
Phil

[Dan Walsh]

I have an older Mac Wireless Keyboard. It's the white plastic one, and it has the numeric keyboard built in. Maybe you could hunt one of those down?

[Tritonemusic]

I'd like to be able to play, rewind, record and undo from the drums with some kind of wireless remote.

I have my Magic Mouse programmed to do what you describe.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Got MIDI? Not wireless, but you could run a MIDI cable to your drums and program some otherwise dumb MIDI controller to do all sorts of DP things via the Commands window. Just a thought... assuming you have a MIDI input for your computer. LOL.

[philbrown]

Good suggestions, thanks guys.

[bricker]

You could get a small MIDI controller and use that if you had a long enough cable. You could also buy a separate numeric keypad and a USB extension cord. Or, if you have two monitors, have one over by your drums (you can put a 30' DVI cable or whatever you're using) and have it mirror your main monitor, then either use wireless mouse/keyboard or (if your second monitor has USB inputs) plug them in over there.

As far as totally wireless options, the only thing that I can think of is wireless MIDI coupled with a small MIDI controller by your drums programmed to do the things you want with different keystrokes. I'd still want the extra monitor over there, though.

Take a look at this: http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/MidAir.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - It's only $119 on Amazon.

[daniel.sneed]

Yes, as Bricker said, any old MIDI controller will do.
DP Command window is your friend. So deep, I see it as one of DP's best strength.
Just a little learning curve to get used to it, but nothing you won't get thru. And then, you'll be up and running with a new device in seconds.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Yes, as Bricker said, any old MIDI controller will do.

Gee, I thought I had said that and Bricker followed. Thanks for playing.

[daniel.sneed]

Right, MLC.
I guess, I'm just following the follower!
OMG! Typing faster than reading syndrome?

[Dwetmaster]

A bit more expensive, but you can get an old macbook for a few hundreds of $. Then use share screen

[FutureLegends]

You should just get with it and get an iPhone/iPad. Not only are they great gadgets but the DP Control app is pretty much exactly what you are looking for. My studio partner was in the same situation as you, often recording himself drumming and having to run back and forth between the control room and the drums in the recording are. When I showed him the DP Control app he was amazed and now uses it all the time...
Hell, if you really want to avoid them, get a used iPod Touch and use it only as a DP remote...

[MIDI Life Crisis]

You should just get with it and get an iPhone/iPad.

"It" is an overly broad pronouncement, and not really defined the same in everyone's dictionary. Don'cha think?

I don't totally agree that 'getting with it' means running out and dropping a few hundred bucks on an iPad or paying ATT/Verizon a few more hundred bucks a year to be able to push a button.

I have an iPad and an iPhone and find a simple USB keyboard a much better solution for "across the room" DP control. The iPad/iPhone solution is more cumbersome in that you have to very precisely hit the right virtual button, where a keyboard or MIDI controller requires you to hit a physical key. This may seem minor, but I don't think it is when moving immediately to a musical instrument - sometimes in split second timing. The physical key is more "forgiving" and your brain isn't moving from the virtual iWorld and it's visual content to the real world of eye-hand coordination that most music performance involves.

Additionally, you also loose all your usual keyboard commands, such as UNDO. Yes, there is an UNDO button on the app for the iDevices, but it takes you to a dialogue, which you have to dismiss, further removing you from the 'process' of being on your instrument by asking your brain to move into the virtual realm again. Not a big deal? Multiply that times every take and recording you do and if you're a full timer, it takes a big bite out of time you could be spending refining your performance, and we are, after all, talking about a performing musician here, not an engineer, per se.

What I have set up 'across the room' is a small, first generation Apple aluminum USB keyboard. I have key COMMANDS set for RECORD, PLAY, NEW TAKE, PREVIOUS TAKE, NEXT TAKE, etc., and don't even have to think about looking at a screen (another diversion). My usual UNDO and other standard Mac OS key commands are all there. No shifting to the virtual iWorld.

FYI, as my work predominantly involves scoring to picture, I have a portable DVD player with an analogue input and send my DV stream as far as I need to (even the next room) on a simple RCA type cable, so I have what I need to refer to picture. And while timecode is printed on the picture and is usually enough, I will say that the iPhone running the DP app is good where there is no code and I want to see where I am in the timeline to prepare for hits and scene changes, etc. But to actually run DP I think the USB keyboard is the best option since that is what the user is already familiar with in terms of commands. Failing that, a MIDI device that can be programmed would be my second choice.

This only applies to when you are recording as a performer. In non-performing instances, I might prefer the iDevices but rarely am I required to mix and master away from my usual monitor/keyboard setup.

It is easy to be duped into thinking (being convinced by advertisers and converts, actually) that high tech solutions are the best. Often, they are not. They are only the most expensive and sometimes (as described above) require a new or separate level of thinking which only serves to make you want to desire that the new way gets improved so it's even better - when in fact, a simpler method may serve you better. At least in my reality, that is often the case. Simpler is better and less really is more.

Get with that!

[FutureLegends]

That was ofcourse a bit tongue-in-cheek and I should have had used a smiley after.
However, I find the iPhone/iPad to be very useful for a lot of things and thus getting a great and useful gadget that also doubles as a great DP remote is to me a no-brainer. But then again I already have an iPhone...

My experience is that some sort of visual cue is invaluable when it come to remotely controlling DP. I used to use my MacBook Pro and share the screen of my studio computer when recording myself in the vocal booth/corner. Worked pretty good but it was alway kinda tricky to place the MacBook in a good way and sometimes they lost contact and things like that. Also I had to plan ahead so I brought it to the studio. The iPhone I always have with me.

But I wireless keyboard is ofcourse really good and cheap, especially if you can turn the computer monitor so you can view it from where you are for visual cue.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

That was ofcourse a bit tongue-in-cheek and I should have had used a smiley after.

I guess I took a little offense for the o/p on thew comment, so my apologies of my response was wry - I meant it to be whole wheat... Besides, all we have to go by on this forum are words and avatars, and frankly, you're avatar scares me. Maybe it's the cigarette. What's in that cigarette, anyway?

[buzzsmith]

I do both. I meet one of the two criteria...Easy...define "cheap"!

My grand and B-3 are upstairs and everything else is downstairs.

My first solution was to run a USB extender (a little pricey)...cable run is about 35' to the piano and 50' to the Hammond.



...to a second wired Mac keyboard which works great except that I had no visual confirmation that I was actually in record.

So, when the iPhone DP app came out I installed and I now use that as my visual. Can't see the screen, of course, but I do see the red "light"!

I do all of the transport functions, undo, etc. on the actual keyboard.

My 2¢!

Buzzy

EDIT: If I had to do it all over again, I'd probably do a 2nd wireless keyboard, but, in this home/studio, I seem to have some EMF interference which might make the wireless keyboard unstable. ??