Raven 4.0 for DP

[rnappi]

For those interested in Slate's daw controller.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JRgjPpTiz8

[James Steele]

I got an email about that this morning. That's seriously GOOD NEWS!! I had been concerned Slate might not come through for DP users.

[rnappi]

I got an email about that this morning. That's seriously GOOD NEWS!! I had been concerned Slate might not come through for DP users.

Me too. May have to finally consider it.

[James Steele]

I got an email about that this morning. That's seriously GOOD NEWS!! I had been concerned Slate might not come through for DP users.

Me too. May have to finally consider it.

Yeah... I even saw that Slate is running some rent-to-own deal where for around $100/mo for 12 months you can get one that way. I'm fairly committed at this point to my Avid S3/iPad setup, otherwise I'd be thinking it over myself right about now!

[rnappi]

Yeah... I even saw that Slate is running some rent-to-own deal where for around $100/mo for 12 months you can get one that way. I'm fairly committed at this point to my Avid S3/iPad setup, otherwise I'd be thinking it over myself right about now!

Go with what makes your life easy, life's too short. I don't know much about Raven(I still haven't watched the video). But finally after all this time, a dedicated controller specifically designed for DP is gonna definitely test my GAS. I've gone off Slate since he started pushing subscriptions but this just might bring me back.

[James Steele]

Yeah... I even saw that Slate is running some rent-to-own deal where for around $100/mo for 12 months you can get one that way. I'm fairly committed at this point to my Avid S3/iPad setup, otherwise I'd be thinking it over myself right about now!

Go with what makes your life easy, life's too short. I don't know much about Raven(I still haven't watched the video). But finally after all this time, a dedicated controller specifically designed for DP is gonna definitely test my GAS. I've gone off Slate since he started pushing subscriptions but this just might bring me back.

I'm pretty sure Michael Canavan, who frequents this site, can tell you about it. As I recall, he's a Raven user.

I almost bought a used Raven MTi 2 a year or so ago from a guy locally but nixed the idea because he wouldn't demo it. Also, didn't like being limited to standard HD (1920 by 1080) in 2024 and now 2025. My main "monitor" is a Samsung 43" 4K TV. It does have drawbacks as it's probably not as bright and crisp as a purpose-made computer display and forget about color accuracy!! That said the price was right. But a Slate Raven that is larger and 4K... that is tempting, although the way my studio desk tapers, 43" would be too big if I laid it at a flatter angle where my S3 currently is.

[Michael Canavan]

Lol good timing, I just finished typing up my thoughts. I've owned a MTi2 Raven since 2016 so a major update was great to hear about. It was up on their site on the 6th, I've had it running since the 9th. Some bugs in a 4.0 release, but nothing major. I do wish that developers spent more time talking to end users. The main thing is near gold though, the mixer is working great, I initially bought the Raven with the idea of getting rid of the Mackie Control and saving space etc. For that it's perfect.

Batch Commands are great, but they went with the normal scale in DP for them, and I would guess most of us are scaling up DP to at least 115% on 1080p systems like the original Raven much less a 2K system like the Raven Max. So recreating batch commands is needed, but honestly that was always something I did anyway. The only factory ones I used were instant telephone and reverse audio. The caveat is Batch Commands are great but if you already are using Keyboard Maestro and something like a Streamdeck or Metagrid they aren't that useful.

The other hidden gem of the Raven is touch screen capable plugins, it's just IMO much easier to create a patch or customize a patch on a virtual instrument while playing the keyboard with a finger over a mouse. Gestures that are similar to track pad gestures are super handy too, so five finger pinch closes a plugin window, two fingers left or right scrolls the timeline, three zooms etc.

I'm not a huge fan of the new transport, it's a mixed bag, in the past everything was customizable, that's mostly gone, but batch commands are now built in, and hundreds are easier to navigate and create. Threy did add in Menu item commands, so any main menu item is presented in the Batch commands without assigning a key command etc. so something like the apply MIDI plugin Menu item is assignable to a switch. Solid stuff in general. Oh and it looks a lot better, it was a mess looks wise before.

Not to totally blow smoke somewhere not savory, there are still issues, UX wise it's kind of hit or miss if it's improved, some things are a ?? but it is trying to cover a lot of ground here, with batch commands covering macro assignments of tedious tasks, it being your mixing board, it replacing the mouse for most things etc. etc. there are a few WTF?moments but overall I'm sold on them. I do think about getting another.

[rnappi]

Not to totally blow smoke somewhere not savory, there are still issues, UX wise it's kind of hit or miss if it's improved, some things are a ?? but it is trying to cover a lot of ground here, with batch commands covering macro assignments of tedious tasks, it being your mixing board, it replacing the mouse for most things etc. etc. there are a few WTF?moments but overall I'm sold on them. I do think about getting another.

This is the part that concerns me. If it's glitchy, that would be a bummer.

Great job on the description, appreciate the info.

[Michael Canavan]

Not to totally blow smoke somewhere not savory, there are still issues, UX wise it's kind of hit or miss if it's improved, some things are a ?? but it is trying to cover a lot of ground here, with batch commands covering macro assignments of tedious tasks, it being your mixing board, it replacing the mouse for most things etc. etc. there are a few WTF?moments but overall I'm sold on them. I do think about getting another.

This is the part that concerns me. If it's glitchy, that would be a bummer.

Great job on the description, appreciate the info.

It's not that it's glitchy, there are just a few choices that can be gotcha moments. The mixer faders have something called Fine Faders that make for slower movements, in the old Raven 3 the switch to turn it on is named Fine Faders and it selects all the faders etc. In 4 it's named Fader Speed, which made me think that was for the generalized speed of the faders, and I spent too much time looking for it. A similar thing with banking, it's Bank L/R 1 fader and L/R 24 Faders in the "Advanced" mixer, but in the Classic mixer Bank by 1 fader is swipe below the fader knob, there's a few other moments where it's not intuitive so you need to learn their way, I emailed with Slate about it, but in general it's intuitive.

[labman]

4.0 on DP is stunning. Especially on mtiMAX. They did a fantastic job. Only one or two bugs so far, and they are minor.

[rnappi]

4.0 on DP is stunning. Especially on mtiMAX. They did a fantastic job. Only one or two bugs so far, and they are minor.

It's not that it's glitchy...

Great to hear.

One wonders if the time has come for Slate to see value in fully supporting DP, maybe others will follow.

[Michael Canavan]

One wonders if the time has come for Slate to see value in fully supporting DP, maybe others will follow.

If you're talking about AU/VST support for their plugins I think the reality is it's going to be the same for DP as it is for Bitwig, Studio One, Reaper, Muzzys, Tracktion etc. etc. Basically any DAW that is not Cubase, Logic or Live. The only DAW developers always seem to test is Live, but it's likely the most popular DAW out there so... With the rest developers seem to fix it in an update... I think this is true even of DAWs they say they "support", they check vigorously in Cubase and Logic, then run a few tests in Ableton, then open up the plugin in other DAWs....

[mikehalloran]

[Michael Canavan]

That took a while to figure out.

Edit you fixed it.

[rnappi]

If you're talking...

I'm speaking more specifically about controllers and how those in "DP Land" have had to live with generic Makie/HUI templates since forever. I didn't expect Slate to be the one to break thru the wall, but kudos to them for putting in the work. Something convinced Mr. Slate that DP is still relevant and worth investing in. With the many admirers he has and it being a copycat industry(and world), I have a little more hope for DP's future.