Faderport 16 - works in Reaper?

[tpulse]

Regarding FP16 and CSI: How does it work today ?? i mean how integrated is FP16 -Csi mode with reaper now??
Is it as good as the integration FP16 has with S1 ?

I use FP8 with the MCU standard mode, also added some custom shortcuts to some of the buttons.
I can only see the tracknames, numbers, pan on scribble strips.
/Pekka

[Matthijs]

Same question here. Bought the Faderport 8 today. Dying to get it to work flawless with Reaper...

[airon]

Posting a thread just for CSI builds. I'll post my files there too.

-edit-

Find the thread here in the same forum section.

https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=240162

[Drumstruck]

fwiw the instructions in this thread almost work for the SSL Nucleus2 as well.

A few changes to IPMidi numbering (1-6 instead of the default 0-5) gets a lot cleaner functionality.

Good work Airon - ty

[Digitalcash]

Hi guys,
Strugling for some time to make this working at least decent.
I am trying to use this Faderport 16 version with Reaper but it seems the best I can get is just 8 channels working (volume, pan, solo, mute). In midi mode all works as mapped by desire. I run the unit in Control MCU Logic. Reaper version 6.21, control surface settings are:
- control surface mode Mackie Control Universal
- MIDI input - PreSonus FP16
- MIDI output - PreSonus FP16
- surface offset 0
- size tweak 9
- all the checkboxes are unchecked

Am I doing anything wrong? In mixer mode only first 8 channels (groups) can be selected at a time and the 9-16 channels are ”dead”. If I select MIDIOUT2 (Presonus FP16) as input/output then channels 9-16 are active and first 8 channels cannot be used.

If anyone had succesfully managed to use all 16 channels in mixer mode please let me know the correct settings and/or version of the software(s)

[Funkybot]

Originally Posted by Digitalcash

Hi guys,
Strugling for some time to make this working at least decent.
I am trying to use this Faderport 16 version with Reaper but it seems the best I can get is just 8 channels working (volume, pan, solo, mute). In midi mode all works as mapped by desire. I run the unit in Control MCU Logic. Reaper version 6.21, control surface settings are:
- control surface mode Mackie Control Universal
- MIDI input - PreSonus FP16
- MIDI output - PreSonus FP16
- surface offset 0
- size tweak 9
- all the checkboxes are unchecked

Am I doing anything wrong? In mixer mode only first 8 channels (groups) can be selected at a time and the 9-16 channels are ”dead”. If I select MIDIOUT2 (Presonus FP16) as input/output then channels 9-16 are active and first 8 channels cannot be used.

If anyone had succesfully managed to use all 16 channels in mixer mode please let me know the correct settings and/or version of the software(s)

Have you considered giving CSI a go and using Studio One mode along with Airon's CSI files for the FP16?

[db9091]

Hi Forum Folks,

I'm considering FP16 (I assume V2 when bought from Sweetwater?) for motorized fader functionality with Mac and Reaper.

I would like faders, track info, panning, mute, solo, record arming, plus transport to work.

Is this asking too much of this controller this month, this year?
Trying to decide if its worth the Cost and lost Desktop Space.

I have an XTouchPro currently.

Looking for Update on User Experience who have Macs only. If you use Windows, please state that so I know it doesn't apply. Very hard reading this thread knowing who uses what OS.

[Mavriq]

Originally Posted by db9091

Looking for Update on User Experience who have Macs only. If you use Windows, please state that so I know it doesn't apply. Very hard reading this thread knowing who uses what OS.

The CSI project for Reaper supports the FP16. The main developer does so on a mac, so it works on that platform, and yes it supports everything you stated including the displays.

[inertia]

Originally Posted by db9091

Hi Forum Folks,

I'm considering FP16 (I assume V2 when bought from Sweetwater?) for motorized fader functionality with Mac and Reaper.

I would like faders, track info, panning, mute, solo, record arming, plus transport to work.

Is this asking too much of this controller this month, this year?
Trying to decide if its worth the Cost and lost Desktop Space.

I have an XTouchPro currently.

Looking for Update on User Experience who have Macs only. If you use Windows, please state that so I know it doesn't apply. Very hard reading this thread knowing who uses what OS.

I have two Faderports (16 and an 8) and use them with Reaper. However, I wrote my own driver to set them up exactly how I wanted them for my work flow.

The Faderports are configurable with CSI but I think you will hit limitations because many of the buttons outside the common stuff like mute/solo/select etc are designed to work with Studio One. You will find buttons like "bus, midi, vca" etc kind of useless or have to be assigned to custom actions that don't do what the text says on the button.

In my custom driver, pressing a button like "bus" shows me only my dedicated bus tracks. I do this because I can prefix the tracks names and mark them as a bus. In S1, of course, bus tracks are not normal tracks like in Reaper.

I honestly kind of regret investing so much money in these controllers. I still use the mouse more than ever and once I have my levels set I am always using the mouse to slightly adjust the volume of the tracks anyway.

The Faderports looks cool in my studio and are nice toys but they do not increase my workflow as I had hoped. Navigation with the nav wheel and zoom/scroll barely works so I am always using the mouse and keyboard anyway.

There is also a flaw in the automation when arming several tracks in that the automation data becomes really choppy. Don't think this is fixed yet in any firmware update.

[Mavriq]

Originally Posted by inertia

The Faderports are configurable with CSI but I think you will hit limitations because many of the buttons outside the common stuff like mute/solo/select etc are designed to work with Studio One. You will find buttons like "bus, midi, vca" etc kind of useless or have to be assigned to custom actions that don't do what the text says on the button.

In my custom driver, pressing a button like "bus" shows me only my dedicated bus tracks. I do this because I can prefix the tracks names and mark them as a bus. In S1, of course, bus tracks are not normal tracks like in Reaper.

You could set the bus button to call a script in CSI which could do the custom showing of tracks. CSI would then automatically "take over" the shown tracks. Then you would have all the features of CSI in addition to the custom actions.

[inertia]

Originally Posted by gvanbrunt

You could set the bus button to call a script in CSI which could do the custom showing of tracks. CSI would then automatically "take over" the shown tracks. Then you would have all the features of CSI in addition to the custom actions.

That's interesting! Might be worth looking into!

[inertia]

Originally Posted by gvanbrunt

You could set the bus button to call a script in CSI which could do the custom showing of tracks. CSI would then automatically "take over" the shown tracks. Then you would have all the features of CSI in addition to the custom actions.

Do you have any suggestion how I can implement this in Reascript and what API calls to use? The CSI follows the TCP or Mixer so I am unsure how to use a script to override this. I want to avoid hiding or manipulating anything visually for it to be mirrored to the Faderport.

[Mavriq]

Originally Posted by inertia

Do you have any suggestion how I can implement this in Reascript and what API calls to use? The CSI follows the TCP or Mixer so I am unsure how to use a script to override this. I want to avoid hiding or manipulating anything visually for it to be mirrored to the Faderport.

Do you mean how to show/hide a track? You are aware that the Reascript api is identical to C++? So all the functions are the same. You would have to make changes for the language used though.

[inertia]

Originally Posted by gvanbrunt

Do you mean how to show/hide a track? You are aware that the Reascript api is identical to C++? So all the functions are the same. You would have to make changes for the language used though.

Yes, I aware the API is the same. I just have little experience of Reascript and how I would achieve this.

It's been 2 years since I made this driver so I will explain a little off the top of my head as I don't have the code in front of me.

In my Faderport driver, I create a virtual table of pointers to the tracks of interest. This mirrors the TCP view by using the GetTrack function or something similar. To make a "bus track" I prefix the track name in the TCP with "B-".

When I press the Bus button, only the tracks with "B-" are saved in the virtual table. This doesn't hide/show tracks in the TCP or the Mixer view on screen - which is the behaviour I want. The effect is that on my second Faderport, I get only my bus tracks shown on the unit while my other Faderport continues to show the TCP track view without the B- prefix tracks.

Can I do a similar thing in Reascript? How will the CSI know which tracks to show/hide when it follows either the TCP view or the Mixer view? I don't want the tracks to be hidden from view on the screen. Is there some other way to achieve what I want?

[Mavriq]

Originally Posted by inertia

Can I do a similar thing in Reascript? How will the CSI know which tracks to show/hide when it follows either the TCP view or the Mixer view? I don't want the tracks to be hidden from view on the screen. Is there some other way to achieve what I want?

Ah, now I see what you want to do. Unfortunately that is the opposite of how CSI works. It is "stateless" and follows what Reaper has showing/selected etc. There isn't a function that works exactly as you want.



There is something similar, called VCA spill. Reaper doesn't have buses as it doesn't really need them. It has folders, Grouping and VCAs. You might want to look at replacing the buses with VCAs, then CSI does do what you are asking I believe. You also would not have to name the tracks anything special.

[inertia]

Originally Posted by gvanbrunt

Ah, now I see what you want to do. Unfortunately that is the opposite of how CSI works. It is "stateless" and follows what Reaper has showing/selected etc. There isn't a function that works exactly as you want.



There is something similar, called VCA spill. Reaper doesn't have buses as it doesn't really need them. It has folders, Grouping and VCAs. You might want to look at replacing the buses with VCAs, then CSI does do what you are asking I believe. You also would not have to name the tracks anything special.

I know Reaper doesn't have dedicated busses. It's just a term I used to explain my work flow.

VCAs just seem so damn fussy compared to routing out everything to a "bus" track.

I like things simple, so I make a few "bus" tracks at the top of my project. Drums, Drum Crush, Vocals, FX, Room, Guitars, etc and just send my main groups to these auxilary tracks. I can then adjust these in one of my mixers when I need to instead of scroll through a 50 track project looking for the group/folder track.

[Geoff Waddington]

Originally Posted by inertia

I know Reaper doesn't have dedicated busses. It's just a term I used to explain my work flow.

VCAs just seem so damn fussy compared to routing out everything to a "bus" track.

I like things simple, so I make a few "bus" tracks at the top of my project. Drums, Drum Crush, Vocals, FX, Room, Guitars, etc and just send my main groups to these auxilary tracks. I can then adjust these in one of my mixers when I need to instead of scroll through a 50 track project looking for the group/folder track.

If you don't need fx on the bus, I highly recommend VCAs as @gvanbrunt said.

[inertia]

Originally Posted by Geoff Waddington

If you don't need fx on the bus, I highly recommend VCAs as @gvanbrunt said.

I usually put a console emulation/tape fx on them but technically I don't need to do this.

[airon]

Originally Posted by db9091

Hi Forum Folks,

I'm considering FP16 (I assume V2 when bought from Sweetwater?) for motorized fader functionality with Mac and Reaper.

I would like faders, track info, panning, mute, solo, record arming, plus transport to work.

Is this asking too much of this controller this month, this year?
Trying to decide if its worth the Cost and lost Desktop Space.

I have an XTouchPro currently.

Looking for Update on User Experience who have Macs only. If you use Windows, please state that so I know it doesn't apply. Very hard reading this thread knowing who uses what OS.

As CSI works on a Mac, my simplistic setup may be a good starting point for you. I use a Faderport 16, on Windows but CSI is actually available for both, and the config stuff is just a bunch of text files.

I use the Faderport 16 in Studio One mode. The basic rules of CSI are the only hurdle you'll face. The rest is figuring out how you want to work.

CSI uses surface definition files that end in .mst to give all the stuff the control surface sends names and then define what kind of stuff to send back to the surface, such as where the fader is or what to display on the little screens. That thing lives in the "Surfaces" folder.

The zones use all the stuff you defined in the .mst file to control actual functions in Reaper. Each zone has its own file. It doesn't matter what the zone file is named, but what the zone itself is called that you define in the file(which is a text file). Those files end .zon and live in the Zones / some-directory-named-after-the-surface-and-function

When you configure CSI you put setups together by picking surfaces files and pair them with a zone folder. You can have as much gear there as you wish and can switch setups too. That's the reason hardware and what to do with it is split up.

My setup has the following.

• Working transport. Most of the 4x2 block of keys above it are not in use but you can customize it all to anything you want anyway.
• Volume, Mute, Solo and Select for 16 tracks at a time. Bankable via the Prev and Next keys around the big knob.
  
  SHIFT + Fader controls the first pan (see below for modifiers SHIFT,ALT and CONTROL)
  ALT + Fader controls the second pan
  The second pan can be the width or the pan of the second channel on the track. Depends on the panning mode the track is using.
  
  
• ARM key arms and disarms selected tracks. You can easily change that.
  
  
• Three modifiers defined for more combos
  • SHIFT - Right Shift key
  • CONTROL - Left Shift key
  • ALT - Master key above transport section
  
  
• Selecting tracks can be exclusive(single press), single adding via ALT+Select buttons, range selection via SHIFT+Select key. Select the first, then SHIFT+select the end of the range of tracks you select
  
  
• TRACK (top of button column to the right of faders) - Goes to the home zone where faders control volume and so on. It's the default.
  
  
• EDIT PLUGINS (below TRACK) - Put faders in control of the parameters of the focused plugin window, IF there's a map for it.
  
  
• SEND - The sends of the selected track are mapped on to the faders. Has its own Zone for details. FP16s1_SelectedTrackSend.zon
  
  
• SHIFT + SEND - The receives of the selected track are mapped on to the faders. FP16s1_SelectedTrackReceive.zon
  
  
• Pan - Shows the first send slot of every track. The zone file FP16s1_TrackSendSlot.zon has some more stuff.
  
  
• Some buttons deal with VCASpill stuff, and it mostly uses scripts from the standard ReaPack ReaTeam repo that you get when you fist sync up the ReaPack installation, which is an extension to install and update a huge bunch of useful scripts and extensions. You can clear that out and put in your own there.
  
  For example from the FP16s1_Buttons.zon file (the "//" characters comment out the rest of the line):
  

  Bypass  Reaper "_RS34e6846e33225e807f8fc2a9e27244d887002099" { 10 2 2 60 60  20  }
  // Show Followers of selected VCA Leader

  Bypass is the button, as defined in the .mst file. The "Reaper" command means you're going to trigger a Reaper action. The long 'id' string after that refers to a script and need to be redone for every user, since they're different on every system. Makes this stuff less portable unfortunately.
  
  Anytime you use scripts, it's necessary to copy the action id from the action list and use that in your zone file, so you can trigger them with a button(or whatever else) in CSI.
  
  I do recommend you change anything to your likeing. This is just a starting point.
  

[Mavriq]

Originally Posted by inertia

I usually put a console emulation/tape fx on them but technically I don't need to do this.

The reason I point it out is that you are trying to make reaper work like another piece of software. There are pros and cons of each software's' approach, but if you work with Reaper instead of against it, you might find many doors open. Hope that didn't sound too preachy that wasn't my intention.

[inertia]

Originally Posted by gvanbrunt

The reason I point it out is that you are trying to make reaper work like another piece of software. There are pros and cons of each software's' approach, but if you work with Reaper instead of against it, you might find many doors open. Hope that didn't sound too preachy that wasn't my intention.

I think you are misunderstanding me and it sounds like you think I am trying to make Reaper into Mixbus. This isn't my aim at all.

Reaper is flexible and customisable which is exactly how I use it. I don't see that my mixing template is working against Reaper. Reaper has tracks and sends. That's exactly what I am doing. The doors opened back in 2013 when I moved to Reaper from Cubase and could use a DAW the way I want to use a DAW that suits my work flow.

I slightly regret investing in these controllers though. They look cool on the desk and are fun to play with and it's fun using the volume faders to get a quick balance done, but I still end up using the mouse 95% of the time.

[airon]

Trying to reduce my reliance on the mouse is my goal too.

I might put some 'show group tracks' toggles on some of my buttons. I really liked that about the group stuff on the DaVinci Resolve mixing controller. All you need is some midi buttons.

Maybe a Midifighter 3d, or that thing Icon put out a while back. Not bad and a good form factor. Not sure you can colour every button though. Geoff already did a decent support effort for the Novation Launchpad Mini mk3. Nice little unit you can put everywhere.

I use a 3D and am preparing to use the little Launchpad. CSI is just a bitch and a half to setup, as you cobble together action ids. Really wish that was simpler, which is what some folks are pushing in the main CSI thread right now. A fast 'learn' function to setup zones.