ICON Platform M+ Question

[markyboard]

Just got one of these (latest firmware) and just about everything seems to be working with no problems (V5.961 w/Win 10 64B).

The Zoom Buttons don't work however. I assume these were intended to work with the scroll wheel but I get no response from Reaper as cited by others. I attempted to re-map those buttons to send out CCs by switching the ICON from MCP mode to User Defined. I was able to remap using the ICON iMAP software and confirmed with MidiOx. However I still get no response from Reaper.

In Reaper Preferences, Control Surface Setup is set to Mackie Control with the Platform M+ selected for Midi Input and Output. But I get no response to pushing the ICON zoom buttons when configuring Reaper Actions. Admittedly I don't understand the MCU protocol but assume this is all normal. I then attempted to set up a track with the Platform+ as the track midi input, but it does not appear in the midi input list. It does show up in preferences Midi Devices "Midi Inputs to make Available" list and I have enabled the input and Control. But again it does not show up in the track inputs WHILE ALSO selected as the Control Surface Mackie Control Input.

Is this intentional?

[upside24]

Have you been happy with the Platform M+? I just won a bid on one as well as a Faderport 8 and kinda need to figure out what I'm going to do. Did you purchase a screen for yours? TIA.

[moss]

Originally Posted by markyboard

Just got one of these (latest firmware) and just about everything seems to be working with no problems (V5.961 w/Win 10 64B).

The Zoom Buttons don't work however. I assume these were intended to work with the scroll wheel but I get no response from Reaper as cited by others. I attempted to re-map those buttons to send out CCs by switching the ICON from MCP mode to User Defined. I was able to remap using the ICON iMAP software and confirmed with MidiOx. However I still get no response from Reaper.

In Reaper Preferences, Control Surface Setup is set to Mackie Control with the Platform M+ selected for Midi Input and Output. But I get no response to pushing the ICON zoom buttons when configuring Reaper Actions. Admittedly I don't understand the MCU protocol but assume this is all normal. I then attempted to set up a track with the Platform+ as the track midi input, but it does not appear in the midi input list. It does show up in preferences Midi Devices "Midi Inputs to make Available" list and I have enabled the input and Control. But again it does not show up in the track inputs WHILE ALSO selected as the Control Surface Mackie Control Input.

Is this intentional?

Take a look at DrivenByMoss 4 Reaper. This gives you better MCU support (especially for icon controllers):
http://www.mossgrabers.de/Software/Reaper/Reaper.html
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?p=1988209

[markyboard]

Originally Posted by upside24

Have you been happy with the Platform M+? I just won a bid on one as well as a Faderport 8 and kinda need to figure out what I'm going to do. Did you purchase a screen for yours? TIA.

Yes, extremely happy but note I'm on Win 10- cant speaks to other OS'. Kind of forgot about the zoom buttons as I use my PC keyboard for zoom as well as other Reaper functions that are not accommodated by the Platform M+. The matrixed approach to the faderport for pan and such would drive me nuts. I do have the display which I think is a must not knowing this at the time of purchase.

[garck]

I'm having endless problems with the Icon Platform M+ and Reaper. It worked at first, but now doesn't respond at all. I've tried Mackie Universal, Extender and the DrivenByMoss.

[helgoboss]

Originally Posted by garck

I'm having endless problems with the Icon Platform M+ and Reaper. It worked at first, but now doesn't respond at all. I've tried Mackie Universal, Extender and the DrivenByMoss.

There's also ReaLearn (which is about complete customization). But if you have issues with all of the solutions you mentioned, chances are the problem is on hardware side. Did you maybe accidentally change the mode when turning it on? MC mode is mostly the correct one and you can turn it on by switching the device on and using the 6/7 arrow buttons to make the red LED appear over the first channel (at least with the latest firmware).

[Cragster]

I use mine with CSI. You can map any buttons to any reaper actions. Total user customization . Check out the threads on CSI (Control Surface Integration)

[dronenb]

Try DrivenByMoss4REAPER or CSI. DrivenByMoss is easier to get setup but CSI is significantly more customizable.

[garck]

Originally Posted by helgoboss

There's also ReaLearn (which is about complete customization). But if you have issues with all of the solutions you mentioned, chances are the problem is on hardware side. Did you maybe accidentally change the mode when turning it on? MC mode is mostly the correct one and you can turn it on by switching the device on and using the 6/7 arrow buttons to make the red LED appear over the first channel (at least with the latest firmware).

I always have in MCP mode and it will work once in Reaper, but if I close then restart Reaper it no longer works. Also if I switch the M+ on or off it doesn't solve it. I even restart the PC, start the M+ (always MCP) then Reaper and it doesn't work.
After a lot of disabling / reenabling - unisntalling and reinstalling MCU in Preferences or reinitializing Moss it sometoimes eventuallt begins to work. But after Quitting Reaper and starting Reaper (any project) again, I get the same problem. I've also rolled back the M+ firmware, no change, and updated the firmware again. Nothing changes the problem.

[garck]

It's a real shame, because when it does work, it works brilliantly with Moss.

[moss]

Originally Posted by garck

It's a real shame, because when it does work, it works brilliantly with Moss.

Did you disable the MIDI in-/output of the M+ in the Reaper settings?

[garck]

"Note:
•Make sure that all MIDI inputs and outputs you configure in DrivenByMoss are fully disabled in the Reaper MIDI settings! Otherwise you will have strange effects!"

Most important part of the manual that I didn't read 'til 4am, because I'm stupid...

Sorry, I thought I'd managed to delete the above rant after discovering my silliness.

Thanks for your patience, Sir Moss and yes, that was the problem - and clearly I have demonstrated that I have strange effects, lol.
I will try to be less post-literate in the future.

[garck]

Just to add. The DrivenByMoss allows my M+ to do all the things it never did consistently in my previous DAW. I'm really happy and appreciative of the maker's time and effort.

[marlaslangelis]

My new iCon M+ came in the mail today.
I'm running a 1-year-old iMac with the latest version of Reaper.

What I Am Trying to Achieve:
* I run as many as 100 tracks per project, and all use 7 or 8 folders. Standardish set-up.
* I bought the M+ so that I can use a fader on each folder, with the hope that if I add tracks to a folder, I wouldn't have to reassign the fader to the new track number. If there is a way I can do this simple task (while preserving the mute and solo functions), then I will be a happy producer.

1. Lead Vox
2. Backup Vox
3. Lead Guitar
4. Rhythm Guitars
5. Synth
6. Bass
7. Misc
8. Drums

The M+ works sometimes, but I don't know how to assign the faders to different tracks, and certainly not to the different folders so that I can control the "child tracks." I find the documentation and videos not that helpful.

I tried mossgrabers' download and watched his latest video: I don't know if it's helping or hindering. It took me a while to figure out just how to get it to show up in Reaper: I'm not that computer savvy (like @garck, I'm also stupid)..
I always have a keyboard MIDI controller hooked up (Akai LPK25). It's not using mossgrabers' software, but I'm afraid of "strange effects."

Reaper has crashed several times today. It never does that. Sometimes it's when I try the 'configure' button, and then it's gone.

This controller seems really cool; maybe it could be a little smaller and cost $10. I hope it does what I need it to do. If not, I might have to return it; but it seems like a few of you in the thread are really enjoying it, and I want to be part of that list.
Thanks in advance.

[helgoboss]

In case you haven't tried it yet, there's also ReaLearn VSTi plug-in. Light-weight (no Java stuff) and tight integration into REAPER. It supports iCON Platform M+. Its focus is more on letting you completely customize what every single control element does (without programming and often just by doing MIDI learn), not so much on offering an off-the-shelf solution. However, if you simply combine the controller preset "iCON Platform M+" with the main preset "DAW control" (both available on ReaPack), you should get a typical Mackie-like DAW control setup. Which is a good starting point for further customization.

If you want to try it, make sure to follow the iCON Platform M+ section in the user guide.

"with the hope that if I add tracks to a folder, I wouldn't have to reassign the fader to the new track number" => This is one area in which ReaLearn is particularly good at because it's conceived as a performance tool. You can refer to tracks by their name or even by their internal ID, which keeps the mappings stable even if you move or insert tracks.

[marlaslangelis]

Originally Posted by helgoboss

In case you haven't tried it yet, there's also ReaLearn VSTi plug-in. Light-weight (no Java stuff) and tight integration into REAPER. It supports iCON Platform M+. Its focus is more on letting you completely customize what every single control element does (without programming and often just by doing MIDI learn), not so much on offering an off-the-shelf solution. However, if you simply combine the controller preset "iCON Platform M+" with the main preset "DAW control" (both available on ReaPack), you should get a typical Mackie-like DAW control setup. Which is a good starting point for further customization.

Hi HelgoBoss

I spent the whole day working on ReaLearn, and thankfully it didn't crash my system.

This stuff is so over my head. I've been almost to my goals all day, but I still can't get ReLearn to do what I want. I have a Reaper Template with the 8 folder-tracks I mentioned above, and each folder has 3-6 child-tracks. This is what happens when I try to add mappings:

Name: 1
Category: MIDI
Type: CC value
CC#: 104
Type-Track: Set volume
Track: By ID: 1. LEAD VOX

Result:
It works ONLY when the track is selected; other faders control track in succession (2, 3, 4, etc). Sometimes Track 1 (the intended track) moves back to 0 after changing it. Then fader 2, 3, 4 correspond with Track 2, 3, 4. That's not what I want. I want Fader 2 to work with the second Folder-Bus (in this case, Track 10 BACKUP VOX).

Name: 2
Category: MIDI
Type: CC Value
Channel: 1
CC#: 105
Type-Track: Set volume
Track: By ID: 10. BACKUP VOX

Result:
GUITARS track (track 13; Folder-Bus 4) moves, UNTIL, I select BACKUP VOX folder, and then it works.

Name: 3
Category: MIDI
Type: CC Value
Channel: 1
CC number 106
Type-Track: Set volume
Track: By ID: LEAD GUITAR

Result.
When I learn the motorized fader, Type changes to Note Velocity, and then I change it back to CC Value. When I try to learn the Reaper fader (LEAD GUITAR folder), Track 6 on M+ moves. Track 6 is NOT selected anywhere. I have no idea why Track 6 moves when I need Track 3, which is what I thought Name 3 meant. Sometimes I can get both Track 3 and 6 to move at the same time, but that's obviously not desirable.

The Master Fader works perfectly. The Mute and Solo controls work fine. The Transport works fine. The Sel button is weird when the faders seem to work strangely (like when Name 3 moves Track 6.

I feel like I've been very close to resolving the issue, but I'm not there yet. The videos I've seen are old or not helpful for my particular situation.

____

The complications I'm having are growing pains, especially for someone like me who is not so computer savvy (though making it this far must count for something). If I could have something like an ideal customization given this platform, it would be as follows:

1. To have original request granted: motorized fader control over 8 folder-buses.
2. To repurpose the 8 'pan' knobs as synth parameters: A D S R, HPF + peak, LPF + peak (8 controls).
3. To have child-tracks accessible via motorized fader when clicking a folder-track

All help is much appreciated.

[helgoboss]

In order to know what you did wrong, the easiest thing would be if you send the RPP file to info@helgoboss.org. But please without any third party plugins!

A few thoughts about what you wrote:

1. When learning the faders, you must first touch the fader and then press "Learn source" and then move the fader. Devices like this already send MIDI messages when touching the fader!

2. It almost looks as if you have set control input to <FX input> (use your iCON Platform M+ decice instead!) or enabled "Only if track is selected" or used track <Selected>. Otherwise I can't explain that things only work when the track is selected.

3. ReaLearn is one of those plug-ins where reading the user guide is required if you have a more complex scenario and don't want to use "trial and error".

4. From your text I can't know which presets you chose as starting point. The "DAW control" main preset is a very advanced preset so it could do things which are hard to understand if you are not familiar with ReaLearn's features.

5. I have no idea what "Name 3" means.

... So best send the RPP and go more in detail about the ideal customization that you desire. Based on these 2 things I might be able to build a minimal starting point preset.

[garck]

Originally Posted by marlaslangelis

My new iCon M+ came in the mail today.
I'm running a 1-year-old iMac with the latest version of Reaper.

What I Am Trying to Achieve:
* I run as many as 100 tracks per project, and all use 7 or 8 folders. Standardish set-up.
* I bought the M+ so that I can use a fader on each folder, with the hope that if I add tracks to a folder, I wouldn't have to reassign the fader to the new track number. If there is a way I can do this simple task (while preserving the mute and solo functions), then I will be a happy producer.

1. Lead Vox
2. Backup Vox
3. Lead Guitar
4. Rhythm Guitars
5. Synth
6. Bass
7. Misc
8. Drums

The M+ works sometimes, but I don't know how to assign the faders to different tracks, and certainly not to the different folders so that I can control the "child tracks." I find the documentation and videos not that helpful.

I tried mossgrabers' download and watched his latest video: I don't know if it's helping or hindering. It took me a while to figure out just how to get it to show up in Reaper: I'm not that computer savvy (like @garck, I'm also stupid)..
I always have a keyboard MIDI controller hooked up (Akai LPK25). It's not using mossgrabers' software, but I'm afraid of "strange effects."

Reaper has crashed several times today. It never does that. Sometimes it's when I try the 'configure' button, and then it's gone.

This controller seems really cool; maybe it could be a little smaller and cost $10. I hope it does what I need it to do. If not, I might have to return it; but it seems like a few of you in the thread are really enjoying it, and I want to be part of that list.
Thanks in advance.

Hi there.


I don't know if it's of any help, but I use Group busses rather than fodler tracks. I find folder tracks too restrictive, whereas group busses (best assigned via the Router Matrix - I love the Router Matrix) can be moved anywhere in the track list so there's no need to manually try to assign things via CC messages.


I put my groups at the right hand side of the Mixer view & I try to make sure I have exactly 8 so that they fill the channels on the M+. I just use Moss's MCU Config with some parameters changed and it works great. My only problem has been the zoom mode constantly reseting to off when I start up Reaper from scratch. But as Moss said to me, it seems to be a bug in the M+ drivers rather than anything wrong with Moss' excellent program.


Another thing that helps is to always have your total # of tracks / channels as multiples of 8, so that the bank selection is always full. Hard to describe all this without images.

[marlaslangelis]

Hi Helgoboss

I was about to write with an update on one of the instructions I wish I had paid more attention to: namely, "5. Create a new REAPER project or open an existing one." I had previously used the one that was opened. Opening a new/existing project allowed me to find the iCON Platform M+ controller preset (I'm writing this for other people who might be stuck there).

Reading your new message before I started writing this one, your first instruction in the message above was very helpful:

1. When learning faders, you first touch the fader and then press "Learn source" and then move the fader.

This is a more detailed instruction than what I see written (though I wouldn't doubt if it's written elsewhere in the document that I missed). Namely:

11. Press "Learn source" and move a control element on your MIDI controller.

I was pressing "Learn source" and the moving the fader.

Once I took your advice in the post above, I was able to get my faders to work the way I wanted them to. But now some of the other functions are not working properly.

+

There is a previous instruction that I'm more ambiguous about. This has to do with the M+ preset under section 9.

9. If you have downloaded a controller preset:
* Switch to "Controller compartment" and select the desired preset right next to it.
* Select your controlled MIDI device as Control input and Feedback output...
* When you are done, switch back to the "Main compartment."

It's this last instruction, "When you are done." Done with what? When I choose M+ it populates several functions starting with the jog wheel. What am I supposed to do to be 'done'? I see an option to Save As for the controller preset and an option to Add or Edit Mapping Group, but those aren't things I'm told to do here.
After seeing the control function for M+, I switch to Main Compartment (for the real mappings) and then all of those M+ mappings are gone.
I "Add one", as your instructions say, and finished all 9 faders, but now none of those other options are available. How do I get the Controller Compartment Preset to the Main Compartment Preset?

This was written yesterday.
More Progress

I thought I had figured things out. I learned how to assign the faders where I wanted. But now Select, Mute, and Solo functions turn on when pressed down, and off when I lift my finger.

I have not tried the pan knobs, jog wheel, channel, banks, or read and write buttons.

Although I tried an arm/disarm function, it also turned off when lifting the finger. I don't need this feature now because I mainly want to use the M+ to control the folders, but maybe when I get the hang of ReaLearn I can use the M+ to control the contents of each folder; then the arm/disarm function and panning would be useful.

Thanks for helping out.

(Also, I wish the Play/Pause functioned worked better with the Play button)

[marlaslangelis]

Eureka! Or at least some small victories.

I discovered the TOGGLE feature on the bottom left! This allows me to use mute/unmute, solo/unsolo, and even play/pause as useable features with the M+!

As should be obvious by now, ReaLearn is not-so-intuitive for someone like me, and I love reading and instructions and all that stuff. But it IS a very powerful tool. I don't know that I would ever get the hang of it, since I tend to be a set-it-and-forget-it person.
On the other hand, since every project is different, I'm sure I will have to constantly tweak something, so maybe there's hope for me to learn ReaLearn.

So now I have all the faders working on my folders, all the mute/unmute, solo/unsolo, sel/de-sel, features, and most of the basic transport features. I haven't dealt with Read and Write functions because I've never used them, but then, maybe I should learn.

I'll still need to figure how to use the jog wheel, because even though I'm perfectly happy using the track pad and 's' function for splitting audio, it might be nice to use the job wheel and its button for the 's' function. Zoom functions would be cool, too, since sometimes the track pad zooms strangely, especially in Melodyne.

Next Goals
1. I want to see if I can use the SEL function to simultaneously select the track and widen its folders: by widen, I mean the triangles that expand and collapse the folders. Simply selecting a folder isn't that exciting to me, but if I can expand and collapse the folder with a button, that would be super useful and save some time.

2. I want to be able to use the faders for subfolders and 'child-tracks.' Then I would be able to use the arm/disarm function and pan functions, since arming a folder defeats the purpose, and the majority of my panning is done in the 'child-tracks.' Maybe this can be done with the Chan and Bank controls, which I otherwise have no use for.


I'm getting much closer to getting the hang of ReaLearn; it's not that straight-forward; but that's also part of the price to pay for ultra-customization.

[marlaslangelis]

Selecting Tracks

I now have the Sel functions working on M+. I can select multiple channels at once using this method. However, it's not very useful.

What would be useful is if when I push Sel, Reaper automatically scrolls to that part of the track on the window.
There is a function that does this from Reaper's mixer. It's called "Scroll view when track activated." When you select a track from the Reaper mixer, it automatically scrolls in the window.

See 3:40 in Kenny's ReaperMania video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVkwXKbeEaA

If I could get the Sel button to behave the way it does when I click on a track to select it -- and then scroll to the track -- it would make that button useful to me.

Thanks for any and all help.

[marlaslangelis]

Originally Posted by marlaslangelis

Selecting Tracks

I now have the Sel functions working on M+. I can select multiple channels at once using this method. However, it's not very useful.

What would be useful is if when I push Sel, Reaper automatically scrolls to that part of the track on the window.
There is a function that does this from Reaper's mixer. It's called "Scroll view when track activated." When you select a track from the Reaper mixer, it automatically scrolls in the window.

See 3:40 in Kenny's ReaperMania video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVkwXKbeEaA

If I could get the Sel button to behave the way it does when I click on a track to select it -- and then scroll to the track -- it would make that button useful to me.

Thanks for any and all help.

I figured it out! One must toggle the check-boxes for Scroll TCP and Scroll Mixer!

(I hope my updates are helping some future person)