Hi,
I’m setting up control of n-track from a couple of control surfaces. I’m using a Korg Nanokontroller and a Tascam FireOne.
I can configure the control surfaces for transport control (play, rec, ffd, rew), soloing tracks & setting volume levels (individual tracks & master volume). So I know that my midi set-ups are working & I understand the n-track configuration (Settings-Midi Faders…)
Adding this external control is great. The NanoKontroller was really cheap but having those sliders & knobs makes these sessions with n-track much smoother. Also, the jog-wheel on the FireOne is way cool…
I have just one problem. I’d like to use buttons on the NanoKontroller to Arm different tracks for recording. There is an ‘Arm Recording’ action available, but I can’t get it to work. My midi events are recognised by the ‘learn’ feature & I’ve selected the track number that I want to control. I was hoping that the midi event would trigger the ‘enable/disable recording the track’ (like right clicking on the track indicator next to the ‘monitor live input’)
I’d be interested to hear comments fom other users who have got this to work. I’ve been scratching my head for a few hours…
-Andy
PS: I don’t intend to use both surfaces at one. I just wanted to illustrate that I’m hitting the same problem with both setups.
This is bug I think, however it presents certain challenges in setting it to midi, First of all, the arming will require you either set left or right or stereo, so it just can’t set the arming without having to select one of those 3 options. These options will vary from ASIO, WMA, mme, ect ect drivers.
The option to set a default, which is not present would allow the arming to take place however this is no good if your planning on recording a stereo track, (thats 2 tracks). If a default could be set, then it would be for a single stereo track. (Not robust enough)
There is a way to get your controller to respond so you can pick what you want from a controller, but it will require at least one input from your mouse to allow a starting point for the controller to move from there.
It’s Bomes midi translator,$$ and will allow you to assign keystrokes so it’s possible to get your control surface to work.
What is required is a more robust approach to the arming using a midi control surface like adding a number to each type of arming. Then when selecting the Arming mode you can select the prefix 1,2,3 to correspond with the type of arming you require.
I suggest you file a bug report on bugzilla and include a feature request to update and enhance the Midi feature for track arming in N-Track.
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As an example of how it might work,
In this case using the SB Audigy4 pro
For example, track one, “Arm Recording” select “learn”
then select “learn” for option 1,
then select “learn” for option 2,
then select “learn” for option 3,
The option would correspond to
1, SB Audigy 4 [8C00]1
2, SB Audigy 4 [8C00]2
3, SB Audigy 4 [8C00]2 / SB Audigy 4 [8C00]2 - Stereo
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If you wish to copy and paste any of this information for a feature request/bug report to Flavio, please be my guest.
Links to bugzilla can be found here.
http://forum.ntrack.com/cgi-bin/ikonforum/index.cgi?act=ST;f=1;t=7901
If you not going to file a bug report or feature request please let me now.
PACO
Hi,
I’ve been considering how this could work. It appears that there could be a bug since the ‘Arm recording’ action doesn’t have an affect. It’s highlighted further issues about how it could be used. Paco has made some very valid points about the implementation.
IMHO, it would be best to have a default setting or similar. I’m trying to Arm tracks using the control surface (for recording or punch-in) since I’m doing this many times during a recording session. I’m creating tracks only once & I’d use the keyboard/mouse to do that.
My dream solution would be…
Create an audio track with ‘add channel’ - 'add new black track ’ -'audio’
Click with the mouse on the track’s red button (‘Enable/disable recording the track’)
- Pop-up shows the type of track. For me that’s…
Sound mapper: stereo
Sound mapper: Left channel
Sound mapper: Right channel
- Then I can select which type of track that this is going to be. For example.
X
Sound mapper: stereo
Sound mapper: Left channel
Sound mapper: Right channel
This setting could then be ‘sticky’ so the channel selection isn’t affected by the ‘Un-arm Track’ in the pop-up. And the pop-up would be suppressed when I arm/un-arm the track.
Aarggh! This is really hard to describe in text…
I have n-track open with the Demo Song as I’m writing this. I’ve noticed something weird. I can arm track 1 just fine with the mouse when I click on the red button. Track 1 is the n-Track drums in the Demo song. I arm the track with a mouse click on the red button. I ‘un-arm’ the track with another mouse click. But the audio tracks are different. I get the pop-up menu every time that I arm an audio track.
My setup is very simple since I’m recording one track at a time (guitar in mono or keyboard in stereo), but other folks have much more complex setups. This improvement suggestion would affect how n-track functions could annoy more people than it could help 
In summary…it’s tricky & I need to go and drink tea and think about it…
-Andy
PS: Paco. I get the logic in your proposal. So the Arm recording action could specify the recording type (ie Arm 2.1 = Stereo in track 2, Arm 3.2 = Left Channel on track 3…) Maybe there could be an extra field in the Midi Control-Action setting for this. There are a couple of fields ‘grayed out’ at the bottom of the screen already. First field could be for ‘Track to select’ and next field could be Track Type (1 = Stereo, 2 = Left, 3 = Right)