Recording - June 2017 - 51

FaderPort 8 and Studio One

The FaderPort 8 has very tight integration with PreSonus Studio One DAW thanks to a
Native mode that lives alongside the HUI and Mackie Control modes. While any of these
protocols can result in a very usable control surface, Native mode for Studio One makes
everything just work, immediately and automatically. Even the stock Studio One plug-ins are
already set up for tweaking via the faders of the FaderPort 8 the first time you use it, and the
Link function lets you hover the mouse over parameters and tweak them without the clicking
needed in other DAWs.
The FaderPort 8's Studio One workflow relies heavily on the faders for editing normal levels,
pans, plug-in parameters, or aux sends. This puts me more in touch with the feel of the music
inside Studio One. I often find myself adjusting faders with my eyes closed, so I can more
intensely listen to whatever I'm adjusting, often multiple parameters playing off one another. If
you use Studio One, the Faderport 8 is a must. If you don't, it comes with Studio One Artist so
you can try it for yourself.-James Lindenschmidt

movement vs. the jagged clicking that
I've experienced on many less expensive
units. Faders can be selected and scrolled
through by track or by banks of eight, all
with handy labeling, level, and panning
info on the scribble strips as selected.
If I simply stopped my review here I would
be quite pleased with the FaderPort 8. It
reminded me of how much I enjoy dialing in
my mixes by hand vs. mousing around! Still,
there's more; digging into the other buttons
reveals some great additional features, as
well as some things Studio One can do with
the FaderPort 8 that other DAWs can't (I'm
jealous). In the case of Cubase, certain

features are still forthcoming in future firmware updates, such as automation mode
buttons and assignable shift/user buttons.
Having said that, I found some nice
additional workflow enhancements. In
Cubase 9, Zoom not only controls horizontal
zooming of your tracks, but also the mixer
width as well. The button labeled Click drops
markers, and I really liked that I could use
the faders to control the effects send levels
on each channel. The manual's a free
download and is worth reading for details
on what to expect with your own DAW.
Speaking of effects, the Steinberg
CC121 has a control called the AI knob

that can control most plug-in parameters by
simply hovering over them. This feature is
indispensible to me, but to do this on the
FaderPort 8 in Cubase you need to be able
to click on and highlight the parameter/
control in the plug-in. This worked great
with plug-ins by Waves, but didn't work at
all with Universal Audio plug-ins.

Conclusions

Overall I was really pleased with my
FaderPort8 experience. It does most of
what I'd like it to do in Cubase, and its
faders are smooth, accurate, and don't
feel cheap or jumpy.
Aside from the plug-in issue I mentioned,
my only other issues are with the LCD
screens, which are slightly cramped and
dated-looking but work fine with shorter track
names, and with that pan knob, which still
drives me crazy after all these years. I'd prefer a regular pot or a smooth (non-stepped)
encoder. Interestingly, the larger dial doesn't
bother me because it serves different functions
that are fine with the stepped design.
Either way I predict the FaderPort 8 will
be a very popular unit. Its size, build, and
feel stomp much of the competition in its
price category, especially as a controller
for Studio One.

http://www.transaudiogroup.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - June 2017