Recording - August 2019 - 51

controllers. The concept remains the same:
two-way communication with controllers,
provided as automatically as possible,
with a bare minimum of fuss. Once you
select a controller within your DAW and
choose the connection that it will communicate through, the match is created.
Our least expensive option, the MIDIbased controller, will typically require
the most setup. Some DAWs, such as
Ableton Live, have a number of scripts
that redefine generic devices to address
software-specific functions. If you want the
ultimate custom setup, use MIDI mapping
to manually link specific controls to mixing
and processing functions.
You'll definitely need to get friendly with
your DAW's MIDI mapping utilities. In some
cases, there will be a dialog to assist you
in manually pairing specific MIDI CC (Continuous Controller) messages with DAW editing functions. You might be able to hit a
DAW 'learn' button, touch a MIDI controller
(such as a knob or fader), and automatically establish your connection that way. Once
you define your MIDI map, save your project as a default template for future sessions!

Operations
Now that your controller is up and running, you need to make it do something!
When I use a controller, I work in two stages: initial setup, and recorded automation.
Initial setup means managing basic settings
for levels, panning, plugin settings, and overall DAW interaction. It's a satisfying way to
work. I can monitor changes in real time
and get important feedback on the status of
my project. It's almost like working with a
regular mixing desk, and of course my settings always get saved with the project.

Initial Setup
This initially feels magical, but it eventually
becomes completely natural. Hands, eyes,
and brain become tightly connected-you
will almost immediately become more connected to your mix. There are two areas
where you might get snagged up a bit at
first though: channel selection, and control
management. Channel selection is pretty
easy to understand. Whether you're using
a MIDI, motorized or virtual controller, the
number of channels on the controller will be
limited by the device and will probably be
much smaller than the number of channels
you are actually using in your project. As
a result, you will need to move around the
'virtual' canvas of your DAW with the

Channel Selection Display
'physical' device in your
hands. A 120-channel
session addressed by an
8-channel controller presents a real workflow issue.
We must move quickly between many channels, and
it's easy to get lost in there!
These problems can
be addressed via DAW
workflow, by grouping,
hiding, or folding channels
into subgroups, allowing
you to focus on one set of
A Controller's 'Virtual' Context Switch
channels at a time without
being bothered by the
presence of all the others. Thus, moving
controllers allow for context switching-
left and right through the channels can
reconfiguring controllers on the fly to exproceed much more swiftly than stepping
pand their usefulness. On the other hand,
channel-by-channel (or page-by-page)
touch-based devices can have as many
through the whole session.
controls as the software needs; you'll have
Smart organization of your session layto scroll around the interface in order to
out is important. Take a close look at your
see them, but this will already be second
working style. Do you tend to work obnature for touch surface users.
sessively on drum mixes? Make sure your
The methods that you settle on to efdrum tracks are clustered together, and
ficiently manage large projects will ultiplace them in an order that works for your
mately depend on the software that you
hands. Even if you have more drum tracks
use. Getting to know your DAW is super
than controller channels, you can gain effiimportant-spending time with the manciency by placing the kick, snare and hi-hat
ual and watching training videos and
together (I think of these as the 'core' drum
tutorials will pay massive dividends.
tracks), and then group the toms, cymbals
In the middle ground-motorized
and room mics in a second collection
systems and semi-virtual systems such
(which I think of as the 'accent' tracks).
as Ableton Push, we are provided
You may eventually run out of physical
with a finite number of assignable
knobs for things like effect and monitor
controls. Fortunately for us, we can resends, pan controls, and EQ controls.
assign these controls on the fly, which of
These per-channel knobs will require
course makes them infinitely more flexsome management to handle more comible. If you've chosen this type of conplex mixing layouts. More advanced MIDI
troller, think of it as an instrument, and
RECORDING August 2019

Recording - August 2019

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