Author Topic: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini  (Read 54452 times)

Offline azslow3

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[azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« on: July 28, 2017, 10:23:09 AM »
Note: AZ Controller v0.5.r5b381 or later is required to use this preset

Requirements
1. Download and install the latest AZ Controller (http://www.azslow.com/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=28)
2. Put X-Touch Mini into Mackie (MC) mode. Use Behringer editor for that, once switched you should see MC LED lit on the device. Also change "Global channel" to "2". Alternatively connect Mini to computer while "MC" button is pressed.
3. Install attached preset using Cakewalk Plug-in Manager
4. In Sonar Preferences, Control Surfaces check that AZ Controller MIDI input and output are set correctly to Mini.
5. Select the preset (XTouch Mini) in AZ Controller (when updating preset, do not forget to "reselect" it after installing).

Functionality

At any particular time, Mini will be in one from several Layers. As a hint what each control is going to do in particular layer, long press (>1sec) "Layer B" button. That should toggle AZ Controller build-in display window. Upper row indicates the result of pressing corresponding encoder, next row shows which operations will be performed when you turn encoders, the last row shows the meaning of the top button row. Transport (lowest) button row is not represented on the display.

Transport buttons row (lower), left to right. The same in all Layers (except "<<" and ">>")
* "Shift" button. When pressed alone, function as "CapsLock", so Shift stay engaged (indicated by LED). Encoders have "finer" resolution when used with Shift.
* "Ctrl" button. Function the same way as "Shift", so can be used as a modifier or as locked modifier. With Ctrl, current Layer is switched to alternative mode (see particular layer description)
* "<<" and ">>". When lit, indicate that "Auto punch" is enabled. Short pressing move time cursor to punch in/out. Long press (>1sec) set corresponding points from now time. When not lit, these buttons do the same for loop in/out. Note: In "Plug-in controls" layer these buttons have different meaning.   
* "Loop". Short press toggles Looping. Long press (>1sec) while it strip control layers toggles auto punch (indicated by "<<" and ">>" buttons). Note: In "Plug-in controls" layer long pressing has different meaning.
* "Stop". Stop playback/recording. When long pressed (>1sec) also RTZ.
* "Play". Payback/pause in Sonar.
* "Record". Record in Sonar (start recording when something is armed, stop recording while continuing playing when already recording). Long pressing it (>1sec) during recording trigger special sequence: stop, undo, record. There are some delays between these operations to give Sonar a change to complete. Effective meaning "forget what I have recording now and start over again". Note that Sonar option "On Stop, reward to Now marker" should be On. Otherwise new recording will start from the point current one was stopped.

Layer switches
* "Layer A" button switch between "Single strip" layer and "Multiple strips" layers. It is lit when "Multiple strips" layer is selected. Note that in "Plug-in" layer the button is still indicate "Single/Multiple".
* "Layer B" button switch into "Plug-in" layer. When pressed again, it return into previous layer ("Single" or "Multiple")
When "Layer B" is long pressed, it does not switch the layer but toggle AZ Controller build-in display.

Fader
Fader is always controlling one bus volume. The bus is indicated by WAI. You can change the bus focusing another bus with mouse or using Encoder 7 in the Single strip layer (see later).

Single strip layer (default, "Layer A" and "Layer B" not lit)
In this layer, Mini controls current strip in focus. This strip is indicated by WAI. Sonar Track Insector also shows the strip. Controlled strip is always synchronized, if you change it in Sonar it will be changed for Mini, if you change it on Mini it will be focused in Sonar.

Without Ctrl:
* Encoders (left to right): Strip Volume, Pan, Gain, (not yet assigned), Horizontal zoom, Vertical zoom, Strip selection, Jogger.
* Pushing encoders (left to right): Reset volume to unity, Reset pan to center, Reset Gain to unity, (not yet assigned), Fit all project, Show all tracks vertically, Switch between track and buses, jog by markers (while pressed)

Strip selection encoder (7) move focus to the next/previous strip, pushing toggle between tracks and buses.

Jogger ( 8 ) change "Now time position". Without Shift by measures, with Shift by beats. When turned while pressed, navigates by markers.

Other encoders have "finer" resolution when used with Shift.

* Buttons (left to right): Strip Mute, Solo, record Arm, input Echo, write automation enable, show/hide Multidoc (long press show PRV), show/hide Browser (long press Inspector), Undo (long press redo)

With Ctrl:
* Encoders in pairs control current strip Sends. So Send 1 Level, Send 1 Pan, Send 2 Level, Send 2 Pan, ...
* Pushing encoder reset corresponding value
* Buttons in pairs control sends Enable and Pre/Post. So Send 1 Enable, Send 1 Pre/Post, Send 2 Enable, etc.

Multiple strips layer ("Layer A" lit, "Layer B" not lit)
8 strips are controlled in parallel, starting from the strip in focus (as indicated by WAI)

* Encoders control Volumes (without Ctrl) and Pan (with Ctrl)
* Buttons control Solo (without Ctrl) and Mute (with Ctrl)

Plug-in control layer ("Layer B" lit)
Encoders and buttons control 8+8 parameters of current plug-in in focus. The plug-in can be focused by mouse or with "<<" / ">>".
Ctrl switch between 2 "banks" of controls, so it is possible to operate with up to 16 continuous parameters and up to 16 switches per plug-in.

"<<" and ">>" can be used to focus plug-in. They also indicate and switch current plug-in type:
* "<<" off , ">>" off : FX.
* "<<" on, ">>" off : ProChannel
* "<<" off, ">>" on : Synth.
Long pressing (>1sec) "<<" switch to ProChannel mode or from ProChannel to FX mode
Long pressing (>1sec) ">>" switch to Synth Rack or from Synth Rack to FX mode.
That way each mode can be engaged by one long press.

Short pressing "<<" or ">>" navigates throw plug-ins inside selected type. For FX and ProChannel, that is cycling inside current focused strip.

If focused strip is changed by mouse when Mini is in "Plug-in control" layout, controlled plug-in is not switched. But all plug-in selecting operations (activating Plug-in Layout, switching plug-in type, navigating between plug-ins) will work with new strip.

Last used plug-in in any type is remembered by number. F.e. if Synth 3 was selected the last time, next time Mini is returned into "Plug-in control" layout / Synth mode, the 3d Synth will be selected again. It can be the same (if there was no changes in the synth rack) or different (if another synth is in position 3 now).
The same rule apply to FX and ProChannel, but relative to current focused strip. F.e. If "EQ" is in position 2 of Tracks 3 and 4, and it is currently selected in "Plug-in control" layer, switching to "Strip control" layer, moving to Track 4 (f.e. with Encoder 7) and switching into "Plug-in control" layer again, will focus "EQ" in the Track 4.

"Plug-in control" layer "Lock" focused plug-in. Even if other plug-in is focused by mouse, Mini will still control old plug-in. You can "unlock" the mapping using corresponding button in Control Surface toolbar button. This button also indicate how "successful" Mini was in focusing plug-in. F.e. if there is no FX in the current strip, it can not be selected. Unfortunately, there is not function to "deselect" mapping, so mini will control whatever plug-in was in focus last time (even from different strip or plug-in type!).

Synth GUI is automatically opened when it is selected.

Long pressing "Loop" opens focused plug-in GUI (only in "Plug-in control" layer).   

To map plug-ins reliably, delete all XML files in "%APPDATA%\Cacewalk\ACT Data" folder and use AZ ACT Fix: http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,297.0.html
With proposed approach, ACT Learning will work as supposed to and you will have "backups". Without that approach, you risk to loose your mapping any time.

It is possible to adjust internal display (color, font, size) using "Options" tab, "Display" "Configure" button. 
« Last Edit: April 07, 2018, 02:26:05 PM by azslow3 »

Offline kashmate

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Re: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2017, 11:18:59 PM »
That's great news! Thanks for your hard work and dedication.

Is it possible to make a short video that will go over the main features of this preset ? That would help a lot!

Thanks again!

Offline azslow3

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Re: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2017, 10:50:18 AM »
I do not have the device, so I can not make the video. Also I do not know how that can help:

If someone already has the device, this preset is the only reasonable option for Sonar.
If someone plans to get it, there is no concurrence in this price range to make the decision hard  ;)

Offline paulf707

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Re: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2017, 07:34:25 PM »
Just seen this, and started researching the x-touch mini - looks like very good value....
Couple of questions:
In the 'multiple strips' mode (which is what I think i'm looking for), do the led rings on the encoders show the value of the channel (and change as you move the WAI strip?)
I'm guessing the fader isn't motorized? The Behringer website isn't clear.....

Offline azslow3

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Re: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2017, 09:04:58 PM »
Just seen this, and started researching the x-touch mini - looks like very good value....
Couple of questions:
In the 'multiple strips' mode (which is what I think i'm looking for), do the led rings on the encoders show the value of the channel (and change as you move the WAI strip?)
Yes, led rings (as well as led under buttons) are always in sync with Sonar.

Quote
I'm guessing the fader isn't motorized? The Behringer website isn't clear.....
It is not, just simple short potentiometer (that is why the preset is using it more as "extra", not as the major control).

Offline paulf707

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Re: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2017, 10:16:40 PM »
Thanks, sounds like a great solution....
I don't have the budget or space for a larger device, so I think this looks like a good option for me.

Offline azslow3

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Re: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2017, 08:58:16 AM »
Thanks, sounds like a great solution....
I don't have the budget or space for a larger device, so I think this looks like a good option for me.
Note that all AZ Controller presets are just presets. I mean they are not "hardcoded" into AZ Controller and can be future modified for particular needs. Quite some programming experience is required to do this correctly (the "preset" is equivalent to >2000 lines C++ program ), so while theoretically that can be done by anyone, practically I modify them when needed. There is only one user (MarKo) who has managed to do this from scratch without me (at the same complexity level).

Offline paulf707

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Re: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2017, 07:40:30 AM »
Thanks, I have some (very limited) experience of coding (visual basic, asp, html etc). I doubt I would be able to create presents, but I may be able to make minor adjustments to suit my workflow (once I begin to understand the format etc.)
Presumably it would be possible / feasible to hard code the physical slider to a specific bus level at all times (in all modes)? I use a specific bus to drive my headphones, and it could be useful to have control of that at all times (so I could move my headphone interface to a 'less accessible' location when I don't need to access the volume control regularly). That bus is not part of automation, and not used for final mixes, and so it would not matter that this was not a motorized fader.

Once I have a controller i'll experiment with your software and this template, and then contact you again if/when I want to attempt any modifications.

Thanks again,
Paul

Offline azslow3

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Re: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« Reply #8 on: August 01, 2017, 09:44:40 AM »
Controlling specific bus is just several seconds modification for me, AZ Controller support controlling buses by name (so it will be position and project independent).

Offline Rollings

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Xtouch Mini tweak help
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2018, 12:05:55 AM »
Hello,

Well done on all this AZ. Looks very good! Great!

I have downloaded the xtouch mini preset for sonar and all seems ok. What I am trying to do is tweak this preset and have something simple. But I can't really figure out how to.

I want to do the following.
Layer A button light OFF - Rotaries are Pan.  then Layer A button light ON rotaries are Volume
Have 1 row of buttons - solo
Have the lower row of buttons - mute

Layer B light ON -  Channel Strip mode with lower buttons doing other custom commands like metronome on/off, snap to grid on/off etc
Layer B OFF - All Buttons doing other commands
Rotaries on layer B all set to Volume

Then somehow have layer buttons move track bank by long pressing.

Are there any tutorials on how to do this?

Thanks

Offline azslow3

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Re: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« Reply #10 on: February 11, 2018, 07:25:39 AM »
If you want completely reconfigure the logic of operations, that is hard to call "simple".
After understanding the manual and following simpler tutorials, you can understand how current preset is working and than modify it. Not an easy job in case yo was not programming before.

Offline Rollings

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Re: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2018, 11:16:43 PM »
Thank you so much for your very fast reply!  :D

I am not familiar with software programming no. Is all modifying done through the AZ plugin? If it is I'm sure I will find out how. But if I have to modify the code then I have to find a solution. I could also pay someone to create a little map for me.

If I get this to work in the x touch mini them this will be exactly what I need in the studio.


Offline azslow3

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Re: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« Reply #12 on: February 12, 2018, 05:28:37 PM »
All modifications can be done within AZ plug-in, no code changes required. But without programming background it is difficult to understand the concept.
I can make the preset for you, but not withing next 2 weeks. Ping me closer to the end of this month.

Offline Rollings

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Re: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« Reply #13 on: February 12, 2018, 07:22:05 PM »
Oh Ok great!! Thanks!!! :)

I will create a little image with what I would like to do on it and contact you around the end of the month.

Thank you so much!

Offline Rollings

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Re: [azslow3, almeister_65] Behringer X-Touch Mini
« Reply #14 on: March 02, 2018, 12:39:21 AM »
Hello,

I hope you are doing good.

So I have a map I would like to create on the X TOUCH MINI. If I could get this done it will be perfect for my work. Shall I attach it here? Can I contact you via email?

Thanks