Welcome to the forum!
Here's my goal: Control a Parameteric 4 band EQ plugin using ACT, where 12 of my 16 rotaries control each of the Freq, Gain, Q of the eq, and the buttons control e.g. HPF switches
Possible, not only with Dynamic Map, but also directly (so you can have some other plug-in in focus and even controlling it from another device, while your MiniLab is fixed as focused track EQ).
Here's what I have managed to do: Right click on ACT to map a rotary to some of those parameters
From that and the following, you are using "Cakewalk ACT MIDI" plug-in.
Here's my problem: Some of the rotaries appear in Bank 1 of R1-8 and some in Bank 2, but for convenience I would like to be able to map both banks at the same time so that my 16 rotaries can approximate the layout of the 4 bands as you might see in the plugin. It seems that I can only have one bank active at a time.
Possible solutions:
- Can I map two banks at once?
In your case, a kind of... ACT MIDI plug-in support 8 knobs (not more). But it also support 8 faders. So you can map upper row of encoders as knobs and lower row and faders. 16 controls in parallel.
- As I understand it, the process consists of 2 mappings: the plugin to the ACT window, and the ACT window to my midi controller, which is mapped by the midi learn feature. Can I change the plugin parameter to ACT mapping, so that I can choose which 8 are on the same bank, if I can't map two banks at once?
Taking the first answer in account, that is no longer relevant. But you are right at first part, you map encoders to controls in ACT MIDI, which in turn are mapped to parameters, taking banks intro account. So, with 2 banks you can control 32 parameters. 16 per time. You will need some buttons to switch between banks.
About encoders (can be used with ACT MIDI). If you "Ctrl+Click" cell in ACT MIDI, advanced dialog appear. Here you can select encoder mode. You will need to configure MiniLab to use that (page 22 in the Arturia manual, check which from Relative 1-3 work correctly/better). With encoders, you do not need to "catch" current parameters and they will never just on first move. That is way more convenient that default absolute mode (when supported by software).
About ACT mapping. Check "AZ ACT Fix" utility and use it after every session when you have mapped something... the reason is explained there:
http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,297.0.html A nasty bug exists in all Sonars prior 2017.1. You ACT mapping is probably already broken, or it will be broken later.
- Would your software help in this situation if neither of these things are possible?
AZ Controller has ultimate power compare to ACT MIDI. As a consequence it is much more difficult to configure.
But for dedicated ProChannel EQ control, there is a preset:
http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,274.msg1246.html#msg1246It is for different device, but after "Quick start" tutorial you can understand how to re-learn controls.
If you put encoders into relative mode, you will need to modify all "Value" actions for encoders to "Endless" (may be "reversed", try "accelerated") to make them work correctly.
Somewhat separately: Can I automate the pro-channel controls? I have managed to map mixer pan/faders, and also plugins if I open them up, but I haven't seen anything to indicate I could automate the generic channel EQ if I so choose.
If you enable Write Automation for the strip ("W" button in the Track Inspector, such command can be assigned to button of MiniLab and/or keyboard shortcut), all parameters, including pro-channel EQ, are ready to write automation. Does not matter how you change them, with mouse or with controller, the change will be written.
I hope that helps.