laptop based recording/live rig

[npfrs]

Tips for building a MacBook Pro based recording/live rig (Logic, Mainstage, Ableton) with MOTU Ultralite mk3 interface?

Looking for suggestions for controllers, extra interfaces, hubs (USB, thunderbolt, MIDI), etc.

Help?

[spacelordmother]

I run a PC so I can't help you with the Mac and interface, but I love using Ableton as a live rig. Works amazingly well to set up chains of effects and tracks for different tones, and layering of tones.

For controllers I use a launchpad mini (more for mapping to buttons than clip launching, and it doubles as monome emulator) and a djtechtools midi twister fighter for rotaries. For a short time I used the Behringer BCR rotary box, and although it worked seamlessly with Ableton I ended up passing it along because 1. some of the pots felt a little wobbly, 2. it was huge, and 3.it was ugly.

I also used to use a Behringer FCB1010 foot controller which was AWESOME for price and features, but I wasn't that big a fan of the switches and feel/sweep of the expression pedals. Still, I think about grabbing another one to see if I can work with it now that I have more experience since it does exactly what I need a foot controller to do. That's the biggest missing piece in my current setup.

[GardenoftheDead]

Keith McMillan and Akai are your new best friends.

[spacelordmother]

After reading this and refreshing the hunt this morning, somehow I never realized you could use this thing as straight midi without other Line6 amps/pods:

http://line6.com/footcontrollers/fbvshortboardmkii.html



Real switches and intuitive GUI for programming? Looks like a much better option than the Behringer!

[npfrs]

Here's what I've been looking into thus far...


13" Macbook Pro (16GB ram, dual 256GB Solid-state drives inside)

MOTU Ultralite MKIII Hybrid

Akai LPK25

Akai MPD18

Korg Nanokonrol2

Akai APC Mini

MOTU micro lite

Keith McMillen Softstep

Ableton Live 9

Logic X

Mainstage 3

Furman M-8x2

(Possible outboard) Korg Volca Beats

(possible outboard) Moog Minitaur

[Backup: 13" Macbook Pro (8GB ram, 256GB HDD)]

[Possible scenario - use Apogee Duet II into backup comp to record live sets - monitor out of MOTU into Duet]

[GardenoftheDead]

After reading this and refreshing the hunt this morning, somehow I never realized you could use this thing as straight midi without other Line6 amps/pods:

http://line6.com/footcontrollers/fbvshortboardmkii.html



Real switches and intuitive GUI for programming? Looks like a much better option than the Behringer!

Lien from Izalith does this to trigger drum and synth tracks since we almost never have a live synther or drummer. Works pretty good except the USB port is fragile as hell.

[spacelordmother]

Good to know!

I don't mean to derail, but how's the expression pedal feel? What I hated about the Behringer was that there wasn't enough resistance so it was tough to dial in reliably.

Npfrs - looks like a thorough list! I love my nanokontrol for mixer-like controls in Ableton. What sorts of music are you making?

[npfrs]

Keith McMillan and Akai are your new best friends.

And how...

Npfrs - looks like a thorough list! I love my nanokontrol for mixer-like controls in Ableton. What sorts of music are you making?

Honestly, mostly folk music right now, but I've always experimented with adding electro elements to my folk originals. I used to own a real 808; that's where it started, haha.

[spacelordmother]

Haha - cool!

That APC will be clutch for triggering midi clips!

[GardenoftheDead]

I don't mean to derail, but how's the expression pedal feel? What I hated about the Behringer was that there wasn't enough resistance so it was tough to dial in reliably.

Line 6 expressions are loosey goosey too.

[npfrs]

Building the rig...

[ryan summit]

After reading this and refreshing the hunt this morning, somehow I never realized you could use this thing as straight midi without other Line6 amps/pods:

http://line6.com/footcontrollers/fbvshortboardmkii.html



Real switches and intuitive GUI for programming? Looks like a much better option than the Behringer!

so can you program this to control recording programs
i see play,stop,etc
basically lookin to start and stop live recording
all the samplling possibilitys make that thing crazy cool
im lookin for anything that wil do that at this point