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Mac launchcontrol alternative9/19/2023 ![]() ![]() There is no ability to load and recall presets on the hardware. Unfortunately the original preset is not supplied, which I found out after I’d made changes and couldn’t get back. The software editor can be used to create, save and load presets. There’s no banking of control assignments outside of Live. The CC and Channel assignments of all knobs and buttons can be changed, and the buttons can be switched between Note and CC messages. Like all Akai controllers, MIDIMix ships with a good software editor. However, the MIDIMix was useful in all DAWs as a plug-in instrument controller, where MIDI mapping is usually supported. Check whether your DAW of choice supports this - I could do it in Reason but not Pro Tools. Without other remote scripts or conformity to other control protocols, mixer control in other DAWs is limited to manually mapping of specific parameters. The MIDIMix’s delightfully self-explanatory editor software. However, the MIDIMix did prove genuinely useful used alongside the Launchpad Pro or a keyboard controller, providing a fast way to focus different tracks for playback and recording and set rough levels. Of course you can remap controls, but these will be hard assignments, not dynamic. I’d have preferred the top row of knobs to control macros on the selected Live device. There’s no Device control, which is a bit of a shame. In Live the Bank Left and Right buttons shift the mapping between banks of eight tracks (it would be nice if they lit up to indicate bank position or availability). Faders, Mutes, Solos and Rec Arm buttons work as you’d expect, with the rows of knobs mapping to Sends. The MIDIMix has a Live remote script providing direct integration with Ableton Live’s mixer. Akai’s web site blurb, however, has a strange rambling explanation that this feature solves an age-old issue around transferring a mix from a performance site to a later DAW mix. I guess it could be have some use certain situations, such as playing live, where you might prep part of a performance with some known values and re-sync the controller. Now, while this will put all your controls in sync, it also changes all your settings in the software. However, Akai are suggesting the Send All button on the MIDIMix as a solution to this issue, as it transmits the current values of all the physical controls. This is not so much an issue with Live with its clever scaled take-over mode. As with all pots of this type, this means that the physical controls will not always be in sync with the parameters they are mapped to. ![]() The MIDIMix’s knobs might be small, but there are plenty of them.The knobs are not endless encoders, they have a physical range of 270 degrees. You end up having to grip the knob and turn your whole hand instead of twisting it between your fingers. This is compounded by the large protruding position indicator, which in some positions helps get a better purchase on the knob, but mostly makes it difficult to turn. However, there’s a trade off in ergonomics: the shortness of the knobs, and their steeply angled sides makes them rather awkward to use. The knobs are small and low profile, reducing the unit’s bulk in a bag and ensuring it won’t get broken while in there. Most of the remainder of the panel is devoted to three rows of eight knobs. The Mutes can be switched to a secondary bank, which is mapped to Solo in Live. Above the faders are two rows of buttons labelled with their default Live functions: Rec Arm and Mute. It appears to share the same shell as the APC Mini, and has the same bank of nine recessed faders. The MIDIMix is really compact, just 24cm wide. It’s also not quite as generic as I first thought, as a Live remote script adds dynamic control features for Ableton users. The MIDIMix retails for less than £60 $100, and is also very small and portable, making it a tempting add-on. Well before I jump to conclusions, there’s the matter of price. ![]() But now there are so many intelligent controllers around, with deep software integration, clip launch pads, dynamic mapping and more, is there still a place for a basic MIDI surface like Akai’s new MIDIMix? Ten years ago or so I really wanted a generic MIDI controller with some faders and whole bunch of assignable knobs that could be mapped to Live and Reason for laptop gigs and the like. Akai’s new controller keeps the design simple and the cost low. ![]()
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