azslow3

If some control(s) send value on there own, f.e. when you operate other controls (and that seems like the case), it is better think these controls are broken and don't use them at all. What re-enabling the device as a whole will bring you? You just know "it can randomly modify my mix now...". I don't think its worse to use such controls. So, knobs are useless. You have a set of transport buttons, tiny faders and strip buttons. Assuming you for some reason don't want change the controller and still want to use what you have, I think the only reasonable approach is DIY preset. Use the controller in "native" move with AZ Controller plug-in. You can instantiate "Startup" preset https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,154.0.html with 3 buttons per strip and assign controls which are still working. There is video how to do this, I think you can manage all that in a half an hour. Initially you will loose LEDs feedback, but that can be added (once you have working preset you can upload it to my forum and ask to add feedback, till you want read and understand https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,336.0.html...). Also AZ Controller has several modes for finite controls like your faders: jump (what you have now), catch, instant (with curves) and endless imitation. It can happened you like some of them.

MIDI Learn inside VSTi: needs implemented in hardware "pages" to control more parameters then physical controls require MIDI input with controls routed to the track and echo enables VST(i) should support MIDI control rarely support encoders, almost no changes for feedback (plug-ins don't send current MIDI values back to device) can be recorded as MIDI ACT approach (not only "ACT MIDI" Cakewalk surface plug-in, but all surface plug-ins in general): switching which parameter hardware control at given time is configured in software works independent from MIDI routing inside the project works on Automation level, also fro VST without MIDI input works with encoders, can provide feedback since current parameter value is known can be recorded and automation So, if the goal is record performance, including changes in VSTi parameters together with notes, MIDI learn in plug-in the way to go as really "direct approach".

Long time ago I have tried to workaround self-moving faders of my StudioMix. My conclusion: the only good solution is replacing the hardware.

Just in case you have not realized... "Mackie Control" plug-in block the whole device, so everything it sends, and use all messages for itself. But other Surface Plug-ins (f.e. "ACT MIDI", "Generic Surface") block only assigned messages. So you can "MIDI Learn" transport buttons there, all not learned controls (faders, other buttons, etc.) still will work "to send CC for other purpose". I mean you don't need shift+key binding "trick" just if you want transport keys to work as such. Sure, if you really want transport buttons by default also not work as transport buttons (till cycle is pressed), what you have done is the simplest approach (since to do this with Surface Plug-in you need AZ Controller with non trivial configuration, even so it opens even more possibilities...).

It will be nice in case you keep updating github... Every time, after reading some fancy Mackie request, I think "well.. may be I should produce MR...", I remember you have not updated repo with current version, so that make no sense

As I wrote, keys are subjective. I like MPK Mini's keys and they technically have reasonably controllable velocity curve. An opposite example, getting predictable velocity from NI M32 seems like technically impossible. But mentioning Akai I was writing about bigger controllers with full size (in width, they are shorter then usual... grr. that is for Roland keys, which I also like) keys. For the topic, Novation and Arturia will do what you want. If something you consider will have trouble with DAW controlling, we can solve that online in an hour (20-30 min mapping controls, 10-15 min copy/pasting buttons LED feedback, the rest for "hello" and "goodby" 😉).

In such devices most important are keys, followed by purpose and corresponding usability of controlling part. Keys are up to you (you should like them, so better try before buy, I personally prefer Akai but they are special, so can be "no go" for other). For controlling part: if the purpose is controlling plug-ins throw MIDI, all will do the trick and it just depends which controls you need (pads, sliders, etc.). For controlling Cakewalk: Panorama has no reasonable integration, so probably most frustrating choice for Cakewalk. Other also have no native integration, but as other write Arturia function more or less as Mackie (note these posts are about relatively expensive MK2, not Essential). Impulse kind of support HUI, which it turn kind of supported by Mackie plug-in. But don't expect more then transport and basic strip control. Also since faders are not motorized, steering projects with more then 8 tracks can be annoying. If direct controlling MIDI synths, Arturia software, faders and pads do not have priority for you, especially if you plan to use NI (or other NKS compatible) synths, have a look at NI keyboards. There are semi-weighted S, which are really expensive, and "budget" A. Later can be used with my own deep integration, S is probably better to use in Mackie mode.

Currently there is no such feature, but it is relatively easy to implement. Keep pinging (may be in Feedback loop, since that is a future request) till Mark react 😏 Note that will sacrifice some button on device, Control Surfaces don't have direct access to computer keyboard input.

Late buffers means some processing does not manage to finish in time. Try to increase the buffer size (and so the time available to process it) till the problem disappear. While that also increase the amount of data to process in one buffer, some plug-ins do quite some "extra" work per buffer. Also longer available time helps with the system latency (f.e if your system is blocked for 5ms, nothing can be processed during that time, even so required processing may be takes just 1ms). High specification of computer system by itself just means theoretical possibility to run more plug-ins when optimized for audio. "Out of the box" any processor under Windows can't run at low latency at all, defaults settings are for power saving since that is what most consumers want. I mean "rule out" a problem with computer is only possible in case the computer is from Studiocat (or comparable manufacturer), after letting support check everything is fine. Otherwise even 100 top gaming PCs which can't run with 1ms latency is not an indication the problem is not computer related 🙄 Multi-threaded processing/load balancing/oversampling/etc. Cakewalk settings obviously influence what can run smoothly. As well as the rest of the system and drivers with all there settings and other currently running programs as well.

That is definitively not currently foreseen way to get current Mackie plug-in. There was significant updates recently. Note that in current Cakewalk by Bandlab version you should see "Copyright 2022..." in the lower right corner of the plug-in interface.

I recommend to start with Mackie Control. From what I know it should be installed with CbB. There is no ready to use AZ Controller preset for that device. Making such preset requires quite some knowledge and time (even so the result may be more usable then Mackie mode with standard CbB plug-in, when done properly).

See But note that Cakewalk has not even published ProChannel API.There was time of Constrol Surface API and CAL, at that time Cakewalk has tried to be relatively open. But that was decades ago..

Also after ReaCWP (free) you can use AATransplator (payed). Sure, clear understanding what can be transferred and what is not is still required.

I don't think any controller give you the same level of features as you have with P4+REAPER. Partially because there is no comparable hardware (keboard + motor fader + display + many controls), partially because control surfaces are more limited in Cakewalk. May be it is worse to setup TouchDAW, this several $ app on a tablet emulate complete Mackie device and so you can test what and how is controllable in Cakewalk, before making decision what to buy. Another "test" can be yet another several $ app with https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,295.0.html

Finally someone is seriously working to stop VST... I hope that happens soon. There is no reason to allow one company have power to enforce own rules on "standard interface" between hosts and plug-ins which have nothing to do with the company.

For the list of alternative solutions, check https://www.azslow.com/index.php/board,10.0.html F.e. if you had plans to use NI(NKS) keyboard, M32/A25-61 can be integrated into Cakewalk using this way. And as key-less solutions, there are Behringer Mini / Presonus Faderport (one strip version)/ BCR2000 /Web browser based transport/Android app/etc. But note that way is using unofficial proprietary (my...) software. For pure mixing with small fixed set of FXes, better go Mackie way as proposed (by developer...) before. Since that is official and open source, you will be on safe side.

It depends what you expect from the DAW. Each has some benefits and consequences. Cakewalk has almost everything a DAW can provide. So I will just mention "weak" sides of it. I mean if nothing from the following is in your "must have"/"must be simple" list, Cakewalk will serve you well: MIDI FX in Cakewalk is DX only. While all other support VST. That means pure MIDI processors (chord generators, arpeggiators, etc.) can't be MIDI track FX. Corresponding VST plug-in will be "an instrument" in Cakewalk and that requires additional routing and has some other difficulties. control surfaces do not support Cakewalk explicitly. Some can be used with Mackie emulation, other with DIY solutions. Cakewalk has real-time engine only (some other DAWs can "cheat" with playback tracks). So computer should be audio optimized to allow recording with in DAW monitoring (f.e. with amp sim) and the set of plug-ins used on other tracks can influence effective latency. CbB is Windows only. unlike X2, CbB has no license key based authorization nor can it run under Wine. Unlike Platinum it requires periodic re-authorization. So theoretically in case of EOL there can be problems using it. But such problem exists with all DAWs (except REAPER).

If it mimic Faderport (since it looks like it), you can try this DIY solution. Note that ioStation should be in "native" (probably Studio One) more for that.

Are you using my integration with it? I just try to understand if someone does 😉

I know, it could be better to test and MR instead of writing in words... But from what I remember (at 1AM), disabling redraw for the time of filling combo items can help 😏

Then please read my answer one more time: CbB has NO playback/stop delay on any configuration I have ever tried it, till several days on my old system after I have managed to break something in drivers. You have started claiming "the problem happens without FXes", now you say 130 track filled with PC modules are required to reproduce. On your notebook I will say any delay in Cakewalk is "normal", such configuration could be fine for Sonar 8.5 under Windows XP, but CbB under Win8 need more CPU and RAM to run modern CPU/RAM hungry plug-ins.

130 tracks... tons of plug-ins... When I had 4GB RAM, I had to think about each powerful extra plug-in in 3-10 tracks projects. Yes, REAPER also run on RPi. Stock plug-ins are resource optimized. But that is not a reason to assume everything should have the same requirements. Complicated algos and graphics need resources.

160 tracks, each with single audio file (2x a set of 80 lengthy audio files imported into a project) - no delay on play nor stop. With "pro channel ON". Pro Channel is FX rack, "on" can be 1-2-100-etc. plug-ins per track... I have enabled 4 modules on all 160 tracks - no delay on play, huge delay on stop (interface freeze). Well, with FXes on (Pro Channel) stop delay is from them (in my case). Global bypassing FXes eliminate it completely. REAPER has different graphic framework and completely different audio playback engine. In practice that means it can work fine with "half broken" graphic drivers on not audio optimized systems. I mean that is not a good choice for comparison with Cakewalk.

Just to note... CbB by itself also does not have such issue, at least for most users. So it is something "outside" on all your systems. And it hit Cakewalk (can be "only", can be in other DAWs that is way less noticeable). If delay increase just with the number of audio tracks without FXes, almost everything can be excluded as the reason. If delay increase just from empty tracks, I can imagine just one reason, graphics (if tracks have clips, delay can be disk operations related). Can it be you was always using the same type of graphic card (f.e. only AMD/NVidia/Intel)? Note that different DAWs use different rendering (unlike most other types of programs), so each DAW is sensitive to performance of specific graphic features.

While X32 (XAir, Midas) accepts some controlling using MIDI, that is targeting Behringer control surface X-Touch, and so only small subset of operations (you can find many resources/videos what X-Touch can do with X32). These mixers allow complete controls over OSC only (Wing use different protocol). More information you can find there: https://sites.google.com/site/patrickmaillot/x32 Notice X32Reaper integration. Cakewalk has no native OSC support. You will need to use AZController and organize syncing yourself, since there is no ready to use solution. That can be extreme challenging task if you want many settings synced, but you can automatically re-call pre-made settings for X32 on project load relatively easy. Note that inputs/outputs any DAW see are USB interface channels (depending from the extension card in X32), they are not X32 analog/digital channels. You can route audio within X32