Carl Posz

Okay. If I install this early release, when the official release comes out can I just install that and continue as if I never installed the early release?

On 9/2/2023 at 6:45 AM, Noel Borthwick said:

A full installer may be made available when it's released publicly.

That would be very helpful. To use this I'm assuming I'd have to remove and reinstall what I currently have?

On 5/27/2020 at 1:49 AM, azslow3 said:

you want transport buttons and 24 tracks (with ABC keyboard banks) Volume+Pan+One switch per strip (Mute OR Solo OR Arm, etc): setup Generic surface plug-in.

Using he generic surface I got 1-8 channels with faders and pan working but haven't figured out the switch. Cant get it to work on mute, solo, or Record/arm. 
I also have play, stop and rewind/fast forward working.

I also am still baffled by not being able to get the 3 Bank buttons to work. If I move the WAI indicators the faders and pan work. But how to jump from 1 bank to the next is still a mystery.

I took a stab at the Generic Surface and didn't get very far. So I'll take a look again as what you described is what I'm after. I might have better luck now with the Cakewalk PDF.

I had transports, 8 fades, 8 pans, no buttons working with ACT Midi plug-in.  

Thanks for the insight

3 hours ago, azslow3 said:

Original documentation describes both plug-ins (pages 1215-1228): https://bandlab.github.io/cakewalk/docs/Cakewalk Reference Guide.pdf

If in addition you want to know how all that works: http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,107.0.html

Well... MPK261 does not "fit" into standard plug-ins functionality. M-Audio support some DAWs, but Cakewalk is not in the list (not a surprise, only Roland and some Naktar keyboards are Cakewalk aware).

You can  start with: http://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,393.0.html
as stated in that post, I do not remember which MPK261 mode should be used. If not Bitwig, that should be some other standard preset. And  I do not remember what this preset does nor which MIDI IO should be set. But it definitively recognize ABC banks and most controls do something useful 🙂

General installation you can find in "Manuals" section / Videos linked on top.

(the preset was created long time ago and remotely... I have never touched real MPK261)

Thanks @azslow3 for the info. I'll certainly look at those pages. 
Are there any controlling surfaces that really integrate to CbB, or is this really smoking dope? 
The little bit I tried of Ableton it seems to work, but that's not the kind of DAW I'm looking for. Studio One only partially works (so far).  Maybe I'm being unrealistic in purchasing a replacement keyboard with a controller and expecting that I can get it to work.
Silly me.

My old keyboard of many years was going out, so I figured I key a keyboard controller to replace it. Thus my following questions. I've provide a lot but I wanted to make sure I provide info on what I've done and what issue and successes I've had.

I've did a fair amount of research and most keyboards, it seems are going to require some tweaking to get them to work.

So I went for the Akai MPK261.

My first question is, Is there a good document on ACT. I've read all the online help and I still am a little puzzled with the use of it. Under the Controller/Surface I've tried

• "ACT Midi Controller" with Input and Output of MPK261
• "Cakewalk Generic Surface" with the same input and Output of MPK261

None of the help documents I've read really explain the tabs in Controllers and Options(in ACT Midi Controller and All the combinations of parameters on the Generic. It's like, here you go, figure it out and spend days and days playing with every what combination and see if you can figure it out. What are "Banks" are they the same as Groups of faders/Pan/buttons or is it really more. And if so what really is the difference between them all.

I get it. I've read so many help pages, forum posts, Craig Anderton documents in SOS, videos. I'm Still puzzled on a lot of things.

One of the things I noticed is that I do NOT see the AKAI MPK261 listed as a Controller/Surface in the settings menu. There was no driver provided by Akai and I have a question into them on this. But I don't think if you are using ACT that it matters. Both Studio One of Ableton Live show MPK261 as a Controller Surface.

What I have been able to accomplish, so that you know that I'm figuring some of this out is this.

Using the "ACT Midi Controller" as a Starting point

What's working

• I have my keys transmitting midi to my songs.
• I have channels 1-8 Faders and Pan (except for channel 5 pan) working. I’m not convinced it remembers those assignments yet ( and yes I have saved).
• I can see the WAI colors on the channels and tracks.
• I got the pads and keys to work with AD2.

What is isn't working

• The Akai has 3 buttons called Banks A,B,C. When you have a fader or pan selected and you go to Bank A, it is Fader/Pan 01, B Fader/Pan 09, C Fader/Pan 17. But I have not been able to get this to sync with Cakewalk. In each I have
  • Type = MIDI CC
  • MIDI channel is A1-16 B1-16. I have set fader 1/pan 1 to A1, Fader 2/2 A1 and so on.
  • I have tried not doing anything for 09 and above. I have also tried setting 09-16 to A9-A16 and that didn't work either.
  • However, if I drag the WAI indicators to different channels they work. I just can't do it from the MPK261.
  • I downloaded Presonus One Prime and make 18 tracks. When I use the Banks A-C all to faders move accordingly. (Pans don’t work at all. What?)
• Channel 5 pan (fader works fine). This is so odd. Why that channel?
  • Ableton Live Lite comes with the AKAI and the channel 5 pan works with no problem. So it's not hardware.
  • When I drag the WAI indicators to different locations, channel 5 still doesn't work.
  • I've verified that the exact same parameters are set for this channel as any other pan setting.

Using the "Cakewalk Generic Surface" I haven't had much luck at all. But I'm really confused on how to configure that.

I'm making progress but I'm still not there. Any Help would be appreciated.

On 1/15/2020 at 2:48 PM, Christian Jones said:

5" does seem small. thanks for the conformation. Since I can't get in to actually play one now I'm kind of going at this blind. My current keyboard is dying so I need to get something pretty soon 🙂
I remember reading you were going to get that Novation SL 61 Mkiii. did you ever get that? What are your thoughts on integrating to CbB

Hey Christian, When you say that the keys are short, what is short, 5 1/2" or shorter than that. I know our Roland LX17 is 6". I don't perform with keyboards. it's just a studio compositional tool. My current keyboard is 5 1/2" and it's never bothered me.

On 1/15/2020 at 2:48 PM, Christian Jones said:

Yeah the Novation SL61 Mkiii is expensive @ $700 (though I know where you can get a new one for 15% off, free shipping and no tax*). But other than the NI 61 key @ $730 it's about the best thing going at that level. And that's what I'm saying, the lack of high end 61 key choices for MIDI controllers. Actually, I would've kept the Akai Mpk261 except when it arrived I was totally shocked at how short the keys were, about a half inch shorter than even an M-Audio controller - and the keys were very stiff and just didn't feel good. Sucks, because that Mpk261 has the best drum pads in the business, straight up. Super sensitive, playable, and just straight up awesome. But keys broke the deal. I also loved the look of the Akai mpk261, it has that classic Akai beats look and reminded me a bit of a Juno. I'm *still* mad about the keys, I really wanted to like that controller. So I'll pay for the Novation SL 61 Mkiii cuz that's about the best there currently is. No, the NI 61 lacks sliders (8 knobs, big deal) and pads and the whole deal w/ that board is they want you using Komplete w/ it, and though I have Komplete I don't use it that way - and if you don't use Komplete the way NI wants you to w/ that NI 61 board then that board ain't much more than a slimmed down stupidly overpriced midi controller.

*Alto Music during just about any holiday, even little "holidays" like Saint Patty's Day, Cinco de Mayo, and that day they set up to honor that pos Columbus etc. 

Hey Christian, When you say that the keys are short, what is short, 5 1/2" or shorter than that. I know our Roland LX17 is 6". I don't perform with keyboards. it's just a studio compositional tool. My current keyboard is 5 1/2" and it's never bothered me.