iCon QCon - Custom Mapping

[XBaker]

Hello everyone!

I recently purchased the QCon Pro G2. I was able to set it up with CbB using the Mackie Control protocol and it works fine.

My question is about Custom Mapping the Pro G2. Specifically, I want to assign CC1 (Modulation) and CC11 (Expression) to two of the faders in order to control my Spitfire Audio orchestral library Abbey Road One. I watched Mike from QCon show how this is done in another model, and assumed it's more or less the same thing fro the G2. 

So far in my efforts, I've been able to use QCon's iMap software to switch to User Defined Mode and reassign Faders 1 and 2 from their Default assignments (Pitch Bend) to CC1 and CC11. I validated that the faders were indeed sending CC1 and 11 on Ch1 using MIDI-Ox to monitor the output. The Abbey Road One plugin doesn't respond to the fader movements, however, even though it's also on Ch1.

I suspected it's because CbB is still expecting the Pro G2 to be in Mackie Control protocol, but I'm now in User Defined Mode.

If I delete the control surface in CbB and create new ones based on Generic Surface, Abbey Road does indeed respond to CC1 and 11. But the problem is none of the other Pro G2 controls have any effect. I don't want to have to program a complete Generic Surface just to make two changes to what I get using Mackie Control. 

Has anyone had success using a QCon iCon control surface with a custom mapping?

[jesse g]

Sorry, I thought I was reading about the QCon Pro

Edited May 9, 2022 by jesse g

[XBaker]

I'm talking about the QCon Pro G2, even though I referred to an M+ tutorial. I assume custom mapping is the same across the lineup.

 

[XBaker]

Update to my efforts to use my QCon Pro G2 to control CbB, specifically, orchestral VST instruments like Abbey Road One by Spitfire.

I found out that I can use the Pro G2 in User Defined Mode, but keep it setup as a Mackie Control control surface in Cakewalk. It sends CC messages and all other MCU-type commands to Cakewalk.

The issue now is that while I can send CC1 and CC11 to Cakewalk from the Pro G2, MIDI and Instrument tracks do not record it. The track Inputs are set to All Channels, so it should be listening and receiving the incoming CC messages. I suspect it's something in the MCU protocol that's interfering.  

I am, however, able to record CC1 and  CC11 if I setup the track's Automation Lanes to be Remote Controlled and Abbey Road One does respond to them. Unfortunately, it's a real pain to have to Write Enable each lane to record, then Write Disable and Read Enable to play the track back. There must be simpler way, such as recording simple incoming MIDI CC messages as Events.

In fact, with my Nectar Impact LX88+ I don't have to jump through these same hoops to record fader movements. The Impact is also setup as a Control Surface, and it records fader movements during normal track record. The CC messages are displayed in the Piano Roll as MIDI Events.

I understand the difference between MIDI Events and Automation. What I want is simple MIDI Events that I can view and edit in the PRV. For some reason, I can record them with Impact but not QCon. Should I be barking up the QCon tree instead? FWIW, their Support is very minimal; I'm hoping someone here is using a QCon and figured out how to customize it for use in CbB already.

[XBaker]

In case a picture helps. As you can see, Track 1 (High Strings) is showing the recorded CC1 and CC11 automation. But it's not shown in the PRV below. 

[XBaker]

And in this pic you can see the CC data in the PRV when recording the faders from the Impact keyboard controller. They're recorded as MIDI Events, not track automation. This is what I want, but from the QCon, not the Impact (because of the much longer faders on the QCon).