Setting Up MidiMaker Sparrow Midi Controller - Help Please!

[Stephen Power]

I'm a newbie, so excuse any obvious mistakes in the following please, any advice in baby language is appreciated.

I've been using Cakewalk successfully with a Nektar Impact LX25 keyboard for about a year, but it's not great with controlling CC's. So, today I received the Midimaker Sparrow 3x100 controller (see photo). 

I have set up the relevant CC's correctly in Chrome, but the controller is having no effect on any of the instruments I've tried it with (mainly Musio and Opus).

The screenshots show the midi inputs and outputs the Sparrow is recognized and I've selected it for both in and out.

In Control Surfaces, there is no option for the Sparrow as a control surface in the drop down menu, so I've selected Generic Cakewalk Control Surface, I've then added the Sparrow to the in and out ports (it was in an option in both of those drop downs).

I'd appreciate a walk through of what I should I need to change or add to these setting to make Sparrow and the Nektar work together please (Sparrow controlling CC and Nektar playing the instrument).  Thanks for any help you can offer.

UPDATE: The Nektar is not listed in control surfaces, but the mod wheel (CC 1)  is controlling dynamics/volume in the instruments, and nothing is happening with the Sparrow.

 

Edited April 10 by Stephen Power
Updated information

[reginaldStjohn]

Once you use the generic surface you may have to map the controls to what you want to control.  Personally, for generic control I have found that @azslow3 controller software the most customizable.  Sorry, I can't walk you through it because I have never got consistent results controlling VSTi's and the like with my Nektar controller. I use it mostly for the faders, pan, and recording midi.

https://legacy.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=ExternalDevices.15.html

[Stephen Power]

4 minutes ago, reginaldStjohn said:

Once you use the generic surface you may have to map the controls to what you want to control.  Personally, for generic control I have found that @azslow3 controller software the most customizable.  Sorry, I can't walk you through it because I have never got consistent results controlling VSTi's and the like with my Nektar controller. I use it mostly for the faders, pan, and recording midi.

https://legacy.cakewalk.com/Documentation?product=Cakewalk&language=3&help=ExternalDevices.15.html

Thank you very much, I'll take a look at the software you recommend.

I've contacted The MidiMaker, the company (sole proprietor, I think) who makes the Sparrow, as I have a feeling he might be able to provide ACT data. I've got a vague feeling that I read a review saying he sent someone a data file - but not sure which DAW it was for.

I'm puzzled, though, as to why the Nektar is still controlling the mod wheel, when it's not listed as a control surface? If anyone has a thought on that one, I'd be grateful for their suggestions.

[Starship Krupa]

25 minutes ago, Stephen Power said:

I'm puzzled, though, as to why the Nektar is still controlling the mod wheel, when it's not listed as a control surface? If anyone has a thought on that one, I'd be grateful for their suggestions.

The pitch and mod wheels on MIDI keyboards are a special case. They're automatically mapped to control those functions on whatever target synth they're connected to, whether it's a hardware synth or virtual instrument.

[msmcleod]

For CC control, you're much better off using the ACT Control Surface rather than the Generic Control Surface.  IIRC the Generic Control Surface was there more as an example for control surface manufacturers to reference if they wanted to use the Cakewalk Control Surface API to create their own custom surface DLL.

AZController can do just about anything, but unless you're technically minded, it can be a challenge to set up.  That being said, there may be an existing preset for your device that you can download on @azslow3's website, or some of the users there may be able to make one for you.

In any case, here's how you set up ACT:

Here's another with a bit more detail on changing the defaults:

And here's how you map plugin parameters:
 

 

 

[azslow3]

18 hours ago, Stephen Power said:

I have set up the relevant CC's correctly in Chrome, but the controller is having no effect on any of the instruments I've tried it with (mainly Musio and Opus).
...

May be REMOVING everything in "Control Surfaces" preferences is what you really want... Just make sure you set Omni MIDI as instrument input

The explanations. Parameters of Instruments and FXes can be controlled 3+ different ways in Cakewalk:

1. MIDI assign/learn inside the Instrument (many CCs are per-mapped). Some FXes may have MIDI input, in this case they can be controlled using the same approach. But FXes in general can be controlled used following methods only
2. Using "ACT Dynamic Plug-in Mapping" feature, with "ACT MIDI", "Generic Surface", "AZController" plug-ins and corresponding configuration. The mapping work with plug-in in focus, the mapping is done with "ACT Learn" button. There was many bugs with the mapping, at least in the past. "AZ ACT Fix" utility can help keep persistence under control
3. Using "ACT Direct Plug-in Control" feature, possible with "AZController" (also used by Mackie Cakewalk plug-in, but it works with Mackie compatible devices only). In this case you can control specific parameter of specific plug-in, so even several plug-ins in parallel. But for that you have to manually select what exactly you want control in the configuration.
4. * Cakewalk has direct "Remote control" feature, so you can learn DAW parameters (and with some workaround Instrument parameters) directly. Unfortunately, 20+ years old design bug is still there (assigned MIDI still leaks to everything else) and I remember some other bug reports about persistence for assignments. So, till you do NOT use any MIDI instruments in the Project, I can't recommend using it (when unlucky, side effects can make you think you have serious problem with your minds...).

[Stephen Power]

2 hours ago, azslow3 said:

May be REMOVING everything in "Control Surfaces" preferences is what you really want... Just make sure you set Omni MIDI as instrument input

The explanations. Parameters of Instruments and FXes can be controlled 3+ different ways in Cakewalk:

1. MIDI assign/learn inside the Instrument (many CCs are per-mapped). Some FXes may have MIDI input, in this case they can be controlled using the same approach. But FXes in general can be controlled used following methods only
2. Using "ACT Dynamic Plug-in Mapping" feature, with "ACT MIDI", "Generic Surface", "AZController" plug-ins and corresponding configuration. The mapping work with plug-in in focus, the mapping is done with "ACT Learn" button. There was many bugs with the mapping, at least in the past. "AZ ACT Fix" utility can help keep persistence under control
3. Using "ACT Direct Plug-in Control" feature, possible with "AZController" (also used by Mackie Cakewalk plug-in, but it works with Mackie compatible devices only). In this case you can control specific parameter of specific plug-in, so even several plug-ins in parallel. But for that you have to manually select what exactly you want control in the configuration.
4. * Cakewalk has direct "Remote control" feature, so you can learn DAW parameters (and with some workaround Instrument parameters) directly. Unfortunately, 20+ years old design bug is still there (assigned MIDI still leaks to everything else) and I remember some other bug reports about persistence for assignments. So, till you do NOT use any MIDI instruments in the Project, I can't recommend using it (when unlucky, side effects can make you think you have serious problem with your minds...).

Thank you for the help @azslow3. I cleared the control surfaces window (nothing in it now), and set the track input for one plugin with timbre and expression settings (Small String Gestures, Crow Hill Company) to 'All External - Midi Omni'. 

Unfortunately, this did not make any difference. The controller will not 'midi learn' and it is not controlling any settings in the plugin. 

As mentioned, I'm a beginner in this areas, so some of your very detailed explanation is lost on me. I'm not sure if you are suggesting that your software 'AZ Controller' would work with my controller, but can you please let me know if this is true, and how I might set it up.

Thank you again for your input.

[Stephen Power]

16 hours ago, msmcleod said:

For CC control, you're much better off using the ACT Control Surface rather than the Generic Control Surface.  IIRC the Generic Control Surface was there more as an example for control surface manufacturers to reference if they wanted to use the Cakewalk Control Surface API to create their own custom surface DLL.

AZController can do just about anything, but unless you're technically minded, it can be a challenge to set up.  That being said, there may be an existing preset for your device that you can download on @azslow3's website, or some of the users there may be able to make one for you.

In any case, here's how you set up ACT:

Here's another with a bit more detail on changing the defaults:

And here's how you map plugin parameters:
 

 

 

Thanks for all the help (again) @msmcleod I managed to follow the first two videos and got the 3 sliders on my controller changing settings in the template, when using 'midi learn'.

However, nothing else is working, certainly in relation to the third video and Midi ACT. I am following the instructions to the letter and attempted to assign the sliders to controls in Compressor and also my third party plugins.

Only once (out of at least 10 goes) has the pop up window appeared, asking if I wanted to reassign the connections. I said no because I thought I'd mis-assigned the settings. Since then, it has not reappeared. 

Also, I'm not sure if I should be setting the sliders in the template to volume or send?

Thanks again for any help.

 

Edited April 11 by Stephen Power

[azslow3]

On 4/11/2024 at 3:31 PM, Stephen Power said:

Thank you for the help @azslow3. I cleared the control surfaces window (nothing in it now), and set the track input for one plugin with timbre and expression settings (Small String Gestures, Crow Hill Company) to 'All External - Midi Omni'. 

Unfortunately, this did not make any difference. The controller will not 'midi learn' and it is not controlling any settings in the plugin.

The instrument has to support the feature explicitly. When supported, normally you can right click on the control and there is something like "MIDI learn" option. Then you send MIDI, like CC message, by moving/pushing/turning controller and plug-in remembers that. When there is no such option, instrument may response on some particular CCs. Normally mentioned in the documentation for the Instrument. In this case you externally configure the controller to send what is expected.

Going with Surface Plug-ins (any of them) require first "MIDI learn" inside surface plug-in and then "ACT Learn" the parameter. As I have mentioned, the second part had quite some bugs in the history of Cakewalk. Check "AZ ACT Fix" utility: https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,297.0.html also read https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,13.0.html (some comments can be obsolete/fixed, but in general still valid). So using it allow editing mapping without "ACT Learn", but read the documentation, the utility is not intuitive. Note you can use it for control the mapping for any surface plug-in, you don't have to use AZ Controller.

AZ Controller is most flexible but also most complicated surface plug-in. There are manual, tutorials and examples. If you master it (will take some time...), you will be able quickly assign your sliders to anything within seconds.

To understand how "ACT MIDI" surface plug-in works (and optionally recreate its functionality in AZ Controller), read https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,107.0.html From that, even if you can not/will not follow, you will understand why the whole topic is not "simple".

Note that ideas behind Control Surfaces in DAWs are almost the same for all controllers and all DAWs. Inside Cakewalk with AZ Controller you can learn these concepts without any background. In some other DAWs for the same you need programming skills (C++ in REAPER, Python in Ableton, etc.), and some DAWs don't have open  API in public. So you have an opportunity to look "behind the scene" with relatively small effort.

 

[Stephen Power]

10 hours ago, azslow3 said:

AZ Controller is most flexible but also most complicated surface plug-in. There are manual, tutorials and examples. If you master it (will take some time...), you will be able quickly assign your sliders to anything within seconds.

To understand how "ACT MIDI" surface plug-in works (and optionally recreate its functionality in AZ Controller), read https://www.azslow.com/index.php/topic,107.0.html From that, even if you can not/will not follow, you will understand why the whole topic is not "simple".

Note that ideas behind Control Surfaces in DAWs are almost the same for all controllers and all DAWs. Inside Cakewalk with AZ Controller you can learn these concepts without any background. In some other DAWs for the same you need programming skills (C++ in REAPER, Python in Ableton, etc.), and some DAWs don't have open  API in public. So you have an opportunity to look "behind the scene" with relatively small effort.

 

Thank you again for all your help and the time taken to offer it. I tried to set up AZ Controller and got the quick start preset setup for one slider (I think), but still nothing works in the instrument. I'll double check that the channel (I have the controller on channel 1) is correct for the instrument.

[azslow3]

If "Quick start" is working (you can control track volume), your device is delivering what it should.

For the Instrument. Start by looking if you can write an automation for the parameter in question (without controller, just try to add automation line for that parameter or write automation using GUI). If that is possible, you can assign it to hardware slider. If not, (2) and (3) will NOT work (VSTi normally support automations for parameters which make sense to automate, but there are cases when they "forget" to do that).

I assume possible. For (2), replace "Strip" Action in the "Quick start" with "ACT" Action, select "Slider 1" in parameters. Try "ACT Learn"... if not working, follow "AZ ACT Fix" instructions I have linked.