MFC100 as midi controller for DAW transport?

Miscreant

Miscreant

Inspired
Hi everyone,

The thread title pretty much says it all. I'm wondering if I can use the mfc100 as a midi controller to start/stop recording in my daw (Reaper). Anyone have any ideas? It seems possible...?
 
Definitely possible. I haven't done it personally and I don't own Reaper, but this video explains how to use a MIDI device to control the transport. Seems like you'll want to edit Reaper's keyboard shortcuts menu for transport controls to listen for a particular MIDI CC number. Then, you'll want to edit your chosen MFC switches to send the matching MIDI CC# message.

 
Hey there--thanks for your reply! I thought I had set up notifications for this thread, so when I didn't get an email I just forgot about it. I'll look at this video. Thanks again.
 
unix-guy said:
Do you mean MFC-101? Not sure what MFC-100 is...
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Wow--ghost bump. Sorry I didn't see this. Yep, I meant the 101.

Here's what I'm now thinking of trying to do with it and Reaper: use the MFC-101 to trigger custom Reaper actions that send control changes to the Axe FX II for preset changes.

Likewise, within Reaper, I can create custom toolbars with the amp heads as icons, and just scroll through my Axe amps, select one, and boom a CC message is sent to the Axe to select the corresponding preset.

Am I making things up, or is this possible? I think it is?
 
Miscreant said:
Wow--ghost bump. Sorry I didn't see this. Yep, I meant the 101.

Here's what I'm now thinking of trying to do with it and Reaper: use the MFC-101 to trigger custom Reaper actions that send control changes to the Axe FX II for preset changes.

Likewise, within Reaper, I can create custom toolbars with the amp heads as icons, and just scroll through my Axe amps, select one, and boom a CC message is sent to the Axe to select the corresponding preset.

Am I making things up, or is this possible? I think it is?
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Well, you can send midi to your computer for sure. PCs, CCs and (I think) custom sysex.

What Reaper can do with that I couldn't say as I have no experience with it.

You won't be able to send CCs from Reaper to select presets in the Axe Fx - that requires PCs.

CCs are control changes, PCs are program (aka, preset) changes.
 
unix-guy said:
Well, you can send midi to your computer for sure. PCs, CCs and (I think) custom sysex.

What Reaper can do with that I couldn't say as I have no experience with it.

You won't be able to send CCs from Reaper to select presets in the Axe Fx - that requires PCs.

CCs are control changes, PCs are program (aka, preset) changes.
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Gotcha. Thanks. But then it does sound like from within Reaper I would be able to make intra-patch changes on the axe: scene changes, x/y changes, block on/off, etc...right?
 
Miscreant said:
Gotcha. Thanks. But then it does sound like from within Reaper I would be able to make intra-patch changes on the axe: scene changes, x/y changes, block on/off, etc...right?
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If it can send midi CCs then it can control the Axe Fx.

It's pretty common with touring bands. They will have a DAW that controls their devices, lights, backing tracks, etc
 
unix-guy said:
If it can send midi CCs then it can control the Axe Fx.

It's pretty common with touring bands. They will have a DAW that controls their devices, lights, backing tracks, etc
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Looking into this a bit more, it does appear that I can send program changes (PCs) from Reaper to the Axe (e.g., ).

But this Reaper/Axe user has created a MIDI send from the track to the Axe via his audio interface (he's not using his Axe as his interface). Since I also do not use the Axe as my audio interface (I use a RME Fireface 800 for this), I take it two things follow:

a) I would need to send MIDI outs from a track via the Fireface, not via the Axe
b) I need a MIDI connection running from the Fireface to the Axe (e.g., via midi cables, as the MIDI-via-USB is i) already used up by me for other purposes and ii) this is the only way the PCs can be sent to the Axe from Reaper.

Does that sound right to you?
 
Miscreant said:
a) I would need to send MIDI outs from a track via the Fireface, not via the Axe
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You can use a USB connection to the Axe-FX. It doesn't matter if you're using it for audio or not. Or you can use any midi interface if you don't want to use USB for midi to the Axe-FX. Or you can use the Fireface since midi can be daisy-chained.
 
Thanks for chiming in. Yep, last night I discovered this to be the case when testing out some program changes in Reaper. They send to the Axe via USB without a hitch. So for simplicity I'll keep things that way rather than running midi cables from my Fireface to my Axe.

But on this note, let me take a stab at a different question. My fever dream was to run the following setup:

1. MFC-101 is assigned to various controls in Reaper (incl. some transport controls)
2. Some of these controls in Reaper also include program changes to switch between patches on the Axe
3. (1) and (2) allow me to change patches on my Axe indirectly via Reaper (say, via a toolbar icon for a certain Marshall amp).

Why would I want this? Well, just because I like the idea of ultimately being able to control my Axe right from my DAW. I basically migrate my favourite patches right into Reaper and voila, I'm rockin.

But it seems this setup is not possible (and this brings us out of Axe land and into Reaper land): to my knowledge Reaper does not allow me to do (2). That is, I can't trigger program changes with the MFC-101, as in Reaper these program changes are not 'actions' proper (that is, executable functions and processes).

So, it seems the furthest I can take this little project is simply to use the MFC-101 as a MIDI-controller for Reaper actions. But if that's the case, I would need to disconnect the MFC-101 from the Axe as its MIDI controller. How do I do that?
 
Miscreant said:
So, it seems the furthest I can take this little project is simply to use the MFC-101 as a MIDI-controller for Reaper actions. But if that's the case, I would need to disconnect the MFC-101 from the Axe as its MIDI controller. How do I do that?
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I believe the MFC sends PCs to all midi channels, so you probably need to turn this to OFF:

9B3BC2C6-4853-4453-98CB-81B0B05C6768.jpeg

You'll also need to set Reaper and the Axe Fx on separate midi channels and set the MFC to send on the channel Reaper is using.
 
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