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Hi all, new to the Forum. I've spent some time over the last few days setting up a KeyLab 49 to work with Studio One 3.1 Professional. Here is some info (actually a LOT of info--or at least a lot of words) on the process. If you see anything that isn't correct or you can help me out with let me know. Happy to try to explain what I remember of the specifics of what I have done--this has been a very fast and seat-of-the-pants process so far:

I mentioned earlier that I have been working with setting up the KeyLab (in my case the 49) as multiple External Devices. Working further on this the only reason for doing this is really clarity--if you take the 10 memory presets multiplied by the number of controllers multiplied by the number of MIDI Channels to which they may be assigned you end up with the potential of a great number of controllers just from the KeyLab. Nice to be able to break that up into smaller "devices."

In looking at what my needs might generally be (I think that this is a very personal/work-flow specific choice and there impossible to capture in a canned preset) that I would like an overall physical mixing environment (Track Level & Pan + Transport Control) then I would also like to have control over the inserts of multiple tracks (Controls TBD based on individual track contents) with limited control over the Mix (Track Level + Transport Control.) In general I felt that the Keyboard and Pads could be universally set to channels 1/2 (Keyboard) for a split keyboard and 11 (Pads)--I chose channel 11 over 10 because I already have an e-kit that uses channel 10. No need so far to have them set to different channels per Memory Preset but no reason that this couldn't be done particularly for the Pads where I could see that, depending on the instrument being controlled, a different channel and note assignments might be desired per the 9 memory presets.

Compromise: There was one significant compromise or choice that I made early on in the process. The KeyLab 49 has 10 programmable buttons. These could have been very handy for turning features, effects, etc. on/off. Instead I chose to set them up as "keyboard preset" selectors. I just felt that, if I was going to expand the functionality of the controller by using all of the programmable memory locations that I would want instant access to them. The way that I have this set up is that I can use buttons 1-10 to select/load memory presets 1-10. If you don't set it up this way you have to hit Edit, Recall, select the Preset using the Value knob then click the Value knob. This compromise is something that I will have to keep in mind just in case it seems like I would, in practice, like to reconsider at some point--maybe a compromise of 5 for presets and 5 for switches??

Limitations: After making the decision to dedicate the 10 buttons to program changing I had the idea of using the Pads as buttons instead of pads on some portion of the 10 memory presets. As long as I had at least one memory preset that had the Pads dedicated to MIDI note on/off this should have been a reasonable thing to do--you can actually program them to send CC in two modes. In reality what happened was that I was sort of able to get it to work but the limitation was that I had to strike the Pad quick and hard to turn a parameter on then touch it softly to turn the parameter off. This wouldn't be so bad if the LED was an accurate indicator of On/Off but this doesn't seem to be the case. So, after a bit of experimentation, I decided that I would take this off the list of what I was going to set up and go back to using these as Channel 11 Pads on all presets. I may continue to try to make this work--Arturia Support seems responsive so they may be able to help me out.

Another limitation that I have found is that not all plugin parameters appear to be controllable by External Devices. Primary example is that I had hoped to be able to control Toontrack's Superior Drummer's Mixer and Effects. So far, I have not found a way to assign control of, for example, Track Level within the plugin to an external controller. This just seems to be a limitation imposed by the plugin vendor. I have been able to link external control of everything within Guitar Rig Pro 5 from Native Instruments. I guess "mileage may vary" in this regard.

Process: This is just a generic overview of the process--if you have specific questions I can try to help. First and foremost I think you have to have a pretty good idea of what you want to accomplish. This means reading the Users Manual for the device--to square what you think you want with what can actually be done and giving a roadmap of how to get it done. From there I did a series of concepts (sketches and scribbles) for what I thought were options for how to set it up.

After I selected my #1 concept I started doing some tests. This is when I stumbled on the Limitations listed elsewhere and had to re-adjust my #1 Concept. With the KeyLab keyboards there is a standalone MIDI Editor called MIDI Control Center--much easier than using the onboard LED and parameter knobs but, unfortunately, I wasn't able to use it at the same time I had Studio One open. This was a somewhat tedious back-&-forth process. With the understanding that there was a lot to keep track of I created an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of things (from past experience this is invaluable for future reference.)

After the initial tests I completed all of the setup that was required on the KeyLab using MIDI Control Center. For this I had mapped out all of the CC messages used on the keyboard so that I wouldn't double-up on anything. Going in I knew every setting for every Knob, Button and Fader for every Memory Preset. When I say that I knew every setting this just means the controller type, MIDI Channel, etc.--it does not mean that I knew what setting within Studio One it was going to control--this was just setting up the basic infrastructure. I think it's important to make the distinction because what I have is a foundation to later make easy assignments for specific controls not a finalized system with every parameter pre-mapped. As an example, I have the potential to control Pan and Level of 16 channels but my default song only starts out with 3 gtr, 1 bass, 1 drum, 1 perc. and 1 synth track as I add tracks I can easily add control for them but I am not planning to create a default song with 16 tracks that I will probably not use. Each of my default tracks can have 20 knobs dedicated to plug-in parameters but only a few of them are actually programmed.

Pre-planning saves a lot of time here because you can essentially copy one Memory Preset to the other 10 then make Memory specific changes rather than starting from scratch each time (i.e. the Snapshot and Transport buttons are identical for each Memory Preset--no need to program them 10 times.) Just get the original really really right before you start copying. :oops: --One update on this--I think that I may have selected (or left at default of Absolute) the wrong knob controller type. I am hoping that using Relative will allow me to add to or subtract from the current setting with the rotary encoders rather than having the parameter jump to the Absolute position of the encoder. I will have to experiment with this--it's a mere 200 controllers to update... Later that same day--Nope, Studio One does not seem capable of accepting Relative knob movements. Saves me some time in programming but it does make the use of a rotary encoder for multiple channels and functions a little less useful. I mean yeah use your ears to make your adjustments but, if you just wanted a little bit more Mid on that guitar amp and you touch the knob and it jumps to 10, it's a little (?) less productive right?--If I have this one wrong and there is a better way PLEASE!! let me know.

Next step was to set up the External Controllers with Studio One. Again, I created an External controller for the Transport Buttons and one for each Memory Preset. Fairly easy process but there were several do-overs when I realized that I had forgotten to call up the correct Memory Preset on the keyboard before mapping a knob or fader. It's really important to get this right because it is the different Memory Presets that are allowing the 10 physical knobs to function as 200 virtual knobs.

The final (and on-going) step is to assign functions to all of the available controllers. Transport Controls, Track & Master Level, and Track Pan controls were programmed right away because I want them to be essentially the same on every project. Changes to the MIDI channels for Keys and Pads were done for my default synth plugin and Impact. As for the rest they are TBD. I will be working on mapping controls for each of my tracks as needed over time. I have one Song that I keep as my daily driver Jam track and this will invariably be saved out at it's current state as my default song template so the next song I start will have all of my latest control tweaks. Adding controls to Studio One parameters is very easy now that I have the External Devices set up--just a matter of moving the physical control, selecting a parameter, linking the two together. The more difficult part will be discipline to document it so I remember it next week.

Result: To sum it all up, what I have right now is basically a working infrastructure (and song "preset") that will allow me to control Track Level and Pan on 16 tracks (Fader 9 is always Master Level control regardless of Bank) plus Transport Control using Memory Preset 1 along with Memory Presets 2-10 inside of which I have basic control of Mix Levels and Transport Control PLUS 20 knobs that can be configured to control anything that I want (that is 180 knobs!)--assuming control is something that any particular parameter can be controlled externally (see Limitations.) I can easily switch between these using the 10 programmable buttons on the KeyLab. So, while I am recording drums I can switch to Memory Preset 10 (arbitrary numbering) and control up to 20 parameters for that track. Hit Memory Preset 2 for control of 20 parameters on my guitar channel, Hit Memory Preset 5 for....

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