Members Unalaska Posted January 3, 2015 Members Share Posted January 3, 2015 So I've been thinking about the tablet mixing thing and why younger kids would adapt so much quicker than the rest of us. Remember when tv's had dials and volume knobs? Even today car stereos have remote controls. In everyday life how much do you actually turn a knob or slide a fader? The stove I guess. All my remote controls are buttons. The PS3 remote is the same. Car stereo? Maybe if the action is t associated with mixing then maybe the virtual world will accept something else. Except dj's, dj's use knobs and cross faders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WynnD Posted January 3, 2015 Members Share Posted January 3, 2015 I have one of Mackie's DL1608 digital mixers which uses the ipad for almost all mixer controls. It works, but I would love to have real faders for a lot of the things I do. There is something about placing your finger on a real fader then you don't have to look at it again. Virtual faders require that you look at the panel frequently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scodiddly Posted January 3, 2015 Members Share Posted January 3, 2015 I did have the idea of companies making tactile frames for their tablet apps - some flat plastic thing that had distinct ridges and windows for the various virtual controls. That way you could operate mostly by feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nchangin Posted January 3, 2015 Members Share Posted January 3, 2015 Except dj's, dj's use knobs and cross faders. Those crossfaders and knobs almost all the time access a software application, it's just a different interface is all to "look constructive" in my opinion, in reality when you turn the nobs and crossfader most dj controllers are simply just an interface to the software doing the work. This is why you have the "laptop" DJ vs the "controller" DJ controversey. Of course you do have traditional DJ's with two turn tables and a mixer...but seriously how many DJ's still bring discs/records for 100 % of mixing? I just don't think it exists as it once did, I'm sure there are a few die hards and always will be but I don't ever plan I bringing a crate full of my disc collection. Sure there is hybrid, mix with your software and turntable but alas I think in another 10 years that will be history. I am almost 100 % sure I will go the behringer route here in a year or so, but again, I'm waiting it out. I always thought the mackies were pretty slick and the other tablet solutions as well, but gosh packing an analog mixer I know will work and packing a $100 back up in the trailer is a ok, packing an extra back up tablet? Not only that but an ipad? Not a cheap redundant solution. Not to sure I'm ready to rely on that to get paid...with the new behringer though, you have other options besides a tablet, I think that changes the game substantially, but again you have to rely on 2 pieces of hardware (wreless mixer and wireless tablet) vs 1 hardware mixer. Is it a generation thing? hmmmm good question you pose coming from years of PC support I can't stand the interface of a tablet, yes I've been trying to "get into it". I use the kids as examples 8 and 12, they been living on kindles for 3 years, in fact gramps bought them a newer upgraded one to replace the old worn out ones.... Sorry for rambling, just one guys thoughts on your thought...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OneEng Posted January 3, 2015 Members Share Posted January 3, 2015 I agree that it is generational to a certain extent. I still hate texting, but do it when in meetings since it is less disruptive and still allows communication to occur. For mixing from stage, I absolutely love the tablet interface and digital mixers. I take advantage of the DCA's on my X32 to put together an 8 fader "money channels" mix for the things that I most frequently need to change. I have the tablet mounted on my mic stand directly in front of me. This makes it very easy to make quick adjustments while playing. When I mix others, being able to move around a venue without cords has become a staple feature for me. I love being able to just sit at a table with the tablet in a packed venue without having to worry about an analog snake (which I do still own, although it is simply collecting dust now). I would postulate that for people that primarily mix acts in larger venues, physical interfaces are still going to be required. For the small venue .... and as an add on feature even in large venues, tablet mixing is hard to beat. I also agree that Behringer's cross-platform support of PC, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android is industry leading. I have said it before, but will repeat it here again. It is often hard for a hardware company to realize that it has become a software company. I can say this from experience. You surely need good hardware for a digital mixer, but the bread and butter of your companies' IP .... and your differentiating factor to your competition, is the usability, scope and architecture of your support software. It is the guts of your digital processing, as well as the outward appearance to the customer as "your product". Behringer is still lacking in this regard IMHO; however, they are so far ahead of any of the other competition that it currently matters little. The 'soft' interface offers advantages over a hard interface as well. Sure, we all like putting our fingers on a physical control; however, having the ability to customize your interface to exactly your use case is a pretty compelling feature in itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members loco_p_man Posted January 4, 2015 Members Share Posted January 4, 2015 That just reads like a lot of good sense OneEng. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unalaska Posted January 5, 2015 Author Members Share Posted January 5, 2015 As far as tablet mixer the SM Audio one should be a clear winner in its price point I that it has its own wifi and uses html5. Anything using s browser can log in and mix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted January 5, 2015 CMS Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 I suspect that while the younger generation will *accept* virtual interfaces more readily, they won't be faster at mixing with them. The same problem WynnD related, of placing your finger on the spot but needing to look at it more, will still plague someone regardless of how they feel about it, or whether they're ignorant of the older system's speed or not. Same thing with pages or swiping as opposed to a control that's right there, all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dbMontana Posted January 5, 2015 Members Share Posted January 5, 2015 As usual, I'll concur 110% with what OneEng says above (I sense both our day jobs are similarly impacted by the rapidly changing technological landscape). For small to medium-sized events wireless control of a stageside "audio processor" offers huge advantages over routing a 24x8 snake through the bar/restaurant/ballroom crowd to a stationary 30+" console. That said, I don't think that the current crop of tablets offer anywhere near the optimal interface for a dedicated FOH person like myself -- even for those venues mentioned. In short, while I'm very comfortable mixing via touch screen in a perfect world I would still prefer a hybrid interface. Touch screens are great for selecting (pointing at) something like the 5th of six EQ bands on a monitor send but given the choice I'd rather sweep the frequency looking for a problem via knobs rather than dragging my finger (or rolling for finer control) across a glass surface. The same in spades for faders. Also when I do mix from a physical console I can use both hands which is very difficult on a tablet even when it's laying on a stable surface. On Saturday I mixed the band I normally do sound for at my normal venue and so temporarily installed my X32 Compact in the mix booth and several times found myself riding the faders for three-part harmonies with my left hand while adjusting the tap delay and/or DCA and/or inspecting a vocal EQ and/or.... with my right. However, as Don has pointed out, tablets are a free hardware interface for console manufacturers (hey, EVERYBODY can be expected to have one right?) so that may well be the low-hanging fruit for the immediate future. As to Unalaska's generational question I'm not sure where I'd fit in. I'm a rank newbie at live audio (never owned an analog board) but into my seventh decade of breathing and given having worked with my hands for much of my life may be too acclimated to tactile interactions to offer a 21st century perspective here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rangerkarlos Posted January 6, 2015 Members Share Posted January 6, 2015 Future hipsters are going to want that analog gear in 40 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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