Sequencers/DAWs That Use MMC

[MikeRivers]

I've only used MMC to control hardware but I have a gadget on the bench that can serve as a simple hardware remote control surface for "tape transport" controls. It sends Mackie Control Universal (MCU) which I eventually got two work with Reaper and Studio One after some fumbling, but another option is that it can send MIDI Machine Control (MMC). It connects to the computer through USB and its primary purpose when so connected is as a multichannel audio interface.

I was able to use it to control my Mackie hard disk recorder by using a computer and MIDI-OX to route MMC going into the computer out through another USB MIDI interface which was connected to the recorder. But I don't think this is the sort of thing that any normal person would want to do these days. I'm wondering if any contemporary DAWs or maybe DJ-oriented programs accept MMC. I'm looking for something to test it with.

 

 

[dboomer]

Hey Mike

 

I believe you can control a great number of things in Reason via MIDI.  I have a little 2 button footswitch that I map to start playback and engage the record function.  You pretty much select a function and then have if "listen" for a MIDI command.

[nat whilk II]

Sonar X2 accomodates MMC.  Here's a link to the basics on using it:

 Sonar X2 & MMC

 

 

nat whilk ii

[MikeRivers]

Thanks, Don and Nat.  I suspected that Reason, because of its nature, might be a good candidate for being controlled by external devices. I'll have to look around here and see if I have anything that included a free copy of Reason. I don't have much reason to buy it for my own work.

I hadn't thought about Sonar, but those instructions suggest that it sends MMC to outside devices (it was common in the Pre-Sonar days to use MMC to control a time-synchronized ADAT when you didn't have enough , but there's nothing there about it responding to MMC coming in from the outside. I think I have a older version of Sonar LE that came with some interface I was reviewing. If I can still find that maybe I'll take a look at it and see if it receives MMC. Now that I think about it, that Sonar may have come along with the Allen & Heath ZED-R16, and I tried (and was successful at) using the ZED to control the program. There was some "learning" involved, though I can't remember  now if the ZED sent MMC or just note on/off (for the buttons) and continuous controller (for the knobs and faders).

[A little later]

I found a copy of Sonar 6 LE and it does indeed speak MMC.  as an external control source. Set it up with MMC, using this gadget as the control surface and it worked. It also works in the MCU mode with Sonar set for a Mackie Control surface.