LPD8 MIDI Pad Akai

CC stands for Continuous Controller, it's a type of data message that allows knobs/button/faders ect, to be interpreted by your software, and in turn control the assigned parameter.

I wrote a peice on Akai and midi for some other guy recently, it's a long one, but might be of some help.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2687667&tstart=0


You can control a variety of features of garagband with your LPD8, you just need to adjust the CC values of the knobs with the editor software you got, and know what cc controls what.

By default, knob 7 will control volume yes? This is because it's default cc is 7, which is recognized by Garageband to adjust volume. By adjusting the LPD8 cc controls to the correct cc messages recognized by Garageband, you will be able to control several more parameters.

Although gjmnz was right, the midi applications of Garageband are very limited, and a midi mapping feature would be invaluable.

Here is a list of the only midi controls recognized by Garage Band. The items with a "*" can only be controlled with a button (or one of your MPK's pads if send to CC mode) and the items without can only be controlled with a knob/fader/encoder ect. Also remember these will only control the track that is currently selected.

CC#3 - Track Solo *
CC#7 - Track Volume
CC#9 - Track Mute *
CC#10 - Track Pan
CC#28 - Echo Send Level
CC#29 - Reverb Send Level
CC#59 - Effect 1 on/off *
CC#60 - Effect 2 on/off *
CC#61 - Effect 3 on/off *
CC#62 - Effect 4 on/off *
CC#63 - Effect 5 on/off *

Message was edited by: andrew_langdon

ear blister wrote:
I have the Akai Lpd8 laptop controller. I am running it through garageband and am wondering how i can set the knobs to certain effects and other parameters. Any other tips and tricks would be appreciated.

You cannot map the knobs on the LPD8 to anything in GB. One of GB's limitations is the lack of MIDI mapping. There are two options though.

1. The Korg nanokontrol can be used in GB09 with a plugin from the Korg site. The knobs and faders are all automatically mapped. It's pretty good for a small controller and reducing mousing.

2. The second generation M-Audio Axiom is mappable via their Direct Link plugin. If you are looking for a keyboard for GB it's a no-brainer.

.

Thats good info Andrew.

andrew_langdon wrote:
You can control a variety of features of garagband with your LPD8, you just need to adjust the CC values of the knobs with the editor software you got, and know what cc controls what.

Also remember these will only control the track that is currently selected.

The advantage with the Nanokontrol and the 2nd gen Axiom is that you do not have to select each individual track you want to edit/control with your mouse before using the MIDI controller. These units have a bit of an advantage in that they 'see' 8 tracks at a time. You have access to all 8 faders, knobs and channel buttons (mute/solo) at once. The controllers also have a button to switch up or down to the next bank of 8 tracks.

Now if there was a CC for scroll up or down to next track ...

gjmnz wrote:
These units have a bit of an advantage in that they 'see' 8 tracks at a time.

I should also add that in addition to 8 GB tracks you also have access to the master tracks controls, so 9 in total.

Hello fellow LPD8 users,

Something has bugged me about the LPD8, and I hope there is a workaround. Using the LPD8 Editor Software for Mac, the pad assignments allow the setting to be 'Toggle' or 'Momentary.' What really frustrates me is that there is no way to individually set one of the two options one way for the 'Note #', and the other way for the 'CC#', under the same Preset/Program.

In other words, under the same Program/Preset, I want to be able to use the Pad option to trigger 'momentary' instances for drum sample playback, but when I switch to CC on the same Program/Preset, I don't see why I can't have the same pads set to 'toggle.' I mean, I am changing from the Pad button to the CC button, which changes the function, and yet, I can only have one master Toggle/Momentary setting per pad, per program/preset. It's very annoying. Is what I want to do clear?

I have seen people do some cool tricks with the LPD8 online. Does anyone know of a way to tweak settings outside of the editor software so that I would be able to have this preference available? I really want to maximize all that I can do with each preset, so I would hate to have to have a whole other program/preset just to use the CC functions as 'toggle' the way that I want to.

Thanks for your time!

Sorry, my mistake, CC in fact stands for Control Change

Thanks a lot!