Ideas on how people are using the Midi Control Center to configure the USER slots

Lab KeyLab Essential
#1

I’ve really been enjoying my Keylab Essential 61 (regular version). It’s been working great controlling Logic Pro, Analog Lab, all the V Collection stuff I’ve installed. Plus, I really enjoy using it help me program Pigments.
But, I’m not sure how to set up the USER slots.
How are people using those?

I thinking that maybe there might be a synth built into Logic Pro X (ex, Retro Synth) that I could use a USER slot to work with. Its that the idea?
How are you setting up USER slots?

I’d like to see what I can do with them but I need some ideas.

thanks,
Morris

1 Like
#2

Hi @Morris – there is more than one way to skin a cat, as they say. If your soft synth/plugin (and DAW) does MIDI mapping, you can change its controls to match a user preset on your KeyLab. Or if it doesn’t – or simply because you’d like to label controls to match – you could set up a user preset on the KeyLab to match the plugin.

One thing to observe is your DAW’s reaction to MIDI inputs. If it’s set up (through record/arm, monitoring, or other settings) to use those inputs in multiple places, one could accidentally change several things at once without meaning to. Of course, you’re probably aware of all that – just adding here for other readers!

When I used my KeyLab (in my case a KL 88 MkII) as a MIDI controller for my DAW more than a HUI controller, I’d have one user preset for the MIDI/DAW work, and a more generic one to use with MIDI-capable plugins. I had visual cues on the pads (colors) set to remind me which I was in, so I’d remember to switch by reflex. Nowadays I’m more often switching from DAW to User modes though.

#3

Hi, I am not a professional musician, but still like to share my (very modest) experience. I so far either use Arturia mode for the Arturia related stuff or only one User preset.

If your keyboard have the Arturia mode, it works with Analog lab for faders and knobs, or to control specialized synthesizers like Jup-8. I tried to memorize all the values for each knob and fader, but essentially use only the first two knobs to control Cutoff and Resonance.

This user preset is set to work with several Spitfire libraries. For example, I mapped first three faders to CC11, CC1, and CC16, and the last three to CC19, CC18, CC17 (the order matches user-interface order), which are used commonly in their libraries. I have also mapped knobs to CC111 to CC119 because in Cubase they can be used for so-called focus controls, but I did not develop a habit of using these controls.

As @stickster mentioned, I have also realized that coloring pads differently visually helps to understand in which mode you are right now.

I saw a video by Guy Michelmore about KL 88 MkII, he also maps pads for key switches (very low keys that can be used to switch from, e.g., legato to staccato in many libraries of acoustic instruments).

I do not use DAW mode, and have not yet tried to use Bank B, because it is too much to memorize :slight_smile:

I wish it was more explicit which mode/bank you are right now, but colors already help a bit. Besides, I frequently check MIDI Center when I forget something.