Just got the Rig16 and trying to get it set up for stand-alone use.
First issue: I have a BeatStep and was thinking I can use it to control 16 individual channel levels on the Rig16, and 16 channel mutes. Thru the AFCC MIDI page, I’m able to map channels 1-8 but cannot find anyway to select channels 9-16 to map to. I want to do this so I can mute various instruments during play. Not seeing anyway to do this. AFCC has a dropdown to select channels to display, but it only says 1-8.
Second issue: Same setup as above… using BeatStep to mute/unmute and change levels of channels. When I plug the Rig16 into MacBook Air with Logic Pro, the mutes and channel levels have no effect on what Logic Pro is seeing. Sure, I guess I would then have to map the BeatStep to Logic Pro, but that seems like an extra silly step? That would mean the USB out is pre-fader then? Can this be changed?
I’m used to just running my instruments into a mixer, and sum to Logic. Thinking using a MIDI controller with the Rig16 is going to be a mess, and I should just get a separate 16 channel mixer to run before the Rig16? That would be a shame though… defeats the purpose of the Rig16 mixer capabilities.
First issue: MIDI control of the 16Rig is working by pages. It means you will map only 8 channels and two buttons to go to the previous or next 8 channels. The AFCC is indicating which channel is currently selected in the mixer on top of the channels.
Second issue: You are right. Currently you can only control the Mixer of the 16Rig, and not the inputs parameters. This will probably be addressed in an update as we think this is important and useful for everyone. You already know the workaround, using your DAW MIDI mapping to handle that while we take the time to implement MIDI input control.
So yes, the current MIDI implement of the 16Rig is very good for a standalone/live use where you use the mixer, but become less powerful in a studio settings.
We are aware of that and we will improve it at some point.
Thank you for your input. I also spoke with Arturia Tech Guillaume—he said the same regarding the page/bank of channels, and added that I would only be able to see changes/bank selections by going back to the main mixer page on the AFCC. Unfortunately I am not able to select the page/bank for 9-16 no matter how I map, and I’ve tried many different presets/buttons on the BeatStep to no avail. I’m thinking this is because I am using the BeatStep and not a dedicated MIDI DAW controller? I’d appreciate any recommendations on controllers if the BeatStep is just not suitable for this. I thought that it would be ideal since it had 16 independent (and assignable) rotary encoders and buttons. It is also entirely possible I am not assigning things properly on the BeatStep—but I can get 1-8 working the way I need so I can’t be that far off.
Regarding future MIDI updates… let me try to explain better what I want to do:
Before I purchased the Rig16, I ran all my instruments into a mixing board with monitors. I could easily mute instruments during performances and change levels of instruments from the mixing board live. When I wanted to record a performance, I would simply sum out of the mixing board into an interface and to Logic Pro.
What I was hoping I could do with the Rig16 and BeatStep, is have the BeatStep act as a mixing board to mute and level control over individual channels during live performances, and then simply plug the Rig16 into Logic Pro to record the live performance—but instead of L+R, I would have all 16 channels recorded. I am able to record no problem.
Having to re-map the BeatStep as a DAW controller for Logic Pro is a minor annoyance… but I’m wondering if I should just get a 16 channel analog mixer with direct outs to the Rig16? That would solve both problems.
OR how about Arturia come up with a MIDI Mixer Controller for the Rig16? Call it the Mix16. That would be awesome so long as it was priced under the Rig16!
Also… you said: “Currently you can only control the Mixer of the 16Rig, and not the inputs parameters.” Is this also why, when I change a channel’s level with the BeatStep, I see the fader move, and the volume reduces in my monitors, but the VU meter next to the fader doesn’t change (still shows full input from my instrument?)
Thank you again for your time—looking forward to any further input.
Update: I got the AFCC to change MIDI banks. The error was mine–I had a duplicate MIDI assignment on the BeatStep.
However, I have determined that the only assignable buttons that will work are the 1-16 pads. Not the Stop and Play pad (even though MIDI Control Center lets me assign values to them).
So, if I assign pads 15 and 16 to bank down/up, I can successfully change channel banks. Problem is, I have to use pads 1-8 to control the channels–I cannot assign pads 9-16.
I should probably look for a dedicated DAW MIDI Controller.
Hi ,hot some questions too regarding mixing with 16rig in dawless configuration.
I’d like to use 16rig to simplify my audio routing and to have the same routing in daw configuration or dawless configuration. ( For the moment i need a mixer for dawless and my audio interface for daw control , it doesn’t really make sense.
In dawless mode I’d like to midi control levels, pans and sends from a midi controller for at least 8 stereo sources and 2 stereo sends
Can the 16rig do that ?
In perfect world I’d like to use motorised fader control surface . Does the 16rig also sends midi information about its current state?
Do far I haven’t found the perfect midi control surface for that user scenario as it seems most daw controllers don’t allow the motorized faders to just send and receive midi in some dawless mode. ( Behringer xtouch does midi but it’s not configurable) … Anyone can advertise a good controller ?
Hmmm weird, I don’t know the BSP very well, if it sends a MIDI CC it should work. And if this is assignable in the MCC, it should probably send a midi CC.
You should consider contacting our support team, they may have leads to help you on this one.
Yes, the mixer is fully controllable from MIDI so you can do that.
Not yet.
It’s too early to say that we will do it but we may.
Tim - Even though I can reassign the Stop and Play in the MCC the buttons have no effect in the AFCC MIDI page. Guillaume from Tech Support mentioned the Stop and Play trigger and output multiple messages at the same time, even when they are reassigned, and that was probably why I was having issues.
Regarding Rituun’s needs… I think we are having the same issue: A MIDI controller can operate the 16Rig standalone, but when the 16Rig is hooked up to a DAW, that MIDI controller has no effect on the sends to the DAW. Therefore, the MIDI controller needs to be re-mapped to the DAW, OR a second MIDI controller is required to be connected to the DAW full time. Both solutions seem silly.
I thought I would have to buy a 16 I/O mixer to place ahead of the Arturia so I can mute, pan, etc. into my DAW. But there’s not a lot of affordable mixers with 16 or more ins, and 16 or more outs… I’d have to do a bunch of busing and that’s more complicated than it needs to be.
Simpler (and cheaper) solution is to build 16 individual preamps with NE5534s, add a mute switch to the output of each, then run that to a line level buffer (NE5532) ahead of each channel on the 16Rig. Of course that would get expensive if I decided on transformer coupled
Final note… MIDI issues aside, I absolutely LOVE the sound of the interface. Night and day difference from the SSL interface I was using.
