Automating the SSL Soundscape Mixer
Overview
The Soundscape Mixer can be controlled remotely via the Soundscape Console Manager utility, which can be downloaded from the Soundscape website.
The Console Manager software can load a range of “Console Interfaces”. These console interfaces are software modules that translate controller information between the SSL Soundscape Mixer and various hardware control surfaces. Dedicated console interfaces are available for specific controllers from various companies such as JL-Cooper, Penny + Giles, Mackie, etc. Some generic console interfaces are also available.
Instead of transmitting control information from the SSL Soundscape Mixer to a hardware control surface, it is possible to send it to a MIDI sequencer. This way the control information can be recorded in real time, and sent back to the SSL Soundscape Mixer with appropriate timing by playing back the sequence. This allows the SSL Soundscape Mixer to be automated, in perfect sync with your sequences.
Rather than having to use a hardware MIDI interface, the control data can be transmitted entirely in software. This is possible with Marblesound’s “Maple Virtual MIDI Cable”, which is used in this example.
Click here to download the Console Manager software
Click here to read the Console Manager’s online manual
Click here to download the Maple Virtual MIDI Cable
Step by step procedure
NOTE: It is assumed that you have already installed the SSL Soundscape Mixer and Console Manager software on your computer, as well as a MIDI sequencer (Cubase SX2.0 was used for this example) and the Marblesound Maple MIDI Cable.
- Start the SSL Soundscape Mixer and load the mixer file of your choice.
- Click “Connect to Console Manager” under the Settings menu.
- The Soundscape Console Manager will start. Click the Console Manager icon in the taskbar to open its main window.
- Click the “Add MIDI Device” button (topmost button in the MIDI Devices section of the Soundscape Console Manager window):
You will be presented with a dialog box where you can create a MIDI device. Select the MIDI input and output that you will use and enter a name for your sequencer. In this example we selected “Maple MIDI In: Port 1”, “Maple MIDI Out: Port 2” and named the sequencer “Cubase SX”. Click “OK”:
- The new device will appear in the MIDI Devices list, and its status will be “Initialised”:
NOTE: At this point the sequencer should not be started. If the MIDI device status is “Not initialised”, it is probably because the sequencer was started too soon. Stop the sequencer, then stop and restart Console Manager (by clicking “Connect to Console Manager” under the Settings menu). Then reopen the Soundscape Console Manager window.
- Click the “Add Interface” button” (leftmost button in the Console Interfaces section of the Soundscape Console Manager window).
You will be presented with a list of available console interfaces. Select the “General Advanced MIDI Interface” or “MIDI Mixer Map Interface” and click “OK”:
NOTE: The General Advanced MIDI Interface is selected in this example. Please see the online Console Manager Manual for more details on the interfaces.
- The chosen console interface will now be listed in the Console Interfaces section. Right-click its name, and click “Select Device” in the menu that will be displayed. A dialog box will open. Use it to assign the MIDI device you have created to the console interface.
- Click to tick the box in front of the console interface name. The status of the MIDI device will change to “Running”.
- Now start your sequencer.
- Choose a MIDI track for the Soundscape Mixer automation in your sequencer. In this example, the parameters for the track would be: “Maple MIDI In: Port 2” as input and “Maple MIDI Out: Port 1” as output (in Cubase the ports are called “[Emulated]”).
- You may need to enable a MIDI Thru filter in your sequencer to avoid creating a MIDI data feedback loop through the recording track.
- Make sure Automation is enabled in the SSL Soundscape Mixer (the Automation Enable Toggle should be highlighted):
- Now simply start recording in your sequencer, and move the faders in the Soundscape Mixer. All the fader movements will be recorded. The same data will be directed to the SSL Soundscape Mixer on playback, and your mixer movements will be reproduced (subject to the individual capabilities of the chosen console interface).
NOTE: The General Advanced MIDI Interface will generate control data for mixer knobs in all mixer columns numbered 1 to 64. The MIDI Mixer Map Interface can handle data in other mixer columns but needs to be configured for each particular mixer file (only the fader movements in the mixer columns numbered 1 to 16 will be recorded by default). MIDI Mixer Map configurations can be saved. Please see the online Console Manager manual for more details.
- And finally, please note that the Soundscape Console Manager allows several MIDI devices to be used simultaneously. You can therefore use a hardware control surface as well as automating the Soundscape Mixer. When playing back the control data from the sequencer, your mixing moves will be reproduced by the Mixer, and the control surface will also receive the same data from the Mixer, and respond to it (e.g., fader positions will be updated in real time, providing that the control surface has this capability).
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