MIDI Mapping Vfx Control in Cross 3.0

[daniel clark]

Hi Dan & FigDJ,

Thanks guys...let me know what more magic we can do!

EAST COAST MAGIC << BOYSSSS

[FigDJ]

I will also have to start looping all my mp4 visuals to repeat because the less I have to <Shift><Cue> to control video the better. Just control audio and use the <Shift><Crossfader> to control video...nice feature...getting used to it.
Thanks guys...let me know what more magic we can do!

There are many combinations for what you can do.
For instance you can load audio and video independtly on deck A and B.
You can have video playing in constant loop in the 1st four sample pad of each sampler.
Right now your volume fader act on video+ audio but they can be map as linked or separate (volume fader = audio+ video and shift+volume fader is audio or video only)
Given the configuration in the last map file and the fact that all rotary buttons are also push I can still map 4 additional rotary commands and 8 additional push button commands ( 4 normal and 4 with Shift)
Look in the MIDI mapping section in the 1st topic the map aliases for 3.0 are listed. From that file you can see the available commands and decide which one would be helpful for your workflow.

[bostonDJ]

Hi guys,
On the Vfx lets say there are the 7 big knobs across the top. 3 on the L side over the 1-6 LED's, 3 on the R side over 1-6 LED's & the one directly in the middle mixer section.

3 LED's over 1-6 on L & R side present functions when TURNED:
1st button on left scrolls through the FX list in Cross (top dropdown)
2nd (middle button) turns the Amount button
3rd button turns the Depth button
Nothing happens when they are pushed in...

The Center/Mixer knob scrolls thru the big collection list of songs when turned.
When pressed in this knob turns on the Preview mode and previews the song you have currently selected in the collection list. I am able to hear the song on my sound card headphone jack. Works good.

To answer Fig's question about the 1st topic setup, I like having 2 of the same things side by side like...2 videos in A & B and 2 songs in C & D...makes it easier for me to see. I probably won't be doing much video sampling just yet but I like the looping feature for visual abstract videos and for looping songs...even live. Music videos will play straight out one of the decks while people are dancing. I can add some effects to the video on the fly. I like not having to <Shift><Cue> into the 2 videos too much (if I'm doing abstract visuals not music videos) to add spice because you can't be late <Shift><Cue>'ing back out to control the audio. I like the <Shift><Crossfader> to screen fade the video while audio decks are active.

So whatever you think is the best set-up for me...probably the 4 straight decks...not much video sampling.

Thanks...
P.S. Dan...East Coast Magic!!!

[FigDJ]

Nothing happens when they are pushed in...

I did not program any MIDI commands for those. The push functions are open and each one of the buttons can accommodate 2 push functions one normal and one shifted if they are used in global commands ( those commands not specific to a deck). So that gives you a total of 8 buttons, 4 normal and 4 shifted.

Also the 2 rotaries for amount and depth can be assigned shifted rotary comands which allows you a total of 4 additional rotary command. (available just not programmed)

The Center/Mixer knob scrolls thru the big collection list of songs when turned.
When pressed in this knob turns on the Preview mode and previews the song you have currently selected in the collection list. I am able to hear the song on my sound card headphone jack. Works good.

You should also try the shifted functions for this center button.
If I remember it correctly the Shift + rotary changes your transition type and the Shift+ push switches between expanded collection and normal view.

Also explore the shift + load buttons there are other functions there.

You should open the MIDI mapping section of settings in Cross, make a copy of the map and then experiment with additional commands you may want to include.

I can answer any additional questions (to the best of my ability) that you may have in order to help you map things the way you want.

Instead or shift+cue to switch deck you can program a single push button out of the ones already mentioned. in the MIDI section they are modshiftlogic3 for the left and modshiftlogic4 on the right.

Every DJ is different and their workflows are as different as they are.

At this point is up to you to make the rest work for you, all the LEDs are already programmed and you have 4 deck functionality on a controller designed for 2 decks.

This is pretty much what I can offer in terms of MIDI mapping other than answering your questions to help you make it work for you.

[bostonDJ]

Hi FigDJ,

Thanks a bunch. Can you program the <Shift><Cue> functionality for the the 1st button in the group of 3, for Push-in...on both L & R side? Still letting LED 6 blink or solid like we have now? That would allow me to toggle and make a Deck active by just pressing the 1st button in. Or do you think that would be a waste? It would give me 2 ways of doing it...

Second your thoughts on what could be programmed on the 2nd & 3rd buttons in regular Push-in mode (not shifted)? May start to get complicated with all the <shifting>...

As I work with the Cross more I will know what I could map to help me further. Thanks again...

[FigDJ]

....Can you program the <Shift><Cue> functionality for the the 1st button in the group of 3, for Push-in...on both L & R side? Still letting LED 6 blink or solid like we have now? That would allow me to toggle and make a Deck active by just pressing the 1st button in. Or do you think that would be a waste? It would give me 2 ways of doing it...

Second your thoughts on what could be programmed on the 2nd & 3rd buttons in regular Push-in mode (not shifted)? May start to get complicated with all the <shifting>...

As I work with the Cross more I will know what I could map to help me further. Thanks again...

The MIDI map for the 3 rotary/push buttons in the fx sections is as follows

Left rotary selects the effect
Left push button select the input mode for the effect. As you push the mode will change from Master, A,B,C, and D. You will se the LEDs 1 to 5 light up according to your selection.

Center rotary controls amount
Right rotary controls depth

Center and right push buttons are free the one on the left is programmed as described above.

All you have to do is go into the MIDI map section
scroll down to the VDFX4D map
Open the shift modifier section
You will see the commands for #3 and #4
For each and one at a time
Press the + sign and the window will pop up
Press the button in the controller ( center or right are free)
Select toggle and you are done
#3 is for the right side and #4 is for the left side.

Review the Cross manual
By the way if you open all the section you will see all the commands available to you. The name of the command explains the functionally.

[bostonDJ]

Hi FigDj and all,
I mapped the center rotary buttons in the top FX section of the Vfx controller on the L & R sides to switch between active players. This will produce the same effect as the <Shift><Cue> control on both sides that you mapped previously. My next questions is:

In this earlier topic you wrote
Cross support the following configurations
1. 2 Decks (A and B) + 2 Samplers (C and D)
2. 3 Decks (A,B,C) + 1 Sampler (D)
3. 3 Decks (A,B,D) + 1 Sampler (C)
4. 4 Decks (A,B,C,D) +0 Sampler

Decks A and B support all video capabilities
Sampler C and D support video sampling for sample pad 1-4
Decks C and D only support audio.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I tried loading video in C & D and it will not show in the HDMI output or Center screen so I have to go with the 4 deck (2 videos on top A & B and 2 songs on the bottom C & D) setup. That being said if you look at the dual crossfaders in the mixer section directly under the volume faders, the audio crossfader is assigned to A & B and the video crossfader is assigned to C & D on bottom with their respective little pictures on the buttons. The audio has the 2 little eighth notes and the video has a little film reel on the button. Is there anyway to SWITCH the little pictures on the buttons so the video is showing on A & B and vice versa for the audio? This would be the correct visual assignment. I can see assignment settings in the mapping file but everything is working fine and I don't need to switch the actual MIDI assignment of the decks...just the pictures on the button. It might be a software thing with Cross...not sure. It would be great to see the proper picture of what deck I am really controlling.

I will upload my mapping file which includes the latest changes that I made above for people to use but I want to see if the picture/button issue can be corrected first. Then I will feel very confident that this is a very good mapping file for the Vfx controller using 4 decks.

Thanks...

[FigDJ]

I tried loading video in C & D and it will not show in the HDMI output or Center screen so I have to go with the 4 deck (2 videos on top A & B and 2 songs on the bottom C & D) setup. That being said if you look at the dual crossfaders in the mixer section directly under the volume faders, the audio crossfader is assigned to A & B and the video crossfader is assigned to C & D on bottom with their respective little pictures on the buttons. The audio has the 2 little eighth notes and the video has a little film reel on the button. Is there anyway to SWITCH the little pictures on the buttons so the video is showing on A & B and vice versa for the audio? This would be the correct visual assignment. I can see assignment settings in the mapping file but everything is working fine and I don't need to switch the actual MIDI assignment of the decks...just the pictures on the button. It might be a software thing with Cross...not sure. It would be great to see the proper picture of what deck I am really controlling.

I will upload my mapping file which includes the latest changes that I made above for people to use but I want to see if the picture/button issue can be corrected first. Then I will feel very confident that this is a very good mapping file for the Vfx controller using 4 decks.

Thanks...

I am a little confused by your statement
The video crosfader controls all 4 channels ABCD
The audio crosfader controls all 4 channels ABCD
Not A B for video and C D for audio.

When you see 2 crossfaders
Normal crosfader movement controls audio with A and C on the left and B and D on the right.
Shift+ crossfader movement controls video with A and C on the left and B and D on the right.

On the GUI if you click on the litle buttons they become one and you see only one crossfader. In that configuration a normal crossfader movement controls audio and video with decks A and C on the right and deck C and D on the left. Your crofader is linked for audio + video. If you click the button again you un-link your crossfader.
There is a command on the list that allows you to map this action from a button in the controller.

Remember that C and D samplers support audio and video on pads 1-4 and only audio on pads 5-8. You may have a video loaded in one of the 4 pads lets say on the right side sampler C pad 1. and your crossfader all the way to the right for audio and video. You won't see anything playing from sampler C until you press the sampler pad. You must also select if the sampler is going to play in a fade or overlay mode.

[bostonDJ]

The video crosfader controls all 4 channels ABCD
The audio crosfader controls all 4 channels ABCD
Not A B for video and C D for audio.

OK I see now. That makes sense. I was looking at the crossfaders literally and linearly. The video capability still lives in A & B though. Correct? These are the only decks that output to center screen in the straight 4 Deck setup(no sampler). If I load video onto Decks C & D, I can still see them play but nothing is on center screen or outputted to TV/Monitor. So this is good.

When you see 2 crossfaders
Normal crosfader movement controls audio with A and C on the left and B and D on the right.
Shift+ crossfader movement controls video with A and C on the left and B and D on the right.

Yes this is good. I understand this.

On the GUI if you click on the litle buttons they become one and you see only one crossfader. In that configuration a normal crossfader movement controls audio and video with decks A and C on the right and deck C and D on the left. Your crofader is linked for audio + video. If you click the button again you un-link your crossfader.

I understand & can see the linking & unlinking button and it works fine but my decks always show as A & C (yellow) on Left and B & D (red) on Right. Your deck placement is different?

Remember that C and D samplers support audio and video on pads 1-4 and only audio on pads 5-8. You may have a video loaded in one of the 4 pads lets say on the right side sampler C pad 1. and your crossfader all the way to the right for audio and video. You won't see anything playing from sampler C until you press the sampler pad. You must also select if the sampler is going to play in a fade or overlay mode.

I understand and thanks for the sampling tips. But again my decks always show as A & C (yellow) on Left and B & D (red) on Right. Is your deck placement different?

[FigDJ]

The video capability still lives in A & B though. Correct? These are the only decks that output to center screen in the straight 4 Deck setup(no sampler). If I load video onto Decks C & D, I can still see them play but nothing is on center screen or outputted to TV/Monitor. So this is good.

Correct

.... my decks always show as A & C (yellow) on Left and B & D (red) on Right. Your deck placement is different?

That is the normal display. No, my decks are as you described.

I don't quite understand what you are looking for but in summary.

Decks A and B support Audio and Video
Decks C and D support Audio only
Samplers C and D support Audio and video on pads 1 to 4 and audio only on pads 5 to 8.

Your crossfader can be linked to control audio and video or separated into 2 crossfader 1 for audio and the other for video.
The crossfader control all channel at once. Decks A and C/Sampler1 on the left and deck D and D/Sampler2 on the right.

Your current configuration allows for
When linked
normal crossfader = controls Audio and video

When not linked
normal crossfader = controls Audio
Shift+Crossfader = video crossfader only

There is a command available for linking the crossfader from the controller. (you must map it still)

There is also available a command to do the same (linking or de-linking) audio and video from the channel faders.