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I have heard that you can automate MIDI-compatible effects units using a sequencer. MIDI is very confusing to me, but I'm sure it will cut down on the number of hands I need for mixdown! There are a number of projects I'm working on that need effects punched in and out. What are the best (affordable) sequencers for this purpose, and does anybody have any tips on using them? Also, is there anything that would enable automation of analog faders? I'm a student, so cost is a factor. Thank's for the help! -Chris

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Nate Tschetter Mon, 10/01/2001 - 11:03

Hi Chris

Most any sequencer will record and playback basic MIDI events. The real problem is with the effects boxes. Some allow you to easily control every parameter, some make you "map" preset controller numbers to certain effect parameters, some have only one parameter that can be controlled via MIDI.

What computer platform are you using? Do you have a MIDI interface? What effects are you using? How much do you want to spend?

anonymous Mon, 10/01/2001 - 17:39

Thank's for replying, Nate. I'm not running anything computer based. It's all outboard gear. Here's the MIDI capable gear I have: Fostex D-90 recorder, Digitech Studio Quad 4 effects processor, Yamaha SPX90 processor, Alesis D4, and a Yamaha QX5 that I'm borrowing. I mainly want MIDI to change, add, and take out effects at certain points. There probably won't be that many small parameter changes right now. As far as $, I guess I'm limited to a couple hundred. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks.

Nate Tschetter Mon, 10/01/2001 - 22:32

Hi Chris

Dunno what platform you're on but the Mac has a "spanking" good little sequencer called [[url=http://[/URL]="http://member.nifty…"]MIDIGraphy[/]="http://member.nifty…"]MIDIGraphy[/]. It does SOME things that the big ones don't.

I guess at the very least, your simplist form of automation with that gear would be patch changes. Just make a patch on each FX unit that does nothing and select it when you want to mute. Even the QX5 (and I used to be a bit of a whiz on the QX5 back in the day) can handle that pretty easily.