how can I access 2nd, 3rd, etc. EQ on MC Control?

[jacko]

The manual says that after I press EQ I should be able to choose which EQ I want to control on that channel (provided that there is more than one). Sometimes I have 3 EQs in series and so far I could not access EQ number 2 and 3. Just the one at the top.

[jacko]

any ideas?
is this deliberate limitation? or a bug/missing feature?

[Ruthven]

Seems OK on mine, select a track, then click the Inserts dial, this brings up all the inserts on that track next to the various click dials, then click the one you want to edit.

[jacko]

Originally Posted by Ruthven

Seems OK on mine, select a track, then click the Inserts dial, this brings up all the inserts on that track next to the various click dials, then click the one you want to edit.

This is not what I mean.

I specifically asked about accessing EQ, not inserts. I don't want to memorize various control mappings for different plugins. When using EQ button you always get specific controls on specific encoders - regardless the plugin manufacturer. Check MC Control manual for this.

[jacko]

Is this ever going to be addressed?
Old era PT surfaces had it: press eq twice to cycle to 2nd eq plugin.

[robertg]

Originally Posted by kdarbyshirebryant

Ha ha, funny you should mention this. In the Artist manuals prior to Eucon v3.1, mention was made of a plugin selection page when using EQ mode so you could select which plugin was in focus. The actual functionality didn't exist despite being described in the manual.

With later versions of Eucon the manual was updated and had reference to the non existent functionality removed. Progress of sorts, the manuals & functionality now match. ;-)

This to me is a very clear indication of the way things will always be with these products.

Despite all the reassurances and requests to submit feature requests, none of it matters, there won't ever be any new functionality.

Every new release since 2011 has been bug fixes and basically nothing else. Not to mention breaking NEW things and then later maybe fixing those, maybe not.

There is so much potential here for the hardware to do exceptional things with good software, it's staggering. Think of the touchscreen with new graphics controlling plugins directly, and not via the failing knobs.

What it boils down to is that they have no competition. the Mackie control protocol has got nothing on EuCon so there is no incentive for the Avid entry-level products to be amazing.

I hope to be pleasantly surprised in 2015, but I have stopped holding my breath.

[robertg]

Originally Posted by kdarbyshirebryant

I understand where you're coming from and it's very easy to be cynical about the situation. Personally I think the entire Pro Tools & EUCon development teams are very under-resourced much to everyone's frustration: Internal dev teams & the customers.

The problem as such is that if the customers get sufficiently upset they'll clear off, which ultimately means no money for dev teams, which means no dev teams.

I've wondered what it would take to get features (& bug fixes) implemented. Is there an issue here that updates to Eucon are free and hence there's no revenue, no revenue tends to upset the budget bean counters. If costs were reasonable (say $100-200 per year) on some sort of update subscription plan that generated revenue for Artist EUCon development then I'd definitely consider signing up.

I'd really like to know as users/customers what we can do to help Avid progress this platform, because it could & should be really good and clearly there were intentions to provide more functionality than is currently present.

Here's the thing, there is great value in keeping this platform well maintained and new features to constantly make it better. That is to lure new and prospective customers and build loyalty to the product. Having to pay for that is ridiculous.

If it were me, nothing would matter more than to make my product work exceptionally well, and not just "ok" with some lingering shortcomings and glitches that have been ongoing for years.

[O-WYO]

Originally Posted by robertg

Here's the thing, there is great value in keeping this platform well maintained and new features to constantly make it better. That is to lure new and prospective customers and build loyalty to the product. Having to pay for that is ridiculous.

If it were me, nothing would matter more than to make my product work exceptionally well, and not just "ok" with some lingering shortcomings and glitches that have been ongoing for years.

Absolutely! Unfortunately, Avid doesn't think that way. For decades, the company has been notorious for an elitist, "my-way-or-the-highway" attitude. And it certainly appears the Artist Series is at the bottom of Avid's priorities list - especially behind it's more flagship EUCON controllers.

I hate to say this, but the Artist Series is beginning to look a lot like another expensive and highly-touted, yet, manufacturer-abandanded and extinct piece of pro audio equipment - the Waves APA 44M. Now, there's a horror story worthy of a Hollywood script!

[robertg]

Originally Posted by kdarbyshirebryant

I get what you're saying I really do and I agree wholeheartedly. It would be so wonderful to be able to say to others 'come on in, the water's lovely' and I really wish Avid would see the light. It's hard to say those things, certainly at the moment.

Without wishing to defend Avid, I do want to look at things from their point of view (at least briefly) I purchased a couple of years ago, new, from a retailer an MC Control Mk2 for around £1100. A lot of money. Avid presumably saw some of that money. I've subsequently added an MC Mix & MC Transport, all purchased 2nd hand (from disgruntled owners) Avid saw none of that money. 2+ years have passed and I have been provided with (I nearly said benefited from!) a few versions of EUCon. Mostly bug fixes really. That's 2 years of some developer resource that has had to come out of the original £1100 that I paid for the 'from new' MC Control. Add R&D costs into the original design, development of Artist/EUCon and my monetary contribution is probably zero. That's going to upset the accountants and internal budget processes.

I suppose new customers would hopefully pay toward the ongoing development costs. And here we have the 'come on in the water's lovely' problem, 'cos the water isn't lovely. In fact by answering a few questions honestly and testing things I know of at least one person I put off purchasing an Artist Mix right here on this forum. That is incredibly sad & unfortunate but my conscience wouldn't permit me to lie to that person.

I don't have the answers. I would like to see some more serious development in the Artist platform and I considered personally what I would deem reasonable for that to happen. For me a $100-200/per annum 'subscription'/'maintenance charge' for the sole purpose of funding continued development is beginning to look attractive. Or if there was a crowd funded thing that was set up, I'd contribute to that. Incidentally I am *MUCH* less keen about this idea for Pro Tools, or certainly a significantly increased charge for HD owners vs vanilla - permanently penalised for investing in the 'superior' product - Avid have a *VERY* hard sell on their hands for me to invest beyond what I've done (you've been warned Avid!)

Fundamentally I want to see Artist taken out of the low priority doldrums within Avid where it has languished for years and see some of the things that have been cried out for (see ideascale, see this forum) actually bl**dy well implemented.

And maybe then, at last, the water would be lovely and customers would come. It's very chicken/egg though isn't it

You are being way too kind. Maintaining and updating a reasonably expensive product is their responsibility, not something we as the customer should have the privilege to pay for.

Add to the fact that a lot of people have not one unit, but up to 2-4 of them, and it adds up.

Look at native instruments, or access music. Their products (Maschine and the Virus TI) are frequently updated and well maintained. New functionality is introduced in the software long after the purchase has been made.

It's not just that there are no new features, it's that things are flat out broken. I remember vividly about a forum post from someone claiming that focus follows bank has been not working for THREE YEARS after initial complaints about it.

This is pretty ridiculous, and there's no excuse for it.

As I said, I really hope things are different in 2015..

[O-WYO]

Originally Posted by robertg

You are being way too kind. Maintaining and updating a reasonably expensive product is their responsibility, not something we as the customer should have the privilege to pay for.

Add to the fact that a lot of people have not one unit, but up to 2-4 of them, and it adds up.

Look at native instruments, or access music. Their products (Maschine and the Virus TI) are frequently updated and well maintained. New functionality is introduced in the software long after the purchase has been made.

It's not just that there are no new features, it's that things are flat out broken. I remember vividly about a forum post from someone claiming that focus follows bank has been not working for THREE YEARS after initial complaints about it.

This is pretty ridiculous, and there's no excuse for it.

As I said, I really hope things are different in 2015..

Totally agree. We didn't purchase an appliance - like a microwave oven or toaster. We invested in the Artist Series. And our investment included both hardware AND manufacturer support that ensured the system would be refined, updated, and improved for continued use in the dynamic field of computer-based, audio/video production.

That Avid is treating its Artist Series customers so poorly is unconscionable. Many of us have well over $6k invested in the system. Many of us have also designed and built our studio workflow around it.

The only hope is the fact the Artist Series does have true potential - for both user and Avid. A stellar-performing Artist Series would be like a magnet, drawing more and more customers to the company's products. Likewise, a poorly-performing Artist Series will drive people away from the company's products. (I, for one, am abandoning any thoughts of cross-grading to Protools software and hardware - a potential investment well over $20k.)

If Avid would realize the above, perhaps they'd devote the resources to making the Artist Series shine. In the long run, it'd work wonders for the company's bottom line, as well as its customers.