Artist Control--using all those knobs etc?

[philper]

Folks using Artist Controls who are experienced PT drivers--do you find yourself using all those touch screen commands and little knobs, or mostly just the faders and jog wheel..? Are all those touch screen commands really any faster than keybd/mouse?
thx

[Brandonx1]

Way faster and yes. The more knobs the better.

[Leverson]

Agreed with Brandonx1, I definitely use all the knobs on my Artist Control. I don't generally use them for EQ manipulation (unless I'm trying to do something smooth and specific with just one of the bands), but I use them all the time to quickly select my EQs, Sends, Inserts, etc as I jump around the session. Once you get into a rhythm it really speeds things up.

Also the physical softkeys are invaluable. Program a custom set you like for all your common tasks and it'll speed everything up immensely. I use those most of anything on that control surface.

The touch screen I don't use so much, just because it's not a great quality touchscreen and the sensitivity isn't all that good. However now that the PT Control app works with it I can use the much better iPad touchscreen for all that instead, plus all the physical knobs and softkeys and faders on the Artist Control surface. Best of both worlds (if you already own an iPad).

[smurfyou]

Yes I use the soft keys with custom pages. I put Solo Clear on all of them so that's always on hand. The knobs are not great but they are better than nothing. Same with the touch screen, for commands with no keyboard shortcut.

I'm sure the new control unit with an iPad has better knobs but the Artist series are nice and cheap used.

[garnoil]

I find the touch screen very useful and it has become part of my workflow. I have programed key commands (macros) and can do extensive Pro-Tools control with one touch. For example, I have set up a 'dialogue edit/restoration' mode that with one touch of the screen does this:

Resize video to 1/2
Open CEDAR DNS audio suite
Open CEDAR De-clip
Open CEDAR De-buzz
Open De-click RX
Open De-noise RX
Open Unveil

In my computer Pro Tools takes about 5 seconds to open all these plugins and re-size windows with one touch of the touch screen.

On the same touch screen page, I have one touch macros for: open Izotope connect, view clip volume line or normal volume, copy special and past special, show system usage, jump to next window, jump to sound effects window, jump to mix window, etc.

For me and my workflow this has become second nature and it is incredibly fast, I can jump from one work mode to another with one touch and have the software open all the plugin I need, and optimize the lay out of Pro-Tools for specific tasks. So I can jump form 'editing sound effects' with their own set of plugins, and in one touch change to 'mixing sound effects' that sets up the Pro-Tools lay out in a different way and with different open plugins.

I don't use the knobs or the wheel.

[philper]

Originally Posted by garnoil

I find the touch screen very useful and it has become part of my workflow. I have programed key commands (macros) and can do extensive Pro-Tools control with one touch. For example, I have set up a 'dialogue edit/restoration' mode that with one touch of the screen does this:

Resize video to 1/2
Open CEDAR DNS audio suite
Open CEDAR De-clip
Open CEDAR De-buzz
Open De-click RX
Open De-noise RX
Open Unveil

In my computer Pro Tools takes about 5 seconds to open all these plugins and re-size windows with one touch of the touch screen.

On the same touch screen page, I have one touch macros for: open Izotope connect, view clip volume line or normal volume, copy special and past special, show system usage, jump to next window, jump to sound effects window, jump to mix window, etc.

For me and my workflow this has become second nature and it is incredibly fast, I can jump from one work mode to another with one touch and have the software open all the plugin I need, and optimize the lay out of Pro-Tools for specific tasks. So I can jump form 'editing sound effects' with their own set of plugins, and in one touch change to 'mixing sound effects' that sets up the Pro-Tools lay out in a different way and with different open plugins.

I don't use the knobs or the wheel.

thanks very much (to all)
So you don't leave those restor type plugs open all the time--just when you are going to process something? Does your show vol-line vs wfm control do that for all channels at once or only specific ones? And the jog-wheel hasn't proved useful for backing and forthing the timeline?

[Mark Ziebarth]

Wow garnoil, your macros are complex. I programmed some for my tasks and use as well the touchscreen as the soft keys below the display. I don't use the left and right knobs that much but am happy to have them, just in case.
I even use the wheel to zoom track height and to zoom in or out in the edit window.
I'm happy what the Artist Control did for me the last seven years but I will change to Pro Tools Dock.
I used the new app the last days and am very happy with all the new functionality. In conjunction with the Dock it seems to be the Artist Control 2.0 in my opinion.

[smurfyou]

The wheel is chintzy and for the most part useless to me. I guess you could use it to scrub but it feels so flimsy.

I use window configs for plugins. I tried macros but never kept any. I love macros with other programs but these are clunky.

[Mark Ziebarth]

The overall built quality of the Control (I have an Euphonix branded V2) is mediocre. The touchscreen works okay but worse than an iPad. The dock looks like it has the same quality elements like the S3. I will be testing it soon.