Spend $50, get $25 OFF — applied automatically.
Skip to Content Skip to Navigation Skip to Footer
Start freeJoin
Join Membership
← All Questions

Recording Automation from M-Audio Oxygen Pro Faders

AnsweredClosed
Michael

Hello. I've been trying to record automation from the OxygenPro's faders in FL Studio for a couple third party plugins - Kontakt and SWAM instruments, for example.

FL can record automation from the mod and pitch wheel in third party plugins, but it will not record fader movements. Any ideas?

Replies (11)

GratuiTousStaff

Hey Michael, to confirm, you are on PRESET MODE on the Oxygen Pro itself?

Next thing to check is if you RIGHT-CLICK the record button in FL Studio, make sure "Automation" is enabled.

Are you able to use the faders (sliders) and knobs to record automation for other plugins?

Sometimes Kontakt does things unique in the industry compared to what's common for other plugins.. (my first time hearing of SWAM from your message here).

Let me know more details!

Michael

Yep, I'm in preset mode and Automation is enabled for recording. I verified that the sliders work for native plugins and automation is recorded correctly.

In the time since I posted my question, I found this page, which helped me set up connections for SWAM using Current Project -> Generators -> [SWAM instrument here]:

https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-learning/fl-studio-online-manual/html/recording_automation.htm

However, Last Tweaked does not work for Kontakt 7, and the project parameter browser can be very unclear depending on the instrument involved. It looks like there is a list of a couple thousand parameters that always exist when looking at Kontakt 7 and simply get renamed depending on what instrument is loaded. For example, a violin instrument renames parameter #1 to "Expression". If I set up a link between #1 and a slider, then change it to a guitar, parameter #1 is renamed to "On/Off" (which turns the guitar's native distortion plugin on or off) and the connection persists, so I cannot set up global links for individual Kontakt instruments. I can set the Input Port in FL Studio's options for the plugin window to the correct port and then use Kontakt's internal "learn" function to automate any parameter, not just those that are listed in FL Studio's browser, but if I do it that way, then FL Studio does not record automation for that slider or knob.

Any ideas? Or will I just have to set up the connections manually in each project for Kontakt 7 with the "Current project" browser?

GratuiTousStaff

Hey, I understand, thanks for the clarification.

Yes, this is what I was getting at when Kontakt does things unique to what's common in the industry.

To clarify:  Each time you load a new preset, each knob is no longer the same knob, therefore you can't go "Global Link", as if that one knob is CC# 1 for one preset (piano).. then you go to a new preset (guitar), that knob may be CC #14, for example.

That is correct in my understanding, from what you described, right?

For Kontakt not recording automation to FL Studio, sorry, this is something I cannot help with as I've always avoided Kontakt player.. I tried it in my early years and noticed parameters were always so small, and required lots of software to access the actual VST itself..

I just want to leave this page for others reading too about choosing wise plugins (not to say you aren't enjoying Kontakt, but as you've experienced, they do not do things the standard way):

https://itsgratuitous.com/how-to-select-the-right-plugins-as-a-producer/

Michael

To be fair, that particular issue isn't unique to Kontakt - FL Studio won't record automation for any third party plugin where I attempt to use the plugin's "learn" function if I'm trying to link something to anything other than the mod or pitch wheel.

That said, setting up local project links for Kontakt will work. It's a minor annoyance, but bearable.

Thanks for taking a look and for your hard work in general!

GratuiTousStaff

Understood! - Yes, within FL Studio, I usually just use the Multi-Link to Controllers to map knobs to parameters.

Sorry if you mentioned this above..

To confirm, did you enable multi-link to controllers, move the knobs within Kontakt, then right-click Multi-Link to controllers and select either "Project Links" or "Global Links" ?

https://itsgratuitous.com/multilink-to-controllers-flstudio/

It sounds like you understand the process of mapping, etc..

I usually do not record automation, I like to do things via mouse for automation.. and for hands-on mixing, that is different, as I'm kind of "mixing live", rather than recording the knobs for automation.

Michael

Yes, tweaking the slider inside Kontakt doesn't work, but you can still find the parameters in the parameter browser and map it by clicking on the multilink button, manipulating the parameter in the browser, and then tweaking the slider or knob you want to bind to that parameter. For SWAM (which has a separate plugin for each instrument), global links work fine (as it's okay for them to persist), but for Kontakt, project links will have to suffice.

The reason it's important to me is that I like working with stringed and brass instruments, which can benefit from recorded play and automation to add a human touch. I find it's usually faster to record automation for a section than going through and trying to manually add articulations that feel organic.

GratuiTousStaff

Yes, I 100% get it - I also know Film Composition (or working with realistic instruments like this), automation and emotion is of utmost importance!

If I can ask you a quick question before closing this:

What is SWAM?  Is it a format?  It's a new term to me.

Michael

Oh, it's a line of virtual instruments. Physical modeling instead of sampling. The acronym stands for "Synchronous Waves Acoustic Modeling". I haven't had them for too long but my experience so far is that they're a lot more flexible than an average sample library, but it takes a little more effort to make them sound convincing. https://audiomodeling.com/swam-solo-instruments/ Demos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLT7gu1yXoV4H-cq5oZQNpJG9HPLyFXP4-

GratuiTousStaff

Ya, at first I misread and misspelt what you wrote, I wrote "SWARM" lol, then I edited as I saw you said SWAM again.

Thank-you for clarifying this, it helps to be on top of what's popular in terms of equipment, techniques, and what people like to use!

Are they one of the first to introduce this technology?

I will further research this with your links.

Their website is very clear at the moment in regards to their specs.

Michael

There are other companies that do physical modeling - Sample Modeling does some kind of hybrid, I think, and Pianoteq is a modeled piano.

https://www.samplemodeling.com/technology/

https://www.modartt.com/pianoteq_overview

I own Pianoteq, but not Sample Modeling's libraries; Pianoteq is amazingly flexible. You can modify the piano you're (virtually) playing with all the tuning techniques you'd use on a regular piano, set up to five microphones of various kinds, orientations, and distance from the instrument, and modify lots of other parameters to get the exact sound you want.

One of the things I like about physical modeling is that if two people use the same sample library, their instrument will probably sound pretty similar, but with a modeled virtual instrument, you can really make it your own.

GratuiTousStaff

I recall reading into this lightly awhile back when researching about ROMplers, and how piano's can't be produced on normal synths.

There is so much to audio, in regards to the math and science..

My biggest tip I pass onto students of my platform is making sure to select plugins that are lightweight CPU wise, and that have very easy license activation.. many plugins these days are making you install their portal software (which is like a big advertisement on your computer to upsell you to different plugins, or new sounds, etc).

Hope you are enjoying your experience with your tools, and that you're enjoying the M-Audio Oxygen Pro.  I have a help guide on the Oxygen Pro, in case you missed that:

https://itsgratuitous.com/help/m-audio-oxygen-pro/

This question is closed. No more replies can be submitted.

GratuiTous Radio Start free Join Membership 0:00/0:00