GenMce 1.

63
Generic Mackie Control Emulator
.

GenMce is a stand alone program to make your controller act

like a Mackie.
What –
GenMce is a stand alone, generic midi controller translator. It will translate your midi
output to emulate (make your controller act alot like) a Mackie Control Universal.
BTW – if you can afford one if these, buy it! The new ones are about $1200. Ouch!

GenMce Setup
* Currently all controls are set to midi channel 16 and controller number 127, to prevent
false triggers.

General Setup guidelines -

1. Choose controller (your

physical controller)
2. Select midi input/output port
(see below) and settings in
savihost.
3. Select a preset for your
software (cubase/ableton
live) in savihost.
4. Input your data as viewed on
midi monitors.
5. Save your file as .fxp.
6. Find some way to mark your
controller, artists low tack
tape is good.
7. Don't use cc#'s – 98/99
(rpns) nor 100/101 (nrpns). Gencme does not work with them.

SAVIHOST setup -

Select the Devices menu item to select midi

input port to the one coming in to the translator
and the midi output port to a virtual port going to
you DAW (digital audio workstation) software.
 Then select wave devices and set ins
and outs to No Wave* .
Set buffer to (20 b/s) or more.

The higher the number the more cpu

usage. You can experiment with lower
values.

Midi Monitors –
The midi monitor windows are integral to mapping settings on GenMce.

Midi input and midi output monitors

Use the midi in monitor to get midi input Ch Use the midi out monitor to confirm translation.
and input CC#. This side is for midi output.
Line 1 (above) C 2 = midi input This is a translation to fader #1
channel 2, Cntrlr: 1 = controller Line 1 (above) C1 = midi output Ch1,
number 1. Bender = pitch bend on ch 1.
Use the midi out monitor to confirm correct output to DAW.
Once you finish your setup, disable monitors with the yellow button, to save cpu.
Disabled monitors will disappear.
Popup – Select type of button input.
1. Tog (select this if your controller has toggle buttons)
2. Push (select this if your controller has momentary buttons)
3. Note (select this if you wish to use midi keyboard note numbers)
Controls, cursors, and transports sections.
New in this version – 1 setting for all mutes, 1 for all fkeys, 1 for all user commands.
Use this, drop down, list to select the midi input channel for each control scroll down
or use mouse wheel highlight, then select.
Options - (1-16). Midi Input Monitor to view your hardware values.
Used for every control.
Popup list (see below) - select input Continuous Controller # or note number, from
your hardware. Click on the number, select value.
Options - (0-127) Midi input monitor to view hardware values.
Used for every control on GenMce.
 cc/note number popup men.
Manual (clickable) popup list for the response of the Vpots and Jog. Options – none to
+5
1. none = 1:1 ratio,
2. +1 = 1:2,
3. +2 = 1:3 etc…
Try them to see which you like better. I like +1 on my tmd1000 for pans.
*This can also be controlled by a midi switch or note value for “on the fly” changes to
response. Your midi button will increment the value up then wrap to none.

This Yellow number is the midi note number output. When activated this number will
be output on the midi monitor. It is fixed and not editable, except for the vpot section.
Use to confirm note output messages.
You type the name of the function (see Mackie command list). It will not change the
note number output.
Different daws use these note numbers differently. For now, you should enter
the name of the function for your software that corresponds to the note number.
Faders Setup –

Faders are volume controls for 8 tracks + 1 master fader.

Two exceptions –
1. Returns command is active – then the faders are the volume controls of the return
tracks.( if you have any) This works very well with Ableton Live, not sure how it
does with other programs?
2. Flip command is active – then the faders and vpot inputs swapped. (Meaning when
you move something you have assigned to fader 1 it will now be controlling vpot 1)

Setup –

Observe ch number in the midi in monitor - click on the select the same ch
number. (see midi monitor section to see what fader #1 would look like)
1. Observe cc# on the midi in monitor - clicking on the and select the cc# from
the popup menu.
2. Repeat for each fader 1-8 + master.
What faders do –
Your cc (continuous controller) input will be translated into a pitch bend
output on midi channels 1-9 corresponding to fader number.(output is fixed
and cannot be changed.)
The yellow button, in the upper left, is to enable/disable this section.
Disabled – (press the button) the section will disappear.
Vpot Setup –

Vpots – are one of the multifunction controls that

extend the usefulness of your controller.
Vpots – are controls that have multiple functions,
1. Pans,
2. Send levels
3. Plugin (editable parameters for vst devices)
4. Returns (depending on daw 'this works in Live')
5. EQ's (depending on daw 'does not work in Live')
These should be assigned to 8 knobs/sliders next to each other if possible (for your convience).
Setup – of the top half the above image.

Setup and for all 8 vpots the same as Faders section.

Output is fixed - all midi ch1.
Vpot 1 = cc#16,
Vpot 2 = cc#17 ... vpot 8 = cc#23

Response – What it does – Ratio of input:output will be modified.

None = 1:1 (meaning for every value change input 1 value change output)

You can click on for a dropdown list

+1 = 1:2, +2 = 1:3, +3 = 1:4, +4 = 1:5, +5 = 1:6, +6 = 1:7
And/or
You can control this with a midi button - for on the fly changes,.
Setup is the same process, you have already seen. (see above).
* There is no midi output for the actual button push, only the ratio change of the vpots.
* Pay attention to the type of switch/button on your controller (as mentioned above) and set
GenMce to that same type or your results may be odd. This is true for all buttons you set up.
Husker screen shot below showing pans.
Vpot Switching – Sets what the vpots control. This is how the 8 vpot controls
become at least 32 controls, with
bank buttons <,> (explained later)
they become many, many more.

Vpots control the first 8 tracks of

Use these switches to change vpot output. (The your daw. Using the above
monitor will show the same output for vpot, DAW commands to change functions you
translates correctly.) Set controls on your hardware get -
controller to trigger these switches.
The default is Pan, pan led will glow.  Pans – control pans
Set up inputs the same way for sends and plugin.  Sends – controls sends or
The numbers on the far right 40, 43 etc.. shows the Aux sends.
midi note output. (These numbers change for a few  Plugins – Will control your
presets – Cubase/Nuendo, Tracktion and ProTools.) native plugins, or VST
Use the midi out monitor to confirm your settings. effects or instruments.
Huskervu is a must for this.
 The page buttons take you
on to other plugin controls.
In use – if sends is enabled the led will change to sends,
disable sends, pans (led) will activate.

Huskervu is essential (see above) by providing visual

feedback of what the vpots are set to control as well as what
channel is active. It can be hard to know what you are on.
GenMce is intended to run minimized and not interfere with
your work. Some people have issues with Huskervu taking
too many resources. Your results may vary.

* Plugin control, will take a little getting used to. Pans

and sends are easy.
Multi-function Mutes –

This set of 8 buttons will control multiple commands, depending on the Mute_switch (see
below)
1. mutes,
2. solos,
3. arms,
4. channel select,
5. vpot select
Assign these controls with buttons on your controller or midi notes on the keyboard.
Use 8 buttons next to each other for ease of use.
Setup is same as before. Observe the type of switch to select Type.
* Notice the yellow number row.. These are the midi note outputs for each ch.
When one changes to solo, this row of values, will
also change to show proper note outputs.
The default is mute.
This will also greatly extend your hardware controller by using the same 8 buttons for 40 different
values.

Mute Switch Setup – The main switching station for mutes

You will need 4 other buttons or midi
These controls allow the same set of 8 buttons, keys on your controller to assign to
above, to control several functions, including these functions.
mute, solo, arm, ch sel, and vsel.

Assign a button to select solo, arm, etc... When

you press that button the the led will light and the
Mutes column above will follow.

*These buttons do not send any midi data out. No

translation on the midi out monitor will be
observed. You will see led's and the mutes row This example has solo set to push,
values change. The notes in the bar below will midi channel = 16 and controller = 126.
sent to midi out.

• Mute = mutes (no button, GenMce will automatically switch back to mute.
• Solo = solos the track.
• Arm = sets track, ready to record.
• Ch Sel – selects that channel (track).
• V Sel – selects which device to edit.
Jog Setup –
This will be the knob/slider you assign to function as a jog wheel. Yellow
button will disable/enable. Response has already been described A relative
midi encoder is best. Jog output is fixed on cc#60.
Jog has several functions, depending on daw – experiment.

Cursor –
Cursor – is for movement of the cursor on your screen from your
button or note press.
Setup - as above. All four must be the same type. Example these
four control are all tog.
Live – works but... wants to drop down 1 after reaching the top. 1.6 (Live
not tested in new version).
May work great in other daws.
Transports –
Transports are for midi control of *Rewind and fast forward
added 1.63 each has own control type. Should be a momentary
(push) or note type input.
When you hold down the button rewind happens, when let go
stops.stop, play arrange record.
Again, all 3 must be the same type of input, in this case push.

Commands –

Commands – specific to daw. You will have to type in the

text of what this command does for your daw.
Setup as before.
These can be disabled by click on In column and set
to off.
*All 10 must be the same type of input, these 10 are push.

Function Keys –

Functions keys work much like the command keys. No

names are entered in the field. You must type in names of
commands you choose to assign. The output midi number
is fixed. However, you can (check your daw Mackie pdf)
assign what function is carried out by this switch.
* Note – Ableton Live 6.01 does not use these
commands. Yellow button will disable them, this will
save some cpu.
Other Controls
 Flip – swaps control of faders and vpots.
 Insert (Edit in cube, Return in Live) – function depends on daw, see your daw mackie pdf
 Bank < and Bank > allow you to control the next set of tracks. 1-8 then 9-16 then 17-24
etc... works for faders, vpots, and mutes.
 Chan < and > should change chan... Each daw treats these and page buttons differently. I
have tried to correctly implement, no promises.

GenMce, along with Huservu,(a very nice LCD emulation, for XP or 2000, for
visual feedback on many controls, screen shot in vpot section above) you get
extensive control over you software without mapping much of anything. All for
free.

History and credits - This grew directly out of Midiox scripts by Art Hunkins. He did an
elegant job writing .vbs scripts. These scripts work very well and for a variety of midi controllers, with
are variety of advanced functions. We, eventually found that the cpu usage was high, up to 45% on a
dual core 3ghz.
I decided to try Synthedit.
With much help from the synthedit gathering, I built these VSTs with Synthedit and the cpu use came
down significantly. They idle around 0.1% and is <2.5% moving all 8 faders at the same time on the
system described above. This seemed reasonable.

These programs will write a sub folder, where ever you place them. The folder will
contain 29 files that GenMce needs to operate. They are .sep/.sem and 1.txt files.

Contributors – Bill Stei helped me code new midi Synthedit modules, Art Hunkins, Dave Haupt, Mbreges
(synthedit gathering).
Created with Jeff McLintoch's awesome Synthedit software with modules by David Haupt, Max Brezhestovski,
and Kelly Lynch. Awesome help provided by The above mentioned as well as Robacid, RaydenSFX, Laserbreak
and others at #Synthedit irc chan.
SAVIHOST is a great program by Hermann Seib, that hosts a vst.dll and is small and easy to use .exe to run
stand alone.
A big thanks to D.Drummond, for the thoughtful,detailed and very specific feedback.
VST and ASIO are trademarks of Steinberg Soft- und Hardware GmbH.
SynthEdit: © 2006 by Jeff McClintock. All Rights Reserved.
These programs are given free for use – No liability for usage of these translators held by anyone but yourself.
Use at your own risk.
GenMce and GenMceXT © Kip Chatterson 2008
genmce@yahoo.com