FaderFox EC4

Did you get it to work?

Sort ofā€¦ I got it working within Ableton as a dedicated controller for a few softsynths I use regularly.
Itā€™s back in its box at the moment though, I prefer using an Arturia Keylab mk2 and itā€™s user custom configuration.
I will come back to the EC4 at some point though.

i hope this isnt explained anywhere in here already but: i dont really understand under what conditions a midi controller device with a display will receive parameter names and values? Is it a feature of specific scripting of 1 device for 1 daw? Is it a feature of devices that use MCU/HUI? Is it generally transmitted as part of a midi message (i doubt it)? does it get sent slongside midi with a different type of message? big thanks to anyone who has the answer!

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I have one here and i pretty much love it. Asked the dev about adressing the 14 bit controllers and he said he might be implementing a 10 bit mode so that would be extra cool.

Just one question, does anyone have their encoders having friction when turning? Are there like ball bearings inside it bc of an accelerometer? Hes said it shouldnt have any friction unless maybe something rubs against the front plate. Now I kinda wanna keep it but at this point Iā€™m not sure if I make it a problem (the friction) or if its maybe just the way how it normally is. Donā€™t wanna spend 300e on a pure encoderset and buy it with problems.

I kinda wanna open it up and look inside to see if I can glance anythingā€¦

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Friction or resistance is a quite subjective feeling.

One of my EC4 encoders turns a little bit easier but so what?

I prefer a little bit of friction over a to loose and imprecise rotation of these encoders.

No they require slightly different accentuation force but im fine with that, as every controller i used has it. but: it feels ab it scratchy when i turn the encoders, like an old dusty encoder would feel but either its just like that or somethings up. eh?

So - if you have assigned a cc controlling volume to an encoder, this would be mute/unmute (but would only unmute to max vol)?
e.g. for 8x OT track levels
e.g. on/off for Rytm performance macros

Ok. Just got the FFEC4 today to use with my whole setup. I know about the OT CC61, but it seems that thereā€™s no way to do the same type of thing from the Digiboxes, which I definitely didnā€™t think about when I bought this thing. I was hoping that when I loaded a new pattern the EC4 knobs would jump to mimic the new pattern. Obviously, thatā€™s not happening. So I guess Iā€™m feeling like maybe itā€™s good for Modwheel/AFT/BC stuff. Guess Iā€™ll give it a bit and see how I feel.

Another follow up question, are people using NPRN or CC with their Elektron boxes? Is the stepping noticeable on things like the filter and such?

id just give it a shot, its so fast to change transferred midi type. 127 values is probably a bit steppy for cutoff but it really depends imho.

I also asked the dev and he said he might get a 10bit mode in it for the next firmware! (for anyone wanting more than 7 bit with a DAW).

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I wish his displays would show decimals like the Elektron boxes. The 1000 view in order to get that fine movement is not consistent in its speed.

Seems like the stepping isnā€™t really noticeable enough for my current needs, so Iā€™ll stick with CC for now.

Standard ccā€™s only have 128 steps, so there are no decimals to display - you donā€™t achieve the precision with external midi cc control. NRPNā€™s are a pain, but more precise.

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I have been thinking about getting the EC4 for exactly this. Would I be able to send MW, AT and BC for all four tracks on the Digitone simultaneously?

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Each encoder can be set to a completely separate channel and message, but each encoder only sends one message, so no A4-style performance macros. Hope I understood your thoughts.

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I did want a macro feature earlier. But itā€™s not neceessary since the macro feature is right there in DN via MW, AT and BC. I can see in the manual that Mod Wheel uses CC #1 and Breath Controller uses CC #2 but thereā€™s no CC for Aftertouch as it is a unique midi message.
Fortunately it seems that EC4 does send AT too:

ā€œVarious types of commands such as CC, NRPN, pitch bend, aftertouch, program change and notesā€

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Just for people thinking about getting one: i can definitely say it is (a) well built and (b) super fast to program even from the device itself. I was worried about this but he did a great job with the firmware, itse very very fast. Lastly (\c) its super flexible. You have 16 push encoders in 16 banks in 16 setups so 22*16*16 freely mappable midi controls.

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Iā€™m looking at this mainly as a solution for

  1. Pigments modulation/adjustment. Sounds like plug-in support is fuzzy
  2. Ableton dub processing/sends/live automation.

2b. Bonus would be to have EC4 automap and manipulate whatever my currently selected track device is

Anyone willing to share how how the experience was in these contexts or if there is a better device for such purposes?

Can you please elaborate whats fuzzy in the plugin support? I was thinking about getting one and map Pigments, among others. Expect to do manually as the only option.

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Oh no why did I open this thread?! I have so many unused midi controllers and yet this one looks perfect :joy:. Midi connection without a computer, a screen with editable labelsā€¦ yeah, looks like the dream

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I donā€™t really know that to be the case. Itā€™s just what I gathered from a scan through the thread. EC4 seems robust enough to manually map it

The mapping issue Iā€™ve had is more with Pigments than the EC4, or any other midi controller.
A lot of Pigments is modular, as in you have various synth modules (for the engines) and a ton of filter modules, fx, etc, that live in various slots/locations.
When you midi map, say to a filter cutoff, the mapping only works for that one particular filter module. You switch to another preset that has a different filter type and your mapping has gone.
I think this is unfortunate because Pigments is fantastic, but it restricts it to being mainly mouse controlled unless you want to restrict yourself to certain synth engines/filters/fx.

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