I want to buy a D8B to control logic 9, what do I need?

[sdb]

Hi all

Nice job with this form.

I use logic studio as part of my home studio.

I want to buy a D8B (probably from ebay) and set it up to control the transport and 24 channels in logic.

I'm not particularly bothered about controlling plugins.

I've scoured the net, and got myself more confused!

Could you please tell me exactly what I need to ensure I'm buying when buying the D8B, and very broadly what I need to do to get it working in logic (all 24 channels).

I don't intend to use the D8B for audio at all, purely as a controller.

Thanks very much for your help!

[Petersueco]

Welcome to the forum.

For you d8b purchase I recommend you read the Top Ten list of common problems and Purchasing A Pre-Owned d8b: Checklist.

You will not get 24 channels right out of the box using the HUI layer that comes with OS.v.5.1, only 8 channels.

For your particular need of 24 control channels you have to make a MIDI map. There are some MIDI maps available in the Database but only for Nuendo. You could use those as a start to make your own for Logic. I have to say that it is a very complicated task to do BTW.

Good luck with the purchase.

Peter Holmquist.

[yeskeys]

uhhh...are you sure??? There is a lot of real estate there for a controller.
I personally would re-think that and find something smaller, sleeker, and more designed for that task.
that's just me tho.

Eric

[sdb]

Hi Peter,

Thank you very much for your helpful reply. I'll check those links out now.

When you says the midi mapping is a complex task, how complex are we talking? I am pretty competent from a computer / techie point of view, but have relatively little experience on the audio side. I've certainly never mapped a controller before.

Eric,

Thanks very much for your reply. Yeah, I know exactly what you mean, but being completely honest, the purchase is based 25% on practicality, and 75% on the excitement of having all those faders and buttons to play with!

This is a home studio, which is used mostly for self indulgent fun, so it doesn't need to be the most efficient place on earth.

As long as the d8b will do the job properly, it seems like the closest thing I'll get to reliving my youth and playing in a proper studio and drooling over the massive desk and all the toys they had to play with (without getting a divorce)!

I may live to regret the decision, but then that's what ebay's for!

[sdb]

OK.. A couple more detailed questions based on the links above.

If I am just going to use the D8B as a controller for logic. Do I actually need the clock card, i/o cards, etc?

If not too much trouble, it would be really useful if you could let me know exactly what I need for the following two scenarios :

1) Purely a controller for logic
2) As above, but also carrying at least 2 inputs (which would then need to route into logic somehow) and one master stereo out which I'd feed into my monitors.

I hope the above actually makes sense!

[yeskeys]

who knows, you may end up using it as it was intended!

I stumbled into this world when I got a d8b off craigslist for 200 bucks, strictly for the bargain of it. I eventually ended up w/ a maxed out rig (almost) and an HDR and think it's extremely cool and way more fun than the DAWs in my computers.

good luck,
eric

[sdb]

That's a really interesting perspective!

[yeskeys]

omg...I have reached Premium Member status. I'm not sure how it happened but I like it.

[sdb]

OK.. This has moved on!!

Eric sowed the seed!

I'm considering now getting the D8B, and a HDR, and using logic purely for midi instruments, etc like Superior Drummer, and of course the massive library of instruments that come with Logic.

Am I right in thinking I could then use the HUI layer to control 8 channels of Logic, and the rest of the desk to control audio tracks recorded straight onto the HDR? Will I be able to monitor and mix them both simultaneously, using either the D8B or logic as the host to run the clock, and everything will remain in sync?

If so, could you please tell me what kind of HDR I need, and if I need anything else, like masses of leads or patch bays, etc?

I'm hoping to get this all purchased tomorrow! Very excited!

[yeskeys]

For me, cabling was the biggest pain in the ass.
I have some extra T/DIF cables if you need to connect DIO8 cards together - that's what I am using in all my card slots on both machines. I'm not sure why but I didn't have any luck getting the ADAT cabling to work on my system but I didn't really troubleshoot that much.
Good luck!
eric