MOTU Track16 / CueMix - how to set main volume to a known level?

[thawkins]

I want to be able to set my monitors/phones volume to a predefined level so if I go through with calibrating my monitors to correspond to a nice level for mixing then I can come back to it later on and be consistent in my levels. I use my setup for general listening as well so I keep jiggling the main multipurpose knob (which is a digital encoder so I can't mark a good position anywhere).

In CueMix (the MOTU virtual mixer console software) there is no numeric indicator for the master level which would be nice to be able to come back to.

I tried enabling some TouchOSC control surface option but that did not work at all and I had to hard reset the interface so I don't want to touch that part again.

I realise that I could just save the whole CueMix configuration but maybe there is some other simpler way that I am missing?

Thanks in advance all MOTU heads!

[TubularCorporation]

Not a MOTU but should work.

 

 

[thawkins]

It's a digital encoder, no values and since you can use it for adjusting gain-volume on any selected track or input then it becomes impossible to keep track of what position refers to master volume.

I mean I could get another box to go between the MOTU and the monitors and tape the signs on that but I hope there is a way to do this without getting more gear.

[user]

Probably not the answer you’re looking for but here’s a couple of thoughts;

Couldn’t you set the levels to be where you want them and then use the volume control within whatever you use to play your daily listening stuff from and leave the physical and motu software controls alone from there on?

When you want to change the levels when making music/mixing use your daws master fader or separate monitor out, and have 0 as your reference. 
 

Another option would be to use a dB meter (could be an app) and measure the spl when you’ve decided on your reference level, make note of that and when you’re doing a critical session measure again and adjust until the meter gives the same reading. I realise this is not super, super exact as there are a bunch of variables but I think it would be precise enough for any real world application. 
 

Last thought; get a separate system for listening? 

[thawkins]

5 hours ago, user said:

Couldn’t you set the levels to be where you want them and then use the volume control within whatever you use to play your daily listening stuff from and leave the physical and motu software controls alone from there on?

Not really as sometimes I hook a separate laptop or phone up to the line in to play music through the speakers. The Track16 can do stand-alone operation like this so it behaves like a regular hardware mixer in that regard. That's what all the control surface stuff is for too, so you can hook your Mackie thingamajig up to it and set levels or something.

5 hours ago, user said:

Last thought; get a separate system for listening? 

I would prefer not to buy anything extra to solve this issue. Also I don't really have room in my place for a separate system and I think part of the value is being able to do regular listening through the same monitors than when I make music. It helps me learn the sound and all that.

[TubularCorporation]

14 hours ago, thawkins said:

It's a digital encoder, no values and since you can use it for adjusting gain-volume on any selected track or input then it becomes impossible to keep track of what position refers to master volume.

I mean I could get another box to go between the MOTU and the monitors and tape the signs on that but I hope there is a way to do this without getting more gear.

That's right, we actually talked about that a month or two ago.

[thawkins]

Yeah, I wish I could just send a MIDI CC to that thing and have it set the master volume, but it's apparently not as easy as that.

[TubularCorporation]

Not ideal, but you could max out the monitor level and use a trim plugin on the master buss (or your monitor chain if you use Reaper or something similar that has a dedicated monitor effects section) to calibrate, then add that to your default template. So when you were mixing you'd make sure the trim plugin was active and then turn the MOTU's monitor level all the way up and you'd have a known output level.

 

Downsides are it would be easy to accidentally render a mix through the trim plugin, and the possibility of accidentally playing something with the volume on full and no padding.

[thawkins]

I thought about this, but yeah it will end up with me blowing the monitors by simply plugging something in on the AUX line-in probably.

[thawkins]

I found something here actually, I might just have to set up OSCulator and send a MIDI event to that from anywhere. https://www.pongasoft.com/blog/yan/music/2014/04/24/how-to-control-CueMixFX-volume-with-MIDI/

[thawkins]

Of course OSCulator costs money so I will try to use something Ableton Live specific which seems to also do the trick: https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/connection-kit/

[thawkins]

Well, this turned out to be surprisingly painless. I am attaching this screenshot which contains all pieces of the puzzle.