Having trouble getting a Behringer X-Touch Universal Control Surface to connect to Logic Pro

Hardware
1

This is weird – I just got a brand new X-touch and an Extender. The extender is connected to the X-touch via USB and the X-touch is connected to my Mac via USB. When I run Logic Pro (recent version, on an Intel Mac running Monterey), the Extender displays the channel names and the motorised faders work to control the channel strip faders but the main X-touch doesn’t seem to work. I did the “Hold Select while powering up” thing and made sure that MC was displayed.

When I start Logic Pro, the display for the first fader just says “MIDI: no link”

I’ve dabbled with the settings and observed if I select XctrlMC rather than just MC, then the knob on the second fader strip lets me select USB rather than MIDI, but that makes no difference.

Of course, the MusicTribe site is useless, as are the manuals.

Anybody know how to fix this problem so that (a) the X-touch works properly and (b) it works properly along with the extender?

2

@dhj

Hello,

I have an extender and an MCU that plays nicely with Logic Pro.

I’m not in front of my computer right now, but I believe that the trick lies in the “Control Surface” preferences within Logic. I remember setting them both up there.

3

What doesn’t make sense to me is why the extender works (as if it were a master) and the main control surface doesn’t!

4

Ok I figured it out. I noticed that the main unit was displaying time and lighting up the PLAY or STOP button so I figured there was no communication issue.
Then I noticed that the time display was showing frames, changing very fast. And I noticed there was a button that switched from SMTPE to Beats so I pressed it and everything immediately started working properly.

I don’t understand why but I’m happy to be able to move forward!

2 Likes
5

Can the extender be used as a standalone midi controller with gig Performer?
It has just all the control elements i would need, faders, buttons and no transport section, which will keep it as “compact” as a controller with motorized faders can be…

6

For compactness you can also consider the Icon Platform X+ with the DU option (display unit) I use the Icon Platform M+ because I wanted the additional buttons of the transport section.

1 Like
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Looks nice too, but i guess it lacks something like an LED ring around the knobs.

8

Yes, it absolutely could be used that way and GP Script could probably be used to make it display widget names, etc, same way I do it for my MIDI pedal controller.

Ideally there needs to be an extension that implements the Mackie protocol for best results

1 Like
9

I use the first line of the display for the name of the slice and the second line for the values I change. I also display the level information dynamically this way from lower to higher level:
=
==
===
====
I prefer indeed led rings and led level display, but this would mean a less compact device in my rig. It is a question of choice.
I don’t use an extension, but a Global Rackspace GPScript and it makes it possible to easily control TotalMix Fx ( RME Mixer) and a GP 32-Mixer I call “plugin mixer”. I switch from analog inputs, playback and analog outputs to the GP plugin mixer using the additional button of the transport section. For rehearsal I only use an onscreen copy of the Icon device.

10

Yes, I would not use these surfaces in my live rig….too big….controls on my keyboards and iPad with OSC works better for me for that.

But in a recording/mixing environment, it’s a whole different ballgame.

11

I am the only keyboardist and singer of a new band and it seems that I will also have to mix the band in small venues… The advantage of a control surface for me is that I need half a second to put my left hand on a fader and while I am going on singing or playing with the righ hand, I can take more time to adjust the fader without looking at it. When I do so on a touchscreen, I don’t feel it under my finger and I have more difficulties to do it without looking at it…

1 Like