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Old 01-05-2015, 10:34 AM   #1
Heart Doctor
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Default How to use Steinberg CMC-TP with Reaper

In 2012, Steinberg/Yamaha released a series of USB connected control surfaces named CMC. These units are not manufactured any longer, but they still have many fans.

Of the entire range of CMC control surfaces, I always thought that the CMC-TP Transport Controller was the most useful.



Unfortunately, Steinberg never made any efforts to support use of the CMC series with software other than Cubase/Nuendo and Wavelab. After switching from Cubase 6 to Reaper 4, the only thing that I sorely missed was support for the CMC-TP. Checking the Reaper forum and other websites did not help, so I had to look into the manner myself.

In the following posts I will describe how to use the CMC-TP panel with Reaper 4. Two solutions are provided:

- Partial integration: Works without additional software

- Full integration: You need Bome's Midi Translator Pro for this.
In addition, download my translation file from the Reaper stash:

https://stash.reaper.fm/v/22980/CMC-T...haTrack%29.zip
Attached Files
File Type: pdf 1_cmc-tp_labeling.pdf (12.8 KB, 269 views)

Last edited by Heart Doctor; 02-11-2015 at 03:12 PM. Reason: Adding images to text
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Old 01-05-2015, 11:27 AM   #2
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Default CMC-TP Midi Messages

The communication protocol for the CMC series is described in the related Operation Manual. You can download this Manual from the Steinberg website:

http://www.steinberg.net/en/support/downloads.html

Look under the hardware downloads.

Communication of the CMC units is based on MCP (Mackie Control Protocol). This protocol is often called MCU because the "Mackie Control Universal" control surface uses this (and other) communication protocols.

Most commands consist of midi messages of the following format:
90 nn 7F = Button down / LED on
90 nn 00 = Button up / LED off

The image below shows the nn code for each button. Please note that some buttons cannot be lit permanently. These buttons are shown with a white border in the image.



There are some undocumented commands that can be seen when monitoring the communication between Cubase and the CMC-TP. These are:

LED dimmer on:
F0 43 10 3E 18 00 01 02 01 F7

LED dimmer off:
F0 43 10 3E 18 00 01 02 00 F7

Ping from Cubase to CMC:
F0 43 10 3E 18 00 01 F7

The CMC-TP does not reply a message to the ping. Instead, the ping starts a timer that will shut off all LEDs after 5 seconds. Cubase sends one ping per second to keep the CMC-TP LEDs alive.

The touch sensitive slider also has a button down / button up code. In addition, it sends the slider position using the code E9 00 mm (mm = 00...7F; 7 bit resolution).

Why do I explain all this? Because Frontier Design's AlphaTrack also uses the MCP protocol, and its set of operating elements is quite similar to the CMC-TP. More importantly, Reaper supports AlphaTrack! It should be possible to use the CMC-TP with Reaper if AlphaTrack is selected as a control surface.

Detailed AlphaTrack and TranzPort documentation can be downloaded from Frontier Design's homepage:

https://www.frontierdesign.com/Support/Downloads

Mackie does not provide any documentation on MCP.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf 2_cmc-tp_messages.pdf (13.9 KB, 781 views)

Last edited by Heart Doctor; 02-10-2015 at 11:35 AM. Reason: Adding images to text
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Old 01-05-2015, 11:39 AM   #3
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Default Partial integration: CMC-TP with Reaper (AlphaTrack)

For quick results, proceed as follows:

1. Make sure that CMC-TP is connected and drivers are installed

2. Open the Reaper preferences

3. Under "Control Surfaces" click [Add]

4. Select "Frontier AlphaTrack"



5. Select "Steinberg CMC-TP" for Midi input and output



The image below shows the result.



All labeled buttons work. However, the LED dimmer does not work: All buttons are dark except for Shift, Loop and Record.

Still, a good result considering that we had to do nothing more than recognizing the similarity of two control surfaces.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf 3_cmc-tp_reaper.pdf (17.0 KB, 223 views)

Last edited by Heart Doctor; 02-10-2015 at 11:39 AM. Reason: Adding images to text
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Old 01-05-2015, 12:32 PM   #4
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Default Full integration: Bome's Midi Translator Pro

As described above, it is possible to use the CMC-TP in Reaper without third-party software. However, most buttons will remain dark.

This is a critical point. How could you possibly obtain a great mix without illuminated colored buttons? Everyone knows that this is entirely impossible! So we need a better solution.

For full support of the CMC-TP in Reaper, you need Bome's Midi Translator Pro. This is commercial software and can be found here:

http://www.bome.com/products/miditranslator

For first experiments, you can use the demo version which runs 20 minutes per session. In addition, you need a translation file that I created. You find it in the Reaper stash:

https://stash.reaper.fm/v/22980/CMC-T...haTrack%29.zip

Proceed as follows:

1. Make sure that CMC-TP is connected and drivers are installed

2. Install Midi Translator Pro (or the demo version)

3. Start MT Pro and load my translation file (*.bmtp)



All LEDs of the CMC-TP should now be lit dimly.

NOTE:
MT Pro must be running all the time while using the CMC-TP in Reaper! It modifies communication messages between CMC-TP and Reaper and switches the LEDs of the control panel on/off as required.

4. Open the Reaper preferences

5. Under "Control Surfaces" click [Add]

6. Select "Frontier AlphaTrack"



7. Select "Bome's Midi Translator" for Midi input and output



The image below shows the result.



All buttons work, and the layout is very similar to the one intended by Steinberg.

The [LED] button can be used to switch all LEDs on/off. To switch off (e.g. after closing Reaper), press the button briefly; all LEDs should switch off 5 seconds later. Press the button again to switch the LED dimmer back on.

The [SHIFT] button can be pressed and held to access additional functions. Please note that this button has a sticky function: If you press Shift alone (without another button), it will remain active until you press it again. This allows one-handed operation of the panel.

The touch sensitive slider is also functional. The slider modes will be described in the next post.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf 4_cmc-tp_reaper_mtpro.pdf (23.7 KB, 508 views)

Last edited by Heart Doctor; 02-11-2015 at 11:38 AM. Reason: Adding images to text
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Old 01-13-2015, 08:53 AM   #5
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Default Slider modes

When you press the [SLIDER MODE] button, this button is lit and you enter selection mode. Now you can use the slider to select one of the following slider modes:

- Zoom: Horizontal zoom
- Scroll: Scrolling the timeline (more precisely, a shuttle function)
- Swap: Swap Mute and Solo button
- Fader: Volume fader for the selected track
- Pan: Panorama control for the selected track

Press the [SLIDER MODE] button again to accept your selection.

"Swap" will exchange the position of the Mute and Solo buttons. The currently selected slider mode is not affected by this action. This way, you can adapt Mute and Solo button positions to the selected Reaper theme.
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Old 08-02-2015, 06:51 AM   #6
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Default Version 1.2 on Reaper stash

I have uploaded version 1.2 of my "Midi Translator Pro" translation file to the Reaper stash.

Changes since last version:
- List of global variables added to project properties
- Project now uses "Default Midi Ports"

As a result, code has become much simpler.

Functionality has not changed at all, so there is no real need to update to the latest version.
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Old 11-22-2017, 06:02 AM   #7
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Thanks a lot for all your efforts! I have the whole CMC series, is it possible to use the other devices with Reaper as well?
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Old 11-22-2017, 03:43 PM   #8
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Hello Stevie,

for an expert it would be easy to integrate the entire CMC series into Reaper.

However, this task is too difficult for me. My solution for the CMC-TP was easy to do because someone else had already provided a driver for the AlphaTrack. I simply added a layer that modifies the Midi commands sent to and received from the AlphaTrack driver. Bomes Midi Translator is used for this.

I am sorry that I cannot help you with the other CMC devices. The CMC series was excellent and I cannot understand why Steinberg/Yamaha abandoned it.
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Old 11-22-2017, 03:50 PM   #9
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Hey Heart Doctor,

No problem! I was just curious. There's this "hack":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzrEeWNVVgE

I have to explore it again, if I can make use of it with Reaper.

That's what I don't understand either, why Steinberg have abandoned these controllers.
But Steinberg was always good in abandoning hardware...
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