Qu. How do I set up DAW Control in Windows?

Qu mixers (firmware 1.2 or higher) - the Custom Layer can be populated with MIDI fader strips and a dedicated MIDI channel is provided for DAW Control.

Configure your mixer for DAW Control

1.  Go to Setup / Control / Custom Layer and set the required fader strips to MIDI by selecting a Custom Layer slot, then change the assignment using the screen rotary.
   
   
2. Set the MIDI Channel in the mixer's Setup / Control / MIDI screen. Qu defaults to MIDI Channel 1 (MIDI DAW Control Channel 2).
   
   
3. If required, set the SoftKeys to MMC transport controls or DAW Bank Up/Down in Setup / Control / SoftKeys.
4. Connect to your Computer with USB cable.

Configure the A&H MIDI Control Application

1. Download A&H MIDI Control from allen-heath.com and install it on your Computer.
2. Launch A&H MIDI Control and double click in the MIDI Control icon in the tray menu (or right click, then click on Show Preferences) to access the configuration panel.
   
   
   
3. Select Qu as the Mixer.
   
   
4. Select the MIDI channel as set in the mixer. This is normally set to Ch. 2 to match the default MIDI DAW Control Channel used by the Qu MIDI strips.
5. Select MIDI Ports for USB connection to the mixer, or TCP/IP for Cat5 network connection.
6. MIDI Ports - Select the MIDI Input and Output ports to be used, for example Qu-16 MIDI Out and Qu-16 MIDI In.
   
   

TCP/IP - Select the mixer from the drop-down box or select Custom and type in the IP address of the mixer, then tick the Connect checkbox.

The two squares in the status bar display MIDI I/O activity. To check you are connected to the mixer, move any fader on the mixer and the left square should flash.

Follow the instructions specific to your DAW in the sections below. This will also assign MMC transport controls from the mixer to the corresponding DAW controls. If Bank Up / Down function is assigned to the mixer’s SoftKeys, fader bank navigation will also be enabled in the DAW.

A similar procedure should apply to other DAWs as long as they support HUI or Mackie Control.

This information can also be found in the MIDI Control Help document here.

Avid Pro Tools

1. Select the HUI protocol in MIDI Control preferences and launch Pro Tools.
2. Go to Setup / MIDI / Input Devices and enable all DAW Control MIDI ports.
3. Open the Setup / Peripherals window and navigate to the MIDI Controllers tab.
4. Create a HUI device for each block of 8 MIDI strips present on the mixer and assign to the corresponding MIDI ports. The following example assumes 16 MIDI strips are used:
   i) In row #1, select HUI as the Type and DAW Control MIDI 1 as the Receive From and Send To ports.
   ii) In row #2, select HUI as the Type and DAW Control MIDI 2 as the Receive From and Send To ports.
5. Click OK.

Steinberg Cubase

1. Select the Mackie Control protocol in MIDI Control preferences and launch Cubase.
2. Open the Studio/ Studio Setup window.
3. Create a Mackie Control device for each block of 8 MIDI strips present on the mixer and assign to ‘not connected’ before assigning the corresponding MIDI ports.
   Note: The top-most device in the left-handlist represents the right-most block of MIDI channel strips:
   i) Click on the Add Device button (+), select Mackie Control and set the input and output ports to ‘not connected’.
   ii) Click Apply.
   iii) Repeat this for up to 4 devices in total (32 MIDI strips)
   iv) Assign the input and output MIDI ports of each device to the DAW Control MIDI ports as follows:
   
   

Cockos Reaper

1. Select the Mackie Control protocol in MIDI Control preferences and launch Reaper.
2. Open the Options / Preferences window and click on MIDI Devices from the left-handlist.
3. To avoid message conflicts, make sure that all DAW Control MIDI Input and Output ports are disabled. If needed, right click on a port to change its status.
4. Select Control Surfaces from the left-handlist and create a Mackie Control device for each block of 8 MIDI strips present on the mixer, then assign each to the corresponding MIDI ports. The following example assumes 16 MIDI strips are used:
5. i) Click the Add button, select Mackie Control Universal surface mode and DAW Control MIDI 1as the Input and Output port, set Surface Offset to 0andadjust the size tweak to 8, then click OK.
   ii) Click the Add button again, then select Mackie Control Extender surface mode, DAW Control MIDI 2as the Input and Output port, set Surface Offset to 8andadjust the size tweak to 8, then click OK.
   Note: Size tweak is always 8 with offsets set to: Surface#1 = 0, Surface#2 = 8, Surface#3= 16, Surface#4 = 24.
6. Click OK to close the window.

Ableton Live

1. Select the Mackie Control protocol in MIDI Control preferences and launch Live.
2. Open the Live / Preferences window and navigate to the MIDI/Sync tab.
3. Select Mackie Control in the Control Surface #1dropdown box and set DAW Control MIDI 1 as the Input and Output port.
4. For each subsequent block of 8 MIDI strips present on the mixer, create a Mackie Control Extender device and assign it to the corresponding MIDI port. The following example assumes 16 MIDI strips are used:
   i) Select Mackie Control XT in the Control Surface #2 dropdown box and set DAW Control MIDI 2 as the Input and Output port.
5. Close the window.

Apple Logic

1. Select the Mackie Control protocol in MIDI Control preferences and launch Logic.
2. Open the Logic Pro / Preferences / Control Surfaces / Setup window.
3. For each block of 8 MIDI strips present on the mixer, create a Mackie Control device and assign it to the corresponding MIDI port. The following example assumes 16 MIDI strips are used:
   i) Click New / Install, scroll down, select Mackie Designs –Mackie Control –Logic Control and click Add.
   ii) Close the window and click the picture labelled Mackie Control.
   iii) Select DAW Control MIDI 1as the Output and Input Port.
   iv) Click New / Install again and add another Mackie Designs –Mackie Control –Logic Control. Click OK when prompted.
   v) Close the window and click the picture labelled Mackie Control #2.
   vi) Select DAW Control MIDI 2 as the Output and Input Port.
4. Close the Setup window.
5. Save your project to store the settings.