Touch OSC mixing

Fed up of using your generic, midi powered controllers with your favourite digital mixing software?

In need of a more bespoke set up without forking out what seems like millions for custom made hardware or specialised controllers like the JazzMutant Lemur Modular Control Surface?

If so then we may have a solution for you, providing you have a little know-how of music technology and own smart phone (practically everyone now-a-days right?)....

TouchOSC

On the left we can see a simple mix template.

According to developers Hexler, TouchOSC is a "modular OSC and MIDI control surface for iPhone / iPod Touch / iPad" and according to Music Radar "The best iPhone music making apps in the world today". Big claims, but we can definitely agree with them! Check the link to the TouchOSC site above or here and see for yourself what the big deal is.

So back to the topic, using TouchOSC to control mixing software, in particular Native Instruments Traktor. With TouchOSC's free layout editor it is possible to make practically any layout of controllers imaginable. Rotaries, faders, buttons, the lot. Making it possible to easily create a fully fledged touch screen controller with nearly every Traktor parameter mapped. Of course this is fine and dandy on a large screen android tablet or apples iPad, but on smaller smartphones having every possible parameter on one screen can be a bit overpowering, not to mention hard to use!

Here at Modern Tat we have created a basic, simple, streamlined template for use alongside a conventional midi controller like our personal favourite the Native instruments Traktor Kontrol X1.

The template features everything the Traktor X1 is missing. Dedicated EQ controls, filters, x-fader, monitor selection, EQ kills and BPM division. The most used controls have the most screen real estate, allowing easier control in quick situations (been to the toilet and not got a song cue'd and ready?!). Look out for a free download of the template, along with a quick how-to in a future post.

Heres a little mix we made using our Traktor X1 and TouchOSC on iOS.