Akai APC Mini + Quickshow

This is a thread place marker to record my configuration and hacks to get the APC Mini playing nice with Quickshow.

(Damn when was the last time I started a thread here?)

Dumb arses, the 8x8 pad is assigned MIDI notes in reverse order (bottom up). Bomes MIDI translator to the rescue. I sussed out how to do LED mapping but it will require the Pro version of Bomes, and at $100 it would have been better spent on the APC40.... You live and learn.

Worked out the note values for each colour and flashing, green, red and orange (red & green). Took me a while to realise no blue, despite all the advertising and packagingmshots showing blue buttons, which is actially just colour correction at work.

Bomes translator will also permit scalling of the slider for Annimation Speed, reducing it to 25..100% instead of 400% (hardly usable).

I wished Pangolin would tweak QS to permit spot on 100% via MIDI,, which currently permits 99% and then a big jump to the next value... IF speed == 0.99 THEN speed = 100;

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Took me a while to realise no blue, despite all the advertising and packagingmshots showing blue buttons, which is actially just colour correction at work.

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Surely thats falsely describing an item, or representing as something which it is not, or is there a disclaimer on the box?

Show me a datasheet or advertising that states RGB LED's.... All other buttons are single colour too by looks of my fiddling.

After all, this is a $100 controller, which is cheap for what it is.

A picture is reasonably considered to be a visual description of the item contqained within, unless there's a disclaimer suggesting it isn't, exactly.
If the box (or indeed website) shows the item with blue LEDs where there are none, I would think there's an avenue for complaint (if you so desired, or wished to return it)

Notice how red and green buttons show a circular hot area above the LED, while the blue buttons are uniform?

Looks like intentional up-sell to me.

Attachment 44845

I can't see any blue buttons on that picture.
There are some grey/plain opaque rubber ones which are obviously the 'off' buttons. Is this what you mean by the 'blue' ones?
Has your monitor got an odd colour calibration scheme loaded or just a bit worn/old maybe?

I see blue buttons on my laptop and tablet. Maybe its my eyes?

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Originally Posted by dnar

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Dumb arses, the 8x8 pad is assigned MIDI notes in reverse order (bottom up). Bomes MIDI translator to the rescue. I sussed out how to do LED mapping but it will require the Pro version of Bomes, and at $100 it would have been better spent on the APC40....

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That's why it's advertised as a dedicated MIDI controller for Ableton live.
Just like the APC 40, it is hardwired a bit strange, but evidently it matches up perfectly with Ableton Live.

Looking under the hood a bit in Beyond, there is a LOT of programming that happens with the Beyond APC-40 template that makes the APC 40 work for us!!

Kind of a shame that the APC controllers don't have an editor that lets you customize & load software templates on the controller, similar to the way they do with their MPD and MPK series...

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I see blue buttons on my laptop and tablet. Maybe its my eyes?

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I wondered this but didn't want to cast aspersions. Done a colour blindness test recently? There are some online i believe.

I did a show earlier this week with the APC Mini via Bomes MIDI translator. It worked well indeed!

If anyone is keen, I can post up the Bomes config and QS settings.

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Akai,I have one,it's good for LIVE show.

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Originally Posted by norty303

I wondered this but didn't want to cast aspersions. Done a colour blindness test recently? There are some online i believe.

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I just have the X Lase Mobile Max (1) watt and the Quickshow XL ..I have a APC40 with power and no CD or any other prograns ...How can i do this set up without buying Beyond !

Do I eeed to but bomes Pro first !

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Originally Posted by dnar

I did a show earlier this week with the APC Mini via Bomes MIDI translator. It worked well indeed!

If anyone is keen, I can post up the Bomes config and QS settings.

Attachment 45302

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Hi there,

I am going to buy a controller soon to use with QS and will probably buy Bome's professional to use with an APC40, would you recomment the APC mini instead?

also interested in which program to use the midi controller in quickshow.. PLEASE :)

You really need something likes Bomes translator when using the mini with QS. The button mapping just wont work without.

I have done a lot of live work with this now and I like it.

Nice Setup you got there! I'd happily buy Bome's translator pro and an APC Mini because I can't find any APC40 MK1s for sale in Ireland. What kind of capabilities does your APC Mini have now that you have mapped? Can you trigger effects and adjust speed etc?

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Originally Posted by dnar

You really need something likes Bomes translator when using the mini with QS. The button mapping just wont work without.

I have done a lot of live work with this now and I like it.

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My APC Mini just arrived. :) After about oh.... I'd say, about a minute and a half, I've decided I love this thing with Quickshow. I doubt I'll ever do a show without it.

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Originally Posted by Bradfo69

My APC Mini just arrived. :) After about oh.... I'd say, about a minute and a half, I've decided I love this thing with Quickshow. I doubt I'll ever do a show without it.

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Quickshow 3.0 is supposed to have full mapping support for APC Mini .. however I've been offered an APC40 MK1 at a good price ... Im wondering which to go with!

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Originally Posted by dnar

I did a show earlier this week with the APC Mini via Bomes MIDI translator. It worked well indeed!

If anyone is keen, I can post up the Bomes config and QS settings.

Attachment 45302

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Hi Dnar, I know you posted this a long time ago but could really do with those bomes and QS settings

Cheers
Chris

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Originally Posted by chrisistheking

Hi Dnar, I know you posted this a long time ago but could really do with those bomes and QS settings

Cheers
Chris

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Hi Chris, sure thing. Lucky I checked my setup after updating to Windows 10 recently. Bome didn't run under Win 10! I had to download the latest Pro version.

I have packaged the Bome file with notes here: http://dnaresearch.com.au/photonlexi...0by%20dnar.zip

Let me know how you go or if you need any help.

FYI,
The Akai apc mini is now plug n play with the latest version of QS.
I tried it this weekend and can confirm it works natively with no programming required.

I have te apc mini, was planning to use it with Mamba.
But I never got it to work, so I dont use it. (trade?)

But what do I need to use Quickshow 3.0? the only DAC i have is Easylase, will that work with QS, and what is the price for QS. I did a search but did not find it.

The only DAC that works with Quickshow 3.0 is the Pangolin FB3 or FB4. A FB3 is $535 and FB4 is slightly more. Be wary of dealing with any Chinese vendors - most of them stocked counterfeit products which fail pretty quickly (sometimes DOA, other times within days or weeks or months). They'll tell you the quickshow is legitimate, but it is just better to work with an American or European vendor.

Thank you :) I agree about buying software from China.