The Transport zone features five buttons for the standard transport functions (Rewind, Fast Forward, Stop, Play, and Record).
The Transport zone also incorporates seven small, circular buttons for different recording and playback modes.
You can use these buttons independently, or in conjunction with one another, to navigate and edit your projects. Each button has a dedicated LED that indicates its current status.
The REWIND button lets you rewind through your project. Pressing the REWIND button repeatedly while rewinding accelerates the rewind speed. Pressing the FAST FWD button repeatedly while rewinding slows down, stops, and eventually reverses the shuttle direction. Pressing the STOP button halts the rewind process at the current playhead position. Turning the Jog/Scrub Wheel also exits rewind shuttle mode.
When one of the Marker modes is activated, pressing the REWIND button moves the playhead to the previous marker.
When one of the Nudge modes is activated, the REWIND button moves the selected regions or events backward by the value defined in Large Nudge mode.
The FAST FWD button lets you fast forward through your project. Pressing FAST FWD repeatedly while fast forwarding accelerates the shuttle speed. Pressing the REWIND button repeatedly while fast forwarding slows down, stops, and eventually reverses the shuttle direction. Pressing the STOP button halts the fast forward process. Turning the Jog/Scrub Wheel also exits forward shuttle mode.
When one of the Marker modes is active, pressing the FAST FWD button moves the playhead to the next marker.
When one of the Nudge modes is active, pressing the FAST FWD button moves the selected regions or events forward by the value defined in Large Nudge mode.
Tip: You can combine markers with cycle areas by pressing the respective buttons on the Mackie Control. This, in conjunction with navigation between markers (using the REWIND and FAST FWD buttons), moves the playhead, and automatically sets a cycle area between adjacent markers. Try this, and other options, with various button combinations.
Pressing the STOP button stops project playback (or recording, if active), and stops all other Transport functions. Pressing the STOP button a second time returns the playhead to the project start point, or the beginning of the nearest cycle area, if Cycle mode is active. Pressing STOP repeatedly switches between these two functions.
Pressing PLAY starts playback from the current playhead position. Pressing PLAY repeatedly jumps to the beginning of the nearest cycle area, if Cycle mode is active.
Pressing SHIFT and PLAY simultaneously works as a Pause command.
Pressing RECORD activates recording on the selected MIDI, audio, or software instrument channel strip (if it is armed for recording).
It is possible that the first time you arm an audio channel strip (by pressing the REC/RDY button for the channel), a Save dialog will appear on your computer screen. Enter a filename (and a save location) in the dialog, then press Save. The Mackie Control LCD display shows “There is a file select dialog on the screen.” The Position/Time display shows “ALERT.” All LEDs are unlit.
Once you enter the filename (and press Save), all controls on the Mackie Control return to their previous state.
After the default audio filename has been entered, you can freely select and arm any audio channel strip, and then press the RECORD button. No alert messages and file save dialogs will appear onscreen.
Tip: To minimize the appearance of the dialog, save your project with Assets before you start recording. Saving your project this way bypasses the need to define filenames, and makes handling faster and easier when using Logic Pro with the Mackie Control.
Pressing the MARKER button activates one of the three marker modes: Small Marker mode, Large Marker mode, and Temporary Marker mode. You can use these modes to create or delete markers, and jump to markers in your project.
Note: The Marker and Nudge modes are mutually exclusive; activating one deactivates the other.
Pressing the MARKER button activates Small Marker mode. In this mode, pressing the FAST FWD or REWIND button moves the playhead to the next or previous marker. Pressing the MARKER button again reverts to the default behavior of the FAST FWD and REWIND buttons. (See Mackie Control: REWIND Button and Mackie Control: FAST FWD Button.)
Small Marker mode is useful if you want to jump to markers while using the V-Pots for other purposes.
Pressing the MARKER button while holding down the SHIFT button displays three create options on the LCD, assigned to the three rightmost V-Pot buttons.
Once markers have been created, press the V-Pot button listed below to create or delete a marker at the current playhead position.
Control | Action |
|---|---|
V-Pot 1 to 5 | Displays the first five markers by name. Pressing a V-Pot button moves the playhead to the corresponding marker. When the playhead position is inside a marker, the lower line displays INSIDE, and the V-Pot LED ring is lit. |
V-Pot 6 | Cr w/o—Creates a marker, without rounding to the nearest bar. |
V-Pot 7 | Create—Creates a marker, rounded to the nearest bar. |
V-Pot 8 | Delete—Deletes the marker above the current playhead position. |
A recommended workflow for creating or deleting markers is to use the Jog/Scrub Wheel. Turn the wheel to move the playhead to the desired project position, and then press the appropriate V-Pot to create or delete a marker.
For coarse placement, use the wheel to move the playhead.
For fine placement, press the SCRUB button, then use the wheel to precisely position the playhead. (This technique is only appropriate if creating or deleting an unrounded marker.)
For more information about using the Jog/Scrub Wheel, see Mackie Control: Jog/Scrub Wheel Zone.
Large Marker mode is terminated by pressing the MARKER button again.
If you want to enter Marker mode temporarily (to quickly perform a few marker functions), hold down the MARKER button and press one (or more) of the V-Pot buttons. This action executes the marker function and then leaves Marker mode as soon as you release the MARKER button.
When in this mode with the MARKER button held down, pressing the function keys F1 to F8 moves the playhead to the first eight markers (if created). For example, to navigate to marker 3, press and hold down the MARKER button and press F3.
To jump between markers, with (or without) the MARKER button held down, simply press the FAST FWD or REWIND button.
The NUDGE button allows you to move (nudge) selected audio or MIDI regions (or events) in Small, Large, or Temporary Nudge mode.
Note: The Marker and Nudge modes are mutually exclusive; activating one deactivates the other.
Pressing the NUDGE button reassigns the behavior of the FAST FWD and REWIND buttons; pressing either FAST FWD or REWIND nudges the selected regions or events by the value defined in Large Nudge mode. Pressing the NUDGE button a second time reverts to the default behavior of the FAST FWD and REWIND buttons. (See Mackie Control: REWIND Button and Mackie Control: FAST FWD Button.)
Small Nudge mode is useful if you want to nudge regions or events, but still use the V-Pots for other purposes.
Pressing the NUDGE button while holding down the SHIFT button displays eight functions on the LCD, and assigns them to the corresponding V-Pot buttons. These functions allow you to move the selected region or events by various amounts, or to a specific position.
The position of the first selected region or event is displayed above V-Pots 3 and 4. If nothing is displayed, either a window that does not allow the selection of regions or events is open, or no regions or events are selected.
The functions are as follows:
Control | Label | Action |
|---|---|---|
V-Pot 1 | Nudge | Selects the nudge value used by the REWIND and FAST FWD buttons. These buttons move the selected objects backward/forward by the defined value. |
V-Pot 2 | Pickup | Moves to the current playhead position. |
V-Pot 3 | Bar | Moves by one bar. |
V-Pot 4 | Beat | Moves by the current project denominator value (beats). |
V-Pot 5 | Division | Moves by the current project division value. |
V-Pot 6 | Ticks | Moves by single ticks. |
V-Pot 7 | Frames | Moves by one SMPTE frame. |
V-Pot 8 | Fram/2 | Moves by half a SMPTE frame. |
The cursor buttons emulate the computer keyboard’s arrow keys, allowing easy selection of a region or event.
Note: Ensure that the ZOOM button isn’t active when using the cursor buttons.
Pressing the NUDGE button a second time turns off Large Nudge mode.
To use Nudge temporarily (for one or two small moves), hold down the NUDGE button and use one or more of the V-Pots. This action executes the selected function, and then exits Temporary Nudge mode as soon as you release the NUDGE button.
In Temporary Nudge mode, the cursor buttons emulate the computer keyboard’s arrow keys, allowing easy selection of a region or event.
The Nudge value for the REWIND and FAST FWD buttons can also be defined with the function buttons:
Function button | Action |
|---|---|
F1 | Sets Ticks. |
F2 | Sets Division. |
F3 | Sets Beat. |
F4 | Sets Bar. |
F5 | Sets Frames. |
F6 | Sets Half Frames. |
This button activates and deactivates Cycle mode. By default, the cycle area falls between the first two markers.
Subsequent markers can act as left and right boundaries for further cycle areas.
Press the MARKER button.
Press the CYCLE button, and when active (as indicated by the LED), press the REWIND or FAST FWD button.
Hold down the CYCLE button and press REWIND or FAST FWD. This also activates Cycle mode.
Navigate to the desired left locator position with the Jog/Scrub Wheel.
Press the CYCLE and REWIND buttons.
Navigate to the desired right locator position with the Jog/Scrub Wheel.
Press the CYCLE and FAST FWD buttons.
Pressing the SHIFT and CYCLE buttons activates Cycle View mode. The mode display shows “Cy.”
To return to a regular Assignment mode, press one of the Assignment buttons.
Control | Action |
|---|---|
Turning V-Pot 1 | Shows and edits the current cycle status (off or on); you can also use the CYCLE button. |
Turning V-Pot 2 | BySel—sets the current cycle area by the selection made in the Arrange window (selected audio or MIDI region). |
Turning V-Pot 3 | Move—moves the current cycle by a bar with each click of the V-Pot. |
Pressing V-Pot 5 | Picks up the current playhead position for the left locator. |
Turning V-Pot 5 | Changes the left locator in bars. |
Turning V-Pot 6 | Changes the left locator in beats (denominator steps). |
Pressing V-Pot 7 | Picks up the current playhead position for the right locator. |
Turning V-Pot 7 | Changes the right locator in bars. |
Turning V-Pot 8 | Changes the right locator in beats (denominator steps). |
The DROP button lets you activate and deactivate Autopunch mode.
Press the MARKER button.
Press the DROP button, and when active (as indicated by the lit LED), press the FAST FWD or REWIND button.
Hold down the DROP button and press FAST FWD or REWIND. This also activates Autopunch mode.
Navigate to the desired punch in locator position with the Jog/Scrub Wheel.
Press the DROP and REWIND buttons.
Navigate to the desired punch out locator position with the Jog/Scrub Wheel.
Press the DROP and FAST FWD buttons.
Pressing the SHIFT and DROP buttons activates Punch view. The mode display shows “Pu.”
To return to a regular Assignment mode, press one of the Assignment buttons.
Note: Changing a punch locator value with the Mackie Control automatically activates Autopunch mode in Logic.
Control | Action |
|---|---|
Turning V-Pot 1 | Shows and edits the current Autopunch status (off or on); you can also use the DROP button. |
Turning V-Pot 3 | Move—moves the current punch area by a bar with each click of the V-Pot. |
Pressing V-Pot 5 | Picks up the current playhead position for the punch in locator. |
Turning V-Pot 5 | Changes the punch in locator in bars. |
Turning V-Pot 6 | Changes the punch in locator in beats (denominator steps). |
Pressing V-Pot 7 | Picks up the current playhead position for the punch out locator. |
Turning V-Pot 7 | Changes the punch out locator in bars. |
Turning V-Pot 8 | Changes the punch out locator in beats (denominator steps). |
The REPLACE button activates or deactivates Replace mode.
The CLICK button activates or deactivates the (MIDI or Klopfgeist) metronome click. There are independent click settings for play and record. To access the click settings, choose File > Project Settings > Metronome.
Press the SHIFT and CLICK buttons to activate or deactivate both External Sync mode and transmission of MMC.
The SOLO button behaves as per the Solo key command. Individual channels can be soloed with the SOLO buttons on each channel strip. MIDI or audio regions can be selected, and soloed, along with the selected channels. Each channel features an independent SOLO LED, which is lit when a channel strip is soloed. The RUDE SOLO LED—just to the right of the Position/Time display—is lit whenever any channel strip is soloed.
Press the SHIFT and SOLO buttons to activate Solo Lock mode.