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Mapping a Novation 61SL MkII without AutoMap (on Apple Silicon


eXe4eYe

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Hey, Novation has phased out the AutoMap software with Catalina, and now Apple Silicon.

 

I recently upgraded to a 14" M1 MBP...is it possible to map the 61SL MkII to Logic without AutoMap?

 

I literally just bought this keyboard used, and I have a bad feeling that I won't even be able to use it.

 

I know that soon enough I'll be glad I went M1 over Intel...but right now, all the plugin and hardware incompatibilities are an elbow drop to my balls.

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You can program the SL from the unit itself, no computer necessary. Plus there are templates out there and you can send them to the unit with Sysex Librarian. Fortunately the templates save as just sysex files, not any proprietary format. If you do happen to have an older Mac with Mojave or earlier you can use the editor with that and then load those on to the SL. Download the manual from Novation's site, I believe it has instructions on how to edit from the unit, but really it is just move the control you want, hit the Edit button and write the changes. All of this takes place while *not* in AutoMap mode. The SL is a GREAT controller even with AutoMap, so much so I just bought a backup SL even though I'm not able to use AutoMap.
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You can program the SL from the unit itself, no computer necessary.

 

I think you misunderstood my question. I'm asking about Mapping the SL to Logic...linking it's faders to Logic's volume faders, it's rotary knobs to Logic's pan control, playing plugin instruments with the SL's keys and pads, etc.

 

Thanks.

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It can still be done, it just takes more work. I've been setting mine up to act as Logic Control using the Mackie HUI control surface setup. I've found it better to program the SL for the expected command rather than try to get the control surface template to learn new controllers from the SL, this way when the CS pref forgets my current control I don't have to reprogram everything. It's a PITA, but is working. That combined with Key Commands set to CC events as much as possible has given me almost as much control as AutoMap.

 

I think some of the functionality of AutoMap could also be replaced with Keyboard Maestro, but haven't spent time with that yet.

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  • 9 months later...

Ok, I looked at my setup and hopefully can explain it well. Since I upgraded to 10.7.4 from 10.6.3 I've had to assign the SL to two different control surface devices because Logic INSISTS on making the SL it's own device despite me telling it not to add to as a control surface. For the actual AutoMap replacement stuff I added the Logic Control Device from the Control Surface Setup and have to use 5 pin DIN MIDI instead of USB to connect it but fortunately I have enough inputs on my midi interface. You can probably use some of the other Mackie ones as well. 

With the control surface setup I changed the Output and Input ports to the correct one on my interface. 1009094138_ScreenShot2022-11-12at7_59_54PM.thumb.png.d586759000c110ebc81590ac628969ce.png

Now the work is to match the SL to the command that the Logic Control is expecting, NOT the other way around. For example, one of the most important commands to me is Bank Up and Bank Down. For the life of me I do not understand how there isn't a keyboard command for this. You have to search the multiple pages for the control surface to see where the command is (if someone knows a faster way I'd *love* to hear it) and then program the button/fader you want on the SL to do it. It takes some time and patience but is worth it. The reason you change the SL and not the control surface is that inevitably at some point the mapping with get lost/confused. This is *much* easier to resolve if you only have to change the ports back to the correct one. 1754945929_ScreenShot2022-11-12at8_01_32PM.thumb.png.709496ccdb27e26243c1de981ebd12e2.png

 

I've attached my main SL template. One could get really, really deep in to this programming if they wanted to. 

Logic Control.syx

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