Scott Wilkie from M-Audio
talked to Scott Sheppard's Inside Mac Radio show on April 9. Obviously
M-Audio's new iControl is the first controller designed specifically
for GarageBand, but what about other applications? Scott's answer was
clear:
- If you're using Logic Express or Pro, YES
- If you're using anything else, NO
Does that mean even track parameters can be edited with the iControl in
Logic? Possibly: GarageBand's ties to Logic Pro 7.x are fairly tight.
But if you look at the design of the iControl, you wouldn't really want
to use it with anything other than GarageBand: the layout is designed
specifically for Apple's entry-level app. If you use Logic or a similar
program and you're on a tight budget, you might consider Behringer's
B-Control BCF2000.
It's got everything the iControl lacks, like real MIDI/USB support for
other apps, faders, and automated motorization, and it's still just
over US$200. Readers and I have expressed concerns about Behringer
reliability, but reports on this box have been very positive (including
a couple of readers who chimed in.)
That doesn't mean the iControl isn't a cool product: on the contrary,
this is further evidence that instead of a lot of lame look-alike
boxes, the growing computer music market could mean new interfaces that
are more thoughtfully tailored to different programs and different user
preferences. Meanwhile, if you've tried the BCF2000 or you have your
own fader box of choice, let us know.