Nucleus

User Guide

Nucleus. This is SSL.

www.solidstatelogic.com

Document History

82BN0M01A December 2010 Initial Release

82BN0M01B December 2011 Corrected footers and other small typo’s

Clarified Mac requirements for USB Soundcard

Table of Contents

Software Versions 2

Help! 2

1. Nucleus Overview 3

Channel Strip and Mode Switches 3

Centre Section and Analogue Control 4

Nucleus Remote 4

2. Nucleus Configurations 5

DAWs With Proprietary Soundcards 5

DAWs Without Proprietary Soundcards 7

Multiple DAWs 8

Data Connections 11

Configuring Network Connections 12

Network Wiring 12

Assigning the Nucleus IP Address 12

Direct Network Connection Configuration (Mac) 13

Connecting Nucleus to Multiple Computers 14

ipMIDI Configuration 15

MIDI Port Mapping 15

Pro Tools 8 15

Logic Pro 9 16

The ‘DAW’ Tab 20

The ‘Network Setup’ Tab 20

The ‘About’ Tab 20

Remote Layer Selection 21

Layer Profile Configuration 21

Protocols 21

Creating Profiles – Method 1 21

Creating Profiles – Method 2 22

Selecting a Profile 22

Managing Profiles 23

User 1, User 2 Soft Keys 25

Transport / Utility Soft Keys 26

Assigning Soft Key Functions 26

DAW Protocol Commands 27

DAW Keyboard Shortcuts 28

Soft Key Menus 29

Renaming Softkey Assignments 30

Assigning Modified Functions to Soft Keys 30

Removing and Replacing Soft Key Assignments 30

Configuring Continuous Controller Layers 31

Channel Metering 34

Track Arming 34

Automation Control 34

V-Pot and V-Sel Control 35

Plug-in Control (Pro Tools Only) 36

Master Control 37

Basic Transport 37

Navigation Controls 37

Additional Master Controls 37

MODE Display (MCU Only) 37

Metering 40

Appendix 41

Transport/Utility Function Map 41

DAW Protocol Command Soft Key Labelling 42

Pro Tools 42

Logic 43

Nuendo 44

Index 45

Introduction

NUCLEUS

A DAW controller is part mixing console and part computer keyboard. It is a mixing console insofar as it uses channel strips

and faders etc. to mix and manipulate audio. It is a computer keyboard insofar as, rather than affecting any audio electronics

within it, it simply sends (and receives) commands to a computer program.

Nucleus can be used to control DAW software using either HUI or MCU protocols. These are the standardised control

‘languages’ used by the majority of DAW software on the market today: HUI is used by ProTools, MCU by Logic and Nuendo.

Please refer to your DAW software’s user guide if you are unclear which protocol you use.

The Nucleus control surface also replicates a number of computer keyboard keys, such as modifiers (

,

),

and

keys, and shortcuts such as ‘Save’ and ‘Undo’. Nucleus uses two connections to control

for information about how to apply the control offered by Nucleus.

HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL

A

fter this introduction, you will find a quick overview of Nucleus, followed by more detailed sections covering installation, use

o

f the Nucleus Logictivity Remote, and general Nucleus operation.

Throughout this manual, the following conventions will be used:

• Labels and text found either in the Nucleus Remote or other computer dialogues are indicated Like This.

• The few instances where we refer directly to computer filenames etc. will be shown

• The Nucleus Logictivity Remote application will in some cases be abbreviated to just ‘Remote’.

• The Nucleus itself may be refered to either by name, as the ‘DAW controller’ or as the ‘control surface’.

Please be aware that screenshots shown may differ slightly in appearance from their on-screen equivalents.

The following terms are either concerned with general DAW control, or specific Nucleus operations:

2. Nucleus Configurations

Some DAWs can only receive audio via their own proprietary soundcard hardware. Many of these soundcards provide digital

(S/PDIF) connections, allowing you to take full advantage of the SSL quality pre-amps and converters. The two Nucleus input

channels are sent using the left and right channels of the S/PDIF Out, and the S/PDIF In feeds the monitor inputs.

Ethernet

(DAW control

and Remote)

audio)

Socket

locations are

approximate

Monitoring

MP3

Player

CONFIGURING NETWORK CONNECTIONS

C

onnect your Nucleus directly to the DAW computer using a standard network cable, and check that the IP address is set to

C

onnecting a Nucleus to multiple DAW computers inevitably introduces a little more complexity.

IPMIDI CONFIGURATION

T

he ipMIDI driver enables your DAW to send and receive MIDI control data via the network connection, and must be configured

t

o match the requirements of Nucleus before it can be used.

Once the driver has been installed and you have logged back in, use the Finder to navigate to the Utilities folder (in

Applications). Double-click Audio MIDI Setup, select MIDI Devices and double-click on the ipMIDI icon. Set the number of

MIDI ports to 6 in the resulting pop-up.

Once the computer has restarted after installing the driver, right-click on the ipMIDI icon in the Task Bar, select ipMidi - MIDI

and overleaf are two examples using Pro Tools 8 and Logic Pro 9.

In the Setup menu, click on Peripherals and select the MIDI Controllers tab.

For MIDI controllers 1 and 2, select ‘HUI’ as the

MIDI controller ‘Type’ and assign the MIDI ports

for this layer’s DAW to the two MIDI controllers,

as listed in the table above.

As an example, if Pro Tools has been assigned to

Layer 1 (so using ipMIDI ports 1 & 2), the MIDI

Controllers tab should look as opposite.

3

1 to 8 5

T

he DAW protocol used by Logic Pro 9 is the Mackie Control Unit (MCU) protocol. Therefore when a Logic Profile is assigned

t

o a Nucleus DAW layer, in order for Nucleus to control Logic, a Mackie Control together with a Mackie Control Extender must

b

e added to Logic Pro. Click on Preferences then Control Surfaces Setup to access the menu shown below.

Both the Mackie Control and Mackie Control Extender provide

just eight faders. Therefore Nucleus faders 1-8 are mapped to the

Mackie Control ports along with the master fader and DAW

Control function switches whilst faders 9-16 are mapped to the

Note that if the physical arrangement is reversed, then the

Nucleus faders will not map correctly to the on-screen faders in

Logic.

If Logic is the only DAW connected to Nucleus, then provided that

there is only one DAW Layer set up with an MCU based Profile,

Logic should automatically detect the two virtual controllers

which will be shown in the Logic Control Surfaces Setup menu

(as shown above), with the appropriate Nucleus ipMIDI ports

assigned. If Logic fails to detect the control surfaces, then the

controllers can be added manually via the New, Install menu and

will prevent Logic automatically detecting multiple Mackie Control Units.