In the past, when digital recording was just a pipe dream, everything was tactile. You had a physical multi-track tape machine into which you loaded physical tape that was fed to and from a large format analogue console with real faders. If you were lucky and had deep pockets, that console might have had an automation system that allowed you to write fader moves to an archaic computer that followed timecode. That was the state-of-the-art 25 years ago.
Then the computer recording revolution came along. Suddenly we found ourselves producing and navigating vast projects – sometimes containing hundreds of tracks – with little all but a mouse. As many as the advantages of non-linear editing, unlimited tracks, as much plugins as your system could handle and virtual mixers tickled our fancy, for many there was still something missing. We needed to somehow meld the old with the new to bring that tactile response back to an otherwise sterile and disconnected world of computer recording.
For a while many simply got either purpose-built hardware controllers or used combination digital mixers/controllers. That worked well for most – and continues to – but others couldn’t help but feel, particularly after the touch revolution of the iPad and other such devices, that in the 21st century things could improve. One of those ’others” is Steven Slate of Slate Digital and his answer is the Slate Raven.
Overview
The Slate Raven group of products comprises two specimens: the Slate Raven MTX; the larger, more advanced of the two, and the Slate Raven MTi. They are both dubbed as ’Multitouch Audio Production Consoles” and are exactly that. Well, technically, yes, but these devices do not pass audio in a strict console-type sense although the MTX has monitoring and talkback facilities. They are basically large touch screens that are, with the aid of Integrated-Direct-Touch DAW controller software, multitouch DAW and software controllers that feature the Raven Mixer. The Raven Mixer can control all parameters of all major DAWs along with the help of the user-customisable, multifunction Toolbar.
Features
Currently, the only Slate Raven product in South Africa is the Raven MTi; the smaller of the two, but the larger MTX is still obtainable through special order. It is a 27′ 1920 x 1080 touch screen with a custom enclosure that tilts at an angle when rested on a surface, sort of like a traditional console. It connects to your computer via a standard DVI cable and a USB 2.0 connection which it uses as transport for the Raven Protocol. This connects your DAW to the industry standard NeyFi protocol utilised by the popular V-Control iPad DAW controller app.
The result is a touch screen that gives you hands-on access to all of the parameters within your DAW and a powerful multitouch software mixer. It’s ’multitouch’ because it allows for multiple gestures on such things as fader control. Even plugins and editing in the session window can be controlled from the Raven MTi. Note: currently, only Pro Tools 10 and 11 are supported. Logic, Cubase/Nuendo and Live are to follow.
The Raven Mixer has a couple of modes. You can choose to either use the stock Pro Tools mixer or the Raven Mixer, which has two flavours. The first flavour looks very similar to the Pro Tools mixer but has longer throw faders and a more legible labelling scheme that includes pictures. The second flavour is a custom skin that emulates the look of a physical hardware mixer. This can be toggled from the Toolbar by pressing the button labelled ’Raven Mixer’. The mixer gives you access to faders, pans, mutes, solos, sends, automation and plugin inserts. Plugin parameters can also be adjusted via the touch interface.
The Raven Toolbar is docked at the bottom of the screen. Here you’ll find all the relevant DAW controls such as transport, edit/mix window selector, locators, record looping, click, group management and undo. The Raven NAVPAD, a movable multifunction tool, can be used to scrub/shuttle, waveform and track zoom as well as track banking. There are also six user-definable hotkeys on the Toolbar that can be programmed to perform frequently used commands. Finally, the Raven Toolbar is user-customisable as well in that you can place the controls anywhere you wish.
In flight
I went to the offices of the South African distributors of Slate Pro Audio, SEGMA, to check out the MTi for myself after hearing and seeing so much about it on the web. Upon arrival I noted that they had removed some of the features I had seen on the prototype at Musikmesse 2013 such as the monitor control section and the VU meters. I assume this was a cost-saving exercise as the original projected price for the MTi at that time was $3 500. Now it comes in around $1 000 less.
As I sat down I was happy to hear the live recording Eddie Caipo had made of the Kings of Chaos at the Sun City super bowl prior to my interview with him. This made me eager to give the unit a whirl as I felt I was reliving the awesome experience of being there. The first thing I noticed was the multitouch function works pretty well, particularly with the faders. I found them responsive and accurate. The general navigation of the MTi is pretty intuitive and I had no problem getting around it after a short crash course from Maldwyn Greenwood, SEGMA application specialist.
I preferred the Pro Tools flavour of the Raven Mixer opposed to the custom skin. It just felt more comfortable and a bit easier to navigate due to my familiarity with it. However, I assume that after some time the custom skin might grow on me. Of course, not being used to a touch panel mixer I was constantly reaching for the mouse, but I assume that will pass with more practice. One feature I liked was applying mutes or solos to multiple tracks or selecting multiple channels by merely touching the first desired function and swiping across however many tracks you want to duplicate. This is a very handy feature when grouping channels. Suspending the group is as easy as pushing a button on the toolbar.
Switching over to the session window I was particularly enthused by the ability to write automation with my finger and the pencil tool. This gives a whole new meaning to interactability as far as a DAW is concerned. There is nothing that I hate more than writing automation with a mouse, which is why I have been coveting a DAW controller for a while now. All editing modes were available with a touch of a button and while I thought moving audio regions around with my finger may feel cumbersome, it was actually quite intuitive, particularly when snapping to grid.
One thing I will say that I didn’t like was dealing with small, finicky things like pan knobs and insert assignment. It was difficult for me to deal with them so someone with bigger fingers might battle. Also, horizontal scrolling on the mixer felt a bit clunky and getting hold of the window scroller at the far right of the screen was a bit difficult. I am assured that because of Slate’s dedication to listening to its clients these issues and more updated features are likely to be addressed in the next revision. In the meantime, the NAVPAD can sidestep the clunky scrolling issue by using two-finger touch gestures.
The wrap
For those who think nothing can replace a real fader, you might have a point and without actually giving the Raven MTi a go it’s easy to understand why you feel that way. However, the MTi is so much more than a fader pack. It gives the user a tactile connection to not just the faders, but all aspects of the DAW and eliminates the process of executing the brain – finger – mouse relay. Now your fingers can interact directly with the DAW and all its parameters in real time, which gives it a competitive edge over almost all the other options out there. No other controller gives the user such intuitive access to almost every DAW function and parameter, including plugins and this, my dear friends, is what sets the Slate Raven MTi apart.
