As Apple revealed in a description for a session at WWDC, OS X 10.5 includes enhanced USB and FireWire audio support. Some of that functionality is already arriving in the 10.4.10 update, which incorporates the FireWire SDK 24 and FireWire 2.1. (The SDK also includes “most” of the source for Leopard’s upcoming FireWire stack.)

You probably don’t care about that unless you’re a developer.

You probably do care that the 10.4.10 update can cause some FireWire audio devices to cease normal function, including the Behringer FCA-202 and Mackie Onyx Satellite. MacFixIt has the full details, and a workaround from Mackie:

Mac OS X 10.4.10 Special Report: FireWire audio interface issues — fixes

Basically, you can roll back the FireWire driver itself while leaving 10.4.10 in place. Of course, if you haven’t yet installed 10.4.10 and you own an affected interface, you might just leave well enough alone for now.

The “glass half full” way of looking at this would be to presume the full 10.5 update may not cause any earth-shaking driver issues, beyond a few fixes here and there. And we may have jumped over some of those issues before the full 10.5 issue hits. My Focusrite Saffire, for instance, is performing just fine under 10.4.10 on two machines. For anyone complaining about Vista, this is further proof that OS updates will generally cause issues with audio hardware, simply because, aside from class-compliant devices, most pro audio gear interacts with the operating system at a pretty low level. Low-level functionality just tends to break first. The question is, can you fix it, and how fast? (In this case, “pretty durn” fast seems to apply.)

Apple still releases more incremental updates compared to Microsoft’s fewer, larger updates, and Microsoft’s changes in Vista were more sweeping changes to the underlying driver model, compared to Apple’s incremental improvements to audio-specific features. The jury is still out on which is better; it’s still unclear to me, for instance, how much benefit the Vista driver model switch will have in the longer haul.

Just after making the Mackie C4 Commander software free (which works even without the Mackie hardware), Mackie has unveiled Reason support for their C4 control surface:

Mackie Control C4

There’s a PDF there with setup instructions. The C4 is becoming the go-to control surface for just about everything, with robust support for software like Live and Logic as well as Apple and Adobe video software, LCDs above each control, 32 endless encoders, and a US$1000 street. I know we have a number of happy users here. I could even see supplementing the new control features for the same apps in Novation’s ReMOTE SL with the Mackie, using one for synths and one for mixing. Now, all this cheerleading aside, I’d still like to see a more generalized, open standard for connecting control surfaces to software; I think it’d make life easier for both hardware and software makers. But that’s another story, and certainly the C4 works for a lot of people, and it’s nice at least that Mackie built it on MIDI rather than some proprietary standard.

A lot of people now split their recording time between on-location and studios, which for many people means buying two separate audio interfaces. Also, despite the fact that their needs are simple, they often wind up with interfaces that either don’t do quite what they need or, at the opposite extreme, are complete overkill. That’s why Mackie’s new Satellite Firewire Recording System looks appealing. It was introduced at NAMM in January, but it’s now available with a really low price: US$519.99 retail.

Here’s the idea: the interface is split into a docking station and mobile FireWire interface, so you can eliminate cable replugging and carry only what you need.

Mackie has released a free-for-download version of their C4 Commander software. Before we start warping this to our own purposes, let’s start with how Mackie likely intends this to be used. The C4 Commander software maps knobs and displays to a wide variety of software, plug-ins, and external MIDI hardware (new and vintage), either via included maps or via your own custom configuration. That in itself is nothing new; what is new is that Mackie is now letting you download this useful software even if you don’t own the hardware. If you don’t have a C4 Commander hardware device, you can run the software on your computer and tweak knobs on-screen.

C4 Commander Software: Information and Free Download [Mackie.com]

Every keyboard, drum pad, and audio interface these days seems to be crammed with MIDI faders and knobs, and (if you’re lucky) LCDs. If you’re like me, you’re rapidly running out of money and/or room for yet another dedicated control surface. Wouldn’t it be great to take better advantage of these controls with programs like Ableton Live, Cakewalk SONAR, Steinberg Cubase/Nuendo, Mackie Tracktion, and even graphics and video programs? As we saw earlier today, on the Mac you can use LC Xmu with Apple’s Final Cut Studio, which otherwise doesn’t support generic MIDI devices, but it turns out that’s just the beginning.

Windows has an equally capable program called Wise Mix MCmu. (Thanks to CDM’s Adrian Anders, who discusses this further in comments.) Like the Mac equivalent, MCmu lets any MIDI hardware emulate the widely-supported Mackie Control control surface hardware. Any generic MIDI device can be configured, or you can use one of the plentiful overlays available. This isn’t just for cheap keyboards, either; it gives your Yamaha 01x the same features as a Mackie Control, but with additional options. And LCD feedback on your device means you can see what you’re doing on any hardware you want, using any Mackie Control-supporting software you want, as opposed to having to buy specific apps and hardware. Cost: EUR40.

If you do own Mackie Control hardware, this is equally useful, because you can view and modify controllers. It’s the “missing” config tool the Mackie left out. Plus, you can go from a Mackie Control setup in a studio to your keyboard onstage, by swapping a Novation Remote for your Mackie Control unit, for instance.

So there you have it, Windows or Mac, you’re set.

Here’s my big question: why don’t we just have a standard feature for bi-directional communication with devices, especially considering all of this can be built from MIDI — no fancy new communication specs needed? (I’m making my eyes wide and doing my best innocent Pollyanna impression. You can’t see that, because this is a blog.)