Frontier Alpha Track:
The Sound of One Fader Sliding

Apr 20, 2007 5:19 PM, Advertorial by David Battino

           
 

Get the most out of Frontier Design Group's versatile and convenient AlphaTracker controller with these slick tips and tricks.

On my desktop, I have an AlphaTrack set up to complement my mouse. Normally, my left hand operates the AlphaTrack. When I pivot in my chair to play the MIDI keyboard at my left, my right hand becomes perfectly positioned over the AlphaTrack to run the transport on my sequencer. For more detailed mixing adjustments, I simply pick up the AlphaTrack and settle into the sweet spot between my speakers. At about 1 pound and 8.5 by 6 inches, it fits easily on my desktop or lap (see Fig. 1). And because it’s USB-powered, it needs only a single cable, which is handy for laptop music forays.

FIG. 1: The AlphaTrack has far more controls than it appears. In addition to the 100 mm, touch-sensitive, motorized fader, there are 22 buttons, a footswitch input, three touch-sensitive rotary encoders (with integrated buttons), and a multifunction ribbon controller. Pressing the Shift button offers even more commands.