With Avid providing deep hardware surface integration for Pro Tools audio plugins via Eucon, those using other devices have had to work with greatly reduced functionality. Can one solution finally allow haptic heaven with any MIDI controller? We find out.

In Summary

reFuse Software’s Mulligan is an intermediary app for MacOS that unites any MIDI controller device with Pro Tools for control surface functionality. This goes a long way towards solving the non-Eucon plugin control conundrum.

Going Deeper

Why All Controllers Are Not The Same

Pro Tools And Eucon

Being one of the most mature and widely-used DAWs, Pro Tools has a long history of control surface integration. Starting with devices such as the Pro Control and later Command 24 and Icon family of surfaces, users currently benefit from the latest generation of products in the form of Avid S6, S4 and S1 modular systems. Relying on Avid’s Eucon protocol, they provide a level of integration with the software that goes far beyond the faders-and-transport paradigm. In many cases this delivers plugin control to rival the immediacy of the mouse-and GUI alternative.

Beyond Eucon

Professionals using Cubase have the impressive Nuage from Yamaha, and for Studio One users, PreSonus have also developed the Faderport family; both camps offer extended functionality with these DAWs that has only been possible though close hardware and software integration.

Those without the luxury of a DAW-specific controller must instead turn to any number of third-party hardware solutions that lean on a small number of protocols including MCU and HUI. This latter option has a much-reduced list of commands available, as well as comparatively coarse control over continuous parameters. While HUI can provide a usable level of control for Pro Tools users, its implementation is even further reduced in Pro Tools compared to other DAWs.

reFuse Software Mulligan

According to reFuse Software, the term “mulligan” means a “do-over” or a second chance. Pertaining to this, the company set out to develop Mulligan after their Novation Nocturn favourite dropped Pro Tools compatibility. The result is a small Mac-only utility that sits in-between any MIDI device and Pro Tools. Its only real quirk (in fact one of Pro Tools’ own) is that any hardware must be sneaked into the MIDI Controllers Type dropdown as an M-Audio Keyboard. Apart from that setup in PT is straightforward.

Watch below how we control Pro Tools audio Plugins using MIDI piped through Mulligan. Using a PreSonus ATOM SQ, we navigate the session completely sans-mouse and take control of transport as well. With support from Mulligan’s Heads-Up Display (HUD) overlay, we get hands on with a number of audio plugins, before writing some track level automation via a Trim plugin for good measure…

Does MIDI Really Have The Answer?

Until now those controlling Pro Tools who are unable to justify the luxurious glow of Eucon have found themselves in a world inhabited by coarse faders, track names such as ‘Drms’ and ‘Ldvx’, and little hope of meaningful audio plugin control. Mulligan aims to scratch that itch using the ancient control protocol that refuses to die: Good old MIDI.

There are some limitations in use, but these are inherently Pro Tools’ own limitations that aren’t going away anytime soon. Both Mulligan and HUI controllers such as my SSL UF8 both prefer to sit at the top table in the MIDI Controllers tab, however with some experimentation one can be persuaded to be the secondary device. Either way, once set up using Mulligan is superior to HUI experiences of the past.

For now, things might be looking up for the humble MIDI controller after all. For those tired of HUI headaches who don’t need Eucon-style absolute ‘mirroring’ of DAW and controller, Mulligan could be the Pro Tools engineer’s weapon of choice to make any MIDI controller Pro Tools’ new best friend…

A Word About This Article

As the Experts team considered how we could better help the community we thought that some of you are time poor and don’t have the time to read a long article or a watch a long video. In 2023 we are going to be trying out articles that have the fast takeaway right at the start and then an opportunity to go deeper if you wish. Let us know if you like this idea in the comments.