Q: “How to I set up the Tascam FW-1884 to work with Digital Performer 4?”
A: Start by making sure you have the latest version of of DP4 (download at www.motu.com), and the latest OSX drivers for the FW-1884 drivers (download at www.tascam.com). Recent updates have improved functionality of this combination considerably. From there, follow these steps and you’ll be in recording, editing and mixing heaven!
- Once updates are installed, launch the “FW-1884 Manager” found in the Applications folder of your Mac HD.
- On the “Settings” page, set “Control Protocol” to “FW-1884 Native”, then quit the FW-1884 Manager.
- Launch Digital Performer and open or create a project.
- From the SETUP menu, choose Configure Audio System >>> Configure Hardware Driver. In the CoreAudio list, locate and click “Tascam FW-1884″ so that it is highlighted. Then click OK.
- This tells DP4 to use the 1884′s audio inputs and outputs.
- Return the SETUP menu, and choose “Open Audio MIDI Setup.” In the MIDI page, simply look to verify that the “FW-1884″ is automatically detected. You don’t need to create or change anything here, as long as the FW-1884 is detected.
- Quit AudioMIDI Setup (AMS).
- Once again, go to the SETUP menu, and choose “Control Surface Setup.”
- Click the “+” button to add a control surface. Set the “Driver” to “FW-1884″ and “MIDI” to “FW-1884 Control Port, channel 1″.
- Click OK in the Control Surface setup window.
- Watch DP4′s mixing board for faders to respond when you move FW1884 faders; and for FW1884 faders to respond when you move DP4 faders on screen.
