AlphaTrack Quote
“I just received my AlphaTrack today and set it up. What an easy install. I love the jog strip. I can finally move around a project like I’ve always wanted to.”
Kevin Kascak
Quick Facts
- Optimized for fast, high-quality DAW mixing and editing in a small footprint
- Intuitive, innovative, and powerful controls in an attractive package
- 100mm touch-sensitive, high-resolution (true 10-bit positions) motorized fader
- Three touch-sensitive encoders ... context-specific feedback appears on the 32-character backlit display
- Innovative touch-sensitive jog and shuttle strip for fast timeline control
- 22 buttons and 21 LED's for track-specific and global functions
- Works with Pro Tools®, Sonar™(4+), Cubase®(3.02+), Reason™(3.01+), Digital Performer®(5+), Nuendo®(3.02+), Final Cut Pro™, Soundtrack Pro™, REAPER™, and other DAW software applications
- Works on Windows XP/Vista and Mac OS X computers (Mac OS 10.3.9 or later), including Intel Macs
- Footswitch input on back panel
- No external power adapter required ... single USB connection and small size make it great for laptops!
AlphaTrack and Final Cut Pro
Editing in Apple’s Final Cut Pro used to mean that you had few options in the way of tactile control surfaces. Until AlphaTrack, the ultimate compact control surface came along, that is. AlphaTrack fits comfortably in the smallest workspaces, yet packs some highly intuitive features that defy its size. Spend just a little time with AlphaTrack and you’ll quickly realize how easy it is to use.
Although Final Cut Pro is not a conventional DAW platform, AlphaTrack can perform many dedicated and user-definable functions to streamline your workflow. Standard features include transport controls, accurate level and pan control, and track and scene navigation. AlphaTrack’s unique touch-sensitive strip provides scrub and shuttle modes for fast editing and project navigation. Program up to 40 functions from over 30 categories in Final Cut Pro’s Keyboard Layout menu. These features aren’t an accident. They’re the result of a dedicated effort by Frontier Design Group to develop real tools for real people.
Setting up AlphaTrack in Final Cut Pro is quick and easy. Once the drivers are installed, just configure AlphaTrack for its custom MCU emulation, add an MCU to the Control Surfaces panel in Final Cut Pro, select AlphaTrack as the MIDI In and Out port, and you’re done!

The Frontier Design Group website includes two documents with information specifically for Final Cut Pro users. The first, Final Cut Pro Guide contains detailed instructions for configuring AlphaTrack with Final Cut Pro. The Guide also has information about how to use some of AlphaTrack’s advanced features, and a reference chart listing the default controls.
The second file, Final Cut Pro Layout is a single page picture of the AlphaTrack controller with overlaid text summarizing the Final Cut Pro feature set. It may be helpful to print this file and have it handy as a quick reference guide.
We encourage visitors to our user forums to post their comments and questions. Other users often have useful ideas and experiences to share, and we monitor the posts to provide additional input.
Below are other AlphaTrack related links that may be useful:
Copyright © 2005 Frontier Design Group