MIDI in to sequencer

[zedius]

I'm having trouble getting the sequencer to play when sending midi data to the midi in of the minibrute. Is this possible?

What I would like to do is have an external sequencer trigger and transpose my sequences, but I think this limitation would be seen with just an external midi keyboard as well. It seems that putting the minibrute into sequencer mode disables the midi input... But I hope I'm wrong!

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[Chi]

I'm having trouble getting the sequencer to play when sending midi data to the midi in of the minibrute. Is this possible?

What I would like to do is have an external sequencer trigger and transpose my sequences, but I think this limitation would be seen with just an external midi keyboard as well. It seems that putting the minibrute into sequencer mode disables the midi input... But I hope I'm wrong!

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Hard to keep up with the speed of replies on this forum eh!

I will test this out on my unit - just as soon as it comes back from repair!! been 5 weeks now!!

best regards

Chi

[zedius]

Thanks Chi. I figured this one out actually! There are 2 sequencer modes which can be toggled in the Minibrute SE software: "Note On" and "Hold".

"Note On" is the default mode. When in sequencer play mode with "Note On" selected, one must hold a key down to play the sequence.

"Hold" is an alternate mode that starts playing immediately upon switching the sequencer switch into play mode.

Running an external sequencer into the minibrute SE while the SE's sequencer is playing technically works for both modes, however because you need to hold a key on the minibrute to play the sequence in "Note On" mode, the incoming external sequencer data is immediately replaced by that key you are holding down.

Make sense? Confusing?

It would be great to have a firmware update that allowed the minibrute to be controlled via external sequencer even when "Note On" mode is active. I think this could be done by giving priority to incoming midi notes over the minibrute's own keyboard.

[Chi]

Cool, glad ou got it sorted!

Yeah, that is confusing but it does make sense  - in "note on" mode the incoming notes will just trigger the MB sequencer to run for the duration of each note that it gets sent. Playing the MB at the same time will overide the incoming midi.

hmmm, I think I see what you mean about letting the sequencer be triggered externally, on one midi channel for perhaps, whilst you could play the MB on another over the top of the sequencer - is that right? Im not sure it could be done though the MB being monophonic - maybe I misunderstand?

[zedius]

Actually, in "note on" mode the incoming midi notes don't trigger the MB sequencer at all if the MB keyboard is not being pressed. You can think of a key press as an 'on' button for the sequencer in this mode, and it also delivers the transpose voltage.

So the external sequencer works in "hold" mode because the sequencer is always on and receiving that midi data. In "not on" mode the key press on the MB, which is necessary to run the sequencer in this mode, overrides the external sequencer data that is coming into the MB.

As for the second part, I don't want to play the MB's keyboard on top of an external sequence - I would like to be able to press play on my external sequencer and have it play a very slow pattern that transposes the MB sequencer.

So for a simple major chord arpeggio programmed into the MB: C-E-G
And a simple progression programmed into my external sequencer: C-E-G-B

External sequencer plays slowly into the MB:                                                    C-----------------|E-----------------|G-----------------|B----------------|
MB sequencer plays its sequence as informed by the external sequencer:       C--E--G--C--E--G--|E--G#-B--E--G#-B--|G--B--D--G--B--D--|B--D#-F#-B--D#-F#|

[Chi]

Aha! Right, now I understand. I'll have to give this a try later tonight or tomorrow. I have only just got round to hooking up midi to the Minibrute from a Sub37.  I'm just updating the 37's firmware now and I should be ready to send its sequencer notes out to the brute.

Then at least I will have a better understanding of how it works.

I'm definitely intrigued about using one sequencer to transpose the other like you mention..