Midi in a non laptop rig.....

[fuzzbox303]

Hey guys,

I really like the look of this product but I have a few questions that have yet to be answered directly in the forums or videos.

I want to use the beatstep in conjunction with my Elektron gear to drive a few midi modules that don't have midi thru. BS mk 2 / Waldorf Streichfett / Volca sample

Can the BSP drive multiple Midi devices simultaneously by sending the sequence nota date to different midi channels?

Can the drum pads be set to their own Midi channel for samplers like the electribe and the volca sample?

Can the drum track be set as another melodic sequence to drive a 3rd Midi module?

Does the BSP send Midi power on the central pins of a midi cable? This is essential for powering a midi thru splitter without weird adaptors, laptops and usb power.

I would really appreciate some advice on those questions above, I live in Bali so getting hands on to test one of these is a pipe dream.

Thanks,
Richard

[megamarkd]

The BSP transmits the three sequences on three separate midi channels with default being seq1 on ch1, seq2 on ch2 and drums on ch10 (the old midi drum convention being observed there).  These channels can be changed at anytime to any other midi channel.

I've been using my BSP in a computer-free set-up.  I have thru on most of my gear, but am using a few midi splitters and a midi merger.  The BSP doesn't send midi clock if it is not running, though that only effects users wanting to run other sequencers as well as the BSP.  I've overcome this by using a Novation Zero SL mk2 which has a constant midi clock signal sync'd to the last tempo it received.

[Xirso]

"Can the drum pads be set to their own Midi channel for samplers like the electribe and the volca sample?"
No with the seq1 and 2, with an electribe, for exemple, you will be able to sequence 2 voice (2 different channel) with different notes.
The drum seq will only send on 1 channel simultaneously but has 16 track with one note par track. On the electribe it will sequence 1 voice only, perhaps it could be used to polyphony. One track of drum seq for C, another for C#... to write more than one note to the same step.
"for powering a midi thru splitter"
my set up with my elektron:
elektron (master clock) midi out => bsp (slave)
bsp midi out => elektron midi in
elektron midi thru => a midi splitter
First week I had the bsp, I use my setup without a computer , then I had a problem of midi notes held on. I change my setup, and use a computer again  , and only use my bsp for cv. In your place I will wait to see if Arturia is able to resolve some bug with the next firmware update. Or I can sell you my bsp, and I will buy another elektron with a midi sequencer 

[fuzzbox303]

For me, sequencing on a computer whilst using the BSP completely undermines the use of the device. There are many, far superior midi controllers around, with a DAW, interface and controller you can spank the BSP entirely. It's appeal, is the fact it is a stand alone multi track, multi bar sequencer that can drive external equipment without the use of a laptop.

With a laptop it becomes overkill with wires and plugs and adapters and interfaces and splitters and software and controllers and power sockets and ETC.

Think I'm just gunna sell everything I don't actually need and get an elektron octatrack. Only $800 more, and you get 8 midi tracks, a top class sampler and somewhat of an audio mixer too. TBH, I don't think I would even need to drive anything else if I had the Octatrack.

To drive 8 midi modules, I would need 3 BSPs...... Works out at the same price, not really cost effective when you consider the extra functionality of the Elektron gear.

Thanks,
Richard   

[megamarkd]

I've got several step-sequencers and each of them has their idiosyncrasies that influence the way I program them.  Also using a regular multi-channel midi sequencer in conjunction with the BSP is interesting.  Devoting a sequence channel (or two) to the transposing the BSP can give strange result if you feed it riff pattern, or you can control the key note of the patterns by using held notes.

I understand the want for different channels on the drum pad in the drum sequence, as it is it makes it difficult to send different instruments to different midi drum-synths or a sampler.  But the midi side of the BSP to me works more as a sequencer of mono-synths and drum modules. 

I'm getting some cv trigger modules to play with the cv/gate side of it, I'm already using one gate out to control my cheap-as-chips 2-part step sequencer clock with fun results and am awaiting delivery of a Nandamonium to plug into (dunno why the ms-20 is still not plugged in yet).

Also remember that step-sequencers tend to be monophonic.  So 3 BSP's would allow you to sequence 6 monosynths (or 6 monophonic patches on a multi-timbral synth).  You will be disappointed if you get a BSP as a hardware sequencing solution if you own a polyphonic synth, but it's great to augment existing sequencing arrangements in that situation.