[Update] This is no longer necessary with the 2.0 firmware update.
Don't believe the anti-hype from people who don't read instruction manuals and take time to learn and explore. The Electribe 2 is an excellent piece of gear and has a very nice sequencer with some great playability features that have to be discovered. Dog on the documentation guys for not drawing enough cartoon diagrams to show us all the ins and outs of it. Like any cool device it's caused some controversy and some rage-quits. I like it because it has a natural flow but I also like the BSP and want to merge their functionality without going insane every time I want to jam. It demands extreme measures; an unholy union forged in the fires of hell. Just once and then we're good.
So, since Arturia hasn't added MIDI channel fields to each drum pad in the Custom Drum Map and the corresponding functionality to the BSP firmware, this is how I configure the MIDI Solutions Event Processor Plus to allow the KORG Electribe 2 to be played as a drum machine by the BSP Drum Sequencer.
My specific layout:
In my particular case I'm using the Drum Sequencer pads to control both the KORG Electribe 2 parts 9-16 (E2 bottom row) with BSP Drum Seq pads 1-8 (BSP bottom row) and the KORG Volca Beats instruments 1-10 with BSP pads 9-16 (BSP top row) as well as duplicating control of both machines with pads 7-8 (BSP bottom right --> KVB 9-10 & E2 15-16). I'm using the BSP MIDI Din Out solely for these drum machines to reduce latency and ensure percussive (pun!) drum response.
Other Layouts:
If you only want to use the Electribe2 with the Drum Sequencer and add mappings for a few more drum parts... go for it. As you will see there are not quite enough event handlers on the MS EPP to use all 16 parts on the Electribe2 but you can get close enough. These new Electribes have processing limitations as you apply poly and filters so you kind of have to manage that anyway. In the attached (
Electribe2+VolcaBeats.rtf) you can send BSP sequencer output unfiltered to E2 parts 5-8 by selecting the corresponding MIDI channel on any of the sequencers or control mode as long as those controls are mapped to the user channel.
MS EPP Considerations:
You need the
Plus version to do all this since it has memory locations for 32 instructions instead of the 10 of the regular version.
Read the instructions on the MS Event Processor Plus. Download the programming tools software from their site. You can grab the file I'm attaching and flash it on there before connecting everything if you like. I just like to connect everything first to get an idea of the signal flow. You need to make sure that the MIDI Din adapter to your PC will power the box. Look for the little red light when connected. The first adapter I tried I didn't notice and was just spewing MIDI data to the adapter and it wasn't getting all the way to the MS EPP.
CONNECTIONS:
BSP MIDI Din Out -->
--> Thru Box or MIDI Router of your choice MIDI Din In
Thru Box MIDI Din Out -->
Out #1 --> MIDI Solutions Event Processor Plus MIDI Din In
Out #2 --> Volca Beats MIDI Din In
MIDI Solutions Event Processor Plus MIDI Din Out -->
--> Electribe2 MIDI Din InNotes: Hopefully it's evident that it's business as usual for the Volca Beats with the BSP to Beats connection. The only thing you want to receive info from Event Processor Plus is the Electribe2 because it's the problem child here. Now that everything is connected lets configure.
CONFIGURATIONS:
BeatStep Pro
Drum Sequencer MIDI Channel: 10
Custom Drum Map
Pad: Note (Description)
1: 60 (Electribe2-Part9)
2: 61 (Electribe2-Part10)
3: 62 (Electribe2-Part11)
4: 63 (Electribe2-Part12)
5: 64 (Electribe2-Part13)
6: 65 (Electribe2-Part14)
7: 67 (Electribe2-Part15 & Volca Beats-Agogo)
8: 49 (Electribe2-Part16 & Volca Beats-Crash)
9: 36 (Volca Beats-Kick)
10: 38 (Volca Beats-Snare)
11: 43 (Volca Beats-Lo Tom)
12: 50 (Volca Beats-Hi Tom)
13: 42 (Volca Beats-Closed Hat)
14: 46 (Volca Beats-Open Hat)
15: 39 (Volca Beats-Clap)
16: 75 (Volca Beats-Claves)Notes: Volca Beats has 10 instruments so, like I mentioned above, I'm using all of them with some overlap with the pads I'm using with the Electribe2. I'm also using a note range on pads 1-6 not used with the Volca Beats and is easy for my old brain to remember.
Volca Beats
Leave it alone. Needs to receive on channel 10 though.Electribe2
MIDI Receive Filter: Off
MIDI Send Filter: Short & ProgramMIDI Solutions Event Processor Plus
File Contents... this might hurt a little bit:
F0 00 00 50 29 00 F7
{ Clear All Settings - allow all MIDI events not specified below to pass through unchanged }
F0 00 00 50 29 01 00 7F F7
{ Setting #1: Filter all incoming MIDI events. Continue to process settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 02 01 F7
F8
F8
{ Setting #2: Map all MIDI Timing Clock events to MIDI Timing Clock events. Continue to process settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 02 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
99 3C 00
98 3C 00
{ Setting #3: Map all Note-On #60 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-On #60 events on MIDI channel 9, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 03 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
99 3D 00
99 3C 00
{ Setting #4: Map all Note-On #61 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-On #60 events on MIDI channel 10, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 04 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
99 3E 00
9A 3C 00
{ Setting #5: Map all Note-On #62 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-On #60 events on MIDI channel 11, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 05 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
99 3F 00
9B 3C 00
{ Setting #6: Map all Note-On #63 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-On #60 events on MIDI channel 12, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 06 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
99 40 00
9C 3C 00
{ Setting #7: Map all Note-On #64 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-On #60 events on MIDI channel 13, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 07 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
99 41 00
9D 3C 00
{ Setting #8: Map all Note-On #65 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-On #60 events on MIDI channel 14, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 08 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
99 43 00
9E 3C 00
{ Setting #9: Map all Note-On #67 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-On #60 events on MIDI channel 15, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 09 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
99 31 00
9F 3C 00
{ Setting #10: Map all Note-On #49 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-On #60 events on MIDI channel 16, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 0A 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
89 3C 00
88 3C 00
{ Setting #11: Map all Note-Off #60 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-Off #60 events on MIDI channel 9, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 0B 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
89 3D 00
89 3C 00
{ Setting #12: Map all Note-Off #61 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-Off #60 events on MIDI channel 10, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 0C 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
89 3E 00
8A 3C 00
{ Setting #13: Map all Note-Off #62 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-Off #60 events on MIDI channel 11, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 0D 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
89 3F 00
8B 3C 00
{ Setting #14: Map all Note-Off #63 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-Off #60 events on MIDI channel 12, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 0E 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
89 40 00
8C 3C 00
{ Setting #15: Map all Note-Off #64 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-Off #60 events on MIDI channel 13, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 0F 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
89 41 00
8D 3C 00
{ Setting #16: Map all Note-Off #65 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-Off #60 events on MIDI channel 14, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 10 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
89 43 00
8E 3C 00
{ Setting #17: Map all Note-Off #67 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-Off #60 events on MIDI channel 15, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 11 01 03 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
89 31 00
8F 3C 00
{ Setting #18: Map all Note-Off #49 events on MIDI channel 10 to Note-Off #60 events on MIDI channel 16, with the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 12 00 02 00 7F 01 03 00 7F 02 02 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
94 00 00
94 00 00
{ Setting #19: Map all Note-On events on MIDI channel 5 to Note-On events on MIDI channel 5, with the incoming Note number mapped to the outgoing Note number, and the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 13 00 02 00 7F 01 03 00 7F 02 02 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
95 00 00
95 00 00
{ Setting #20 Map all Note-On events on MIDI channel 6 to Note-On events on MIDI channel 6, with the incoming Note number mapped to the outgoing Note number, and the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 14 00 02 00 7F 01 03 00 7F 02 02 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
96 00 00
96 00 00
{ Setting #21: Map all Note-On events on MIDI channel 7 to Note-On events on MIDI channel 7, with the incoming Note number mapped to the outgoing Note number, and the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 15 00 02 00 7F 01 03 00 7F 02 02 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
97 00 00
97 00 00
{ Setting #22: Map all Note-On events on MIDI channel 8 to Note-On events on MIDI channel 8, with the incoming Note number mapped to the outgoing Note number, and the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 16 00 02 00 7F 01 03 00 7F 02 02 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
84 00 00
84 00 00
{ Setting #23: Map all Note-Off events on MIDI channel 5 to Note-Off events on MIDI channel 5, with the incoming Note number mapped to the outgoing Note number, and the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 17 00 02 00 7F 01 03 00 7F 02 02 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
85 00 00
85 00 00
{ Setting #24: Map all Note-Off events on MIDI channel 6 to Note-Off events on MIDI channel 6, with the incoming Note number mapped to the outgoing Note number, and the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 18 00 02 00 7F 01 03 00 7F 02 02 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
86 00 00
86 00 00
{ Setting #25: Map all Note-Off events on MIDI channel 7 to Note-Off events on MIDI channel 7, with the incoming Note number mapped to the outgoing Note number, and the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 19 00 02 00 7F 01 03 00 7F 02 02 00 7F 03 03 00 7F F7
87 00 00
87 00 00
{ Setting #26: Map all Note-Off events on MIDI channel 8 to Note-Off events on MIDI channel 8, with the incoming Note number mapped to the outgoing Note number, and the incoming velocity mapped to the outgoing velocity value. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 1A F7
FA
FA
{ Setting #27: Map all MIDI Start events to MIDI Start events. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 1B F7
FC
FC
{ Setting #28: Map all MIDI Stop events to MIDI Stop events. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }
F0 00 00 50 29 0A 1C F7
FB
FB
{ Setting #29: Map all MIDI Continue events to MIDI Continue events. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }Notes: Sorry. I really hate it when people at work paste crap like that into a chat window. I'll attach it to this post (Electribe2+VolcaBeats.rtf) so you can just open it and flash. But if you get into it you see the Electribe2 mappings happening in the order of priority. It flows serially like this; "initially block everything incoming and keep processing", "let the clock messages through and keep processing", "map specific note on messages with velocity and stop processing", "map specific note off messages with velocity and stop processing" and finally "let the transport control message through and stop processing". 29 event settings processing incoming messages; 8 specific notes (on/off) on channel 10, all notes (on/off) on channel 5-8, clock and transport controls then it ignores everything else. You now have 3 event settings left over to play with. Have fun.
RESULTS:
It's badass. The E2 has great quality sounds that can be tweaked and messed around quite a bit. I almost dropped some dime on a TR-8 but didn't like that I would loose things like filters, motion sequencing, cool effects. Yes, the E2 has it's own sequencer (which I'm a huge fan of) but this way you can do things like have different modes up on the E2 to control part mutes, live step jump mode play and editing (wicked!) and other edits while the BSP is handling the note play via it's sequencer. Another thing that can be done is create and edit the sequence on the BSP then, when you're done, record it to the E2 sequencer and save.
Like I said, I really like the working methods of both sequencers (E2 and BSP) this just extends that without getting to damn complex while playing. So since Arturia won't support it natively on the BSP you have to do this. Hopefully it's a "set it and forget it" configuration.
Update: You might have guessed this same method applies for a Volca Sample with some minor changes to the MIDI channels and maybe the destination note number. There's a new post on the korgforums linking to a video showing you how to do this with a Arduino board. It may prove to be more straightforward and allow more pads to be used.
http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=100169&highlight=
