Setting up Midi Channels

[PoopMahGoots]

So I'm trying to control two different synths separately through midi, a Volca and the JU-06. I want one synth to be controlled by Seq1, and the other by Seq2. I am using a midi thru box to manage the signal, but no matter what I do, both synths are controlled by sequencer 1.

I have the default channels set up at the moment, Seq1 sending and receiving midi signal on channel one, and Seq2 on channel 2. Can anyone help me out with setting up the channels? Is what I'm trying to do even possible with the BSP?

Thanks for the help!

[dog01]

hi set the midi channels to global in midi setup and then save send and change on the device what sequencer is on what midi channel  ps i  will send a more in depth how to later but what you're trying to do can be done i have done it controlled up to 3 devices using just midi and and a midi merge box

regards dog01 


       

[PoopMahGoots]

hi set the midi channels to global in midi setup and then save send and change on the device what sequencer is on what midi channel  ps i  will send a more in depth how to later but what you're trying to do can be done i have done it controlled up to 3 devices using just midi and and a midi merge box

regards dog01 


     

Thanks man! A more in depth how to would be great, I'm not sure what you mean by setting the midi channels to global.

[megamarkd]

So I'm trying to control two different synths separately through midi, a Volca and the JU-06. I want one synth to be controlled by Seq1, and the other by Seq2. I am using a midi thru box to manage the signal, but no matter what I do, both synths are controlled by sequencer 1.

I have the default channels set up at the moment, Seq1 sending and receiving midi signal on channel one, and Seq2 on channel 2. Can anyone help me out with setting up the channels? Is what I'm trying to do even possible with the BSP?

Thanks for the help!

What you are trying to do is exactly what the BSP is made to do.  To work out where it's going wrong I have to ask some silly questions.  What channels have you got your synths set to?  What sort of midi thru box are you using?  Is it a simple splitter?

I'm surprised that the JU-06 doesn't have midi soft-thru, but not really.  Roland's idea midi functionality is a bit poor at times.

Really unless something is wrong with one of your boxes, setting seq1 to ch1, seq2 to ch2, drums to ch10 and your synths to the channel that corresponds the sequence you want them controlled by, everything should be fine.

Plug your BSP into MCC and and start a sequence.  Check the console for what midi data is being sent from the BSP (you may need to click the view button to make it visible).

[dog01]

Hi  PoopMahGoots sorry when i said "gobal" i meant "user" my bad.

so in the controller map in the mcc software set everything you can to midi channel  user  then send to device (send anything to the devices will wipe all your seq data so might want to back up any seq prior to this.) you can now disconnect device if you want the power down save last working memory.

then on the device select seq 1 for example and hold the chan button the step buttons from 1-16 are the midi channels if you wanted seq on midi channel 10 you would press step 10 while the chan button is held.   

i will attach a picture of the setting

also here a copy of the midi messages from midi ox  to prove it works

TIMESTAMP IN PORT STATUS DATA1 DATA2 CHAN NOTE EVENT               
 Opened MIDI Output
 Closed MIDI Output
 Opened MIDI Input
 Opened MIDI Output
                                                         
 00000830   2   3     91    24    66    2  C  2 Note On               
 00000830   2   5     91    24    66    2  C  2 Note On               
 00000834   2   3     91    24    66    2  C  2 Note On               
 00000834   2   5     91    24    66    2  C  2 Note On               
 00000898   2   3     81    24    00    2  C  2 Note Off             
 00000898   2   5     81    24    00    2  C  2 Note Off             
 0000089C   2   3     81    24    40    2  C  2 Note Off             
 0000089C   2   5     81    24    40    2  C  2 Note Off             
 00003270   2   3     92    24    63    3  C  2 Note On               
 00003270   2   5     92    24    63    3  C  2 Note On               
 000032A7   2   3     82    24    00    3  C  2 Note Off             
 000032A7   2   5     82    24    00    3  C  2 Note Off             
 00003AEB   2   3     93    24    45    4  C  2 Note On               
 00003AEB   2   5     93    24    45    4  C  2 Note On               
 00003B29   2   3     83    24    00    4  C  2 Note Off             
 00003B29   2   5     83    24    00    4  C  2 Note Off             
 00003FA6   2   3     B4    18    00    5  ---  CC: 24 (E-MU)         
 00003FA6   2   5     B4    18    00    5  ---  CC: 24 (E-MU)         
 00004245   2   3     94    24    69    5  C  2 Note On               
 00004245   2   5     94    24    69    5  C  2 Note On               
 00004282   2   3     84    24    00    5  C  2 Note Off             
 00004282   2   5     84    24    00    5  C  2 Note Off             
 00004909   2   3     95    24    6B    6  C  2 Note On               
 00004909   2   5     95    24    6B    6  C  2 Note On               
 00004947   2   3     85    24    00    6  C  2 Note Off             
 00004947   2   5     85    24    00    6  C  2 Note Off             
 0000513A   2   3     96    24    54    7  C  2 Note On               
 0000513A   2   5     96    24    54    7  C  2 Note On               
 00005170   2   3     86    24    00    7  C  2 Note Off             
 00005170   2   5     86    24    00    7  C  2 Note Off             
 000057B3   2   3     97    24    71    8  C  2 Note On               
 000057B3   2   5     97    24    71    8  C  2 Note On               
 000057F8   2   3     87    24    00    8  C  2 Note Off             
 000057F8   2   5     87    24    00    8  C  2 Note Off             
 00005E77   2   3     98    24    69    9  C  2 Note On               
 00005E77   2   5     98    24    69    9  C  2 Note On               
 00005EB5   2   3     88    24    00    9  C  2 Note Off             
 00005EB5   2   5     88    24    00    9  C  2 Note Off             
 000067D6   2   3     99    24    33   10  C  2 Note On               
 000067D6   2   5     99    24    33   10  C  2 Note On               
 00006806   2   3     89    24    00   10  C  2 Note Off             
 00006806   2   5     89    24    00   10  C  2 Note Off             
 00007136   2   3     9A    24    6A   11  C  2 Note On               
 00007136   2   5     9A    24    6A   11  C  2 Note On               
 0000717C   2   3     8A    24    00   11  C  2 Note Off             
 0000717C   2   5     8A    24    00   11  C  2 Note Off             
 00007785   2   3     9B    24    2A   12  C  2 Note On               
 00007785   2   5     9B    24    2A   12  C  2 Note On               
 000077AF   2   3     8B    24    00   12  C  2 Note Off             
 000077AF   2   5     8B    24    00   12  C  2 Note Off             
 00008187   2   3     9C    24    50   13  C  2 Note On               
 00008187   2   5     9C    24    50   13  C  2 Note On               
 000081BE   2   3     8C    24    00   13  C  2 Note Off             
 000081BE   2   5     8C    24    00   13  C  2 Note Off             
 00008A6C   2   3     9D    24    73   14  C  2 Note On               
 00008A6C   2   5     9D    24    73   14  C  2 Note On               
 00008A95   2   3     8D    24    00   14  C  2 Note Off             
 00008A95   2   5     8D    24    00   14  C  2 Note Off             
 000091BA   2   3     9E    24    5D   15  C  2 Note On               
 000091BA   2   5     9E    24    5D   15  C  2 Note On               
 000091EB   2   3     8E    24    00   15  C  2 Note Off             
 000091EB   2   5     8E    24    00   15  C  2 Note Off             
 00009AAC   2   3     9F    24    33   16  C  2 Note On               
 00009AAC   2   5     9F    24    33   16  C  2 Note On               
 00009AD5   2   3     8F    24    00   16  C  2 Note Off             
 00009AD5   2   5     8F    24    00   16  C  2 Note Off             
 0000A444   2   3     90    24    24    1  C  2 Note On               
 0000A444   2   5     90    24    24    1  C  2 Note Off     

hope that clear everything up. regards Dog01.           

[PoopMahGoots]

Really unless something is wrong with one of your boxes, setting seq1 to ch1, seq2 to ch2, drums to ch10 and your synths to the channel that corresponds the sequence you want them controlled by, everything should be fine.

Plug your BSP into MCC and and start a sequence.  Check the console for what midi data is being sent from the BSP (you may need to click the view button to make it visible).

So in my midi thru box, i have the JU-06 plugged into the first channel input, and the Volca in the second.

The box im using is a Midi Solutions Quadra Thru.

I have the BSP channels set up the same way you mentioned.

Is there a step I'm missing? Shouldn't the BSP automatically transmit each sequencer separately to my synths if i have them plugged into separate midi inputs on my Thru box?
Maybe there was a glitch when I updated to the latest BSP software, because i noticed Control Mode doesn't transmit over anything over midi, and nothing shows up in the console when i start a sequence in the MCC... Yet each synth receives signal from the BSP, it just wont split said signal.

so in the controller map in the mcc software set everything you can to midi channel  user  then send to device (send anything to the devices will wipe all your seq data so might want to back up any seq prior to this.) you can now disconnect device if you want the power down save last working memory.

then on the device select seq 1 for example and hold the chan button the step buttons from 1-16 are the midi channels if you wanted seq on midi channel 10 you would press step 10 while the chan button is held.   

Everything in the MCC matches up to what you said, and I've already tried the rest. I must be missing something, or something is wrong with the BSP.

Thank you both for your help by the way. It's been pretty frustrating. haha

[megamarkd]

Those Midi Solutions boxes are great.  Simple splitter, 1 into 4.  What goes in to it is echoed on all 4 outputs.  What it doesn't do is separate midi channels and send them to the different outputs.  You need a super expensive box for that with the best ones for it not being produced any more.  MOTU come close to doing it, but in the end JL Cooper made the ones worth owning.

What you haven't mentioned is what channels you have set your synths to.

With the JU-06, you need to press and hold [manual] then press the [2] button on the bank select.  Keep the manual button held down while you select a midi channel again using the bank/patch select buttons (bank buttons for 1-8, patch buttons for 9-16).  Set it to 1 or 2.

Not sure which Volca you have but midi is set the same way in each of them.  While the Volca is off, hold the memory button down and switch on.  Use it's mini keys to select which channel, which will be the either 1 or 2 depending one what you set your JU to.

Now, with these settings made in your synths and your BSP set correctly, you should get multi channel midi goodness happening!

MarkD

[dog01]

Hi

just thought i say sometimes the projects, do get buggy i had one project with control mode stuck in midi channel 10. i had to back it up and then overwrite manually eg save another project over it on the devices to fix it MCC did not work when i tried it, if you still having issues you can try saving a new project with the new setting.

best of luck

Regards dog01     

[Wolkenbruch]

I have had the same problem. I have connected a MIDI thru box (simple device for 40 Euro) to the BSP and wanted to operate 2 Microbrutes and 1 MFB Tanzbär drumcomputer with each sequencer – everything on SEQ1 went to both Brutes. But there was help in the Microbrute MIDI Connection app, where I set the MIDI channel of the second Brute to 2. Now everything works just fine.

[syrupcore]

Think the confusion here is about how MIDI Thru boxes operate. All it does it mirror whatever it is sent to each of its outputs. In order to get the above set ups to work, you need to consult the manual for the Volca and the JP-08 (and the micro brute and the MFB) to figure out how to set *that device's* MIDI channel. That is, each device connected to an output on your thru box needs to have it's own discreet MIDI channel set. By default, most devices ship with the MIDI Channel set to 1.

Try this: 

• Leave the Volca set to channel 1
• Set the JP-08 to MIDI Channel 2 (consult the manual)
• On the BeatStep Pro, select sequencer 2 (big button)
• On the BSP, hold MIDI Channel and hit step 2. That should move the yellow light to #2
• Enter some notes and rejoice.

Same idea of the Microbutes+MFB Tanzbär (nice setup by the way!)

Actually, just peeked at the manual and it looks like the Tanzbär defaults to MIDI Channel 3 for the drum sounds. http://mfberlin.de/wp-content/uploads/Tanzbar_Midi_english.pdf

[megamarkd]

Think the confusion here is about how MIDI Thru boxes operate.

That is what I sussed maybe a misunderstanding leading to things not working as expected also.  The 'cheaper' (yet still not cheap) boxes only split or merge, they don't sort channels to ports or anything like that.  I'm running an Akai ME80P (8in/10out midi router) into a Kenton Merge4 that runs back into the ME80P at the moment.

Actually, just peeked at the manual and it looks like the Tanzbär defaults to MIDI Channel 3 for the drum sounds. http://mfberlin.de/wp-content/uploads/Tanzbar_Midi_english.pdf

Weird considering General Midi spec insists that percussion be on channel 10.  Not that the standard is that rigid that no drum machine can transmit or receive on anything but ch10, it's just usually these things ship with the standards adhered to.  Akai have (quite annoyingly) locked their latest drummachines/synths to the standard channels and midi note numbers for both their Rhythm Wolf and Tom Cat.  I guess that is the converse of sticking too hard to the standard.

[barryschizzel]

is it possible to do the same with just a beatstep (Not BSP!)