Semitone Transpose??

[ma7mod]

Hello guys, before buying the minibrute I need to know if it's possible to semitone transpose it since in the band we play half step down tuning.
So does the minibrute come with that feature? I really hope so, if not any suggestions?

Thank you

[kevinmoore73]

There is a set of white and black keys on the machine that can be used to transpose to any key you wish.     Combined with the octave buttons, the range of transposition that is possible is quite vast.

[illintechnology]

I out and about so I can't test it, but the "fine tune" knob might be able to do a half step transposition for you.  It might not have enough range though.  I'll test when I get home and report.

[ma7mod]

I out and about so I can't test it, but the "fine tune" knob might be able to do a half step transposition for you.  It might not have enough range though.  I'll test when I get home and report.

I will really appreciate it if you can, you know the thing is that we switch between more than one keyboard and it's mind troubling if you wanna do ones on standard tuning and another on half step down...

Another question and it might be a solution, can I connect a midi keyboard to the minibrute? I have the novation compact remote SL 49, on this one once connected to the laptop I can do the half step down, though I'm not sure how that can work if it's not connected to a laptop/DAW...

Thanks in advance

[beefinator]

Good news:

Using the finetune knob, relative to the centermost position (which may or may not be perfectly in tune), the minibrute can go just short of 2 semitones in either direction.  So yes, it definitely can be tuned a half step different.

[ma7mod]

Great man, thank you .. so I'll only have to fine tune it
and yeah I read about the tuning issue that it might change from time to time..., but Great news thank you very much!
I'm buying it especially after watching this video
http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2013/03/05/les-paul-guitar-through-an-arturia-minibrute/

[ma7mod]

Another question if you can answer me please
Can you connect another midi device to the minibrute?

[Quinthius]

Yes, but I believe the only thing you can control with MIDI would be the notes and the basic expressive controls MOD wheel, pitch bend, and possibly aftertouch?  There might be one or two other things but I think that's about it.

So basically you can "play" it through MIDI, but you can't "program" it via MIDI as all those controls are analog and not linked to any MIDI encoders.

And vice versa you can use the MiniBrute as a basic keyboard controller for other devices, synth modules, computer DAW, etc.  But again, just for the keyboard notes plus the basic expressive controls.  None of the knobs for programming the synth transmit any MIDI data to my knowledge.

[ma7mod]

Thanks for your reply,
So if I have my novation compact sl transposed (not octave, but note) for -1 I will be able to play half step down?
how is it connected btw?

[Quinthius]

I guess that depends on how the Novation transmits transposed notes.  I would think it should transmit the note "post-transposition", so should work just fine, especially considering that thing is just a MIDI controller.

MIDI notes are just numbers.  Middle C is 60.  So normally when you press middle C, it just sends a message that says "Play note 60".  So I would think your transpose function would just change that to say "Play note 59" (which would be the B just below middle C).

As far as connectivity, the MiniBrute has MIDI IN and OUT ports.  Does your controller had MIDI ports or is it only USB connection?  If it has true MIDI ports, easy - just get a MIDI cable and plug from the MIDI OUT of the Novation, to the MIDI IN of the MiniBrute, and you are pretty much set.  Might have to tweak the MIDI channel settings of both devices.

If the controller is USB only, that makes it a little more complicated...

[ma7mod]

Thanks again for your help.

It has midi out yes, I think I'll have to try it once it arrives.

I just want to make sure that the fine tune is capable to change the C note to B flat right? or to D the other way around?

[Quinthius]

Yes, but if you are going to use the fine tune on the MiniBrute to tune it down half a step, AND you use the transpose on your MIDI controller, the end result is you are going to be tuned down a whole step.  So you would need to use one method or the other, not both at the same time.

[beefinator]

Thanks again for your help.

It has midi out yes, I think I'll have to try it once it arrives.

I just want to make sure that the fine tune is capable to change the C note to B flat right? or to D the other way around?

Not quite.  It can't quite do a whole step in either direction.

[ma7mod]

Thanks again for your help.

It has midi out yes, I think I'll have to try it once it arrives.

I just want to make sure that the fine tune is capable to change the C note to B flat right? or to D the other way around?

Not quite.  It can't quite do a whole step in either direction.

but you can do a half step for sure right?

Yes, but if you are going to use the fine tune on the MiniBrute to tune it down half a step, AND you use the transpose on your MIDI controller, the end result is you are going to be tuned down a whole step.  So you would need to use one method or the other, not both at the same time.

I was just wondering if you can make a full step then for sure you'll be able to have a half step, just to make sure a half step is doable on the minibrute alone.

[illintechnology]

Yes, you can DEFINITELY do a half-step (and still have room on the potentiometer to fine tune, since its an analog piece, you'll have to do that every time) but you can't quite do a whole-step.  I believe with your Novation controller you could have the transposition set up any way you wish.