MIDI Start from Boss ES-8

[westofben]

Hi Gurus,

Please forgive my lack of knowledge here, and for possibly not finding the answer here already. I think I spotted a post from mmd, but I am not sure if I am interpreting this correctly.

Is it possible to send a MIDI Stop or Start message to the KeyStep from my Boss ES-8 when I select a specific patch?

The ES-8 can transmit LSB, MSB, Patch, CC and value simultaneously. During a song I will have pressed stop on the previous sequence, and twisted the dial to the next sequence - while there is a very short break in a bridge. I would like to then kick a switch on the ES-8 which will trigger KeyStep start, to play the outro sequence.

I experimented last night and had no luck. If this is possible, how do I go about it?

If this isn't possible, then I have access to a separate foot switch. Am I best connecting this to the KeyStep and at the right moment kicking that on? If this is the way I need to go, what must be configured in MCC and which input on the back of the KeyStep?

The KeyStep is receiving clock via MIDI and must remain that way.

Thanks!

[megamarkd]

Wow that thing is a beast!  I want one 

The Keystep does respond to regular MIDI start/stop/continue messages, so if you can assign them in the ES-8 you're good as gold.  Otherwise you can set the Keystep to send and receive a particular CC for it's transport functions.  I've not tried using these to control the transport but can guarantee you they will be sent and if you use Waldorf gear the default CC's they are set to will mess with your filter setting!
I've attached the Keystep sysex so you can use that if the CC's don't control the Keystep's play state.  Remember to send the messages on the user channel.

NB: there is a bug in the latest firmware that will mess with start/pause/reset when being controlled via MIDI transport messages.  To have the Keystep properly stop when it receives the usual MIDI stop/reset message you need to manually press stop three times for a proper reset or it will continue instead.  I might work to send a reset sysex message three times, but I've not tested that either.

Let us know how you went with the remote transport control if you try it out.

[westofben]

Thanks mate, really appreciate your expertise. I will take a look and let you know the results.

So this should be simple, looking at the transport section:

KeyStep is on MIDI CH 5
Stop/Resume/Play CCs are all standard: 50/51/54.

So if the KeyStep is manually stopped, and I send CC 54 a value of 127, it should start the sequence, right? I think I tried that last night and it just sat there.

Now, one thing to consider. My KeyStep is set to MIDI Thru. Does that matter? I can reconfigure my MIDI path if this will be a problem.

I'll need to experiment. The trouble with sending multiple messages for Stop Stop Stop (no... really, just darn well STOP!!), is that the ES-8 only lets you send 8 MIDI messages with one patch selection. That is unless we chew up other assignments, but that becomes really messy.

[megamarkd]

I didn't think that sending CC's would work for remote transport.  It seemed very much like a way to control rather than be controlled.  I might give it a try myself as I'm thinking maybe it might work if you set the Keystep to external sync and provide it a MIDI tempo from another source (eg another sequencer or MIDI clock generator).

I'm pretty sure the Sysex should work, no other reason for it to exist but to be used to remotely modify a device's setting.

As for the help, you are welcome.  Questions I don't know the answer to means I learn something by attempting to help and if I do know the answer it helps me remember if it's something very 'set-and-forget' as this one will end up being.  So what helps you also helps me.

[westofben]

More or less confirmed the ES-8 cannot send SysEx

That leaves one short term option and the possibility of a long-term option.

Short term - connect a hardware start/stop foot switch to the KeyStep. How should I do this and does this require external sync to be off?

Long term - I built a Gizmo device (arpeggiator developed by a genius guy). Among many things it can do some translations I think, so maybe it can receive a CC and turn that into a SysEx for the KeyStep. Definitely long term.

For now I need the quickest solution.

[megamarkd]

Bugger!  Very disappointing. 

I've tried to send it MIDI tempo and a play CC while in MIDI sync mode, but makes no different.  The transport CC's are purely to control other devices and not the other way around.

The Sustain pedal input only does sustain or hold as far as I know.  You could wire up a TRS 1/8" plug to a footswitch I guess, with the high voltage being sent to the ring.  I dunno if it will work while in External Sync mode though and without a clock pulse present on the tip, it wouldn't advance the sequencer if you were to set the sync to Sync In.  Do you have any DINSync gear or anything that can send an analogue clock?