Microfreak in Local: Off mode goes crazy/corrupts patches

[rgarner]

Hi,

I've been trying to use Microfreak (v1.1.2.390) with Logic Pro X and USB MIDI. All is fine until I try and turn MIDI Local mode OFF (either via Midi Control Centre or the Utility menu). At this point the display starts rapidly cycling between apparently random things, SAVE starts flashing violently and when I disconnect the 'freak and reconnect it after switching Local back ON, I find that I have duplicate patches in odd places where the 'freak has apparently randomly been saving patches into adjacent slots.

Unfortunately using standard MIDI isn't an option for me; I bought this specifically to be portable and I don't have anything to plug a standard DIN connector into on my travels. At the moment the freak is unusable for recording. Do I have a faulty unit or should I be waiting for a firmware update?

EDIT: unfortunately this is only more prevalent with Local OFF; eventually, when receiving MIDI over USB, lots of parameter changes I didn't make will stack up, and at some point the keyboard just stops responding.

Thanks

[Terrym]

Hi this sounds like a midi loop to me please check your setting in your daw.
local off only stops (local) ie whatever you touch on the mf from transmitting back to your daw. but if midi is incoming it will return back to the daw causing a loop.


regards

[rgarner]

Hi Terry,

I have the 'freak set up in exactly the same way as my Sub 37 and Korg Prologue, which is to say, I use the External Instrument plugin set up for the instrument's MIDI channel (3 in this case) on a Logic track that only accepts input from that same channel. On those two other synths, if I *don't* turn Local OFF I get a loop that normally results in feedback to arps/sequencers or double-triggered notes. It definitely doesn't cycle random CCs and certainly doesn't save patches! I can send a video if you like; parameters are being changed everywhere and the screen is flashing almost randomly (WAVE is being selected, the CycleEnv parameters are cycling, etc, the SAVE button is strobing). This doesn't happen with Local: ON but I then do get double-triggered notes as I'd expect from a familiar MIDI loop. This definitely doesn't feel like a "normal" MIDI loop; after a few seconds of this random flashing the 'freak becomes unresponsive to input and can't make a sound again until I turn it off and on.

The manual seems to tell me :

Local control - Local off means all the panel controls and the keyboard are transmitted over
MIDI, but they're disconnected from the MicroFreak. This is convenient if you're working with
a DAW; you'll hear the keyboard and controls on the MicroFreak when its track is selected,
and MIDI is being sent back to trigger it, but you won't hear it when DAW tracks assigned
to other instruments are selected. You can then play other instruments from the MicroFreak
without it playing along. Also, the MicroFreak can be playing back MIDI you've recorded
while you play other instruments from its keyboard and controls.

[tbn]

Check your `thru` and `merge` settings in the utility menu.

If merge is set to usb~key you probably will have a midi loop when connecting via usb

[rgarner]

If merge doesn't include USB, then no midi data is sent over USB, so that's not an option. Changing MIDI Thru seems to make no difference, but I've left it OFF just in case.

I've done a bit more digging with MIDI monitor. What appears to happen when changing patches is that the MF sends all the program parameters as individual CC messages (see attached image), so if "knob send CC" is on, when you change patch, an asterisk appears to indicate that the patch has been modified. Turning "knob send CC" OFF gets rid of most of the problematic behaviour but I'm still getting weird hangs/delays on MIDI input if I turn the unit on in a Local: OFF state.

I have to perform a little dance to get things to work properly with a DAW:

- turn unit on. Hope it doesn't go into a random freakout
- set local to ON, send knob CC to OFF (midi Thru is OFF throughout, Merge is USB+KBD, output to USB only)
- turn unit off
- turn unit ON
- leave knob CC OFF
- set local OFF – sometimes this will work, other times I get random delay errors or Note Off stops being delivered

it's frustrating to work with and right now I'm using it only as a controller keyboard or noodling with it standalone. I can't currently use it as a stable recording tool.

[kolutshan]

Hi rgarner,

I have exactly the same issues with mine and I believe it has something to do with midi clock sync. I hope that there will be a new firmware update soon to resolve this problem.

[rgarner]

I hope the same thing. It's not usable for me right now and my return window is short. Might be one of those things you buy again when the bugs are gone. I spent 8 months with a Korg Prologue with the tuning issues. Not much seems to be released finished these days, and maybe that's how we arrive at the (rather good) prices we're paying.