Hey folks, thank you in advance. I feel like I’m on the verge of figuring this out while simultaneously feeling incredibly lost. My goal is to sequence my Peak and Monologue from the Digitakt, while using my Keystep to play the Peak here and there. I have four midi cables, one Midi Solutions Quadra Thru and a whole bunch of failure. I got the Digitakt to act as a brain and sequence the Peak and Monologue but I just can’t figure out how to incorporate Keystep control over the Peak when not running the sequencer. Any help would be greatly appreciated, bonus points if I don’t have to spend more $$$ on gear!
I think it should just be Keystep MIDI out to MIDI in on the Digitakt. MIDI out on the Digitakt to your Quadra Thru. And out from there to each synth.
The Keystep needs to be on the same channel as the Peak. And I think you’d need one MIDI channel going to the Peak from the Digitakt even if you don’t have anything sequenced.
I think that’s right?
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you‘re all set as @Doug already gave you a fine working setup. now you need to know that there is an auto channel, which is the midi channel the digitakt is listening to and which controls the active selected track. per default it is something like 11 (while the first 8 midi channels are usually mapped to each audio track). if you know the auto channel you just have to select the right midi channel on the keystep (pressing hold + the keyboard key labeled 11) and you‘re done. then you just select the track you want to sequence on the digitakt and play it via the keystep.
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Thank you! I’m like 98% there. This auto channel on the Digitakt has got me a bit confused.
Thank you! I had no clue about the auto channel, it is set to 11 on the digitakt and although I’ve got 11 dialed in on the keystep, no dice. I know I’m doing something wrong…
You can check what you’ve got your auto channel set to in your MIDI settings.
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On the Digitakt? It’s 11 and on the keystep too per @rnzr. I’m sure it’s something simple I’m missing.
The auto channel on the Digitakt is whatever you set it to. I thought it defaults to 10 not 11. But either way, you can set it in your MIDI settings. The Keystep would need to be on whatever channel you choose if you want it to be on the auto channel.
I think with your set up, if you’re only going to play the Peak, you might as well keep the Keystep and the Peak on the same channel. But that’s me.
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Keeping the Keystep and Peak on the same channel is what I’d do I think. However, I’m stumped now, I can’t figure out what I’d doing wrong. Keystep and Digitakt auto channel is on the same number. Might it be something on the Peak?
Is the MIDI track you’ve selected on the same channel as the Peak?
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Let me lay it all out: right now the digitakt auto channel is 16, the keystep is also set to 16. The Peak is set to midi channel 1 and I’m able to control that from the digitakt. When I set the peak to midi channel 16 all the digitakt midi trigger buttons (9-16) play a really low bad sounding note from the peak, but the keystep doesn’t play anything.
Try this. Forget the auto channel. Leave your Peak on channel 1. Set your Keystep to channel 1. On your Digitakt, go to MIDI track A and set that to channel 1.
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I got it! Out of frustration I went back to step one to double check my work. Turns out, of course, I had the keystep midi in the midi IN port, not the OUT. Sorry it took my so long to get there, thanks so much for your help and patience, so relieved it’s all set. btw I dig your tracks, following on IG to hear more. Thank you again!
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@Turts This is the simple and tidy solution.
In case you ever expand your setup, etc - the Digitakt doesn’t pass through midi channels unless they are assigned to a track. So for example, with the Peak on midi ch1 and the Keystep sending midi out ch1, the midi won’t reach the Peak unless one of the Digi’s midi tracks are set to ch1.
You could set your Peak to receive at ch1, the monologe to receive at ch2. Then set the DT’s track A to output ch1 and track B to output ch 2. Now you can simply control/program either synth by jumping between track A and B. You could also jump on the keystep and rock on channel 1 or 2.
My first 4 bits o’ kit were the keystep pro, digitakt, monologue, and hydrasynth - very similar. Great setup. Have fun!
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It works as expected, except now when I hit the kick for instance on the digitakt, I can play the kick on the keystep, which I won’t ever use, but I will accidentally hit a kick chord, I’m sure. Is there a way to only control the midi tracks with the keystep? @Doug
This is my first real dealings with midi and I’m way over my head, but learning. Thank you for the tips! I almost bought a hydrasynth instead of the peak, seems like it’s a good setup too!
You got a kick chord? I think what you’re hearing is a kick from your Digitakt and a chord from your Peak, which is good. I wasn’t even thinking about it but if you’re staying on channel 1 you need to go into the MIDI settings and make sure track 1 isn’t receiving notes on MIDI channel 1.
You can also just set your Peak, your Keystep, and your MIDI track A on the Digitakt to channels 9-16.
You’re almost there.
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If you really only want to control the Peak with the Keystep occasionally and not record notes off of the Keystep then you are likely better off going digitakt into keystep and then have that going into the Peak. Digitakt is unable to passthrough pitch and mod wheel for whatever reason which kind of puts a damper on sending anything but the absolute most basic controllers through it.
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I have a similar setup and also using a quadra thru.
I go Keystep OUT to Digitakt IN,
then Digitakt OUT to Quadra Thru IN
then Quadra Thru OUT(s) to other gear.
Now, make sure you set your Peak and Monologue to unique channels. Just to be safe, don’t use channels 1-8 or the auto channel.
Lastly, assign your midi tracks on the Digitakt to those channels you just set on your Peak and Monologue.
(and make sure you set the Keystep to the auto channel by hitting shift + channel #)
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Thank you everyone for the help and suggestions! I think I got it to the point where I’m able to accomplish some things I was hoping to. I truly appreciate y’all.
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