Hello, I like using a MIDI controller (keystep) to play the 4 internal tracks as well as control external synth via the 4 MIDI tracks. The internal synths respond well to the pitch bend, mod wheel, and after touch - but I can’t figure out how to use those controls on the MIDI tracks. I know there are “parameter amounts” for those features, but I want to use my MIDI controller to adjust them as I play.
I commonly use the DSI Tetra, which works well both in polyphonic or multi mode (as 4 mono synths) with the DN - this synth normally responds to pitch bend, mod wheel, and aftertouch, but like I say, can’t seem to pass that info through the Digitone from the MIDI controller
So maybe this feature currently doesn’t exist on the DN?
Another thing I am wondering is:
Is there a way to send out NRPN messages to external gear?
For example, I’d love to be able to adjust my Tetra’s global parameters from the DN, but those settings respond to NRPN 384-413. I’ve only been able to figure out how to send CC values from the DN so far.
Anyone got any ideas?
Ah I did notice the NRPN labels in the CC parameter selection (98&99), but wasn’t (and still not) sure how to use them. So if they require a sequence of data, does the DN’s CC values send in the order in which they are layed out on the panel, or all at the same time ? Maybe this is irrelevant, I don’t know.
Also I might have to do some more reading on NRPN to fully grasp how it’s communicated.
If you want to send NRPN #500 with a value of 1000:
CC99 = 500 / 128 = 3
CC98 = 500 % 128 = 116
CC6 = 1000 / 128 = 7
CC38 = 1000 % 128 = 104
For any NRPN # and Value just plug it into those equations. % stands for modulo and is the remainder when dividing by that number (just use google to calculate)
@mekohler,
This was incredibly helpful - I followed your calculations and was successfully able to switch my Tetra’s “multi mode” on and off from my DN, which is what I had been trying to figure out!
programming these types of changes is very useful for live performance situations, instead of having to scroll through menus and such, so I’m excited to put it to use!
I also have noticed a weird midi behavior from the digitone. I have a keylab essential and i assign cc parameters for each knob and fader according to the specification of my external synth ( a blofeld ). The keylab when conected straight to blofeld behaves as it should ( each assigned cc parameter corresponds to blofeld just fine ). But when it goes through digitone its like the signals get mixed up. I know the midi out from digitone normally doesnt send cc values apart from keys when they are send from an external midi controller but the weird thing is that two values (i noticed) are beeing send in spite of that, and not only that, digitone somehow changes the parameter that you send and “translates” it to a different one. For example a knob from keylab that is assgned as CC80 controls the cutoff of the blofeld wich actually should be controlled with CC69, and the CC69 does not seem to control anything. Why is this happening? Why do some CC values get through and not others and also how come they also change their corresponding number?
The four midi tracks. I have assigned each one a separate chanel that corresponds to blofeld. The chanels and midi conections are just fine, everything works just fine ( i can also map the digitone’s knobs to blofeld’s cc parameters and pLock the hell out of it ). The issue is ( also yours on this thread ) that functions such as pitch bend, mod wheel, and after touch values dont work when send by a midi controller to an exterrnal synth directly via midi in to midi out. This is also the case with a midi controller’s knobs. Normaly from what i have read on this forum this is a known issue. Now the peculiarity that i found is that some cc numbers and values manage to get through, and these are CC70 and CC71. These should normaly control blofeld’s resonance and filter drive… But they dont… They now control the two cutoffs of the blofeld’s two filters. The weird thing is that blofeld’s cc parameters for these functions are are CC69 and CC80. No other cc number and value gets through as far as i have tried… Why do only CC70 and CC71 get through, and why do they control a whole different function than they should? This is my question…
Were you to read ‘Appendix B: MIDI Implementation’ of the Digitone’s manual, you would see that for the current OS version, CC messages 70 to 77 are used to control the MIDI track’s CC Val parameters using incoming MIDI data.
Jeez!! You are right! how come i missed that! Thank you for pointing it out! So only the parameters that you map to the digitone get through… Unfortunately 8 parameters are too few to be able to take a good advantage of an external synth… I really hope they at least double that number by adding an aditional parameter page…
You are right on that. But all midi tracks should then correspond to the same midi chanel. The nice thing about blofeld is that it is 16 part multitimbral with chanel multimapping capability. And i set each track to a different chanel to take all the advantage the digitone-blofeld combination can give. If you set it up correctly it is almost a whole “second digitone” that you control with the midi tracks.
I also appreciate the power of multitimbral synths in this type of setting + the Digitone is such a good “medium” between a MIDI controller & external synths. I just hope the pitch bend, mod wheel, after touch issue can get figured out -as far as I know, I don’t have a way to map those to the cc 70-77 to those controls on the keystep, and even if I could it would be a waste of those parameter spots . Man, parameter locking non-elektron synths is so satisfying - and you can us the program select to have sound-locking like the DN soundpool
