It’s funny the Step LFO workaround and live playing issue comes up right at this time. I’ve been having a lot of success modulating my Super 6’s clock while jamming with the arpeggiator, but then I couldn’t get the clock to advance its sequencer in the same way. I then thought it would be cool to modulate the bpm of sequences of everything except notes while jamming on a keyboard. The Pro-3’s sequencer is a big selling point for that device, but after determining that its sequences also can’t be manually advanced via MIDI clock ticks, I went for an HSK planning to modulate its tempo while using step lfos. I haven’t gotten to that yet because it is a very jammable keyboard, particularly in conjunction with Blorp modules set to PAT.
I already had an HSD, but it’s been on mothballs due to space issues (the HSK let me make room by taking another controller out of commission). I could easily polychain HS’s now that I can locate the HSD just about anywhere while it’s slaving away, but I’m not sure getting 8 more notes matters that much to me. A second timbre would, but then the HSD couldn’t be placed out of the way. I must say, though, the price of the HSK has been worth it just to get a dedicated tempo knob plus control ribbon. I now think everything should come with a control ribbon built into the blank space above the keys. Time for a Polybrute?
I won’t be able to fetch my HSD for a few weeks, but does anyone know if you can enable/disable Overflow remotely so that the HSD doesn’t have to be located within reach of the HSK? Here’s the workflow I want: set them both to Overflow on, make voice changes on the HSK and the HSD follows, then toggle the HSK’s Overflow only, depending on whether I want more voices or a second timbre. Or does turning off Overflow on one require you to manually re-enable it on each device separately?
I only have one HS but i do see that turning Overflow ON and OFF sends an NRPN MIDI command, so that is a hopeful sign that you’ll be able to do the sorts of things you want. Please keep us informed as you give this a try.
I have the HSD, so must use a sequencer. I’ve used the Keystep Pro and love it - can play live, step record, and more. I’ve also used the Synthstrom Deluge to control the HSD. Super great option with VERY easy midi setup, nice visual feedback for programmed notes (super easy for diatonic notes, slightly bulkier for chromatic notes), great box in it’s own right too.
My HSD occasionally changes program when I spin a controller (including the arp switches, volume etc), always landing on the same program. This only seems to happen when I’m using my Emu E4K as a MIDI controller. I can make it behave by switching off HSD’s MIDI prog change RX, but I rely on that, so would prefer leaving it on. I have the latest Firmware/OS. If this is just occurring because the E4K is old tech, then I’ll buy a new controller, but if it’s a HS fault, I’ll send it in for repair. Any suggestions appreciated.
Don’t know but perhaps together we can reason something out.
You should try really hard to make this happen without the Emu attached, or any MIDI at all. Obviously if motion of one dial on the HSD mechanically affected the Program Change knob you would switch patches, but if i understand you correctly it doesn’t go to the next adjacent patch, but one much further away – and always the same one. If so that flags some sort of MIDI message, or message failure.
Does it jump banks too, or stay in a bank ?
If i recall correctly you’d need a bank select MIDI message to jump banks. Someone please correct me if i am wrong about that.
Diagnostically, you could monitor the MIDI going into the HSD somehow. It really sounds like it is being sent a Program Change command somehow, though how is the mystery.
Alternately if you have a MIDI processor setup to filter program change out, again diagnostically, that should make this go away.
If it is internal to the HSD, it sounds like a signal glitch like in hardware somehow, but that feels to me unlikely, and would likely exhibit other strange behavior. Does the HSD do other strange things?
I’ve not managed to make the error occur unless the controller is connected, and even then, it’s only 5-10% of the time (enough to be frustrating!). I thought it might be an overload of data (ie playing the keyboard whilst spinning encoders), but the HSD should be able to handle that.
Yes, turning a HSD encoder changes to the same patch each time, much further away in a different bank.
I didn’t think it needed a bank select message: my DAW can change patches and banks with one message (I’m fairly sure??).
ASM replied to my query, saying it could be a loose ribbon cable, but I want to rule out the Emu as the culprit before I send the HSD in for repair, as it seems to be working perfectly by itself: no other faults.
Any advice on how to monitor MIDI or filter program change (when not using a DAW) welcomed.
Sorry, I’m not sure what you mean… the HSD doesn’t exhibit the fault when I have prog change RX turned off in system, but I’d like to leave it on for automating Prog Changes in a DAW.
I am not saying as a permanent solution, only diagnostically. You turn off receiving MIDI messages and that fixes the problem points strongly to a received MIDI message causing the problem.
I might hang a MIDI monitoring program, like MIDI-OX or a filter box, like Midihub between. Actually more interesting might be to filter for a program change message with these. We can be pretty sure it’s there from the resultant behavior of the HSD, but it would be nice to actually see the message, and get an idea of the context.
The HS can send a lot of MIDI, when you turn dials, if you have NRPN transmit on. Do you ?
I had NRPN TX and RX on. I’ve turned them to CC and will see if can replicate the problem with program change RX on and off. I’ll also look into your suggestions of MIDI-OX and a filter box and will report back.
Thanks Jukka, will do. My workflow may need to be a) turn receipt of Prog Change off: for sound design, experimenting and just playing DAWLESS, and b) Prog Change turned on: for composing with DAW (less hardware parameter changes then). So far, with NRPNs off, there’s no issue.
Question for the knowledgeable
Could I use the polyphonic aftertouch of my Microfreak to control my HSD?
If so, would I need to set up anything in particular in the Microfreak as local off or AT destination in the mod matrix?
Yes, you can. I found it really easy: just select the MIDI channel and you’re good to go. I didn´t have to mess around with any other settings in the MF, at least.
