Problem with MIDI Setup: Virus, Digitakt, Rytm

Elektron Gear
#1

Greetings dear elektron friends.

I would like to connect the following devices via MIDI:

  • Access Virus TI2 (with Keyboard)
  • Digitakt
  • Analog Rytm

What I’m trying to achieve:

  • Using SONG-Mode from Rytm, as the Digitakt doesn’t have one. (that means, Rytm has to be the master and sends the clock & Program Change, right?)
  • Recording MIDI from the Virus TI Keyboard into the Step Sequencer from Digitakt.
  • Sequencing the Virus Parts with the Digitakt Sequencer.

I don’t care about sending MIDI-Notes from Virus Keyboard or Digitakt to the Rytm.

The additional material currently at disposal:

  • 4x MIDI-Cable

The setup so far (no THRUs used, only MIDI IN/OUT):

  • Rytm OUT --> Digitakt IN (sending Clock & Pattern change to Digi)
  • Digitakt OUT --> Virus IN (sequencing Virus with Digi)
  • Virus OUT --> Rytm IN (*)

*Why Virus OUT to Rytm IN? The idea is, that the MIDI (when a Key is pressed on the Virus) doesn’t trigger any tracks from the Rytm, but instead passes through the Rytm OUT and then into the Digitakt. And once the MIDI arrives there, to be recorded in Digis sequencer.

The configurations on the machines:

  • Rytm:
    • MIDI SYNC:
      • CLOCK SEND --> ON
      • TRANSPORT SEND --> ON
      • PROG CH SEND --> ON
      • all the other stuff is set to OFF
    • MIDI PORT CONFIG:
      • OUT PORT FUNC + THRU PORT FUNC + INPUT FROM + OUTPUT TO --> MIDI
      • OUTPUT CH --> AUTO CH
      • PARAM OUTPUT --> NRPN
      • ENCODER DEST + PAD DEST + PRESSURE DST + MUTE DEST --> INT
      • RECEIVE NOTES --> OFF
      • RECEIVE CC/NRPN --> OFF
    • MIDI CHANNELS:
      • Everything is set to OFF except AUTO CHANNEL --> 14
      • PROG CH in CH + PROG CH out CH --> AUTO
  • Digitakt:
    • SYNC:
      • CLOCK RECEIVE + CLOCK SEND + PROG CH RECEIVE --> ON
      • PROG CH SEND --> OFF
    • PORT CONFIG:
      • OUT PORT FUNC + THRU PORT FUNC + INPUT FROM + OUTPUT TO --> MIDI
      • OUTPUT CH --> AUTO CH
      • PARAM OUTPUT --> CC
      • ENCODER DEST + TRIG KEY DST + MUTE DEST --> INT
      • RECEIVE NOTES --> ON
      • RECEIVE CC/NRPN --> OFF
    • CHANNELS:
      • TRACK 1 CHANNEL to TRACK 8 CHANNEL --> OFF
      • TRACK A CHANNEL --> 1
      • TRACK B CHANNEL --> 2
      • […]
      • TRACK H CHANNEL --> 8
      • FX CONTROL CH --> OFF
      • AUTO CHANNEL --> 14
      • PROG CH IN CH + PROG CH OUT CH --> AUTO
  • Virus (operating in MULTI-MODE):
    • CONFIG:
      • MIDI:
        • GLOBAL CHANNEL --> 14
        • SOFT THRU --> ON
        • MIDI DEVICE ID --> OMNI
        • MIDI CLOCK --> Sync to External
      • Keyboard:
        • LOCAL --> OFF
        • MODE --> ONE CHANNEL
    • MULTI EDIT (for example Part 01):
      • MIDI CHANNEL --> 1
      • Keyboard to MIDI --> Enabled

Alright… Now what’s working so far:

  • When Rytm starts, Digitakt starts too and plays nicely in sync.
  • Digitakt follows Rytms SONG-Mode along.
  • Tempo on Virus (relevant for clocked delays for example) is synced to the configured tempo from Rytm.
  • Virus gets successfully sequenced by Digitakt either by chromatic mode or via recorded trigs.
  • So far no glitches or strange behaviour, which I actually expected because every device feedforwards information to the next one and they’re all in a loop. Well that’s good then.

What is not working:
The MIDI information from pressing a Key on the Virus doesn’t get routed to the Digitakt. No possibility to record Notes from Virus in the Digitakt-Sequencer. It seems to me, that the information somewhere in the Rytm is lost. I’m aware that the Rytm is not a MIDI-Sequencer but just passing MIDI from the IN to the OUT should be working, right?

An alternative would be to make the Digitakt the master as follows:
Digitakt OUT --> VIRUS IN
VIRUS OUT --> DIGITAKT IN
VIRUS THRU --> RYTM IN
But then the SONG-MODE from Rytm can’t be used for the Digitakt. (Or can it somehow?)

Now that the factual stuff is out the way, thank you for reading so far. I guess it’s kinda boring as this seems to be the Xth topic about MIDI setup, but I’m starting to question my sanity with this issue. Any tip or suggestion in the right direction as how I can make this to work is highly appreciated. Maybe the whole architecture is flawed or it’s not even possible without additional gear like a MIDI-Splitter or Merger? I’ll try to give it back to the community in the future if there’s possibility to help.

#2

To get the virus midi to the digitakt you’d need to use the midi thru on the rytm. A midi merge then for the rytm out + thru into the digitakt.

At least that’s how I’d do it.

3 Likes
#3

Thanks man!
Got it to work now with an additional box that merges the MIDI.

2 Likes
#4

Did you need to do that? I have the virus I do Octatrack out to virus in virus out to Digitakt in & that works fine

#5

The OP is sequencing the virus with the dt, I don’t think that would work with your suggestion as the dt needs to go back into the virus.

#6

I tried a lot but couldn’t get it to work. Maybe there is a way. I couldn‘t figure it out. But as jefones already pointed out I was trying something slightly different than you.

Still wondering if this problem was because of rytms inability to send MIDI notes or just bad configuration/false understanding of how proper MIDI routing works.

Anyhow. It works now, so I‘m happy to get some noise done.

1 Like
#7

The main problem here was the need to use midi pass thru. Midi out sends the information from the rytm but only the rytm. This is why the virus is routed through the thru port, it bypasses the rytm, sort of.

If the rytm could sequence midi the setup as described with by the user with the OT would work, but you would be sequencing the virus from the OT and not the DT.

2 Likes
#8

Alright. Everything is clear now. Thanks for further explanation.

2 Likes
#9

It’s been so long but when I think about it I had to go into the virus and change some midi settings to have it shoot into the digi