First time I’m posting here as I’m on the way to buy a Syntakt.
I have a few questions and I would also like to ask Elektron gears users about something I’d like to see developped in the futur.
First off all, here are my plans: I’m developping a musical video game, and I’m planning to make an alternative version to be played live, meaning that I’ll control the game with my musical gears through midi and OSC.
My musical set up is: A Squarp Hapax as a master sequencer, controling a Bitwig session as well as a Minifreak (coming soon). The fact is that I’d like to control another machine that would be able to play sequences from Midi Notes On/Off.
I tried to find some gears that could have this behavior but it seems that Program Change is the main and nearly only solution actually to play with patterns.
So I decided that I wanted a cool analog/digital drum machine instead, don’t ask me why
Now, am I doing the right choice? We’ll see.
Questions:
How much options would I have controlling the Syntakt with my Hapax? Can I control patterns in a way from Midi appart from changing sequences with PC? Are my only options for using Syntakt as slave are to triggers notes from Hapax and trigger patterns from PC? Can we mute patterns from midi?
What do you think about my idea of controling patterns with external midi notes (for pattern choosing) and notes On/Off for pattern triggering/stoping? Do you like the idea and would you like to see this feature as an update one day?
To answer the last two questions:
Each of the Syntakt’s tracks can be muted via midi cc, and they can be set to all receive on the same channel or each on different channels, or in groups, etc. I think track mutes would be the way to accomplish what you’re looking to do?
For the second, getting “fancy” with MIDI programming, you need a MIDI event processor to program this kind of thing, like a raspberry pi or a Blokas MIDIhub. That would allow customizable programming on the scale you’re looking at, I believe.
…keep in mind, the elektron sequencer is kind of an instrument of it’s very own…
…therefor, considering any swedish device with the intention of not really using it’s internal sequencer, but “only” it’s soundcapacities, is a bit of a waste…
there are many, way cheaper options out there if u want ur external hw sequencer to run the show…
all elektron boxes have their own way of sounding good and solid and special and work out totally pro…but it’s always their sequencer that makes them do the xtra sonic tricks, revealing their overall huge difference from the rest…
And that’s exactly what I’d intend to use. That’s why I’m asking if I can trigger the sequences from midi, specifically from notes. I think this is the kind of behaviour that’d fill some holes with external control.
Thank you very much for your answers! I can be ok with mute.
But I’d rather like Elektron to consider this midi option over midi hack. As even the midi hack wouldn’t work as I’d like because I believe you think of converting note to PC, but this wouldn’t change how patterns are triggered played on the Syntakt
*PC followed by START for Notes On, STOP for Notes Off . I already tested it with Octatrack. It works as you described, patterns are played instantly, stopped with Notes Off.
*Maybe a STOP message is needed before PC, otherwise it doesn’t start from pattern beginning…
I used an Event Processor Plus, easy to program (midi powered only). As @Humanprogram mentioned, Blokas MidiHub seems interesting too, more inputs/outputs. RK002 is cheap and the smalest (midi powered only, not easy to program yet but powerfull), Bomebox, Midipal…
