Syncing 856 Montreal assembly

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#1

Hi,

I’m trying to sync my Montreal assembly 856 with my digitakt, I have a midi cable out of midi out A on the digitakt, to the IN on the 856. I have set the 856 to receive on midi channel 1. I’ve set the DT to out on channel 1 for Midi H.

It does sync with it, but it is triggering the 856 every 1/4 note, and I’d like it to just trigger the 856 at the start of every bar.

Ive played around tonnes with it but just can’t figure out how to do that, any ideas?

Thanks for any help and advice!

#2

Get an Octatrack! :pl:

What midi messages do you send? These?

Screenshot_2020-09-25-12-24-42
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#3

I don’t have an 856 and its on-line documentation is a little difficult to follow.

Let’s start with some basics:

  • which version of the 856’s firmware are you using?
  • when you say “sync” do you mean “send MIDI clock to the 856” or “send MIDI notes to the 856”?
2 Likes
#4

I think I’m using the latest firmware. It’s a 2017 version so the latest revised version.

I’m looking to send midi clock to it and to trigger the 856 at the start of every bar that the DT plays.

I tried sending cc61 (start/play on the 856), and while it worked it was retrigering the 856 every 1/4 note.
I tried changing the midi channel H to 1/2 time, and only putting a trigger on the 1 and 9 steps but it was still pinging it every quarter note.

#5

Sorry, I can’t help beyond noting this section that may be relevant from the on-line documentation:

QUANT If N1 selected, Δ controls doubling, tripling or quadrupling of the tempo. Δ in the fully counter-clockwise position causes tempo quadrupling and in the fully clockwise position no tempo scaling occurs.
If N2 or N3 are selected, Δ controls the time between repeats as fractions of the loop length. From counter-clockwise to clockwise position, the fractions are from 1/16, through 1/12, 1/8, 1/6, 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, to 3/4.

#6

Hi!
I have some experience with the 856, but not much with the midi side of it.
That said, there was for sure a software update since 2017. IIRC the new firmware works on all versions of the hardware, but the process of getting the file and installing it was too complicated for me to bother with.

I would try contacting MTL assembly and see about getting that update. I believe MIDI was one of the areas they improved. Links to firmware and instructions should be in here somewhere: http://ilovefuzz.com/viewtopic.php?f=206&t=51216&start=1020

Scott from montreal assembly can sometimes be reached on that forum as well.

1 Like
#7

Thanks all, I’ll keep trying, will check that fuzz site out too and try an update.