stuartm
-
Posts
172 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
1
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Blogs
Gallery
Posts posted by stuartm
-
-
Hello fellow MIDIboxers,
instead of getting a Core32 and updating my MBSeq to V4, I finally kicked off a project I had a long time coming:
a MIDIbox 64 based controller that is dedicated to my style of performing music with Ableton Live.
The idea is derived from both the Evolution UC-33 and the Korg nanoKontrol, which both in a certain way affected my way of controlling and playing "live" (in Ableton Live).
I got the PCB from Mike's just a some days ago and it all got rolling.
Like with my SeqV3 (see ) i was extremely happy to get the Core going without any problems.
So next I connected an AIN module, 2 prototpye pots, ground clamps and it's all running smoothly.
So here's what's currently running as a breadboard, all in nicely moving pictures:
==> Video of Midibox64 breadboard test on Vimeo
And here's the front panel design:
As you can see the basic structure resembles a mixer as well as the nanoKontrol, and it's a compromise between all controls I need and keeping it compact (i.e. portable).
16 "channels", each featuring (from bottom to top) a (volume) fader, start and stop/mute button to control clips, free space for scribble strip and two pots for track control.
The buttons on the left will be for general track live controlling (my own way of doing things :)
The panel is already made at Schaeffer and I expect it to arrive this week, as well as all the other parts.
Stay tuned for more videos ;-)
-
Wohooo!
Too bad i've just packed all my gear for moving to a new flat :(
Does this also mean the CORE_STM32 is available from SmashTV or Mike's ?
-
1
-
-
Very well done TK! And what a cool track!
The delay FX work perfectly on that harp sound.
-
MIDI Sync consists of basically two signal types:
1) a constantly repeated clock signal that tells the slave how fast it should run - this makes your Seq run at the same tempo as Live
2) control signals in the form of start/stop/pause - especially the start signal ensure that the Seq runs on the same beat as Live.
As you spotted already, you have to stop/start Live to get the MBSeq back in sync, because only by that you send a new MIDI start signal to the MBSeq.
TK thankfully implemented a "MIDI Sync" feature i proposed some time ago.
This sends a Start signal from the MBSeq. That way you can sync Live (or another external sequencer or groovebox) that you stopped while the MBSeq kept running.
It doesn't work the other way around 'cos Live doesn't have such a cool sync feature.
That's why i use my SEq as master and Live as slave.
see also my video posted here: http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php/topic,12881.0.html
-
If your track has step 1234
Ping Pong does: 1234321234321
Pendulum does: 1234432112344321 - it repeats the end/start step
-
-
In der aktuellen Groove (03/04-09) ist ein zweiseitiger Artikel über den Kölner Techno-Produzenten Gabriel Ananda, der sich für seinen Live-Act mehrere, umfangreiche Controller auf Midibox-Basis gebaut hat.
Leider wird da nur ucapps.de zweimal erwähnt, von der Midibox-Plattform ist gar keine Rede.
Ein paar nette Bilder gibts aber.
Schön zu sehen, dass auch "Profis" die Midibox nutzen :)
Ich hab' im Moment leider keinen Scanner zur Hand, könnte das evtl. abfotografieren ...
-
Yep, confirmed over here!
-
There's actually nothing wrong.
That "Menu" button you describe is actually the "Quick Menu" button.
It is meant to work that way to quickly access 16 menu pages.
And the "exit" button is also meant to work that way.
But I admit the naming is a bit unclear.
The alternative you propose won't really work with the menu design of the MBSeq, since there is only one Menu level.
"the Exit Button schould leave the Menu list" - you leave the menu list by selecting the current menu page with the "exit" button.
-
... just 2 weeks ago :
-
*droool*
Great to see it actually working!
*begging for more* ;)
-
Definately more cowbell.
And those diamonds in the step view, thats waaay too much Cubase vibe for me ;)
No, it's awesome. Great idea of using a simplified step scheme for the drum tracks!
As for the drum mode, I'd also say we don't need more variations than the ones you lined out.
-
Thanks for all your comments!
Really encourages me to do more stuff like this.
For those interested, I've got recordings of the first (Paragraphenreiter) and third track (Wohnwand 2) in the video stored online:
/edit: the MP3 were somewhat mangled, reuploaded them:
http://share.ovi.com/channel/stuartm-share.public
Of course, played live on the MBSeq ;-)
(shall I put this into the "Songs & Sounds" section, too?)
-
.. is any useful layer parameter option ...missing?
I don't think there's any parameter missing. Looks very promising, especially the chance to put in very complex chord structures thanks to the additional notes in parameter layers.
- drum mode: does anybody really see the need for more variations, e.g. 4 parameter layers with 64 steps, if only 8 drum instruments are played per track?
(I think: no)
This one got me thinking a bit. Haven't made up my mind yet.
-
The weather was good, anyway:
-
Hey fellow boxers,
I've made another MBSeq demo video with the new v3.4 version, mainly because of the sync feature,
which finally enables me to jam on a continuous running groove between the MBSeq and Ableton Live,
again i've taken some time to add an voice-over comment
Check it out on Vimeo:
Older MBSeq demos can also be found there.
Never stop the clock ! ;)
-
.. search for the keyword "DIRTY DIRTY DIRTY", and remove everything between BEGIN and END marker...
Mmmmh, I've got a "clean" Midibox again. ;)
Thanks for the quick reply.
I'm planning on doing another video tomorrow, lets hope German weather stays rainy.
-
Tested and approved. :)
/edit: Although the initial cursor pos change in Song page doesn't fit my workflow.
I don't use Song Pos that much, so I expect it to be on "Song" when I press the Song Button.
Can I change that back in the source code (cs_m_song.inc) ?
Maybe for SeqV4 it could be selected via the .asm file, if possible.
-
Changed the source, compiled and uploaded v3.4 to my sequencer. All things in song/phrase mode are now working as expected. Thanks!
Did the same over here, got the same pleasing result.
Thanks TK!
-
Mute function:
My fear was the same if SeqV4 would come with >16 tracks.
Inspired by the Machinedrum's extended mute function, i proposed a similar method for SeqV4, quite like your idea.
We already had a discussion about this in the SeqV4 percussion tracks thread, maybe you can add some more thoughts there:
-
You have more experience than I had when I started building my SeqV3, and I made it!
You have to invest some time, sure,
but all the documentation here is very, very detailed and clear.
I made my SeqV3 without ever contacting the forums or alike (acutally, in my very first post I presented my nearly finished box).
A good way to start would be to use the premade stuff from Smash / Mike's, which I also did,
or look for one of the group buys or the thread Wilba posted.
Oh and by the way, it took me about 9 months to convince myself to "I can do this - I need this".
Wish I did that earlier :D
-
This brings to mind that you can currently hold down Mute button and then multi-select tracks with the GP buttons. Can releasing the Mute button mute those selected tracks? (That's actually what I thought it should do when I first discovered it - I haven't read the manual much :) ). That seems a bit more intuitive than using another button, although at the cost of the selecting track function in the Mute page (maybe that function can be refactored into other V4 features/pages).
Great idea!
And as of v3.4, the F4 can be used for a track selection (see changelog).
I your approach might be the most intuitive, presuming the F4 keeps that selection funtion
-
The option to set port/channel/name of a pattern should be kept to the pattern itself.
There could be a "naming" page, currently I dunno where it should be accessible from.
Editing of a name could be done with two encoders, one for cursor position and one for the character (my reference is the Microwave XT).
Its ok for spontaneous naming, but to ease the workflow and avoid endless naming sessions, i thought about this:
the TrackEvents page has this "Copy Preset", but for layers and stuff.
There could be a second button, like "MIDI Preset", which gives you a page of 16 pre-defined port/channel/name settings (predefined means by your personal wishes)
I press the according GP button, and it sets the current pattern to the port/channel/name.
For full dual port operation, a second page would be necessary to access 2x16 MIDI presets.
These names would then be of course more instrument oriented, say channel/preset 2 is always "909", channel/preset 8 is"MWXT1" and so on.
To take it a bit further, lets say I want the names to be more sound oriented, due to the role the instrument has in my song.
This could be done similarly by pre-defining 16 personal namings, like Bass, Lead1, LoPad, SeqHi and stuff like that.
These "name presets" could be accesible from the "naming" page I mentioned above, similar to the "MIDI Preset",
and then be edited on the naming page ("Lead1" to "Lead2" or so).
So to sum up,
- port/channel/name selection inside pattern
- naming page with
- access to 16/32 sound name presets
- MIDI Preset page (via Track Events) with
- access to 16/32 instrument presets (port/channel/name)
-
...
It's a question how you organize your songs.
..
Ok, I got your point
It's only tricky when inspiration strikes and my song organisation in groups doesnt work anymore
sorry, looks like I'm a bit narrow minded today :)
Maybe a "custom" mute page ?
If the drum pattern had just 8 tracks, I could say I want G1, G3 and D2 on my custom mute page.
I'm just being a bit heretical now, but do we really need 64 individual drum tracks ?
Which button could be used for such a purpose - maybe SELECT, as it isn't used in the Pattern/Mute page yetThe select button sounds reasonable, unused in mute and similar function as in the Mixer Page for example.
MIDIbox 64 for Live Performing - "StuKontrol" (update: Wiki article started)
in MIDIbox HUIs
Posted
A second breadboard test with fader and buttons (testing the DINX) was successful, as well.
I took a video but felt it was rather boring.
In the meantime, all parts and the front panel have arrived!
It's all fitting nicely into the great looking blue aluminium panel.
I'll upload photos of the assembly during the upcoming weeking.