Midibox CV Drum Trigger Outs?

[creatorlars]

Hi, I am working on some MIDI->CV/trigger applications for my modular, and have a couple questions.

1) Can the Midibox CV send 1ms drum trigger pulses via DOUT pins, as the SEQ can?

2) If not, should I be able to use the SEQ firmware in a minimal pre-configuration with no interface, as just a MIDI-to-triggers distributor?  What about Trigger + Velocity CV?

3) Any other suggestions?

[stryd_one]

1) Can the Midibox CV send 1ms drum trigger pulses via DOUT pins, as the SEQ can?

Can it? Yes, in theory. Does it? I don't think so. It does CV-Gate though, will that do?

2) If not, should I be able to use the SEQ firmware in a minimal pre-configuration with no interface, as just a MIDI-to-triggers distributor?  What about Trigger + Velocity CV?

Sounds like overkill!

3) Any other suggestions?

Mod the MBCV... Make your own app... Uhm... What exactly do you require?

[creatorlars]

First, I apologize for my quick and poorly thought out questions. :)  I found most of the answers I needed after the fact.

You're right -- if I'm going to get so specific about my needs, it's probably best if I modify the code to fit my system -- it all exists in some MIDIbox project or another anyway.

I'm about to re-panel all my analogue drum circuits, and I want to condense them into fully MIDI-enabled standalone drum machines.  Some of the circuits have some CV'able parameters and I want to implement everything as fully as possible.  I'll post more when I more fully flesh out my concepts and needs.

[Peake]

Wouldn't you get better timing by avoiding MIDI completely and using your SEQ for the Gate or multiple Trig outputs? That's my plan. MIDI, in theory, even in these excellent projects, is still serial, right?

BTW, I've been unable to find which PIC the MIDIbox CV uses- I'll take it that it's a 452? Yes, I've searched and I've gone over the ucapps and WIKI pages- is it in there somewhere? The answers I need seem to appear on those pages after I ask them, somehow  ;D

Great setup creatorlars, I'm after the exact same sort of thing.

[stryd_one]

BTW, I've been unable to find which PIC the MIDIbox CV uses- I'll take it that it's a 452? Yes, I've searched and I've gone over the ucapps and WIKI pages- is it in there somewhere?

I think the project (and it's documentation) pre-date the 4620 and 4685... So eh, '452 or 4620 will do it.

The answers I need seem to appear on those pages after I ask them, somehow  ;D

LOL I hate when that happens. "I read it three times, I swear!" ;D

[creatorlars]

Thanks for the notes.

Wouldn't you get better timing by avoiding MIDI completely and using your SEQ for the Gate or multiple Trig outputs? That's my plan. MIDI, in theory, even in these excellent projects, is still serial, right?

This is what I'm currently doing.  I have a huge console with the trig outputs of the SEQ literally soldered to the trigger input jacks behind my Drum Module panels.  I thought integrating everything into one huge case was going to alleviate the stress of setup and performance, but in practical application it's really hurt my workflow and completely stifled the "modular-ness" of my rig (which was the whole point in the first place.)  For example, if I want to use anything other than the SEQ to control the drum modules, the SEQ has to be on and enabled as a MIDI-->TRIG converter.  I use software for composition sometimes, and it would be much more convenient to just sit there with a 5U rack of drum modules with a MIDI input. 

Or if I wanted to bring the SEQ over to a friend's all laptop setup to just use as a MIDI controller, it's really impossible.

In addition the MIDI-->CV features of the SEQ are much further behind the MIDIbox CV as far as scaling and saving patches.... since my system is all analogue, it's important to have those features. 

So I'm recasing my SEQ (again) with no analogue outs... and then building MIDI input solutions into each rack of synth modules, or each synthesizer, that I own.  In the case of a rack of drum modules, I just need hardwired MIDI--> trigger, and CV of velocity, etc. completely behind the scenes.  For my rack of oscillators/filters, I want the full MIDIbox scaling capability, so it will be built on an interface with the panel, etc.

I still plan to include sync pulse/reset jacks on the SEQ when I move it back to a desktop case, though.  Let me know if any of you have ideas.

[Peake]

You're much further along in your building and applications knowledge of the MIDIbox gear than I am, and you're answering some of my pending questions, so thanks.

So far as I can tell, the MIDIbox CV has the eight channels out, and each can be a note plus pitch bender CV, but I can't tell if there are any LFOs involved. It's nice to have a freerun LFO available, summed into the note(s), and to use pressure or the mod wheel to perform its amount. I know that you could patch that up...but the MIDIbox SID with AOUT comes close to being ideal for this, if you only need two "note" channels. I can't tell from the data if the matrix allows for pressure or the mod wheel to control the amount of an LFO to any of the CV outs (or if velocity can be used to dynamically modulate envelope amount to a CV out), which would make them extremely attractive to me (I'd use one env hardwired to a VCA to shape the output of the 6581 self-noise). And to use in the analog modular as well.

So many MIDIboxes!! So little time!! So close to ideal!!

I do have one idea- you could use a 25-pin (or more) connector at the back of your SEQ to connect to the trigger ins on your drum modules. Easy connect/disconnect.

[creatorlars]

I do have one idea- you could use a 25-pin (or more) connector at the back of your SEQ to connect to the trigger ins on your drum modules. Easy connect/disconnect.

 

This was my original implementation, and still a good idea.  I'd only want to do this in /addition/ to a separate MIDI input for the drum modules, though -- because it still means the SEQ is the only way to MIDI control the drums.  I'm just trying to cover my ass by modularizing everything as much as possible... so that if my SEQ is having problems, I can always control it with something else.  I will probably include 8 1/4" jacks on the back of my SEQ as additional trigger outs if they're ever needed, since those don't require an AOUT board and may come in handy, for situations where I'm using the SEQ with other analogue gear such as my Drumulator, or to send sync pulses to my Juno 6's arpeggiator.

I agree with your suggestions about LFO and envelope control, but for my purposes I am fine with patching that sort of thing up.  A MIDI tempo-sync'ed analogue LFO hybrid would be really badass, though.  I'm guessing you can do something like that with the SID, which I do plan to build later this year.

[jrp]

Hi

I plan about the same thing, although i still building my drum modules right now...

I can´t find it right now, but i think it was explained somwhere how to alter the code so the MBCV outputs 1ms triggers instead of gates.

I´m wondering if the same thing could be done with the cv outs, turning them into velocity dependant triggers. Anyone know?

With these an Release Generator could be fead directly (without comparator). Much easier than generating an normal envelope and using a second vca for velocity.