MIDIbox SEQ V4 Release + Feedback

[norbim1]

SysEx file sending seems working fine now.

 

Thanks a lot TK!

[electrodancer]

Hello people

 

Can somebody tell me if the (new type) HC micro Sd card is supported by the midibox firmware ?.

[TK.]

would it be possible to have the option to use only one note for the remote (and select a specific channel). 

I use a midi footpedal (fcb1010) and it can only transmit one note for each pedal.

 

I added it to the wishlist.

This features requires a rework of the MIDI remote configuration (probably has to be moved into the options page)

 

 

 

Can somebody tell me if the (new type) HC micro Sd card is supported by the midibox firmware ?.

 

yes, HCSD should work, the firmware has dedicated routines for such SD Cards

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[TK.]

I implemented a new Fx today: Duplication!
 
The duplication effect sends MIDI notes to multiple MIDI channels of a given MIDI port (which can be different from the MIDI port assigned in the Track Event page). Use this effect to play (equal) monophonic synths like a polyphonic synth, or to trigger notes with different timbres.
This feature also works together with the AOUT port to support polyphonic play of analog synths!

• Number of additional channels: as the name says. The effect will be disabled with value 0, and enabled with a value > 0.
• First Channel: specifies the first channel to which additional note events should be forwarded.
  E.g. with 3 channels starting at Channel 2, Notes will be forwarded to the original MIDI channel configured in the Track Event page + Channel 2, 3 and 4.
• Port: selects the MIDI port to which the additional notes should be forwarded. With "Same" the events will be sent to the MIDI port configured in the Track Event page, with the remaining port settings the MIDI notes will be sent to the selected MIDI port.
• Non-Notes: specifies what should happen with Non-Note events (such as CCs, PitchBender, Channel Pressure, Program Change): they can be filtered, or forwarded to all additional MIDI channels.
• Mode: selects the behaviour of this Fx:
  • Forward to all Channels: notes will be directly forwarded to all MIDI channels
  • Alternate Channels: only one MIDI event will be generated, and with each note the next MIDI channel will be selected.
    E.g. with Original MIDI Channel (in Track Event Page) 1, Number of additional Channels 3, First MIDI Channel 2, the effect will cycle between MIDI Channel 1, 2, 3 and 4
  • Alternate with Echo Synch: alternates only notes which are played by the Echo Fx
  • Random: each Note will be sent to a randomly selected MIDI channel. Either the original MIDI channel (configured in the Track Event page), or the additional channel(s) of this Fx

 
The features are not tested under realistic conditions yet, but for the case that you are interested (and know how to build the application): the sources are already in the repository :smile:
 
Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Hawkeye]

Hi Thorsten,

 

Thanks a lot! This is a great feature and frees up one MIDI OUT/IN port pair, that I used for this purpose (duplication via MIDI router listening on an IN port, that received notes from an OUT port, that was directly connected :smile:).

 

But the duplication effect is so much more powerful - got to check out from SVN right now! :smile:

 

Edit: tested it - and it works great for duplication, but I seem to have two minor issues:

a) when in "Forward to all channels" mode, I only get duplication on the other device, when "non-notes are forwarded". If "non-notes are filtered", the other synth stays silent.

b) when in "Alternate Channels mode", (and with non-notes forwarded), i was hoping to send only every second note to the other synth (kind of a ping-pong effect), but currently all notes are played on both synths

(maybe this helps, i used a different output port than "same" for testing)

 

Many greets!

Peter

Edited November 21, 2013 by Hawkeye

[TK.]

Hi Peter,

 

thanks for testing! Of course, this was a stupid error caused by a typical "late beautification change" ;-)

Could you please give the new version another try?

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Hawkeye]

Hi Thorsten,

 

awesome, thanks for the fix!

 

Just tested (with two synths each)

- duplication (works fine)

- note alternation (in order/random) with notes stuck (see below)

 

..and working with one minor issue left - the notes appear to be stuck in any alternation mode (behaving like active sustain pedal) - maybe the "note off"s are  missing somehow? No hurries and thanks for that great feature!

 

Have a nice weekend and many greets,

Peter

[TK.]

ok, another bugfix - will test it this evening at my side :)

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Hawkeye]

Yes! It works perfectly now! Very, very cool! :laugh:

I´m sure, others will love this feature as well!

 

Many greets,

Peter

[TK.]

I'm also satisfied! :smile:

 

Here a short demo of the effect:

http://www.ucapps.de/mp3/midibox_seq/mbseqv4_demo_dupl_fx.mp3

 

A single track plays a simple sequence which isn't changed during the whole demo.

Only some Fx parameters are changed.

• 0:00 - single channel plays the sequence
• 0:14 - alternating between two channels. The second channel plays the same instrument with a different timbre
• 0:21 - alternating between four channels, each instrument has a different timbre
• 0:28 - switching between channels in random order
• 0:36 - enabled Echo Fx with 3 repeats an 8d Delay
• 0:50 - enabled LFO Fx with Saw Waveform, Amp 14, 16 Steps, Reset after 16th step - note that Force-to-Scale is enabled
• 1:02 - changing some LFO parameters
• 1:15 - changing Note steps for each Echo tap between 0, +2 and +3

However, the effect really has to be "learned"! Before this demo I created 3..4 totally shitty tunes until I realized, that dramatic differences in the timbre are not really constructive (unless you are searching for a "drunken monkey emulation" ;)

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Altitude]

...unless you are searching for a "drunken monkey emulation" ..

 

wow, great band name..

 

Cool effect. Reminds me of more up tempo Fax stuff.

[Rio]

Nice demonstration. Beside, would it be possible to integrate a second LFO? Or would that to much loading for the cpu?

Often i want to change reso + cutoff with different LFOs at the same time.

 

Best regards,

rio

[TK.]

A LFO is expensive, CPU and memory wise.

 

One of the major blocking points: just check how many parameters are allocated by a single LFO: http://svnmios.midibox.org/filedetails.php?repname=svn.mios32&path=%2Ftrunk%2Fapps%2Fsequencers%2Fmidibox_seq_v4%2Fdoc%2Fmbseqv4_cc_implementation.txt

There is no continuous 9-byte slot free for a second set of LFO CCs

 

Another blocking point: the LFO code has been implemented based on the assumption, that never more than 1 LFO per track will be integrated into the firmware. The code would have to be completely overworked just to make multiple LFOs per track possible.

 

I doubt that it would be really worth the effort. Especially since you are currently the only guy who requested this (multiple times).

I don't find this so interesting by myself, and would prioritize other features for reserved CC slots than just another LFO...

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[TK.]

V4.079 is now officially released

 

From the ChangeLog:

MIDIboxSEQ V4.079
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   o added new Fx which allows to send to one or more additional MIDI channels
     from a single track with various behaviours (forward to all, alternate
     between channels, randomly select channel)
     The new functions can be configured at the Fx->Dupl (like Duplicate) page

   o groove page: added possibility to change the intensity for all tracks at once

   o MBSEQ_HW.V4 file: SR numbers for BUTTON and LED functions which are
     assigned to the BLM8x8 matrix (-> Wilba's Frontpanel) are now named M1..M8
     instead of 17..24
     See also the configuration template under hwcfg/wilba/MBSEQ_HW.V4
     The old syntax is still provided to keep old MBSEQ_HW.V4 files compatible.
     Once the new SRIO_NUM_SR parameter is set to 17 or more SRs, the new syntax
     has to be used.

   o MBSEQ_HW.V4 file: new parameter SRIO_NUM_SR allows to specify the maximum
     number of DIN/DOUT shift registers in a chain. Up to 23 DINs/DOUTs can be
     chained now - this is also the new default value in the MBSEQ_HW.V4 templates.

   o whenever a MBSEQ_HW.V4 file is uploaded with the MIOS Filebrowser, the
     configuration will be automatically reloaded (no need to reset the core)

   o official support for Ilmenator's Track Position Display.
     See also http://www.midibox.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=tpd_pcb
     An example configuration (TPD directly connected to J2 of Wilba's Frontpanel PCB)
     can be found under hwcfg/wilba_tpd/MBSEQ_HW.V4

   o the TPD display mode can now be configured in the Utility->Options menu (item #11)

   o added new MIOS Terminal commands:
     new, saveas, save, load, delete, session, sessions 

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Rio]

I don't find this so interesting by myself, and would prioritize other features for reserved CC slots than just another LFO...

 

that is comprehensible..

 

thanks for the new version v.4079

[Rio]

hey tk,

 

sorry, i can not compile v.4079 - I have updated my mios32 svn directory, since MBSEQV4 version 4.078, which had compiled fine.

 

Please take a look at the screenshot in attachment.

Edited November 26, 2013 by Rio

[TK.]

You've to update the toolchain: http://www.midibox.org/mios32_toolchain/

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Rio]

Thanks for your fast hint. Great, now everything is working fine.

[lukas412]

Is it currently possible to copy/paste a single layer of a track? If not is this feasible? Use case, create a melody, span it across multiple patterns. change the melody across patterns. then add some cc modulation to one pattern, I want to copy just that cc layer to all of the different patterns without screwing up my melody changes.

 

Thanks,

 

Luke

[TK.]

I could easily add a key combination which allows to do this.

The copy function would have to store the layer was active during the capturing.

The paste function would have to be combined with another key to transfer the previously selected layer only - maybe SELECT+PASTE?

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[lukas412]

Oh man thats great news! SELECT+PASTE works perfect for me. This is one small thing that would make things much easier for me. Thanks!

 

Luke

Also the auto-mapping cc's in live record is just as awesome as I had hoped. Been waiting for that one. Thank you.

[TK.]

Luke, here a firmware for testing the SELECT+COPY function: http://www.ucapps.de/mios32/midibox_seq_v4_080_pre1.zip

 

It also copies the layer mode, so that it's (for example) possible to copy notes into a layer, which was previously configured for CC

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[lukas412]

Thanks! This works great. Would it be just as easy to add select+clear to clear the current layer? Not nearly as important as pasting.

 

Thanks again,

 

Luke

[TK.]

SELECT+CLEAR is already supported by this version! :)

 

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[lukas412]

Ha amazing. This thing is my favorite piece of gear ever. No question. Thanks!