MIDIbox64SEQ Beta

[TK.]

Finally the first beta version of MIDIbox64SEQ is available:

http://www.ucapps.de/midibox/midibox64seq_v0.91.zip

A brief description for the beta testers:

The first version doesn't come with a mk_syx script, therefore all parameters have to be configured direcly at the box. A LCD, at least 8 buttons and a lot of pots (of course) are required.

The Left/Right/Exec buttons have the same functions like on other MIDIbox versions. The "snapshot" button is used to start/stop the sequencer, to select the track and layers in the submenues, and so on... so try this button within every submenu to test the purpose.

Every pot-row controls one track.

4 independent tracks are available.

Each track consists of 3 layers which can be assigned to:

Note Number, Velocity, Gate Length (on Note Events)

CC Number, CC Value, Gate Length (on Controllers)

1st Parameter, 2nd Parameter, Gate Length (on other events)

With the functional buttons F2-F4 the layers A, B, C can be selected. All pots will change their "purpose" on this way. A Soft-Takeover (Snap) function prevents parameter jumps.

When you type the F1 button shortly, the Soft-Takeover function will be disabled until a new Layer is selected. This is fine for quick parameter changes.

When you hold the F1 button and turn a pot, all parameters of the same row will be changed. On this way you can quickly select a note, velocity, gatelength, CC, CC value, ... for the whole row with one pot.

Now the configuration (press the Exec button and go through the main menu):

Select Bank: used to select another bank (BankStick required...)

MIDI Learn: used to assign a MIDI Event to the Tracks/Pots

Track Mode: can be selected for each track seperately: off (no MIDI Event will be sent by the track), "Normal": (nothing to say), "Transpose" (an external MIDI keyboard can be used to transpose the notes), "Transpose+Hold" (same with hold function), "Arpeggiator" (like Transpose, but poly), "Arpeggiator+Hold" (same with hold function), "Controller" (the whole pot row will not be clocked by the sequencer and can be used like a on as common MIDI controllers)

Direction: can be selected for each track seperately: Forward, Backward, Ping Pong, Random. The Random function requests the spare pin of the MBHP Core module (J14) for the direction. If this pin is open, the status is random. You could also connect a switch, a waveform generator or something similar to this pin for nice sequencing effects. :) Or you can just tip your finger on it ;-)

Clock Divider: can be selected for each track seperately: BPM/1, BPM/2, BPM/4, BPM/8, BPM/16

Track Length: can be selected for each track seperately: 1, 2, 3, ... 16

Layer Assignments: 12 Layers (4 Tracks * 3 Layers) have to be assigned to the sequencer functions: Note/Ctrl. Number, Velocity/Value, Gatelength

BPM: values between 48 and 250 are possible. Select speed "47" if the sequencer should act as MIDI clock slave.

MIDI Config.: MIDI Merger on/off, MIDIbox-to-COM on/off

Send SysEx: allows you to send a SysEx dump in order to save the setup

Limitations:

• Layer C contains only one value for the whole row (Layer A, B: 16 values). This restriction was necessary due to limited RAM - in the PIC18F452 version this limitation will not exist. Workaround: assign a static sequencer function to Layer C. If the track should play a drum, just assign the note number to layer A, velcoity to layer B and the gatelength to Layer C (-> gatelength never change). Or if you want to sequence a MIDI controller, assign the CC Value to Layer A, the gatelength to Layer B and the CC number to Layer C (-> CC number never change)
  
• the sequencer only play the type of MIDI event which is assigned to the first pot of every track. However, this doesn't really hurt ;-)
  
• the pot values are only stored in EEPROM when you enter the SysEx menu. So go into this submenu before you switch off the box. This circumstance will be solved in the next version with a SFB
  
• the next version will also support 64 LEDs and a 4x16 LCD
  

Happy betatesting! :-)

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[TK.]

The new release comes with several bugfixes in the Note handler (overlapped notes are tied correctly now), in the MIDI clock synchronization and in the SysEx dump structure.

http://www.ucapps.de/midibox/midibox64seq_v0.91.zip

It features also a new submenu with presets for a quick configuration:

• N1/N2/N3/N4: Track 1-4 send notes on MIDI Channel 1, 2, 3, 4
  
• C1/C2/C3/C4: Track 1-4 send controllers on MIDI Channel 1, 2, 3, 4
  
• N1/C1/N2/C2: Track1/3 send notes on channel 1/2, track 2/4 send controllers on channel 1/2
  
• N1/C1/C1/C1: Track 1 sends notes on channel 1, track 2-4 send controllers (Track 4 with Ping Pong effect)
  
• Drums: Track 1-4 trigger drum samples (Bass Drum, Snare, Closed/Opened HiHat) on MIDI Channel 10
  
• Gater Fx 4Chn: Track 1-4 send CC#7 controllers for a nice gater effect on Channel 1-4
  
• Transp.Crazy1: Track 1-4 send notes on Channel 1 in various sequencer modes (Normal/Transpose/T+Hold/Arpeggiator) at the same time
  
• Transp.Crazy2: same like above, but with additional dividers and PingPongs
  

Enjoy! :-)

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[kieran]

Hi Thorsten

Will the sequencer differ markedly from the MHBP standard MB64? (apart from 64 LEDs..  ;D )

I certainly do like the idea of a four track sequencer almost more than the use the MB64 has as a software/hardware midi controller..  

So would it ever be possible to control one (perhaps called) Midibox65 which contains perhaps two cores (once with new PIC for the Seq, and one with a 16F877 for standard MB64 functions) both all wired to the same pots, with a master switch which is used to swap between the two "master modes", ie. SEQ or Controller?

The two machines are very similar in layout and principle (perhaps apart from the 64LED and 4x16 display), and I think it would be fantastic if this workaround could house both beasts in the one box with essentially the same controllers.

your thoughts?

kieran

[Sephult]

Kieran-

I know that you were probably searching an answer from Thorsten, but I thought I could help you with a couple ideas on what you have asked about.

I have been working on an idea similar to yours for awhile. I was going to incorporate a bunch of circuitry and I had ran into the problem of size matters due to the millions of knobs Thorsten has let us use for these midi boxes!!!  :)

The best solution I could think of for switching purposes was to incorporate 5v relays for the switching. Unless you could find a Million Pole, Million Throw switch, that is about the only choice that I could think of for switching purposes.

When I get my schematics done for a switching circuit, I will be sending it to Thorsten and hopefully others can use it like you.  

-Sephult

[TK.]

For the records: my answer to kierans posting can be found here:

http://www.midibox.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=concepts;action=display;num=1037621791

[Guest monte]

Upon reading about the need for a "Million pole" relay or switch for the pots, I was reminded of the 4016 or 4066 analog switch IC which could be used to switch the wipers on the pots to the destinations with no moving parts....Monte :)

[d2k]

Hey T...

Since my MB64 has been completed, the MB32 pot box I made a while back wasnt gettin used as much, so I thought it'd be ideal to run as a sequencer with the MB64seq f/w. I successfully burnt the 0.91 f/w version (latest one???) and have had much joy since ;). The question is - is there any way to edit an ini config file to setup the box like with the mbhp boxes. Because i only have 32 pots on this box (4x8 rows) and i'd like each 8 pot row acting as a single track, rather than as it is now - 2 rows (16pots) = 1 track, meaning i can only get at 2 tracks. Apart from that, this box is ideal as it has the 16 buttons on the front and the other 8 for menu and special functions...a real nice lil seq ;)

On another tip, the MIDI out LED on the LTC board has stopped working - midi output is fine tho, I know it's prolly a connection somewhere but it all looks good - what are the specific track(s) i should be concentrating on to narrow the problem down?

Best

Dan

[TK.]

Hi Dan,

currently I'm working (and testing :)) on the final PIC16F based MB64seq. I set some limits for this firmware so that a) it ever get finished, and b) I can save time & effort.

So, outlook for the final PIC16F based firmware:

• 128 patterns per BankStick
  
• copy function for patterns
  
• steps can be triggered by buttons manually
  
• steps can be shifted
  
• syncable pattern switching
  
• sequences of patterns (A1->A2->A3->A4->A1->...)
  
• repeat function (*1, *2, *4, *8 )
  
• MIDI Learn replaced by cheap & easy config submenu
  
• fixed button layout (means not customizable)
  
• fixed pot layout
  
• fixed LED layout (16 LEDs only)
  

I made the layouts not customizable because the PIC16F version is mainly for existing PIC16F based Midiboxes. The MIOS based version will be much more flexible (e.g, up to 128 LEDs, much more buttons, also rotary encoders and graphical LCDs can be used, etc.)

Finally my answer: if you require a special adaption for less pots, wait for the MIOS based firmware... :)

MIDI Out LED: this is the wrong board for such questions. However, the LTC module is so small that I just only can suggest: check the wires!

Best Regards, Thorsten.