Having trouble controlling my MBSid externally...

[mrpaul58]

Hi There

I've finished my first ever MBSid and love it.  I built the step A, adding 2 encoders for cutoff and res and 5 analog pots for the assignable knobs.  It all works perfectly except when I try to make my own patches using the computer...

I've tried Sidcontrol with various VST hosts, Jsynthlib following the instructions at the midibox site and also tried the logic environment.

On each of these I have no trouble playing notes through the computer and can also change the preset that the Sid is on, but it wont react to any cc changes...

I've tested to make sure my computer is sending cc's out so they are definitely going into the midibox.

Is there something I may have missed in one of the .asm files to make the MBSid recognise cc's coming through the midi in???  anything else spring to mind that could explain why this is happening?

Thanks Heaps

Paul

[cimo]

paul thanks for saving me from writing this post i am stuck at the same point! :)

simone

[Wilba]

Are you trying to control MB-SID V2 or V1?

"5 analog pots for the assignable knobs" sounds like V2.

As per the mbsidv2_parameter_chart.txt (look in "doc" subdirectory):

  - Knobs, this means:

    o controllable via MIDI: CC#01 (ModWheel) and CC#16/CC#17/CC#18/CC#19

and then in addition:

The parameters are also accessible via NRPN controllers with full resolution.

I've had no trouble controlling the "knobs" via CC#01/CC#16/CC#17/CC#18/CC#19 with my shiny new Korg microKontrol  :P  but haven't tried NRPN yet.

MB-SID V1 let you control all the synth parameters via CC.

MB-SID V2 (I believe) only lets you control the five "knobs" via CC, which you then link to synth parameters in the patch.

For the first SID engine (SID #1), you can see the "knobs" parameters change on the display, this doesn't happen for the other engines.

[cimo]

i am trying to control the MB6582 ! i don t have a control surface, yet so i thought i could use my MK (btw Wilba, what do you think of the MK? i got quite disappointed by the lack of MIDI feedback, pads are nice though) to control every parameter.This isn t ths case.. buh! it s time to get into some software patch editor then

simone

[TK.]

This isn t ths case.. buh!

Wrong - you can easily setup the NRPNs for MBSID V2:

Note that the NRPN assignments I'm using here are only intented for testing purposes, e.g. L/R/All channel selection.

All available NRPN parameters are documented under doc/mbsidv2_parameter_chart.txt

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[cimo]

i liked to be proved wrong  ;D

[cimo]

.. i also don t like having to ask same question over and over but after reading all possible docs about nrpr, tried all possible combinations on my MK i was not able to use it.

I understand that with 99 and 98 i can choose 1 parameter, ie the filter (yeah the filter!) can be choosen with msb 04 and lsb 00 (for both channels), that means setting cc99 to 4 and cc98 to 0.Therefore i can use cc06 to enter values.

Now in my MK i can assign nrpr to a single fader, but then how can i choose the selected parameter? i don t really understand

tx

simone

[TK.]

but then how can i choose the selected parameter?

The only way is to create different scenes with static assignments. The MK is very unflexible concerning parameter assignments, e.g. in distance to MB64E in patch mode (as an example), you will loose values when switching between the "parameter views" (scenes)

Such an inflexibility is the reason, why people still love Synths with a sophisticated user interface. No MIDI controller can beat this! You will at least miss all the special messages print on the LCD of a MBSID CS

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[cimo]

ok

connecting an lcd is no trouble.. let s warm up the iron!

simone

[cimo]

ok it works now i can control filter and resonancem i was wonderins if it is possible to switch among the 4 engines via midi, i ve also connected a spare clcd (thanks jidis)

simone

[TK.]

Just prepare a dedicated basis patch for each engine, and switch to the patch via Program Change. Patches of the preset bank can be used for this, or new ones can be created with the SysEx editor (once available)

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[cimo]

..as far as i understand i cant do that without a cs right?

..if that s the case would anybody with a cs send me an ensemble with patches so i can control 4 stereo sounds at the same time, maybe in 4 different channels, i d like to change those 10KR resistors used to mix the signals before the headphone jack.(and hear how it sounds like 8 c64 all together!) please! ;)

simone

i was having a look at the CS_DIN wiring pdf, thinking if it was worth soldering a few diodes and buttons to access the lcd while waiting for the parts for the cs.i d need the 5 menu buttons and encoder (or left right), am i right? 

[Wilba]

i was having a look at the CS_DIN wiring pdf, thinking if it was worth soldering a few diodes and buttons to access the lcd while waiting for the parts for the cs.i d need the 5 menu buttons and encoder (or left right), am i right? 

The easiest way to do this would be to upload firmware that doesn't use a matrix for all the switches... i.e. "setup_8580" and then you only need to connect switches and one encoder directly to the JD1 and JD2 headers (on the right), no diodes required, pin mappings all match this diagram:

http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_sid_cs/mbsid_v2_din_default.pdf

Pay attention to the different encoder pinout for ALPS STEC16B, which is the same for the "Voti" encoders and the SoundWell encoders.

You don't even need switches, you could solder one end of a wire to a ground pad and just touch the pads with the other end. Of course this gets really annoying really quickly  ;)

[cimo]

good tip there wilba

i am using a multimeter s probe to tap on the pads, i can finally control all the parameters!

I DON T NEED THAT ENSEMBLE ANYMORE

i ve found out that i had forgotten to solder R80, i couldn t access all the slaves!

thanks

simone