Uriahdemon Posted October 11, 2020 Report Posted October 11, 2020 Does anyone do this, what are your experiences and recommendations for a midi controller please. just toying with the idea to give me some instant hands on control and not shuffle through pages. Quote
Davidmk Posted October 11, 2020 Report Posted October 11, 2020 Novation launchpad mini mk3. Novation supply software for the mk3 that allows you to configure the 64 notes each pad sends, the colour of the backlight and whether the key is "flash" or "latch". I have two of them which allows me to trigger the first 127 playbacks (there are only 127 midi notes). Most of these playbacks have one cue that uses a macro to trigger a cue from another playback and are controlled by "flash" buttons. A few directly control something like an effect and are controlled by "latch" buttons. For example... I have a bank of LED pars, I create playback 130 with 15 cues that set the pars to different colours and 1 that releases the playback then I create playbacks 1 to 16, each with one cue. Playback 1, cue 1 fires playback 130, cue 1; playback 2, cue 1 fires playback 130, cue 2 and so-on upto playback 16 which fires cue 16 and releases the LEDs so they can go back to whatever (unreleased) playback was controlling them before pressing a button (or default if there isn't one). It is horribly tedious to set up but it works. Stowedout did a topic on this, it's pinned near the top of the FLX page, he uses a different approach that you might find interesting. Quote
Edward Z88 Posted October 11, 2020 Report Posted October 11, 2020 Hi Mac, 8 minutes ago, Davidmk said: Stowedout did a topic on this, it's pinned near the top of the FLX page, he uses a different approach that you might find interesting. Yes, take a look at @stowedout’s quick overview of his set up below... This is the thread David mentioned, which explains this... I’m sure you have seen this article already, but for the ZerOS side on how this is configured, see below... http://support.zero88.com/990063141 If you have any questions let us know. Edward Quote Edward Smith Product Specialist Email Support
Uriahdemon Posted October 11, 2020 Author Report Posted October 11, 2020 4 hours ago, Davidmk said: Novation launchpad mini mk3. Novation supply software for the mk3 that allows you to configure the 64 notes each pad sends, the colour of the backlight and whether the key is "flash" or "latch". I have two of them which allows me to trigger the first 127 playbacks (there are only 127 midi notes). Most of these playbacks have one cue that uses a macro to trigger a cue from another playback and are controlled by "flash" buttons. A few directly control something like an effect and are controlled by "latch" buttons. For example... I have a bank of LED pars, I create playback 130 with 15 cues that set the pars to different colours and 1 that releases the playback then I create playbacks 1 to 16, each with one cue. Playback 1, cue 1 fires playback 130, cue 1; playback 2, cue 1 fires playback 130, cue 2 and so-on upto playback 16 which fires cue 16 and releases the LEDs so they can go back to whatever (unreleased) playback was controlling them before pressing a button (or default if there isn't one). It is horribly tedious to set up but it works. Stowedout did a topic on this, it's pinned near the top of the FLX page, he uses a different approach that you might find interesting. Thanks David, I will take a little time to read in and see what is best for me. I am assuming that once the laptop has been used to set up the pad there is no further use for it i.e. I dont need to have it attached on a live show. Will I need to get a DIN to mini USB connector for between the pad and FLX....?? Much appreciated Quote
Uriahdemon Posted October 11, 2020 Author Report Posted October 11, 2020 4 hours ago, Edward- Z88 said: Hi Mac, Yes, take a look at @stowedout’s quick overview of his set up below... This is the thread David mentioned, which explains this... I’m sure you have seen this article already, but for the ZerOS side on how this is configured, see below... http://support.zero88.com/990063141 If you have any questions let us know. Edward Thanks very much Ed, between this and Dave's info I think I have enough to go on for now. Quote
Davidmk Posted October 11, 2020 Report Posted October 11, 2020 54 minutes ago, Uriahdemon said: dont need to have it attached on a live show. That's correct. 55 minutes ago, Uriahdemon said: Will I need to get a DIN to mini USB connector for between the pad and FLX You will need a USB to midi interface. There is one that Z88 recommend but I used a Kenton USB midi host mk2 bought on ebay for about £88 Quote
Uriahdemon Posted October 11, 2020 Author Report Posted October 11, 2020 7 minutes ago, Davidmk said: That's correct. You will need a USB to midi interface. There is one that Z88 recommend but I used a Kenton USB midi host mk2 bought on ebay for about £88 thanks very much indeed David !!! Quote
Edward Z88 Posted October 11, 2020 Report Posted October 11, 2020 Hello, 1 hour ago, Davidmk said: You will need a USB to midi interface. There is one that Z88 recommend This is the one we use for training, testing, and demonstrations... https://motu.com/products/midi/fastlane_usb Edward Quote Edward Smith Product Specialist Email Support
stowedout Posted October 12, 2020 Report Posted October 12, 2020 Sounds like @Davidmkmethod is simpler as it removes the need for the laptop and additional software. One less thing to fail is always good (Like David my method was also tedious ) My next project is to try using an Akai APC20 and assign faders to parameters to give a bit more flexibility while busking shows Chris Quote
Davidmk Posted October 12, 2020 Report Posted October 12, 2020 50 minutes ago, stowedout said: assign faders to parameters How are you planning to use faders in this context? I've been wanting to do that but - even using intermediate software + laptop + etc - I haven't seen a way to do it. I'd be absolutely delighted to be shown the way on this one if you can crack it. Quote
Edward Z88 Posted October 12, 2020 Report Posted October 12, 2020 Hi David & Chris, 1 hour ago, stowedout said: My next project is to try using an Akai APC20 and assign faders to parameters to give a bit more flexibility while busking shows 12 minutes ago, Davidmk said: How are you planning to use faders in this context? Most MIDI fader banks, send their fader levels over the MIDI Control Change (CC) protocol. ZerOS currently doesn't support this protocol, however it is on our software tracker as a potential future enhancement (software tracker reference number ZOS-10271). The three MIDI protocols currently supported in ZerOS are Timecode, Show Control and Notes. I am not aware of such a device, but it could be possible that when a MIDI fader hits a certain level, it fires a MIDI Note, allowing you take advantage of MIDI fader handles purely to trigger ZerOS. If you have any questions let us know. Edward Quote Edward Smith Product Specialist Email Support
Uriahdemon Posted October 13, 2020 Author Report Posted October 13, 2020 Thanks all the the information and steers. I have a Novation Mini MK3 and Kenton USB midi host mk2 winging their way to me now. I was wondering if Phantom ZerOS was able to interface with the midi as I do most of my programming using Phantom ZerOS on a PC with Capture....?? Quote
Edward Z88 Posted October 13, 2020 Report Posted October 13, 2020 Hi Mac, 5 minutes ago, Uriahdemon said: I was wondering if Phantom ZerOS was able to interface with the midi as I do most of my programming using Phantom ZerOS on a PC with Capture....?? Currently ZerOS does not support MIDI over USB, and so you will not be able to trigger Phantom ZerOS with MIDI. You will however be able to do all of your MIDI configuration in Phantom, save the show and load in into your FLX, and your FLX will then be preconfigured ready to accept MIDI triggers. Edward Quote Edward Smith Product Specialist Email Support
Uriahdemon Posted October 13, 2020 Author Report Posted October 13, 2020 4 minutes ago, Edward- Z88 said: Hi Mac, Currently ZerOS does not support MIDI over USB, and so you will not be able to trigger Phantom ZerOS with MIDI. You will however be able to do all of your MIDI configuration in Phantom, save the show and load in into your FLX, and your FLX will then be preconfigured ready to accept MIDI triggers. Edward Thanks Ed Quote
Davidmk Posted October 13, 2020 Report Posted October 13, 2020 4 hours ago, Uriahdemon said: Novation Mini MK3 and Kenton USB midi host mk2 winging their way You might find these useful... FLX PBs 64 to 127.syx FLX PBs 1 to 64.syx Quote
stowedout Posted October 13, 2020 Report Posted October 13, 2020 Hi David, I'm not sure yet but check out Luke Strattons video to see what I'm going for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRlJN1LALFk&t=421s In the lightjams software everything is configurable / programable so I'm sure it will work. I need to get on ebay for an APC 20 or 40. The pads on a 40 are RGB configurable so it might be a nicer result. Chris Quote
stowedout Posted October 13, 2020 Report Posted October 13, 2020 On 10/12/2020 at 5:51 PM, Edward- Z88 said: Hi David & Chris, Most MIDI fader banks, send their fader levels over the MIDI Control Change (CC) protocol. ZerOS currently doesn't support this protocol, however it is on our software tracker as a potential future enhancement (software tracker reference number ZOS-10271). The three MIDI protocols currently supported in ZerOS are Timecode, Show Control and Notes. I am not aware of such a device, but it could be possible that when a MIDI fader hits a certain level, it fires a MIDI Note, allowing you take advantage of MIDI fader handles purely to trigger ZerOS. If you have any questions let us know. Edward Hi Edward and David, Sorry I'm a couple of days behind on these posts. Thanks for the CC info. I have access to a Novation launchkey that sends CC information from rotary controls so I will see if I can get Lightjams to map CC info to midi note info. I'll get back to you soon. Chris Quote
Edward Z88 Posted October 14, 2020 Report Posted October 14, 2020 Hi Chris, I have taken a quick look at the YouTube link. If I wanted to run my show like this on FLX, I would simply use some intensity playback masters, and then a touchscreen with all my palettes programmed, which I can then just tap and fade between using Programmer Time. To achieve this via MIDI, you can then just instead record your different looks onto individual playbacks which can be triggered by Notes, and fade between them using the cue fades. Edward Quote Edward Smith Product Specialist Email Support
Uriahdemon Posted October 14, 2020 Author Report Posted October 14, 2020 On 10/13/2020 at 3:47 PM, Davidmk said: You might find these useful... FLX PBs 64 to 127.syx 545 B · 2 downloads FLX PBs 1 to 64.syx 543 B · 0 downloads Thanks David, much appreciated.... are these the MIDI files you have set up...?? Also could I please ask a couple more questions... When everything is set up how do you map a launchpad button to a playback...?? What values have you entered in Triggers>Notes please...?? Quote
Davidmk Posted October 14, 2020 Report Posted October 14, 2020 Yes these are files you can load to your Novation, obviously you may want to change the displayed colours and the "flash/latch" settings but it may save you having to work out which note (in the required A to G natural/sharp and octave number) you need which is probably the most tedious and error prone part of the process. Please note that there are a couple of intentionally un-programmed keys, notably the last one in the 65 to 127 file (which would have been the non-existent note 128. Also worth noting that the Novation has four pages. I use two Novations and program both with both files, that way it doesn't matter which is which - I just select page 1 on the left one and 2 on the right. If all your pads are "flash" then you probably only need one Novation to trigger 127 playbacks (I've not tried it!). You will find that it is useful to see what the pads are actually sending and you can find that using the Z key (system info->events if my memory serves). "Flash" should send a note-on when you press the key and note-off when you release, "latch" should send a note-on when you press it the first time and note-off when you press it again. I keep putting flash & latch in quotes because these are ZerOS terms, the Novation equivalents should be obvious but I don't remember them. Quote
Edward Z88 Posted October 14, 2020 Report Posted October 14, 2020 10 minutes ago, Davidmk said: You will find that it is useful to see what the pads are actually sending and you can find that using the Z key (system info->events if my memory serves). "Flash" should send a note-on when you press the key and note-off when you release, "latch" should send a note-on when you press it the first time and note-off when you press it again. ^Yep exactly right, tap Z -> System Information -> Event Monitor to see incoming MIDI Notes or MIDI Show Control commands. Incoming MIDI Timecode clock can be found in the status bar along the bottom of the Cues window on the external monitor. Edward Quote Edward Smith Product Specialist Email Support
Davidmk Posted October 14, 2020 Report Posted October 14, 2020 4 hours ago, Uriahdemon said: how do you map a launchpad button to a playback You can't do this freely, note 1 triggers playback 1, no choice about that. To keep things simple I use playbacks 1-127 for midi which is the first 5 and a bit pages, the remaining playbacks on page 6 (128-144) are multi-cue and with cues triggered from the midi controlled playbacks and I start "normal" programming on page 7 Quote
Davidmk Posted October 14, 2020 Report Posted October 14, 2020 4 hours ago, Uriahdemon said: What values have you entered in Triggers>Notes I can't remember. I'll look it up and get back to you. Quote
Edward Z88 Posted October 14, 2020 Report Posted October 14, 2020 4 hours ago, Uriahdemon said: What values have you entered in Triggers>Notes please...?? 4 minutes ago, Davidmk said: I can't remember. I'll look it up and get back to you. I'm going to guess, in Setup -> Triggers, MIDI Notes is set to playbacks, and the Channel is left at 0 (to receive Notes commands from all channels), or set to the channel number set on the Novation. Your octaves will likely be set to "Separate", to give you access to playbacks 0 to 127. Edward Quote Edward Smith Product Specialist Email Support
Uriahdemon Posted October 14, 2020 Author Report Posted October 14, 2020 Thanks very much for the replies Ed and David, with a bit of luck with all this I can make some headway. I have the launchpad talking to 'Components' and have loaded the shows and had a play so confident in changing colours and where to config things in there. Off down to set up the FLX with the USB Midi Hub and controller in the next few days and see where we go from there. Again, thanks for the help !! Mac Quote
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