Looking for device to Control Digitone with Midi Controller and output Midi to Modular

Elektron Gear Digitone/Digitone Keys
#1

Hi guys! New to the forum. I just recently purchased a Digitone and I’ve got what I believe is an elaborate setup in my mind that I’m not sure what would be the most portable/efficient way to make it work.

Basically my plan is the following:

I want to use my guitar as a Midi Controller using a Fishman Midi Pickup. The USB MIDI receiver from the Fishman is connected to a USB MIDI host which I then connect to the Digitone’s MIDI In. This in essence allows me to create patterns and also play melodies over said patterns. I then want to run the Digitone’s output into a small modular system I made based around a Mutable Instruments clouds to do signal processing. However, I would like to be able to not only clock the modular system using the digitone but also be able to get the MIDI note and velocity information from my guitar into the modular system in realtime without having to make it a pattern on the Digitone. What would be the best way to do this? I’m not sure what piece of gear would be my ideal solution or if there’s another alternative. Laptop is not an option though since I really dislike performing with a computer. (I know that currently the Digitone is not able to output the external MIDI info to other synths, but I know it’ll be solved soon).

I’ve been doing my research but haven’t found an alternative at the moment, was hoping I could get some ideas from you guys.

Cheers!

#2

That sounds amazing, I want to do that… :slight_smile:

Are you asking about a device for your modular that receives the clock and midi, or just how to get the midi from the fishman and midi+clock from Digitone over to something you already have?

The Digitone’s thru port would send the notes and velocity from the fishman…
The Digitone’s midi clock would come out the out…
Does your usb midi host have other din ports?

#3

I want to see this setup in action!! :slight_smile:

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#4

Yes, I’m asking for a device that can receive both the midi notes and clock. The host I have doesn’t have DIN and I use it to send midi out from the usb receiver for the midi pickup to the digitone’s midi in. If I understood right, I would need a device that can receive both the thru and the out and converts them to CV, right? So is there no way to get both the clock and midi note info from a single source?

#5

I’m out of town at the moment. I’m trying it out tonight with a live band which is pretty exciting. I’ll try to record something later this week (modular won’t be clocked) but it’ll give you guys an idea of what I’m going after. Would be dope to start meeting/seeing more synth guitarrists out there!

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#6

It’s out of my department then… I can help with routing but I no nothing of modular devices…
There’s plenty of modular users on here though, maybe update your title with “looking for device” or similar at the end… Might grab their attention more…

I’m a guitar player and defiantly want to see how this works out for you, would love eventual audio when you get it working if your up for it…
Best of luck!

#7

Do you have any way to set the outgoing MIDI channel easily, or is it always going to be locked to a certain channel?

Several ways to skin this cat, but all details are needed first.

So, you have boxes in place that allow you to send MIDI notes via a DIN MIDI cable from your guitar. You need these notes, in addition to a MIDI clock from the DN, to go down a single DIN MIDI cable which will then connect to your modular system? Everything right so far?

Two possible avenues to do this:

  1. MIDI goes into the DN, and is combined with the DN MIDI clock at the MIDI OUT port of the DN, cable goes to modular from there. Depending on your track selection on the DN, MIDI notes either go into the DN (and dont get sent to modular) or go out the MIDI OUT port via the DN’s MIDI tracks. This requires that you utilize the AUTO channel on the DN, and jump between internal DN tracks and MIDI tracks to give correct ”focus” to the guitar note output.

  2. MIDI signal from the guitar is split into two lines with a MIDI thru box. One line goes to the DN, so that DN gets the notes but the DN only sends out MIDI clock, notes do not get sent. The MIDI OUT from the DN (containing only clock) is then merged with the secondary MIDI line which was split from the guitar, by using a MIDI merge box. Result = a MIDI line with notes from the guitar and clock from the DN.

Option two requires extra hardware. Kenton is one manufacturer with good reputation for making reliable MIDI thru / merge boxes, for example.

#9

I can set the outgoing MIDI channel on my laptop but it isn’t an immediate fix since I need to connect the USB MIDI receiver to the laptop first (it’s a wireless MIDI Pickup by Fishman) so It will usually be locked to a single channel. I guess there has to be an option to save patches onto the pickup with different channels but in a performing situation this wouldn’t be ideal either. I want it to be as immediate as possible since I’m already dealing with improvising the parts and manipulating them and changing patterns.

Regarding option 1, I already have the channel out set to Auto however when I go into the MIDI track the MIDI notes aren’t transmitted to an external synth via the MIDI out until they are saved as a pattern in the MIDI track, has this been fixed already or am I missing a step there?

With option 2 which kenton box would you recommend?

#10

Thanks for the help anyways! I’m going to try and get some videos w/audio up by the end of the weekend!

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#11

Ah, there was some talk about this not necessarily working from an ext MIDI keyboard at this time. I can only hope that this will be fixed soon by elektron.

If you need to resort to option 2, I’d get the smaller MIDI merge and thru boxs from Kenton (THRU5 & MERGE4), but best to check if option 1 is somehow possible as this would still end up costing quite a bit…

http://www.kentonuk.com/products/select/midi-utilsel.shtml

#12

Managed to get a little test run happening. I’ll try to post a more guitar performance focused one soon.

#13

So I managed to solve it by using a midi routing app on my iphone. I connect the op-1, midi usb receiver and an iconnectivity2 (in order to receive and send info from the elektron) into a usb hub which goes to a powered thunderbolt to usb camera kit

(https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MK0W2AM/A/lightning-to-usb-3-camera-adapter?afid=p238|sUT3HWa3h-dc_mtid_1870765e38482_pcrid_246386725857_&cid=aos-us-kwgo-pla-btb--slid--product-MK0W2AM/A)

I then split the Op-1’s signal using the audio cv split cable from Elektron which allows me to use their PO sync to clock the modular. I still can’t get note information to the modular but this will do at the moment I guess. I have a second video almost ready where I get to focus more on the guitar as my controller.

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#14

Elevator Music… :joy:

Not the bad kind… The kind where your being transported higher, and higher, and your feeling funny… :grin:
Elevator to another dimension… :rofl:

Show us some midi guitar! :heart_eyes_cat:

#15

If you really want to go wild with midi routing, translating and all that stuff have a look at the BomeBox:

https://www.bome.com/products/bomebox

Once configured, it can do almost everything with MIDI.

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#16

Ah, I use one MIDI contoller (keyboard set to CH 6) connected to Digitone’s MIDI in to control a variety of devices, including my modular rack. Active track channel on the Digitone is set to 6, so the Digitone then retransmits on whichever track you have selected, synth or Midi. Pretty straightforward. Digitone also sends clock through the MIDI out as well, and everything syncs up really well.

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