I have the following setup: A MIDI keyboard OUT connected to an MIDI Controller (Novation Remote Zero SL) IN, its OUT connected to the Digitakt IN, it’s out connected to a MIDI Thru box, and on that OUTs some MIDI synthesizers.
I want to control/play the synthesizers from the keyboard and controller. So I set the Auto Channel to 10, let the keyboard and controller send on Channel 10. I can switch to the desired synth on the Digitakt, and play or record it with the keyboard. Nice.
But I can’t control the synths with the controller. No MIDI CC, NRPN or Sysex goes through, only notes reach their target.
Is it possible that the Digitakt does not relay anything but notes? Is some special setting on the Digitakt necessary?
I also have noticed that my Digitakt will not pass pitch bend through to my synths, only note data. It’s extremely lame, and I should have asked about it before seeing this thread. Workarounds? Am I an idiot and there’s an easy solution?
edit: Also, why does the Digi see and pass velocity just fine, but not pitch bend?
DT only passes through NOTE ON/NOTE OFF messages from MIDI in to MIDI out.
Velocity is part of the NOTE ON/NOTE OFF data spec in MIDI, so it’s passed through.
as for a workaround, use a MIDI patchbay to get controllers to talk to your synths. patch the DT in there to record, but again it will only see note data. It sucks, but c’est la vie
I see. Does anyone know why the Digitakt doesn’t have the option to pass CC? It seems like that would be reasonable to expect, I know Elektron expect at least some of us to use a MIDI keyboard with the Digitakt, and they built in 8 MIDI tracks with a LOT of functionality, so why does it work this way??? Very confusing, but there’s probably something I don’t understand.
part of me wonders if this is because of the whole cult of “loopback” - stopping CC data in its tracks once it hits the DT input prevents feedback loops when for whatever convoluted reason one would plug the MIDI out to the MIDI in on a DT.
If they are afraid of loopback, they wouldn’t have implemented note messages either. It’s either lazyness, there wasn’t enough time, it’s a feature that is present in the Octatrack (you should buy another device, harhar) or “Hey, no one will notice it”.