Connecting external midi controller

I am using all 8 midi channels on my Octatrack to sequence an external drum machine. At the same time, I am trying to connect an external midi controller to control the audio channels. All the midi channels are sending out midi on channel 10 to the drum machine. Everything works fine there.

I am stuck as to how to set up the external controller as it seems it needs to go through the same midi channels? I would like to control the audio channel volumes and effects with the external controller.

Thank you for your help.

Ensure that ‘AUDIO CC IN’ is enabled in the PROJECT > MIDI > CONTROL menu.

If your controller operates on only one MIDI channel, set its MIDI channel number to match the number of the ‘AUTO CHANNEL’ setting in the PROJECT > MIDI > CHANNELS menu.

Select the OT audio track that you want to control and operate your MIDI controller.

The MIDI Control Change messages required to control the OT’s channel levels and effects settings are given in the left-hand table on page C-2 of the OT’s manual.

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thank you Peter. Sorry but I am very new at this.

The OT manual has hex and dec values. For example, track volume is hex 07, dec 07.

Then in the editor for my controller (Machinewerks), I can set the following parameters:
Midi Channel
Control ID
Range Min
Range Max
Range Invert

Midi channel is 1 for audio track 1 as in the OT parameters but what about the Control ID?

Many thanks.

I read the Machinewerks Editor User Guide, provided here by the manufacturer.

It says:

Options for Rotaries and Sliders

All analogue controls, such as rotaries and sliders have the following settings that can be adjusted:

MIDI Channel – The MIDI Channel to send data on (1-16).
Control ID – The MIDI Control Change ID (0-127).
Range Min – The lowest value to be sent.
Range Max – The highest value to be sent.
Range Invert – Reverses the range so that is goes Max to Min.

This controller has the nice feature that it can send messages on different MIDI channels from its various knobs and sliders.

On the Octatrack, set up the ‘TRIG CHANNEL’ numbers in the PROJECT > MIDI > CHANNELS menu to be ‘Ch1’ to ‘Ch8’ for the audio tracks 1 to 8 respectively, as in the example given on page 42 of the OT manual.

For each control on the controller that you want to set up (for example, Track level for OT audio track 3):

‘MIDI Channel’ should be set to the same number as the MIDI channel of the track you want to control (example, set to ‘3’ for audio track 3).

‘Control ID’ should be set to the decimal number of the MIDI Control Change message listed on page C-2 of the OT manual for the parameter you want to control (example, set to ‘7’ for Track level).

‘Range Min’ can be set to 0, the lowest possible value for a MIDI Control Change message.

‘Range Max’ can be set to 127, the highest possible value for a MIDI Control Change message.

‘Range Invert’ can be switched off, so that the action of the knob or slider is to increase level.

You should be able to repeat this for the other controls that you want to set up.

For example, if you have a reverb loaded into effects slot 2 on OT audio track 6 and you want to control its dry/wet mix, set ‘MIDI Channel’ number to ‘6’ and ‘Control ID’ to ‘45’ (the decimal number of the MIDI Control Change message that controls ‘Effect 2 param #6’).

Let us know how it goes!

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This worked perfectly. Thank you!

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just jumping on that post here rather than starting a new one… but I dont really understand the midi mapping in the manual. I wanna control some parameters from an external controller for the OT. I have a midi controller with 8 volume channels.
Im reading in the manual: ctrl change mapping c2 appendix.
just as an example Track level dec 46, hex $2e.
so what does this say about how to control the track volume for each track??? Feel kind of stupid or I’m just on the wrong page but cant find any other info about the midi cc’s.
thanks in advance!

I assume that you want to control the track levels for the OT’s audio tracks.

Determine which MIDI channel is in use for each audio track by looking in the OT’s PROJECT > MIDI > CHANNELS menu.

For example (yours may be different), audio track 3 might respond to MIDI channel number 3.

The left-hand table on page C-2 of the OT’s manual tells you that the MIDI Control Change (CC) number for Track Level is 46 (in the decimal (base 10) system; 46 corresponds to 2E in the hexadecimal (base 16) counting system).

So, in this example, to control the track level of OT audio track 3, you need to send a MIDI CC 46 message containing the desired track level (in the range from 0 to 127).

You will need to check the manual of your external controller (you didn’t need to tell us which model you have) to set it up.

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Thanks Peter!
so each Audio Track would have the same CC number e.g. 46 for Track Volume, but using a different Midi channel Number for all the 8 different Audio Tracks? Because in the Manual there is only one Number for the Volume of the Track…
I’m trying to setup the CME Bitstream 3X. Found this great Template here in the Forum already, but it didnt work out of the box.

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Yep
That’s how you’d utilise it :thup:

Cracking controller btw, very deep, don’t have one, tried to trade on one recently

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i’m using a KeithMcMillen 12step foot pedal for controlling pickup machines but it’s a hassle with a usb to midi converter and it needs separate usb power

what’s your favourite SMALL programmable foot controller? are there even midi powered ones?

i’m not one for looking towards the smaller foot controllers … I like to have a few commands at my disposal, but iirc @gugabox was possibly looking at making a 3 switch controllable midi foot switch, not sure if midi powered

i’d persevere with the 12 step and just make the most of its potential … I’m working in a Yamaha MFC10 to pickup duties and it allows an extra five pedals/switches … it’s surprising how easy it is to fill up those slots

here’s a tip

set a CC up on Auto Channel
CC59
Max value 60
Min value 64

foolproof loop captures … no accidental detours into loop erase, on the MFC the latched switch stays lit red during record, very handy

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oh damn, sounds interesting

is that setting on OT or on 12step?

do elaborate if you please

CC59 is an OT way to provide CC values for entering equivalent note numbers (and corresponding function as though a midi note), but it can be abused by specifying different values for max and min

those commands specify Combo Record Note 60 and Pickup Play 64, so down starts recording and up starts playing

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Good idea !
I’m used to Boss RC loopers, and needed that kind of behavior ! :thup:
Flag.

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how come it doesn’t go into erase mode?

I’d rather say replace mode.

Correct me if I’m wrong but by default :
press RECAB > overdub
press it again > replace
press RECCD > play
press it again > stop

If you can set a controller as @avantronica explained, CC59 allows you to emulate
C60 note (Combo Rec, equals RECAB) and
E64 note (Pickup play / stop, equals RECCD)

It is like pressing RECAB and RECCD alternatively, so you won’t press twice those buttons.

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ah ok i see. that is how i have had my setup now for a while. i just thought there was a way to set it up so you could never go into replace mode

In the hope that it may provide food for thought for other users using flexible controllers I thought i’d state another little layer to this pedal setup strategy

My MFC10 allows 4 part layering on half of the 100 internal memories (not on external controls) and it only supports 4 of the same, so 4 notes (chords) or 4 CC messages

So a nice potential addition to the CC config for one pedal I am experimenting with is as follows

Layer 1 :white_small_square: CC 59 on Auto Chan :white_small_square: High/On Value 060 :white_small_square: Low/Off Value 064
Layer 2 :white_small_square: CC 59 on Auto Chan :white_small_square: High/On Value 000 :white_small_square: Low/Off Value 071
Layer 3 :white_small_square: nil
Layer 4 :white_small_square: nil

when the MFC is set in Layer mode, the buttons act in a latched style, so the LED flashes after the first press until you do a second press on that particular pedal

So, beginning from a globally stopped situation, first press the button, it enables Combo Record on layer 1 and nothing on layer 2 (as 000 as a note serves no command purpose) … then when you press the switch the second time to unlatch, you go straight to play mode (disabling record) on Layer 1 and on Layer 2 you are toggling sequencer sync to that Pickup Machine & starting the sequencer using Note 071

That is handy if you have a flex on another track using the above ‘source’ pickup machine’s buffer and you want it to kick off at the moment you have captured the new loop, perhaps setting the Flex buffer at rate 32 to drop the speed in half and drop an octave

A bit problematic when you go to another Track as the Note 71 ‘Toggle Seq Sync + Start’ command will then set the Tempo by that track … note, it never toggles between Track and Global Tempo (it will jump from global tempo to Track locked tempo once) with the Note 71 command the way it does using Note 70, it may be a bug

Anyway, the layering could be a useful aspect to explore creatively on your own midi controller

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Old thread but still useful tip, might as well bump it up. I’d add that on my MFC10 I need to inverse that to get it to work as it should: Max 64 Min 60. Also, I have switch 2 with note (or CC59+ val64) on the autochannel next to switch one. Si when I hit switch 1, PU recording starts, hit it again, it stops and loops, hit it again we overdub etc; switch 2 will stop or play the PU track. (I use One2 mode)

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Lucky MFC10 owners! I can with my FC200 + midi processor, but…
I think Soft Step 2 can do that too.