Controlling OT Via Midi

Just uploaded a MIDI template for the Novation Remote SL mk1 to control OT.

http://www.elektronauts.com/files/download/152

Hope that helps, any suggestion for improvement is welcome.

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Thanks for the template man! Looks very similar to what Im doing.

I do have octatrack midi:control:audio cc out set to int+ext
I have track one cue and mute buttons set on the novation both transmitting on channel 1. on octo track the tracks are all using the defaults, transmitting on the same channel as track number.

do i need to open a port up on the novation to recieve? im going through the midi port 1.

confusing. But you guys have it working where you can mute and unmute on the octo and the novation will reflect those changes by turning buttons on and off?

If you guys can do it I will keep trying to figure it outā€¦

hi everyone
sorry to bump this thread, but I just got a Novation Zero SL MKII and I have a few questions, maybe one of you can help me out

  1. would it be possible to map buttons to select the active track? and if so:
  2. is there a way to have the encoders display (and refresh) certain parameters based on the currently active track (say, for example, I want to show all Playback parameters, or maybe even change between the different pages - AMP, FXā€¦)? I assume I would need to send MIDI back from the Octa to the Novation, correct me if Iā€™m wrong

If you check the OTā€™s MIDI spec in Appendix C of its manual, you will see that you can increment and decrement the active track number with MIDI note messages, but not select a specific track with a single MIDI message.

hey PeterHanes, thank you for your answer
I have actually tried this, but it doesnā€™t seem to workā€¦ Iā€™ll try again tomorrow, it would be really useful.
I thought about my encoder question and and Iā€™m pretty sure thereā€™s no way to do it, at least in standalone mode (no computer)

I did stumble across some other ideas that I canā€™t quite figure out:

  1. I mapped pads 1-8 to the different track triggs (C1, C#1, D1, etc.)
    I would love to be able to improvise and maybe add some hits to the existing patterns by using the Live Rec function of the Octa. It seems like itā€™s possible, but only when the track triggered is focused - otherwise it will make sound, but not record the trigs. is there any workaround for this?

  2. I tried to map a few buttons to the Arm Track and Arm All functions. I want to be able to use it the same way as with the Octa - by holding the button (Yes). I tried it with every method, although the 2 modes that I think worked best (or more accordingly to how I would like it to behave) was ā€œNormalā€ and ā€œMomentaryā€. the only problem with this is that it only triggers the first one shot triggers it encounters - like playing Yes once. I want it to work as well when holding it.

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seems like Iā€™ve already figured out my first question - I mapped the pads to channel 11 and they all work regardless of the focused track :slight_smile: (I found the info after searching around in these forums)

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One solution is to give each track its own midi channel, then use-

Combo rec | C (60
INAB rec | C# (61)
INCD rec | D (62)
SRC3 rec | D# (63)

on the midi channel for the track to which you wish to record.
This approach, in combination with QREC allows for an Ableton-like looping technique.

This is how I do it and it works great.

One thing the Remote SL does that is nice is to allow you to step through values with repeated presssing of a button. Havenā€™t used this yet for OT, but could be cool for something

Another thing you can do with Remote SL is to use a cheap sustain pedal mapped to whatever note/cc you like, or use a stepped value as stated above to trigger stuff like record, etc.

Tip- if for some reason the midi note numbers donā€™t work well for you, use CC#59 with the note number as the value for the same effect.

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Did you figure out your second question? I am still unable to get midi parameter values back from the Octo.

hi pxlxr!
do the sustain pedal function even in standalone mode? have in mind I donā€™t have a computer in between - just straight MIDI from SL MKII to the Octaā€¦ that would be really interesting, maybe to activate and deactivate the delay, or start/stop samplingā€¦
any idea about my ARM ALL issue? no matter how I configure it (or at least everything Iā€™ve tried) I canā€™t map a button to arm all tracks while is beeing pressed (Iā€™ve tried Momentary and Normal modes too); even if I keep it pressed it just acts as if it were pressed once (arming only the first one shot trigger it enconters)
Iā€™m also (along with colaba) really intersted in finding a way to get feedback back to the Novation - for example, I have the encoders map to the pitch of the tracks, it would be great if the leds resetted after switching to another pattern

No computer necessary for the sustain pedal thing.
Sorry, I donā€™t have any info about the ARM ALL issue. Sounds like you are doing the right thing by experimenting.
If I had to guess, Iā€™d say getting midi feedback into the Remote SL from Elektron machines is not currently possible, but I would love to be proven wrong.

@pxlxr this is great! I mapped the exp pedal to the crossfader, one more hand to mingle with stuff :slight_smile:

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To answer the questions in this thread regarding Octatrack midi feedback to controller:

For sending all of the OTā€™s audio track midi cc data back to your controller (essential after changing patterns/parts), set up a button on your controller assigned to CC#61, value=0 (its a send request for a bulk dump of ā€˜currentā€™ midi cc data.)

Disappointed this function isnā€™t on the MD & MM.

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Ozone thanks for the info!! Iā€™ll try it out when I get back home :smiley:

I tried Ozoneā€™s suggestion but I couldnā€™t make it workā€¦
it does seem like itā€™s doing the request (all parameters under the screen knobs appear for a few seconds) but the changes are not reflected on the Novation Zeroā€¦ I have Program Change activated on the Octa (I guess SEND is all I need really, although I have tried with both, with no luck)
I feel like Iā€™m almost there!! anything else I could try? thanks a lot!

Ah you must also ensure on the Octatrack some settings are enabled
In the midi menu (within project settings) set AUDIO-CC to ā€˜EXTā€™ or ā€˜INT-EXTā€™

yeap I tried both, no luck either :frowning:

iā€™ve been using a pair of midi fighter twisters thru an iConnectivity MIDI4+ to control my octatrack.
if anyone else has them this might be of interest.

the templates are set up to control the 8 audio tracks, set to channels 1-8. bottom knob controls track level, if pushed bottom knob controls pan. nest knob up controls base of the filter effect if loaded, next up controls width. top knob if pushed activates cue and always controls cue level when turned. (i use cues to set up recording to audio tracks, as well as to feed an fx unit that comes back on audio channel 8, so iā€™ve eliminated the possibility of cue on audio track 8 to avoid feedback)

the second bank of the right twister controls mute of the 8 midi tracks.

i have attempted to use the two middle knobs that currently control filter base and width to control params 1 and 6 of effect 2 when pushed, but it doesnā€™t work. for some reason pushing to select second function stops the transport. can anyone help fix this?

i also havenā€™t worked out how to control midi track arp, lfo etc params without using the auto channel. iā€™d like to have all midi tracks available for control at all times like the audio tracks but canā€™t figure that out.

hope iā€™m posting this in an appropriate place.

files:
http://www.elektronauts.com/files/download/155

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someone in another forum told me that MIDI feedback into the Novation is only possible via PC/Automap :-/
I have pretty much give up on this, it seems like, unfortunately, itā€™s not possibleā€¦
do any of you guys now of similar controllers that might be able to handle that?

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Shootā€¦ that doesnā€™t sound correctā€¦ MIDI is midiā€¦ unless novation is doing something ā€˜specialā€™

yeap, that sucksā€¦ I actually sent them an email, they responded with all this documentation that I havenā€™t read
today I recieved a midi-usb host (that I had ordered before getting the novation) and it works greatā€¦ I already had a nanokontrol v1 that I wasnā€™t using, I mapped most things I need in there and I think I like it a lot more - the novation is nice, and of course built a lot better, but it takes a lot of space, leaves my hands to far away from the octa, so I might use this setup insteadā€¦ itā€™s also a lot lighter :stuck_out_tongue: