Digitakt 2 & Faderfox PC12 MIDI issues

Elektron Gear Digitakt
1

Hello all,

Can anyone help me with a MIDI routing issue please? My set up is:

Digitakt 2 as MIDI sequencer connected to 3 external synths and an effects unit.

This all works perfectly using a few midi tracks on the Digitakt 2.

I have introduced a Faderfox PC12 into my set up to give me more hands on control but I am seeing some very strange and unwanted behaviour so I assume I have messed the midi routing up.

What I want to be able to do with is say control some parameters on 8 tracks of the Digitakt 2 and then some parameters on the external synths and the effects unit all from the PC12.

This is how it is connected, by using a couple of Midi Solutions Thru boxes and a Merge box.

The Digitakt 2’s MIDI Out is connected to the MIDI In’s of the synths and effects units (I can control these external units successfully from the Digitakt 2 using CC messages).

The MIDI Out from the Digitakt is also connected to one of the MIDI In’s on the PC12.

The MIDI Out from the PC 12 is connected to the MIDI IN on the Digitakt 2 and internally on the PC12 the MIDI In and Out I am using are connected.

The reason I have the MIDI Out from the Digitakt 2 being fed back into the PC12 is because I want to be able to use the Learn function to set up the PC12, ie just twiddle the knobs on the Digitakt 2 that I use to control the synths and the PC12 will save the settings but also so that (I hope) the Snap function can work ie the PC sends the data to the Digitakt 2 which either consumes those values or passes them to the external synths but as it all goes through the Digitakt 2 this then provides that info back to the PC12 as I don’t want the CC values to jump if I touch a pot (if that makes sense?).

Anyway I think I have created some type of weird midi loop as the Digitakt 2 starts doing some very strange things like stopping to play track 1 where my kick sample is. I can get it behave by reloading the project but the problem then persists if I turn the PC12 on again. Also I have only set up 1 pot so far on the PC to control the filter cutoff (cc74) on one of the synths but when I turn the knob on the PC and look on the screen on the Digitakt 2 I can see that the Env Decay and Reverb Send values are moving but but they are on completely different CC channels.

Also I get a strange intermittent buzzing in my headphones connected directly to the Digitakt 2.

In the midi Config settings on the Digitakt 2 I have set the correct midi channel for the track I am trying to control.

To recap I would like to be able to control the Digitakt 2 and connected external synths from the PC12 and when turning knobs on the PC12, if they correspond to a midi channel on the Digitakt 2 that is assigned to an external synth, I expect to be able to see the knob turn on the screen on the Digitakt 2 as well as see the value change on the synth itself.

I expect I should be using a MIDI Thru somewhere instead of a MIDI Out but in the Set Up options for the PC12 they do have MIDI in and Outs connected like I do.

As always, many thanks in advance for any guidance and support, I assume this is a blatant user error on my part!!

Many thanks :pray:

2

Hi all,

I have the answer now as also reached out to Mathias at Faderfox who confirmed the following (just in case anyone else has an similar challenges):

first to clarify:

the digitakt (DT) doesn’t send any midi data after preset change.

only when you turn the knobs on DT you get a feedback data.

so you don’t expect a perfect jump free control with DT.

for your midi connections I would recommend this:

DT out > PC in 1

PC out 1 > DT in

PC out 2 > synths/fx

routing PC 1 in > PC 2 out (n 1 n n / n.1.n.n.) with the points you get the same routings for the system realtime commands like midi clock

with this setup you can control DT and synths/fx with the PC,

DT controls synths/fx

and you can learn the PC with data from DT

be sure to have disabled a possible midi thru function on DT !

be sure to use different midi channels to control DT and synths/fx !

Thanks

1 Like
3

If the DT and pc12 are sending data to each other, then you’re probably creating a midi loop that is confusing them. You turn DT knob so pc knob changes which changes DT knob which changes PC knob…

4

Hi, it’s ok, using the info shared above using the internal routing options of the PC12 this stops the endless loop as you say, because the data from the DT is only routed to the external synths and not back to itself like I was doing with the original configuration :+1::man_facepalming:

5

Hi all,

I hope this is ok, I have created a YouTube video to showcase this issue I am facing.

My set up is Digitakt2 as main sequencer brain in a DAWless set up, I have a few external synths connected to it and have just purchased a 2nd hand Faderfox PC12 to give me more hands on control for performances.

You’ll see that PC12 is reading the CC messages incorrectly from the Digitakt 2. The Digitakt 2 works fine when controlling external synths without the PC12 and the PC12 works fine if connected directly to the synths but in my set up I need the PC12 to be able to control the DT 2 and the other synths. I have spoken to the creator of the PC12 and have the MIDI routing and cables as he suggests and there is no issue there as each machine can send data to the other machines that it needs to, it’s just that there is some type of communication issue with the DT2 and PC12 as they do not play nicely together (but I know they should).

Anyway, take a look if you can and please share any suggestions on here :slightly_smiling_face:

As always, thanks in advance for any guidance and support

James.

6

Hi James, the midi implementation chart in the manual shows that by default the knobs are assigned numeric counterparts known as VAL1 through VAL16. I did see that you have assigned CC74 to VAL1, but since VAL1 is somehow linked to CC 70 (which is why CC70 is learned) the first thing I would try (despite and feelings of “it shouldn’t be that way”) is to change the filter cutoff assignment on the DT to the knob known by default as VAL5 and then check for the results.

image
image1241Ă—851 71 KB

As VAL1 shows CC70 on the chart and as you show in your video, it is learned by the FF as CC70, so perhaps there is a bug or perhaps I’m not understanding the situation fully but at this point I would contact Elektron support. You can get information directly from them about how the CC knob assignments should behave when being relay-controlled by an external midi controller and just passing along messages.

I would verify also that this is not some error of the auto-learn on the FF which is now sending the learned CC as well as the manually set CC, as in with how MSB and LSB are sent in pairs, because you said it is now controlling both CC70 and CC74.

Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine. Perhaps someone else can shed some more light, but for the time being if you want it to work, I would attempt to assign the parameters to the knobs shown corresponding to the CC values in the implementation chart (ie VAL5 knob for CC74 filter cutoff) and once you have that working correctly, then see if you can get it to work as desired.

Maybe there is a bug, or maybe the midi value knobs have fixed assignments for incoming control. Either way, you said it’s sending both CC at once so there must be either another midi parameter enabled on another midi setup page of the DTII which is somehow linked and also sending, or the FF is sending one CC which is being relayed by digitakt while digitakt is sending the other parameter as well.

You’re going to have to dig around a bit. Initiate contact with Elektron support to ask about the knob behavior and good luck.