Digitakt MIDI single pattern program change issue

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#1

Hi, I’m having a strange issue with my Digitakt and sending Program Changes to another synth with the MIDI tracks. If I have, say, three different midi tracks on a single pattern that send different programs each, they work when I press that tracks button on the Digitakt when play is stopped (my synth’s program does indeed change correctly).

However, they only send the program change the first time I press that button after the pattern becomes active. So, I can change to all three different programs, but only once and then my external synth is stuck in the program matching the last button I press. If I change pattern and come back, all the messages work again (but again, only once, and this is all while play is stopped). Is this a bug, by design, or am I doing something wrong?

#2

Probably by design, I think all Elektron machines only resend a value (including CCs) if it’s changed from the last sent, so looks like it stores and compares. I find it frustrating myself, it’s the same on the OT. One way around it on the DT is to parameter lock program changes to a step, which gives you an option of changing the value on a non playing step, and the back to the one you want elsewhere.

I think it’s most likely this way to reduce messages on the Midi Stream, but I wish there was a way to manually resend all at will.

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#3

Thanks for the information! I used the workaround whit the p-locking, and I wanted to further understand what was going on.
Hopefully this gets a change but I doubt it, I’ll keep it in mind going forward.

#4

Well there is actually some hope I think, they have just added LSB to the Digitone, however they’ve broken all bank change in the process, but I’m sure it will get fixed and hopefully they will then add this to the DT and OT too. I have reported it and asked that program changes be sent when banks are moved too, but it would also be great if pushing the encoder sent the messages on demand. It makes sense and is worth an ask :slight_smile: if all the midi messages had that function it would make life a lot easier.

Having properly constructed bank/program messages is a huge thing for me, so I at least hope that makes it to all other midi capable machines. It’s standard midi behaviour and should be included with every midi Sequencer. The ability to p-lock these on the DT and DN is fantastic, on the OT bank/program changes are locked to a part and there are just 4 parts in a bank.

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#5

Hi, I’m having a similar issue. Could you summarize the steps to make it work? at the moment I’m trying to solve a similar problem between the Digitakt and a model:samples. If you could give me some info on how did you solve it, that would be so helpful
thanks!

#6

@manu_controvento, just in case you don’t know it, Elektron devices send similar events only once (exept notes and clock).
Same events aren’t sent twice consecutively.
Capito?

So for PCs send tests it is PITA.
You have to plock a 2nd different value before for tests.

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#7

This could actually explain some not expected behaviour.,.

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