Digitakt velocity via MIDI not conform with MIDI specifications?

Lqlwle · 2022-12-10T16:19:53.193Z

In the screenshot you see the read out from a midi monitor.

One time the Keystep37.
And the other time the Digitakt.

The “note off message” from the digitakt contains a velocity value of 0 – Which according to midi implementation specs (as far as I know) should be 64.

See here:
http://midi.teragonaudio.com/tech/midispec/noteoff.htm
Or here

midi.org

Writing MIDI software: send Note Off, or zero-velocity Note On?

This totally messes up for example if you try to sequence the Mother32 and use the assignable output for velocity because the note-off-message sets velocity to 0 and therefore kills the note before the release…
With the 64 standard value from Keystep37 it behaves as expected.

Is there a way to change this?
Is there a reason why it’s implemented like this?

bwo · 2022-12-10T17:19:55.282Z

I believe this is more so on Moog here, sending “note on velocity 0” instead of a note off is part of midi spec.

As for why I think it gives more midi bandwidth for CCs and stuff as you aren’t needing to send an actual note off command.

chaocrator · 2022-12-10T17:29:53.622Z

quite a few gear does exactly that.
especially drum machines.

bwo · 2022-12-10T18:10:28.450Z

copied from the midi spec doc

NOTE-OFF
MIDI provides two roughly equivalent means of turning off a note (voice). A note may be turned off
either by sending a Note-Off message for the same note number and channel, or by sending a Note-On message for that note and channel with a velocity value of zero. The advantage to using “Note-On at zero velocity” is that it can avoid sending additional status bytes when Running Status is employed.

Due to this efficiency, sending Note-On messages with velocity values of zero is the most commonly used method. However, some keyboard instruments implement release velocity where a Note-Off code (8nH) accompanied by a “velocity off” byte is used. A receiver must be capable of recognizing either method of turning off a note, and should treat them identically.

Lqlwle · 2022-12-10T19:12:49.734Z

I also read that a note-on-message with a velocity value of 0 should accepted aswell. However isn’t it a note-OFF-message with a velocity value of 0 from the digitakt?
Or is this how it would be displayed by the monitor?

SoundReverend · 2022-12-11T10:36:52.122Z

I also think it’s fine, there are controllers with release velocity from 1-127 as well. So with a fast release the sound could end quicker if the synth has this functionality. Maybe the Moog has that. I will check my controllers and see how they behave.

The worst midi keyboard that I have regarding this issue is the MkB300 from Roland. It sends an All Note off as well (MIDI 123) which causes some synths to cut off all voices. I have to filter that with an iConnectivity MIDI interface.

bibenu · 2022-12-11T12:25:08.459Z

SoundReverend:

the MkB300 from Roland. It sends an All Note off as well (MIDI 123) which causes some synths to cut off all voices.

Ugh. What happened to standards

SoundReverend · 2022-12-11T16:23:07.655Z

I think the standard is fine, it is that some devices don’t interpret it right. As far as I know only Roland actually used that feature in the 80s and their synths (e.g. MKS models) understand the CC 123.

bibenu · 2022-12-11T16:37:08.728Z

SoundReverend:

some devices don’t interpret it right

My post was ambiguous … that was what I meant … “why don’t companies implement standards better” was what should have said.

SoundReverend · 2022-12-11T16:38:00.743Z

Just checked a Novation Launchkey mini, also Note Off 0

krunchr · 2024-01-11T14:14:13.864Z

Same problem with Roland SH-4D?

See my posting here: Roland Sh-4d - #1678 by krunchr