DSI TEMPEST [loading songs/projects speed]

Hi,
can someone pleas tell me how long it takes to load a saved song in tempest. If I’m doing it in a live situation. Is it possible to control this via Midi Programchange?
Generaly: what is possible via MIDI to control except notes/CC’s?
thnks and cheers, van

Usually takes me about 2-4 seconds to load a project. I don’t think you can do that via midi CC.

ok, thanks! but what does midi program change do to the tempest?

I don’t think the Tempest understands Program Change. When I’ve used it with the Elektrons, MIDI clock and SPP worked fine. It can map MIDI notes to beats, and I did configure my OT to send the appropriate notes, but it had issues with cutting out the first event on the Tempest (e.g. a kick on 1.1.1, which is pretty bad sounding).

So, I ended up switching beats on the Tempest manually.

ok. thanks, sorry for late response! but one more question :
does tempest send cc/ program changes, so you can control e.g. the octatrack?

The Tempest does not transmit any MIDI CC or program change. However it does have a mode where you can trigger beats with a MIDI note on a MIDI channel/note specified in the settings.

It can transmit the following:

  • MIDI Clock (including thru from incoming clock)
  • MIDI Note/Velocity/Duration from the pads
  • MIDI Note/Velocity/Duration from one sequencer track
  • Backups via SYSEX

It does not transmit:

  • MIDI CC from the knobs/buttons/sliders
  • Arpeggiator / roll data
  • Program/bank changes

You can setup two MIDI channels for Tempest to receive MIDI data:

  • 1 channel for playing a single sound chromatically
  • 1 channel for performing pad functions (i.e. trigger sounds in 16 sounds mode, mute sounds in 16 mutes mode, or trigger a beat in 16 beats mode.)

This can be configured to operate independently of the Tempest’s selected pad function. So you could theoretically tell the Octatrack to play a note which will trigger a beat (pattern) on the Tempest. You can only do one function at a time on this channel though (trigger beats, mute sounds, play sounds).

EDIT: I forgot to mention, each project has 16 beats, each with 32 sounds available. It’s very possible to use only 1 project for an entire set. For me, usually 1 beat = 1 song. I use the new double-tap-to-swap feature to stash variations on pad bank B and quickly toggle between them.

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ok, man. thanks!

also you have to stop the sequencer to change projects or beats. Sort of making the less of a playing out live machine.

however i find I can get so much vartion out of just a 8 bar loop offten making a complete song with diffrent parts just playing tempest.

You can have 16 beats (incl sequences & sounds) in a single project though, which is quite a lot.
Plus you CAN load sounds without stopping, by selecting 16 Sounds, selecting your pad, clicking “Pads” view mode and turning the knobs on the upper right of the screen to select the sound/folder.

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