External Midi Out of Venom Keyboard to Beatstep Pro Midi In Transposing Sequence

Hello and Good Morning,

First, sorry for posting here, though the community has been very helpful, I did post this on the Arturia forum though if anyone is helpful there too.
I do have an elektron model samples, but its not being used in this matter, but the same methods and support of midi routing or software routing or hardware may have limits to my M-Audio Venom. Please read on…
I have tried a couple methods to do what I want but with no luck.
I want my Midi Keyboard M-Audio Venom (it has 4 Program Parts, but for now part 1 has a program synth Bassline ie. set on Midi Channel 13.)
The BSP (beatstep pro) with Sequencer 1 is set to Midi Channel 13, as it plays back the sequence of the Active Steps I enjoy that it is triggering the Part 1 on Venom keyboard.

My Goal: But now what I want to do is logically i’ve tried this over and over, even with Arturia tech support, and using the MIDI CC (controller center software to configure the BSP with the Seq 1 Midi Out as CH 13 for BSP and Midi In as CH 13 with BSP, I even tried a different Program Midi Ch on Venom set as Ch 1, to Seq 1 Midi In as 1 (as Arturia says to avoid a feedback or cut off loop when i press a Venom Key to transpose the sequence). Yes normally I can manually press Sequencer 1 Button then Press the Square Pad to transpose the pitch key manually but thats a combo of keys but i essentially want to do that but with only 1 key press on the Venom keyboard to transpose the sequencing played back active steps on the fly for live performance), to Transpose the bassline pitch note up or down with just one Venom key press so all active steps transpose (since they are all the same note in the sequence).
The pitch knobs only work on the fly but way to many knows to turn for each and every active seq step. That is useful for pre-production tuning or maybe tweaking live but not in this case. The seq 1 + pad method changes the pitch or notes of all active steps at once but i need to use my venom key press of a note to send that to the BSP fast on the live performance.

If its not working (as venom You must have a Program sound chosen to to Part 1 (of a 4 Multi Part, or 1 Single Program to any of the 4 Parts, each part can be assigned to a midi Ch. but lets keep it simple for this solution / goal) even be able to change or enable a Midi Channel change on it in Vyzex editor then save it store it to the instrument).

I’ll attach a video link of my explanations and goal too. Setup a midi or macro transpose function on Vimeo

It should be possible to do this.

You need to connect the MIDI Out port of the Venom to the MIDI In port of the BSP using Arturia’s adaptor.

You need to set the following in the Arturia MIDI Control Center software:

In the Transposition controls in the Global parameters section,

  • set input channel to a specific number and remember the number
  • set input port to MIDI
  • choose a suitable note for Center Pitch (perhaps just use the default value)

On the Venom, I suggest you try using Single Mode at least temporarily for this task. Then the Venom will send MIDI Note messages on its Global MIDI channel. If you do that, then you need to:

  • set the Global MIDI output channel to be the same number as the BSP uses for its Transposition input channel

Now the Venom’s keyboard should control transposition of the sequence(s) on the BSP.

What are you using as the sound source for the sequence from the BSP?

Hi PH,

Thank you for your response. I appreciate these steps. I wish i was home now to try the instructions, to see if maybe there is something I missed or the BSP’s tech support missed on its instructions.
I’ll post once I have tried this.

What I was trying here with no luck,


What do you mean if you can clarify as sound source? (program of venom, or sound interface? or venom’s audio out cable to my live mixer to speakers).

Is the BSP sending its sequence to the Venom?

Yes it is.

OK.

Since you will need two-way communication between the Venom and the BPS, you should set “Local Off” in the Venom’s Global settings.

I tried this. Local off made my key presses make no sound output. I put it back on otherwise I cannot hold down a key. But my hope tough was to just press a venom key once and it’s transpose would stick or stay at the pitch on Bsp , but I have to hold it down it seems on venom and it sounds like you’ll see in the video below, and even that causes to much longer sustain of the note key press held. One key press doesn’t transpose the BSP. There’s sort of also a Dum-dum Dum-dum dum-Dum sound like a delay or latch on and off double sound like as if it’s click or audio for oN and off of key press.

I’ve attached a video of the results, I did get some of your results though which I want but it’s something about the poppy click attack sound but attack is slightly up for less pop snap click on the attack. It’s sounds great with Bsp on its own, but when I key press the venom key and hold its certain clicks pops on attach trigger and it changes to a texture I don’t like as if I need to manually adjust Adsr in venom to match what ADSR and quality the Bsp is giving nicely.

So, in the Arturia MIDI Control Center software, in the Transposition controls in the Global parameters section, set Transposition Latch to “On”.

After each configure adjustment in the Arturia midi cc center, do i need to SAVE or Click something else to make sure its applied on the BSP device? Or as long as usb to PC is synced in Midi CC it will be instant once a config selection is done?

ok the Midi CC Transposition controls in Global parameters section is setup with Transposition Latch to ON for BSP. Definition of Latch = " Latch for MIDI Notes, MIDI Note On opens a note and keep it open until another MIDI Note On for that note is received."

This is for the BPS but for the VENOM,
Each Midi Ch. 1 and 2. Programs should i set them as both to LATCH ON also?

My current video setup and question of midi out method to Bsp (?):

I managed to get the click smoothed just by bringing up the Attack by very slightest because this is a Bassline not a Kick but when I press or hold a Venom key the slight click still comes back. I can live with this now as the music of all other parts will drown this out so back to main matter at hand is this Transposition is not trigger the BSP TO change all active steps to stay in the pitch venom key press note by one quick press and release. I don’t want to be holding a Venom key down during live performance.

Good.

You appear to have taken that definition of Latch from the website for the Plogue Bidule software.

The manual for the Beatstep Pro instead says (10.9.5.1 “Transposition Latch”):

When Latch is Off the sequences will transpose back to the original key immediately after the key is released. When Latch is On the sequences will stay transposed after the key is released, and continue in that key until another key is pressed.

You asked in the topic about transposing the BeatStep Pro’s sequence(s) from an external MIDI keyboard, and that’s what we’ve been discussing so far.

Perhaps here you are referring to the arpeggiator on the Venom, which is not related to your original question.

I can’t see from your video what you have connected, especially with the Yamaha box. If you write down your MIDI connections in the format “Venom MIDI Out to BSP MIDI In”, then we can examine the setup easier.

True if it pertains to ARP ONLY ON THESE LATCHES, I’ll leave them alone or off.

Here’s the Layout:

BSP midi out Ch 1 to Midi In 1 of Venom keyboard.

I unplugged the Venom Midi out cable directly to the BSP Midi In. Until I figure out why it’s not transposing on one key press and staying at the pressed key note released from.

The Midi In 2 of the Yamaha expander is empty because I plug my midi mouse footswitch into that for the Midi Through 5 to the Elektron.

All of my items have to be clocked in sync for everything of course.

Its frustrating because I’m in midst of recording a serious catalog track original production and hoping this feature of BSP with transposing is possible but i would rather know sooner than later if the Venom or BSP somehow or cabling is or is not available so I will be able to move productively forward with an alternative to resume recording. :smiley:

Some Arturia users are saying the newest firmware update on the BSP may have caused this for some nuance or aspect of this. Maybe revert back to a factory reset of original default firmware then try, what do you think first?

Note: Also I have not tested a new adapter short cable for the midi in of this BSP, maybe the adapter is faulty or having an issue which I can try (i hope not these cables are fairly new).

Archive firmwares shown here

Issue is resolved I least expected the adapter cable because it looks exactly same as my elektron 1/4” Male jack to Midi adapter. I must have not been paying attention the tiny logo words hidden in one side for elektron versus the white one that belongs with the Arturia BSP.

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