M:S midi thru playability

Elektron Gear Model:Samples
#1

Hi! After lots of experimentation and moving around, I have found a compact setup that works for my live shows. Excluding mics and pedals, it looks something like this:

keystep —> M:S —> Volca FM

I would like to sequence the Volca FM with the M:S sequencer, but instead of using the rubber buttons I wanted to input trigs via the keystep. After some menu diving, I managed to be able to get the midi signals thru, but with some problems.
When the midi settings on the M:S are set on thru, I can play the keystep into the volca, but the M:S sequencer won’t work (I have sound as long as I press keys, but no sequencing); whereas when the midi on M:S is set to out I can hear the sequencer working on the Volca FM, but nothing happens if I play the keystep (sequencing is on, but I can’t play live).
I am working around the issue switching constantly between midi thru and midi out on the M:S, but I was wondering if there was a way for me to sequence the Volca FM with the keystep, going thru the M:S. I hope everything is clear enough!

Thanks!!

1 Like
#2

I have the same issue !
I looking for an option to send incoming Midi from a keystep to an external syth, but without midi thru because i want to record pattern and use the keyboard for sample track too.

Help :frowning:

#3

I don’t have a Model:Samples to try this but if you:

  • set OUT/THRU to be “OUT”
  • set the MIDI channel number of the Keystep to the AUTO IN number (in the SETTINGS > MIDI > CHANNELS menu), and
  • set the MIDI channel of a track (OUT CHAN) to match that of your external synth and ensure MOUT is active,

then when you select that track, the Keystep should play the external synth.

See pages 20, 22, 23, 39 of the M:S manual for full information.

2 Likes
#4

I,'ve try, its the same ; the keyboard can play sample and record pattern, but i can’t play the synth with keyboard directly, so i record without sound and after a pattern loop i can hear it.

#5

Ever get an update or figure anything out with this? I am having the same problem, would love to be able to trigger external gear with my Keystep thru the MS while using the sequencer / recording. I assume the Model Cycles is having this same issue.

#6

Bought my Keystep yesterday… too bad I didn’t learn about this issue earlier. Elektron please fix!

#7

Welcome!

Does it not work if you set the particular M:S track to MOUT enabled, then you can record to the M:S sequencer (triggering a sample of one is present) and also have that outputted to the external synth? Seems to me the M:S can only have midi out or thru, not both, right?

1 Like
#8

From what I gather, when you set the midi out to thru, it echoes what goes into the in as if the MS was not inbetween.

#9

When set to MIDI THRU signal from Keystep gets recorded but triggs do not affect external synth (no external sound while playing back the sequence). When set to MIDI OUT signal from MS sequencer plays external synth but it seems Keystep signal does not go out of MS so it is not possible to play synth independently. All above with MOUT checked in TRACK MENU.

Edit1: got some things mixed up
Edit2 keystep doesn’t trigger MS when played very high/low notes.

1 Like
#10

I created a stupid number of MIDI loops messing around with this today. Some of them actually sounded pretty interesting …

#11

I think that the way the M:S captures MIDI input might not map well when later sending out to external MIDI gear.

‘MIDI note numbers 12–60 (corresponding to notes C1–C5, the second through to fifth octaves in the MIDI range) trigger the sample of the active track in any of its 49 chromatic variations (as if played by the [TRIG] keys in CHROMATIC mode, see section below), from lowest to highest pitch.’—p19 manual

Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t this mean that you’ll only be able to access four octaves? And when you send it back out to an external synth, won’t it play back at a difference octave than it was sequenced?

Perhaps that’s why OUT+THRU isn’t a provided routing.

#12

I guess it’s a bummer, I’m just joining in with the same concern.
No one found a workaround? As the sample should have been controlling several synth, plus be able to record live keyboard input ; I might go and sale the thing.
Also if anyone have a clue of other devices providing such abilities?
too bad, I felt comfortable with the model’s options

#13

I’ve just come across the same issue - it’s a pain!! I’ve been planning on using the Keystep 37 to play into M:S to sequence my monologue and Craft synth 2. Frustrated that this doesn’t work. Seems that providing OUT+Thru shouldn’t be too hard to implement - even with a 4 octave limit

#14

Agreed I have a model cycles, but its the same thing. Combining the M:X with external keyboard external synth I think you have to switch from midi out to midi thru as you switch from playback, to record/rehearse.

If you’re try that with two external synths (or a single bi-timbral one) then you’re out of luck. As you switch to midi thru for rehearse/record on one of those tracks, then you’ll lose the mid out that was driving the other one.

This has made me hesitate over where to go next with my M:C. I have recently acquired a MicroMonsta2 (bi-timbral) but combining it with the M:C as a sequencer will be a pain.

#15

The new 1.13 firmware improves this considerably.

Improvement:

Tracks set to MOUT now also forwards the incoming note data on the AUTO channel from external MIDI controllers to the MIDI OUT port for control of an external device.

Bug fix:

Notes sent from an external MIDI controller were incorrectly transposed +2 octaves.

4 Likes
#16

You beat me to it :slight_smile:

1 Like
#17

Thanks, but must confess I’ve just bought a Digitakt and planning to sell the MS. Not just because of the reasons I was struggling with which I mentioned earlier but also for the increased number of pads and the additional MIDI tracks. I se they’ve also got the power handle out now too!