No external MIDI = sadness [Functionality added in OS 1.50]

NSM · 2017-03-05T20:45:16.039Z

Reviving the thread! WE WANT EXTERNAL MIDI SEQUENCING in AR & A4!!! I don’t care what they say… for 1500€ that feat. is not to be left out no matter how much some users might not use it… The type of music I make lives from using my gear in unorthodox ways and exploring the realm of f***ing with signals, triggering an array of different machines from one drum pattern, etc. This for me is normal studio usage. This is not a feature to be discussed to be or not to be included. Its a feature which should be present in the foundation of any Elektron device! Now that the MD has been discontinued we need it more than ever. Cut the crap Elektron! Set one of your programmers aside and make it happen! I don’t need more machines or other fancy stuff… I need to be able to sequence external gear using AR & A4! Lets start a riot! - Flights to Sweden are cheap!

LineOfControl · 2017-03-05T21:07:30.130Z

This guy has the right idea!

Riots on the streets if Sweden!

Give us our sequencing power!
And more than 127 points for sample start and end!

NSM · 2017-03-05T21:26:31.878Z

Haha… don’t get me started on Oplab!

So you’re actually cool with this huge design flaw in a really expensive piece of hardware? Of course I could build my way around this problem using CV (I even own that crappy overpriced piece of gear called Oplab) but I think for a so nicely designed piece of hardware as the AR I should not need workarounds. I mean… why cripple it like this… It receives, so it should also be able to send notes from the sequencer. It just seems very illogical to me. This could probably be fixed with a firmware update… Has Elektron dropped a word on this matter? Might we even see this coming at some point?

NSM · 2017-03-05T21:29:09.821Z

If it could send, I could use Strom to input notes to AR and have them transferred to MD… just an example of the awesomeness we’re missing out on…

NSM · 2017-03-05T22:03:31.638Z

Don’t get me wrong… I love their gear… I would’ve bought it anyway. I will just have to deal with it and stfu and find a workaround I guess - I own the OT… But the AR sending MIDI notes would seriously improve the capabilities of my current setup. But theres always hope…

PeterHanes · 2017-03-05T22:04:51.598Z

NSM:

Has Elektron dropped a word on this matter? Might we even see this coming at some point?

Quote from Elektron employee @Ess:

MIDI OUT Confusion Analog Keys/Four

The main issue is that the sequencer on the Four, Rytm and Keys is in a completely different “language” than MIDI. Whether is it difficult or not to implement MIDI, I don’t know, but I do know that it would be very time consuming. We can’t simply re-use old code since the machines are completely different. However, we are well aware that basically everyone want this feature.

Ryan · 2017-03-06T04:03:00.873Z

I used to have the AR. Traded it for the A4. I missed the RYTM at first, but now that I’m really tinkering with the A4 sound landscape my plans have been altered from trading the A4 for AK and retrieving the AR again to just getting the AK and doubling up the synths. Use one for percussion and maybe an extra voice or two(since you can lock different sounds into a voice) the way it handles samples though. That flavor…mmm-mmm-mmm

Anybody know if a OT + Heat can present similar effects for warmth?

tr909 · 2017-03-06T05:39:33.781Z

It is just “good manners” for a drum machine to output midi. This is Elektron just making everyones life hard for no good reason. I don’t accept their excuse above about the “different language” for a second. Yeah, it is not using midi internally - so what? I doubt any drum machine does. But just as it can convert its internal clock to midi sync they could also output midi notes for each hit. They could even just give them fixed notes to avoid having to create setup screens, etc. where users pick the note for each track. Better than nothing.

Many time I’ve wanted to trigger an external device from a pattern on the rytm and it feels, as I said above, very ill-mannered that Elektron purposefully choose to leave this off to protect sales of their other boxes.

NSM · 2017-03-06T11:56:27.669Z

It looks like it will eventually come though… we just have to be patient… Elektron is aware of the issue… and Ofc they invest their manpower into stuff which will bring them the most fame on the next big convention…

Lets hope for the OS update after DT is released to tackle the problem.

123alastairj · 2017-03-06T11:58:31.949Z

I very much doubt it will ever come, especially now the DT has been announced. Why would Elektron add a feature to an existing product that might convince you you don’t need the new one? C’mon.

NSM · 2017-03-06T12:02:14.091Z

Because the DT’s firmware is based on the Analog series. (at least thats what Void pointed out) I hope they won’t ignore it. I mean… they’ve given us awesome firmware updates in the past… My glass is half full on this matter We will see…

123alastairj · 2017-03-06T12:03:46.575Z

I hope for the best for you

void · 2017-03-06T15:06:20.972Z

I’m only speculating… no further insights here. Just seems reasonable.

invisible_acropolis · 2017-03-06T15:53:36.117Z

NSM:

Because the DT’s firmware is based on the Analog series. (at least thats what Void pointed out) I hope they won’t ignore it. I mean… they’ve given us awesome firmware updates in the past… My glass is half full on this matter We will see…

no its not based on the analog series at all - except purely from a legacy perspective in terms of basic functions, especially considering there is no analog sound engine - but also because all the hardware inside the box is new and different at this point - different screen, (OLED) different encoders, different buttons (perhaps velocity sensitive) etc

you are dreaming if you think any external MIDI sequencer is coming to the analog series… its not going to happen…

123alastairj · 2017-03-06T15:53:46.709Z

Where would you ‘put’ the MIDI sequencer in terms of the GUI? That’s not a loaded question - I’m genuinely interested as to where people who are calling for it would see it residing in the A4/AR. I suppose in the case of the AR it could be a machine you could assign to a track, like in the MD, but in the case of the A4 I’m a little less certain.

NSM · 2017-03-06T16:26:41.085Z

I for myself don’t need a sequencer in terms of being able to let external hardware play a sequenced pattern from the AR… what I want is just the basic notes being sent via MIDI… For example if I have a pattern running on the AR’s channel1, I would like it to send the note out via MIDI so when the BD gets triggered on the AR, the BD will also get trigged on the MD. I just want it to send out the notes from the seq, not only from the pads… no extra interface needed.

123alastairj · 2017-03-06T16:27:31.878Z

Gotcha

slicetwo · 2017-03-06T19:56:24.096Z

It could be the same as the MnM or the OT. You just click a function+?? and the 4 tracks use MIDI instead.

123alastairj · 2017-03-06T20:15:26.020Z

The Function plus ?? Being crucial as all the buttons already have secondary function

hotscience · 2017-03-06T20:27:50.966Z

The pads in chromatic mode can send midi notes and the sequencer can trigger the pads. So, I don’t buy the “different language” bit either.