Parameter locking via external MIDI control

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#1

Does the A4 allow you to parameter lock using external MIDI signals?

I do this with the OT, but can’t seem to get it to work on the A4. For example, on the Octatrack I can hold down a trig then turn a knob on my novation MIDI controller which is controlling pitch for instance (CC#16 on OT’s auto channel) which will set a P-lock for that step. Groovy.

When I try to do something similar on the A4 - hold a trig on the A4’s sequencer in grid mode, then change the decay value via my midi controller - it doesn’t P-lock.

Any ideas? Do the machines just work differently in this regard?

#2

Firstly - for it to work you’d probably need to assign the external CC/Midi to be arriving on the A4’s Auto Channel - secondly many parameters on the A4 are only accessible by NRPN midi message as there are so many more parameters than CC ‘slots’ available - the A4 can be assigned to send NRPN or CC (for greater compatibility, at expense of completeness) - when it’s set at NRPN i’m not sure if it doubles up and listens to plain CC too … if you tried the search you’d find feedback [like this] confirming that it should work out (A4 live record automation help)

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#3

Indeed both CC’s and NRPN’s are sent from my controller to the A4’s auto channel and the A4 has no problem recieving and changing parameters with either of them - they’re basically interchangeable in this regard. The A4 also has no problem recording automation/plocks in live record mode as you allude to in the linked thread e.g. when sweeping a filter cutoff using NRPN from my controller in live record mode i get automation as expected. The problem is that i can’t seem to enter plocks in grid record mode when using -an external MIDI (CC or NRPN) controller to change a parameter (while holding down the trig on the A4 as one does to plock). Can anyone confirm that they are able to do this kind of grid record mode specific plocking via external midi controller?

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#4

I’d be super appreciative if anyone could test this - if you have an OT hooked up to your A4, you can use the OT as a midi controller (send CC18 from the OT to the A4’s auto channel to control F1 cutoff).

If this is the case, I’m curious why this was left out as a feature - especially because it’s very possible (and useful in my case) on the OT. On the OT when you hold down a trig in grid mode and change a parameter, the control color inverts and the parameter locks, regardless of whether the parameter was manipulated externally via midi or internally via the machines encoders. On the A4 the parameter color inversion and lock only seems to occur when you manipulate the parameter via the A4’s physical encoders, but not when you are manipulating the parameter via MIDI. Sorta odd.

#5

I thought I recently read this in the AR manual but looking back it was the OT manual I read it in. I checked again in the A4 and AR manuals but couldn’t find it… Can’t test but its not in the manual… :neutral_face:

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