Program Change of Ext Gear

Elektron Gear Monomachine
#1

Happy New Year fellow Elektronauts!
I’m having trouble using the MnM to send program changes to an Ext synth… In this case it’s the Opsix. I’ve been musing over the manual and from what I’m understanding you have to PARAM lock the prog changes.
The problem is that I am able to achieve program changes when I jump to other tracks but only as long as I go to a track I have not trigged before. Like starting on track 1 with a preset from opsix, jumping then to track 3 with a different preset and so on. This works fine but I cannot go back to a previous track I’ve trigged and achieve program change…
Any Ideas?

Here’s my set-up:
-I’ve set all MIDI tracks of Monomachine to be on CH 6. (Opsix also on CH6)
-Opsix is set to receive PCHG messages
-Each MIDI track has a different PCHG setting. (track1 PCHG=5 and track2 PCHG=14)
-First trigs of tracks 1 and 2 are PARAM Locked to 5 and 14

Has anyone else had any trouble with this? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

#2

I have not tried this particular exercise on my MM.

Until I can check in person, the most likely cause is that any given MM track will not send the same value of Program Change message multiple times.

If that’s the case you would be better to use two otherwise identical patterns with the Program Change messages on one MIDI sequencer track.

(Another workaround would be to put a Program Change p-lock with a different value late in the original pattern; the p-lock value could point to a copy of the desired patch on the receiving synth.)

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#3

Hey Peter thanks for the reply!
It sounds like you could be right in regards to the MM not sending the correct value of PC messages multiple times. It’s so frustrating being so close to an ideal set-up but one thing just will not work the way it’s supposed to!
Currently I have 3 different MIDI sequencer patterns that have different values of PChange. The other tracks (4-6) I have PCHG set to OFF.
When I turn on the MM and solo/mute tracks 1-3 I get PCHG but only if it’s the first time that track has been triggered. The order of triggering doesn’t matter.
For example
I’ll jump from tracks 1 to 2 then 3 and PCHG works fine.
If I jump from tracks 1 to 2 to 1 then 3 PCHG will not work for track 1 the second time around…
I hope this makes sense… I haven’t found any solutions or topics online that talk about this!
I appreciate any help given!

#4

This would use up an lfo but you could try setting an LFO to pgrm change on the midi page. Maybe set to “one” or half" 64x 127, value 1 , “exp” and have it quickly lfo to the next pgrm change and settle back on the original.

Or in Assign set program change to the mod wheel aka joystick up or CC1. You could then just scroll the mod wheel quickly and it will land back on the original prg change, changing it.

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#5

Thanks for your suggestion!!
I didn’t even know I could assign an LFO to that parameter! I just tried a little and was able to have multiple PCHG’s loop within a sequence. Sounds sweet! Not sure how to utilize yet, will experiment more…
In regards to mapping the modwheel… I’m not sure if I follow correctly but you’re essentially saying to map the PCHG to the modwheel of MM? (I don’t have a MM modwheel) Or perhaps the Opsix?
If so I’d rather stick to the MM display and just manually change PCHG live. Either way I learned something from this, so thank you!

#6

This seems to back up my initial thought. Sorry, I haven’t had time to check it out myself.

On all Monomachines, incoming MIDI CC 1 (mod wheel), CC 2 (breath control) or even Pitch Bend messages can be used as modulation sources, as substitutes for the keyboard version’s joystick (see manual, page 39).

So you could use an external device to send those messages to the MM for use as a quick manual control to change and then revert the value of the Program Change message so that next time around the pattern the original value will be sent again.

(In this scenario, it might be easier just to change the program on the OpSix itself.)

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#7

Not sure of your workflow but you can get really creative with it. Like copy a kit and have the duplicate set to the prgm change #. when it loads it sends a message. It’ll also change the mono after one sequence period. You could string them together as an alternative song mode.

I also do this thing called midi looping where I put the midi out to the midi in and switch the mono midi to all INT INT INT in the settings. This way you can essentially use the MIDI LFO’s and Assign Pages to your mono. So it’s essentially controlling it’s self without knowing. You can also layer your midi trigs this way using the normal sequencer and assigning the MIDI SEQ page to the same midi channel. It opens up a whole world if can wrap your head around it. It also makes the Mono SFX-60 a makeshift SFX-6 letting you do all the joystick controls. You can also utilize the extra midimapping /multitrig etc modes without an external device.

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#8

I just re-read your initial post. I think since you are setting param locks on TRIG 1 anyways. instead of locking the prgm change parameter, param lock the needed MIDI LFO parameters so it retriggers the prgm change everytime it comes around. This leaves you with all three of your LFO’s except for 1 TRIG. Could be fun to experiment with the prgm on the LFO also depending on how fast the Opsix can receive them. Like forinstance if you set INT to 4 it will alternate from LFO value to set value either for every 1 or 4 (i forget off top of my head) sequenced trig.

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