Setup troubles

Elektron Gear
#1

Hey,

I’m trying to figure out how to sequence my hardware synths from both my Octatrack (first in the chain) and my Digitone (next in the chain) and was hoping I could get some feedback as to how I’d best set this up!

What i want to do:

The idea is to use my Ultranova as a master keyboard to control synths and record/input note info on both my OT and DN, both of which I hope to use to sequence said synths (and the OT to change patterns/set Tempo on the DN)

chain:
Ultranova (Midi out)
Remote Zero SL Mk1 (currently not hooked up)
Octatrack
Digitone
Peak
Ultranova (synth)
Circuit Mono Station
Kaoss Pad3

I’m home sick, which probably doesn’t help with being able to visualise this, but I’m entirely lost and any help is appreciated! :smiley:

#2

Same as you get a mixer when you have several audio sources, it’s pretty interesting to get a MIDI hub once you have much gear to synchronize/control…

2 Likes
#3

Midi out OT to Midi in DN. Your OT can sequence 8 midi tracks your DN has 8 tracks 1-8. Your external midi keyboard will go into your OT, assign your auto channel in the OT midi page to 16. Have your external midi keyboard assigned to midi channel 16. The DN can sequence your other gear so send the midi from the out of the DN. Now go to your midi tracks on the OT and you can sequence from the OT or DN, both can work together.

2 Likes
#4

I just ordered one, actually! So that might fix my problems soon, bit for now I’m running into the problem that the DN out wont forward the OT midi, and the DN thru won’t send its own Midi sequences out… Is there a way to change that?

So I can either sequence from the OT or the DN, but not both…

1 Like
#5

I’ll try this next! I see what you’re saying, not assigning the OT channels to the midi channel of the outboard gear, but the DN channels instead. This means my existing projects (all from OT direct to synths) won’t work out of the box, but that can be fixed.
Although I wonder how the DN’s autochannel works then? Sadly the DN won’t p-lock chords from channels other than it’s autochannel

#6

Having tried this, I’m running into the problem that my aftertouch, modwheel and pitch aren’t being passed on…

1 Like
#8

From the Ultranova?

#9

On the OT and DN have you tried turning on the specific cc’s you’re using?

#10

I’ll take a look tonight, but just to be sure: do you mean enabling the knobs on each midi track, or something in the settings? because the former resulted in weird behaviour when I tried it earlier (as in: when you enable the knob, there’s now a value that’s explicitely set, and when you press play it gets sent)

#11

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I think you need to do midi CTRL 2.

#12

Yeah, that’s what I’ve had trouble with. Because the knob is now enabled, and set to the middle position, it sends that position on song start. So if I’ve got my modwheel set to off on my controller, it’ll suddenly jump and I’ll need to wiggle my modwheel to get it back to where it was. That’s a whole hassle that I’m hoping to forego.

It’s been a while since I fiddled with that stuff though, so I’ll definitely try again tonight and see how that goes

#13

Yea looks like you’ll need a midi merger device. Like @LyingDalai suggested. Or go to the other option and use the through port and designate which synths you want the OT to control and what you want the DN to control. At least using the thru port will allow you to pass thru your midi data from your Keyboard.

1 Like
#14

I did think I might, and backed this: https://blokas.io/midihub/

… problem being, that doesn’t solve anything in the mean time, so I might still have to get another midi merger until then!

Thankfully, there’s a few cheap options I could go for, so thanks a lot for helping me figure this out!

#15

And yeah, a mixer might be a necessity soon as well. I’ve been getting by on looping things through eachothers inputs quite succesfully, but that’s reached its limit. If I add one more thing, that’s probably not going to work anymore!

Having a fairly small setup though, I’m loathe to add a mixer to it as they tend to be pretty bulky. I’m still hoping to fit my setup into a big metal briefcase I’ve got, and a mixer might mess with that. Suppose a small passive mixer might work, but I’m really pretty inexperienced about all of that stuff.