Simple setup with the Model:Samples and Bitwig (MIDI)

Soo…I just got both the M:S and Bitwig. This took me wayyy too long to figure out so for anyone looking for answers here you go.

Not a huge fan of Video tutorials for something that doesn’t take that long and can actually be easier to just read real quick. I have a programming background and video tutorials are honestly hit and miss and usually a waste of time :joy:

So figured I would try this format. You will either like it or you won’t.

Nothing complex but it can be very frustrating so hope this helps someone :smile:

Model Samples and Bitwig

A how-to for gear I don’t really understand yet…

Preface

This tutorial is setup to have the Model:Samples control Bitwig Start/Stop as well as send basic MIDI notes to it. You can of course have Bitwig talk to the M:S instead but this tutorial is just for getting started and learning something new :smile:

The Project on the M:S will not focus on any on board samples for this tutorial. It will be used purely as a MIDI controller.

The idea of this tutorial is to make fun sounds using Bitwig so that you can then import the saved files into your M:S later and use the live performance knobs to tweak and have fun.

Make sure these next steps are taken care of before we begin!

  1. Up to date firmware on the Model:Samples
  2. Connect Model:Samples to your computer via USB

Now we begin!

On the Model:Samples

Start a New Project

Then on Track 1 turn down the volume of the sample to 0 if you are monitoring your M:S in another program (Audacity/whatever else)

Go Into MIDI Config

MIDI Sync Clock IN to OFF

MIDI Sync Clock OUT to ON

MIDI Sync Program Change IN to OFF

MIDI Sync Program Change OUT to ON

Enter TRACK SETUP and check the MOUT box

In Bitwig

Go to your Settings and open the Play Keys project:

Activate the Audio Engine (Top Left)

Go to Controllers and add a new Generic Device

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Now Click Add (either option will work)

We aren’t going to map knobs or anything. Just pure note data.

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Once Added, click the dropdown and select the Elektron Model:Samples

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On the M:S

Click any of the trigs below the track pads and you should hear notes!

:tada:

enjoy

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Thanks for taking the time to put that together. I don’t have Bitwig, but you’ve inspired me to try setting up my model samples with Reason.

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Glad it helped fuel some inspiration!

Nice format for explaining stuff. Have you noticed any latency issues or timing drift when controlling the DAW from the M:S? I use Live 10 to trigger my hardware and the latency when syncing my M:S and DN sequences to Live is troublesome. If BItwig is tight then it would seem Live is the problem…

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Glad the format is helpful. I have noticed some latency. I would assume it is the Samples. Not sure if further testing needs to be done. I notice the same amount of latency when monitoring Audio with Audacity…

Thanks for the walkthrough.

Have you tried mapping the MS encoders so that they control things in bitwig? I’ve been trying to do this in ableton but I’ve had a couple of issues. The first is that some encoders don’t send out the full 0-127 (such as the pitch encoder). The other is that I can’t get the user remote script to work in ableton either (only manual midi mapping works)

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I have not tried that yet unfortunately. I am just using the sequencer on the Samples and tweaking values in Bitwig. Then I record dry and load the sample into the M:S for tweaking with the knobs.

I found this thread because I have a problem with that…

My setup is slightly different - I have set up bitwig as the master clock, so M:S starts playing/recording when I hit record+start on bitwig.

There is a lag that the very first beat, on 1 from M:S isn’t even output to audio at all - as if they are in sync, but when the “start playing” command arrives at M:S, it’s already “too late” to start playing the sound at 1. And all subsequent audio is also a bit late - some noticeable Latency of the beats from M:S to the place in the timeline where they get recorded in the bitwig clip.

Well, I already write it, some kind of latency issue…

Thanks!

Just one hint/minor correction: PCH is ProgramCHange - not Pitch…

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That makes more sense! Edited

Seems that Encoder mappings are related to Program Changes as well:

Thanks for this thread - it helped me get it working in Ableton - now I can control my looper and some effects

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Awesome! Glad it helped.

That video reminds me of Interstellar. Cool sounds for sure

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Thanks - just a backwards loop of some spacey reverbs I was using on my bass… :slight_smile:

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how you mapping knobs in live? I don’t have midi signal to Ableton - just only notes

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from memory I managed to get Live to see the MS as a midi device - I have to admit since I’ve had a Digitakt I’ve managed to do the same trick with Live but not been using the MS (which I still think is great) - you need to map the macros to the effect in Live, I’m using Turnado and I just hit the ‘configure’ button on that and then set up the 8 macros then midi mapped them to the MS… does that make sense?

In MIDI settings under the midi filter menu put Encs to I+E. Default is on INT.

I know this is way past the time to be asking but better late than never:

Has anyone encountered major latency issues within Ableton and Bitwig when using the Model:Samples? As someone above mentioned, the playheads are not in sync from the 1 and it causes all kinds of headaches for recording that I have not encountered before with a simple USB based sampler. Thanks