Strange presets problem with DSI TETRA + DT

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#1

Recently I’ve bought DSI Tetra to use with Elektron Digitakt as an “multi timbral analog brain expansion”.

Tetra worked very well from the beginning via 5 pin midi cable, reacted perfectly to CCs, Program Changes, clock etc… But once I decided to start saving patches, a strange problem showed up: after confirming “write” the preset name started to look like “stripes” and preset has no sound at all.

Like this:

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So first of all, I disconnected everything from Tetra, did a Factory Reset a few times (from the Global Menu ). Disconnected DT of course. And seems like it helped, at least I was able to change, save and recall a preset in single mode : )

However when I connected back my sequencer and switched to multi mode, somehow now I can’t save presets at all! In write mode it asks “yes or no” and when I press “+” it seems like the preset name has changed but when I scroll up and get back to the preset slot it just shows the old preset name like the write procedure hasn’t succeeded.

So now I’m wondering why it happens and how to get rid of it. Does that happen to somebody? Any ideas?

#2

Feels like something “bad” is coming from DT via midi, something that makes TETRA act like this…

but what is it actually?

Some of my Sketches w/ the Digitakt + DSI Tetra + Ableton
#3

The DT is not doing anything wrong. It’s much more likely to be a problem with the Tetra. I recommend that you contact Sequential (DSI) in case they are able and willing to help.

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#4

Yes, already in contact with support, but it seems a bit slow : )

Will investigate further, seems like without DT and any connections Tetra works ok. Maybe some grounding issues or… strange…

#5

Is Local Control on or off? Do you have midi going out from the Tetra and into DT?

I think I have encountered something like this, but using Mopho x4 + Tetra, and I think it could be because I was using them with Local control off and they need NRPN messages for some functions, which do not get passed through Elektrons’ midi. I feel with just the Tetra there’s a much lower chance of that being the case but figured I’d throw it out there.

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#6

Local Control is on, and no midi goes back, only one way to Tetra (so no midi loops here … )

Anyway thanks, will try o play with settings now. Maybe not using CC at all but NRPN only…
DT can send NRPN’s right?

#7

Ah, I might have confused DT with the earlier boxes, which I believe only send CCs.

Maybe DT program change output is messing with something… I noticed if DT prog change channel is set to Auto Tetra changes patches when changing patterns. Changing the prog change output channel to something other than Tetra’s midi channel prevented that behavior (allow the program change from midi track to be used instead). Probably not what’s going on here but another possibility.

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#8

Did some experiments… it started to save those presets with II II II II II II II II II II II lines again…

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I looked inside that kind of presets (I already have about 10 : ) and what I’ve found is that ALL SETTINGS, absolutely all, are set to “0” values…

Will experiment further…

#9

IT’S GETTING EVEN MORE WEIRD

aha… looks like it’s a wierdo problem, universal supersonic complication kind of thing

so when I disconnect DT and just program Tetra standalone - IT’S STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM with saving II II II II II II empty slots and more than that - IT FREEZE when trying to change program names… even standalone…

but AFTER FACTORY RESET it starts to work properly, saves all as it should… good boy… BUT ONLY BEFORE I CONNECT DIGITAKT : )

so my explanation - DT sends a kind of midi virus into T4 and it’s starts to loose mind with memory slots and it’s permanent until globals are resetted… sounds good…

#10

You mention factory reset but does it still exhibit that behavior after disconnecting from DT then turning Tetra off and on again?

Sounds like the problem is more likely with the Tetra than DT. Since I have both I could try replicating your settings to see if it happens for me.

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#11

So after more experiments I come to concussion that everything works good with MULTIMODE OFF… as soon as Multimode come in, it plays all well, but goes again into this “crazy” state with saving until I switch multimode off.

If it’s not a big problem, could you please try if saving patches works ok with multimode on in globals? Will appreciate!

#12

I forgot you’re using multi mode, and actually haven’t used it myself after owning it for 10 years. I know there were issues with it in the past and am not sure how many of those bugs were patched out. I suppose it’s worth making sure you’re on the latest OS: Tetra Main 1.6.19 & Voice 1.5.12 Beta OS

I’ll play around tonight and see what happens. Kind of wouldn’t be surprised if there’s still a limitation which prevents program saving while in multi mode…

4 Likes
#13

I used the TETRA with Digitone (same midi base as DT theoretically).
No problems with saving, program changes, but I didn’t use Multi mode much.

I don’t have it anymore, I’d try to send different midi messages one by one to decipher if there is a particular culprit.
I’d say that bug is TETRA related, DT sending standard messages…

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#14

OOOOOOOOUUUUUUPPPPPPPPHHHHHHH

So after installing latest BETA 1.6 and Voice 1.5.12 it SEEMS like all the problems are gone.
At least now I experience no probs with it.

Need to test further to be 100 sure, but it seems solid.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIPS AND HELP!!!

and by the way, do you use NRPN to control Tetra? Can’t find the way to let the Digitakt choose NRPNs as a controllers… CC only for some reason…

3 Likes
#15

You can send specific (fixed) NRPN with DT knobs in audio mode, but you can’t sequence them, nor select them in midi mode…

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#16

And by the way… Multimode is very nice with DT / DN, it’s like having 4 independent analog instruments on 4 midi channels, and easy to tweak parameters / change programs for each independently from Elektrons, save it “into” DT patterns. Basically with my preset project, I don’t need to look at Tetra too often, easy to do all programming from Elektron if memorize CC numbers (and it’s not too difficult OSC parameters are from 20 - 30, Filter is from 102 - 110 etc… )

#17

I see ok… so CC only for this setup I have.
Thnx for explanation!

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#18

You can send NRPN with some midi trickery, it requires 3 or 4 midi CCs.
It is usefull only for specific parameters you can’t access with CCs, because you can’t get NRPN resolution.

I did it with OT and Micromonsta V1.
But I wouldn’t be able to explain how! :

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#19

Yeah, no need now since I use it just to do some plocks and add details to sequences… so CC are Fine… Miss a bit LFO cc control and a few other parameters, but can live with quite a big cc list it provides.

Really love simplicity of DT For those things!

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#20

Glad the latest OS worked for you, because I just tested what you’re trying and everything worked fine here. I might have to try out multimode now…

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