Tracks 1-12 midi settings for external sequencer

Elektron Gear Analog Rytm
#1

i don’t want to have to use a separate midi channel for each track on the AR for external sequencing. i sequence with a cirklon and don’t want to eat up 12 tracks… but, that is looking like the only way this will work.

i want to have the AR set to one midi channel, and have the tracks respond just like my MD does, via the keys on my midi keyboard starting from c3 on up.

i am trying loads of different combos and the closest i have come is setting all track midi channels to “none” and the auto channel to channel 5 (cirklon is set to channel 5 for the AR). when this is done, it does respond to keyboard input, but only for the selected track. and tracking up the keyboard just caused successive hits for the selected track; the other sounds are not triggered.

what settings do i need to make for the AR to be on one midi channel and map each key on the keyboard to be the various tracks. this was super simple to set up on the MD… is there a mode of operation i am missing for this to work on the AR?

cheers in advance to any one who has set their AR up this way successfully.

Playing Analog RYTM With External Controllers
#2

I agree that this is a problem. I created a thread on a similar subject at the end of last week.

There is something you might not have spotted:

AR does respond to all channels when using note numbers right down at the bottom (C-2 upwards on Cubase).

Unfortunately, it responds to those notes on ANY midi channel.

#3

hmmm, strange. just read your thread. this works so seamlessly on the MD… i wonder if this is something that requires an OS update?

can anyone from elektron comment please?

#4

For Cubase users there’s always the option to create a drum map for the AR. You assign the note to midi channel (and pitch) in the drum map and set the midi track to any.

Holding my breath hoping for the “multi map” feature of the A4 to appear in the AR OS.

#5

yep, i’m a cubase user, but i use it to record instead of sequence these days. i now sequence with a cirklon, which has the ability to build the same kind of drum map, called a cirklon pattern.

it works flawlessly with my MD, but no dice with the AR.

i’m hoping there is a setting i just missed in the AR. i also launched a support request with elektron and linked to this thread.

#6

Keep us posted. This one’s really frustrating.

#7

will do. while programming on the AR/MD is fun and their sequencers are fantastic, they cannot compare to the cirklon. i even like to use them simultaneously… programming hits on the box for sounds where i want to use paramater locks, and on the cirklon where i prefer more complex patterns. plus i can do fills on the cirklon and so much more.

i’m wondering if the ability to program from an external sequencer is going to be in a forthcoming OS at this point.

#8

Btw - I’ve got a thread on Colin’s Cirklon forum asking for a means to send program changes in advance of the end of the loop.

http://www.sequentix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=997

(You need to have an account on there to access).

#9

nice! i do have an account there. i also spoke with another cirklon user who is on 1.01a that is successfully sequencing and using cc’s from the cirklon… waiting to hear back from him on his settings.
i’ll relay what i get from him. he did not reference using a midi controller however… but i can get past that as long as i can sequence from the cirklon.
thanks purusha

#10

Another Cirklon user here, and I’m interested in any information you come up with on this!

#11

If you’re only interested in doing something similar to P-lock with just the one parameter, then obviously using note velocity from the sequencer will do the job.

Ideally though, using on-board P-locks is the better way to go.

1 Like
#12

ok, i spoke with the other cirklon user and here is his workaround:

an individual instrument created for each of the 12 drum parts on the AR, each on it’s own midi channel. so, basically 12 instances of the AR created in the instruments, and up to 12 tracks required if you want to program the AR entirely from the cirklon (or any other external sequencer.

to me, this is not good for workflow. i don’t want to dedicate up to 12 cirklon tracks just to be able to sequence via the cirklon, nor do i want to create 12 different instances of the AR in the cirklon because each drum part requires it’s own midi channel.

i can’t see why this was done; this is a step back from the MD OS 1.63 (and even earlier revisions) which allows you to put the device on one midi channel (or channels 1-4, 5-8, etc) and have a drum map starting from C3 or whatever on up, for all 16 parts (this would be 12 parts in the case of the AR).

i should be able to create ONE cirklon pattern on ONE track, and have it mapped via the keys exactly as i have my MD mapped. i should also have the option to program directly on the AR for drum parts that i want to use p-locks for. i do this with the MD today and it’s great fun.

as it stands today, unless i want to create a mess of instruments to accompany each midi channel of each AR drum part AND have a separate track on the cirklon for each AR drum part, i am stuck programming on the AR. the AR sequencer is good, and i do see uses for it (p-locks), but it does not compare to the cirklon.

i am hoping i have missed something really simple and/or there is an OS update planned to add functionality similar to the MD. my workflow and possibilities will open up a great deal if so, and this will be the case with anyone choosing to sequence/program externally.

1 Like
#13

This is really getting in the way for me now.

:frowning:

#14

Solving 50% of the equation (at the very least) is the MULTI option on the instrument definition. From the manual on the Cirklon:
“The Multi option is intended for use with multi-timbral synthesizers which may respond to MIDI messages on a number of channels at the same time. When multi is enabled, an extra field to specify the MIDI channel number will appear alongside the instrument assignment on the track page. This saves any need to redefine the same instrument for each channel it is active on.”

This still means you need to make 12 tracks (so that you can select the channel), but at least there is only 1 instrument def.

One thing that would be nice is to select a MIDI channel on the CK pattern per note, if you have a multi instrument defined?

#15

I can’t sequence like I want because of this. The other drum machines I was sequencing I would just set to midi channel 10 and hit all the different sounds with notes…I understand the AR has chromatic mode which complicates things but 12 midi tracks on one synth can complicate things as well. :slight_smile:

#16

that does help a little… thank you. less instruments to create.

#17

i should also add that i am in touch with Olle from Elektron support about this. i’ll post something up if and when i get a concrete update on this.

#18

Great! Hoping that the multimode from the AK is getting ported to the AR <3

#19

Hello,

When I created the instrument definition on the Cirklon for the AR I did in fact do this as a Multi timbral instrument. Sorry I didn’t include that detail phreak260. I create a Multi instrument definition for multitimbral instruments and I assumed that others would as well. Doing up the AR instrument definition 12 times would be time consuming. Haha.

I should add that the AR also has a channel for effects too. I would place this on ch 13. I had not set that up when I gave the settings to phreak260.

Cheers

#20

[quote="<+>"]Hello,

When I created the instrument definition on the Cirklon for the AR I did in fact do this as a Multi timbral instrument. Sorry I didn’t include that detail phreak260. I create a Multi instrument definition for multitimbral instruments and I assumed that others would as well. Doing up the AR instrument definition 12 times would be time consuming. Haha.

I should add that the AR also has a channel for effects too. I would place this on ch 13. I had not set that up when I gave the settings to phreak260.

Cheers

[/quote]
no worries, and thanks for the follow up