Using Analog Keys as MIDI Controller?

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#5

I use my AK as midi controller via my OT. This gives me eight destinations, which I can switch in OT-midi mode on the fly. All major midi commands/functions work as I need them … note on/off, velocity, aftertouch, the joystick etc. It was plug’n play like :wink:

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#6

I only vaguely understand what you’re talking about, can you make a vid?

#7

Sorry, no time for a video, but I hope, I can explain the principle …

  1. AK -->(midi) --> OT --> (midi) --> other gear
  2. OT is in midi-mode, listening to AK, and one of the eight midi tracks is selected and set up to send to one of the 16 midi channels
  3. AK is set to midi-mode too and sends to “auto-channel” of OT

Now the OT routes incoming midi automatically via it’s midi-track to dedicated channels.

I use this to play gear live or to use it to record a sequence live or stepwise.

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#8

Thanks for sharing will definitely try this

#10

Not sure what the Swedes were thinking here, either. But the AK does have a sustain button (Hold), also on the right side right by the Midi button. Once you get used to it, it’s about the same.

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#12

I just ordered a midi host to try this with my op-1 to send to my A4, MnM, and AR(possibly even my MPC-have to do some learning).

Thanks for this juicy bit of advice!

#13

You, sir, are a genius! This method is a game changer! Thanks again!

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#14

You’re wellcome … glad to hear that it was helpful … now … make more music and have more fun :smiley:

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#15

One more question. How do you expand the OTs midi tracks to 16?

#16

Ooops … there is a difference between tracks vs channels.

In my second bullet I wanted to say that the OT can address on each midi-track 1 to 8 one of the midi channels 1 through 16. AFAIK the OT is not expandable.

Sorry if that was misleading :frowning:

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#17

Gotcha. Thanks, I must have misread that. I’ve heard that the MnM was able to expand to 12 by replacing voices. I thought, maybe the same was true of the OT.

Thanks!

#18

The Machinedrum is the only Elektron box that as far as I know can have all 16 tracks control 16 MIDI channels. But you can still assign any of the 16 MIDI channels to any of the 8 MIDI tracks on the Octatrack.

#19

I recall reading that you can switch the mnm’s audio channels to midi channels if need be

#20

That could certainly be the case. I have never touched the MnM before. On the A4 and Keys you can assign the FX or some of the audio tracks to be CV tracks. I’m guessing up to four tracks total given the outputs.

#21

Huh. I didn’t know about that. Though, I don’t have any CV gear, so I can’t really utilize that yet. Good on Elektron to make their gear usable in a plethora of ways!

#22

Hi, not sure if I should create a new thread or not, but I’m having a trouble getting MIDI CC working to virtual synths. I can see the messages getting to the DAW (Logic Pro X) but the values seem to be messed up. For example, I have a knob/encode assigned to a virtual synth cutoff, but when I change it on the AK, it just jerks around in the DAW UI, and basically stays as 0. Is there something special I need to do to get this working smoothly?

Also, is it possible to have the AK control the start/stop in my DAW? What about record?

Thanks! I’m a new AK user, and really excited about this new instrument - my first synth!

Cheers,

  • Matt
#23

you possibly have NRPN being sent, but i’d expect that to be the case only for the synth side of the AK, the midi side i’d have expected to be limited to just CC, but maybe it does both

#24

Thanks all! There are some helpful tips in here:)
I find the whole midi config a bit unpredictable tbh.
I used the MIDI ext button to play my external synth through MIDI, I also sometimes play softsynth using the AK as a USB midi keyboard.
However for some weeeiiird reason I cannot figure out. TRK1 is playing even though I’ve pressed the MIDI EXT button. When I de-activate the MIDI EXT button the track I currently have selected will be playing. (I use overbridge)

#25

I’m using my AK as a controller for the Korg Wavestation plugin, and I want to get my AK’s joystick to send CC’s to the plugin via MIDI, so I can control the Wavestation patches just like the original keyboard version. I’ve looked in the AK manual, Sound Settings and the Global MIDI menu etc., but can’t find out how to assign the AK joystick to send MIDI controller 16 and 17 to its MIDI out. I must be overlooking something very simple! Any clues?

#26

AFAIK the joystick is generating the following midi commands:

  • left/right --> pitch-bend
  • up --> mod-wheel
  • down --> breath controller.

and those can be transmitted to external gear too. If I understand the manual correctly, the CC# are fixed (see manual page 28). We can control up to 5 parameters with the joystick commands inside the AK, but this does not change that e.g. mod-wheel is on CC#1 or breath-controller is on CC#2.

I fear that changing the CC# of the joystick is not a feature. But you may try to set your plug-in to the CC#s from the AK by using midi-learn :wink:

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