Anyone using NDLR with Pyramid?

Hi - I should be getting the wonderful pyramid soon, is anyone using it as master sequencer to slave a NDLR? With the Pyramid playing a track, can I start, stop then re-start a motif on the NDLR and does it stay in synch with the Pyramid? Thanks :pray:
H

There you go

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Ah ha, ok so if I load this file into pyramid, and after creating a noodle (and even a chord sequence) directly on the NDLR, I can then use Pyramid (or my controller keyboard) to sequence the NDLR and thus sync it to my other midi synths/drum machines? Which means I don’t have to touch the NDLR.

Is that right?

Are there any problems to watch out for in your experience?

Thanks Ciaba!
H

The definition file is not strictly needed, but it’s nice to have it onboard.

In my setup I mostly use the ndlr functions from the ndlr itself, leaving to the pyarmid only the chord sequencing part, so to avoid the cluncky arranger of the ndlr, and clock/trasport functions. But yes, you can control the ndlr from external midi keyboards (I use mine to change chords with white keys and chords type with the black keys) and sequence it from the Pyramid and also send CC to change all the midi assigned parameters.

As far as I know the 4 ndlr parts can be switched on and off without loosing synch, but I remenber some bugs with the play all button and controlling the ndlr via CCs from external gear reported on conductive labs forum, maybe you can check there for more specific use cases.

I made a Jam with NDLR just a couple of days ago, with its chord progression sequenced from the Pyramid, who’s also the master clock for all the synths and drum machine, and the sequencer of the bassline “outside” the ndlr controlled parts.

You can check it here

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Awesome track, love it! :star_struck::star_struck:
H

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Hi, one more if you can please help: what is your midi cable routing from Pyramid to NDLR and the synths? Thanks a lot! :slight_smile:
H

It’s pretty convoluted… And it relies on a Blokas Midihub with some routing and filter programmed into it. Too case specific to be useful for a different setup I guess.

If you post a drawing of your setup and what you want to achieve maybe we can work on it together

Cool, really appreciate it thank you, as I can guess how busy you must be! Will be setting it all up tomorrow, but I promise to read the manuals first :wink:
cheers
H

I do occasionally.

  1. I send midi out to it with MIDI B (to IN B on the NDLR) because I have all my start/stop stuff on the Pyramid set to MIDI B to keep internal sequencers on gear like the Argon8, Typhon, etc (on MIDI A with no start/stop) from starting when I press play.
  2. I send back to the synth out of OUT A. (I can still direct to synths that are coming out of MIDI B on the pyramid)
  3. I set one of the channels (15) to the NDLR so I can use my midi keyboard to switch chords and chord types (and also send CC messages, though I haven’t messed with that yet).

The only hiccup in this plan is that you have to have it on the multitrack mode to record all parts simultaneously on the Pyramid. This is great if you want to record a full sequence/pattern into the pyramid just with the NDLR and then take the NDLR out of the equation. My problem is if I want to record some live stuff NOT with the NDLR, you are simultaneously recording over the NDLR tracks when the 4, 8, whatever bars repeats, messing the whole thing up. But I guess there aren’t many situations where that is an issue.
Mostly I just use the Pyramid as a go between to record a sequence for changing chords, or live play the NDLR, but not record the NDLR parts onto the Pyramid.

It seems like the Hapax will have similar functionality to the NDLR before too long if I’m understanding the latest firmware update. It may mean I sell the NDLR if that is the case! But not sure, cuz the NDLR is fun just to bring somewhere and jam with on its own…

hi thanks to you both - i had it set-up and connected in 10 minutes! Working like a dream
cheers
H

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