Hey,
I’m hoping someone on the forum can help me out.
I am using a beatstep to provide cc control messages that are controlling effect paramters in a Blokas midihub. The issue with this setup is that there is no way to visualise the cc value you’re generating, and this can be a real pain in performance.
The Pyramid is performing the sequencing and routing duties, and it occurred to me that I might be able to use the display to see the incoming messages (and their meaning) using a combination of a definition file and the assign function. So far, things have not worked as planned.
I can assign one of the pyramid encoders to one of my named midihub control ccs, and it displays value when modified just fine. I use this on a track basis for most of my tracks anyway. I can also use assign to link a tweaked beatstep knob to a named cc on the pyramid, but it doesn’t then display the value when the beatstep changes it.
In fact, having played with this a while, I’m struggling to discover what you get from assigning an external cc to a named cc within the pyramid.
Of course, it’s entirely possible that I’m being particularly dense
If anybody has any ideas or suggestions I would very much appreciate it
Thanks,
You are sending CC data from a Beatstep Pro to a Blokas MIDIHub to control parameters
You are routing the CC data through the Pyramid for some reason.
You want the Pyramid to recognise a specific CC and then allow you to display on the screen the value you are sending in a similar fashion as when you use an Encoder directly on the Pyramid.
I do not know of any way given the hardware you have described to make this happen. If this is the ONLY CC data going to MIDI IN on the Pyramid, then you could use the MIDI Monitor, only monitor IN data, and just watch the screen, but I personally would not value this as a reasonable workaround.
My suggestions would be:
Use a different controller, one with feedback
If the MIDIHub is capable, then use it to dupe the CC data and route it to a feedback unit, like a generic button box. (I have no idea how this would be done or even if it is possible with a MIDIHub but I use this technique in my rig with a BomeBox)
Thank you, and thanks for the quick response
Yes, that’s exactly what I’m trying to do, although I’d say all midi routes through the Midihub rather than the controller going via the Pyramid.
You can certainly use the midi monitor page on the Pyramid but it’s far from ideal in practice I agree. Interestingly, if you do ‘assign’ an externally generated cc, it no longer appears on midi monitor …
I can only imagine that I’m misunderstanding the purpose of assigning an external cc … if it’s to control a parameter on the Pyramid (effects etc) then that would make sense. Maybe I’ll try that and see ifit gets displayed or not in the same way that turning the control knob on the Pyramid would for the same purpose.
I think your suggestions are good. The Midihub is pretty capable routing wise, but I’ve no idea what I’d send it to. Plan B would be something like the faderfox ec4, but I was hoping to avoid buying more boxes if I could accomplish the job with the kit I have.
I have a button/knob controller (basic, like $50CA) that has encoders i could just send a CC to and the ring lights up based on the value. Then it would just be a matter of routing the right CC to the controller with the same value.
Obvs an APC40 or the like would be overkill, but along those lines…?
Pity the Beatstep doesnt have LED feedback.
Edit to add: Feedback is a big part of my workflow these days as my rig actually has a separate interface, the Pyramid being only a part thats being controlled with other devices with (for lack of a better term) macros. And im at the point im on the Yaeltex website designing a controller for control and especially feedback, so…this is exciting for me
Hey guys, thanks for the suggestions. I’d not come across the Electra One before … it does look a beast but comes with a hefty price tag.
It seems to be a bit of a tricky area for midi this. In my system here, I can get by without a fully handshaked affair where the device being controlled tells the controller what the current value is, although I can imagine use cases an parameters where that’s absolutely essential, For me, where I’m affecting midihub effects levels, I’m fine if I can see the cc value, as it gives me enough time to make corrections before things get out of control, and is way better than using my ears … by the time it sounds wrong, everybody can hear it
I did try that experiement, just because my curiosity was piqued. I successfully assigned an externally generated cc to another cc, and both an effect parameter and master on the Pyramid. In each case, the CC did not get displayed (as the five pyramid knob tweaks get displayed when assigned) but the cc number did get removed from the midi in monitoring stream in settings-info.
You’re right … given everything this remarkable machine does already, maybe expecting it to report on my particular chosen subset of midi messages was a little bit silly … but, hey, you don’t know unless you try
Thanks once again everybody,.
