Issues with 1.01

So far I’ve noticed a few issues with firmware 1.01:

I’m using a Yamaha MX61, connected as follows:
MX61 (local Off) -> Hermod MIDI In -> Hermod MIDI Out -> MX61

  1. MIDI notes continue to sustain indefinitely while live-recording and looping. This is causing me serious problems.
  2. I hear a max of 5 notes of polyphony. When I hold down a chord and try to play a 6th note, I don’t hear the 6th note. However, if I stop playing one of the 5 notes, I can play a new 5th note.
  3. The sustain pedal connected to my MX61 seems to be completely ignored by Hermod. If I turn the MX61’s local mode “On,” the sustain pedal does work.

don’t know if its an issues: when in a modulation track i use many lfo, if I mute the last one I don’t have modulation anymore.

There’s potentially a bug with the effects modulation matrix. Doesn’t seem to save when switching sequences.

I’ve noticed some issues - one quite a big problem. My Hermod arrived yesterday. I updated the OS first of all. After an hour or so in my first session it started playing up. The main Step/Effects/Track/Seq buttons didn’t go to their respective pages. When pressing the button it would briefly show the new menu page but on release of the button would remain on the previous page (Track for example). Only by randomly rotating the encoder would it then go to a new page. The play/stop button also stopped working and would take 2 to 6 or more pushes to actually play or stop the sequencer!

That was last night. Today I reinstalled the OS and everything was fine again until after 1-2 hours use. It seems there is a memory leak or something that accumulates over time and then starts bugging out. Hopefully this and not a hardware issue.

The second bug I’ve notied is I put a ratchet effect on a track and it continued sending notes when the track was muted and even after stopping the sequencer.

Edit: I’ve just noticed the behaviour by design to briefly show another page by holding down the button rather than a quick tap to go to that page. I’ll need to test if my problem is simply this happening on, in my opinion, what is still a normal tap. Maybe the threshold on what is a “tap” and what is a “hold” could be improved? Why would this be needed on the play button anyway?

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I actually wrote an email last night about this same problem.

I’m having trouble after a period of time with the page, and transport buttons no longer being responsive. Unable access the tempo, etc.
Saving and restarting seems to clear and fix the problem, however that’s not a workable solution in the middle of a performance, or recording.

I was tempted to take the module apart and take a look at how the buttons work (see my fix for the pyramid encdoder) but consider that if rebooting solves this problem, then it makes sense that the problem doesn’t have anything to do with the hardware, right?

It must be a leak, or some buttons sleep, or another sort of overflow.

I am unable to determine what exactly causes this.
Time?
Number of tracks?
There doesn’t seem to be any way to point Squarp to it to make it happen so they can address it.

Can you see a pattern which is introducing the issue?

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Good to know it’s not just mine. For me on both occasions (my only two sessions with it so far) it has purely been down to time. Up to 8 tracks running fine for an hour or two and then the problems start. I did wonder if it was how I was pressing the buttons (see my edit above) but it’s not. I didn’t change how I pressed the buttons over time so something else is happening but it could be to do with the push vs hold measurement going on in the firmware and suddenly it becomes impossible to push the button because it’s reading it as a hold down. Hopefully just a software issue!

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I used to have the same kind of issue with the first firmware, that was slightly improved after an upgrade to 1.01. But the issues with the transport buttons are still there. I keep a “log” of every issues encountered with Hermod. I think these ones are related :

  • The device freezes frequently if you try to edit the Matrix when the module receives a external clock.

  • If the device used to receive an external clock and you revert the clock source to « internal clock », the transport won’t start, or you have to press the play button many times before it does.

  • In certain situation, the track layout will revert to « note » without further notice… Hard to replicate the issue but already the second time it happens in two days.

I suspect the midi clock in my case, I have the same problem with an FH-1. It will freeze if I try to save a preset while the module receives a clock… All the bugs mentioned above do not happen (or happen less frequently when the module is not connected to a Midi hub via DIN.

+the issue with external modulation that I mentionned in another post. I sent an email about that one, but I don’t know if it has been received

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I haven’t used an external clock or as yet the mod matrix so although you’re getting the same problems those things can’t be the cause. I’ve just been using the 8 track outs, nothing on midi or usb and nothing on CV inputs so far.

Hopefully Squarp do look here. I haven’t sent an official support email yet. Should I? I did send them a direct message on instagram. Probably not the best place. They haven’t responded to it.

Can someone confirm the ratchet effect bug. Put a ratchet on a track and hit play. Then mute and/or stop play. Does it continue to send notes? Mine does :persevere:

Yes, probably multiple causes.
Regarding the ratchet issue, I’ve tested a minute ago, but it’s not happening here. “Ratchet” is the only effect on the track ? Any specific setting other than the factory setting of this preset ?

Squarp definitely look here.
Here and emailing contact@squarp.net are great ways to get in touch.
It’s the weekend. I bet we’ll both hear back on Monday first thing!

Im syncing hermod via midi (mpc live) and havent had any of the Problems described with the new OS. I can try to simulate the ratchet problem and see if its there…
I had a brief issue when loading up an older project where i had 3 midi efx in series-arp to random to scale where when i switched out arp via the button i couldnt get it back. I reloaded same project and it worked perfectly and always after that…
Maybe try loading and reloading your projects?

I’m ratcheting just fine. Works as expected without issues I’ve encountered.

However I did hear back from Squarp today about the buttons.

“Most likely hardware” is their feeling.
And they’re encouraged me to post here about the issue (from their view I am so far the only person to write in about it) and I’m meant to open it up and take a look and be sure the pins are seated correctly with the pads.

I am going to do this, because I’m me. But intellectually, this doesn’t make sense.
If a power cycle clears up the sluggish keys, then it wouldn’t be a hardware issue.
Wouldn’t the misaligned keys still be misaligned after power cycle?

Dunnoe.

Please write to squarp about your issues.
I’ll report back what I find inside the module.

Yes, that’s weird.

The play and record buttons are not very responsive, if it’s a hardware issue, maybe it’ll get better in time, I can imagine that this kind of plastic pads need to be pressed multiple times before they find their correct position and become more responsive (??)

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That’s a good point. Perhaps it will improve with use.

I attempted to disassemble the module and take a look at how the pads are connected, but I can’t quite see how to get the boards apart without screwing up the midi and usb ports.
So I stopped at removing the four nuts on the back. Didn’t want to make things worse by trying make things better.

I think there are 6 screws, but the USb and Midi Din are not attached to the panel

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I’ll have another go when the sun comes up…

I have the Ratchet problem that does not stop when we stop. External Sync in MIDI

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So i‘ve had the same project running for at least 4 hours today and was syncing internally…and yes the play button gets sluggish and doesnt react! As this project was being made on version 1.0 i want to build a new one from scratch with 1.01 and see if it behaves differently. To me this doesnt look like a hardware problem, its as if the playbutton (only this one) has a time-out function thst shouldnt be there.

I agree it isn’t hardware problem.
I’ve inspected the module in the light of day, and all the pads are lined up well, the pins are fitting into the slots without obstruction.
I’m trying something out right now, allowing a long sequence to play and play, and will report back shortly about the button behaviors.

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I’m just catching up on all this. Well done Sunshine taking yours apart!

I agree I think it’s software. I really think it relates to my earlier observation about the push vs tap scenarios. When it’s behaving say you’re on the Track page you can press and hold the other transport buttons to briefly see/peek the Effects or Steps screens without actually going to those pages - this appears to be intentional behaviour. However the issues that then start after some hours of use seem to be this same behaviour but happening with a brief tap that would normally take you to that page or start/stop the sequencer. It’s as if it’s confusing tap for hold and only a superfast tap will get it to do what we want.