Question about Pyramid, MIDI and notes velocity

I have an Alesis Micron synth connected to my Pyramid.
Pyramid OUT A --> Micron IN, Micron OUT -->Pyramid IN.

Micron local control OFF, Pyramid IN set to “STOP ECHO”

My problem is that no matter how I do it, I cannot adjust note velocity on Pyramid: I select the note, use encoder #3 (velocity) but no change in the note sound, except when displayed velocity goes to “0” then note stops sounding, but for any other displayed velocity value (say 3 or 83) the note sounds the same. What’s going on ? What am I missing ?

What is your synth patch pgmd to do with Velocity?

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nothing that I can see. just a simple bass program. why did you ask ?

Two reasons:

  • MIDI is just a communication protocol. The Pyramid sends data. It’s up to the receiving instrument to be set up to do something with that data.
  • What you describe is similar to what happens when Velocity is not set up to do anything in the Patch

Back to your original post:

So, if you change the Velocity of the Note Event on the Pyramid, the value does not change as it is displayed on the Pyramid? Or it changes the value as displayed on the Pyramid and the ‘sound’ of the patch does not change?

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I thought that “velocity” as a CC message is independent from the actual program patch parameters, since it controls the note “loudness” independently of say filter cutoff value.

Now I heard that the Micron MIDI implementation is “peculiar” and for example there is no CC message list for the Micron (that I could find).

However, your post led me to a potential solution: on the Micron there are 3 envelopes, and of these ENV1 controls the amplitude. And there is an ENV1 setting whereby velocity controls ENV1, so by setting velocity as controlling100% of ENV1, then I can control note “loudness” with Pyramid encoder #3 (velocity).

Of course it isn’t ideal, but it works. Thanks ! :slightly_smiling_face:

Velocity is part of the Note On/Off Event. A typical Note On Event says:
1 - It’s a Note On Event
2 - Channel
3 - MIDI Note #
4 - Velocity

Also, as you noted the Velocity often is routed to a filter cutoff value, or sometimes a volume envelope, or both. But this is not all the time, with every patch, and depends on how you’ve set up your synth Patch. Not all patches are created to operate the same way. That has nothing to do with the Pyramid.

That sounds like the usual approach to pgmg an incoming Velocity value on a Note On Event to address Patch volume. Excellent! Enjoy!

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