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Is there a MIDI Control Change option for adjusting tempo?

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Tony
 Tony
Posts: 0
Trusted Member
Topic starter
 

Hey Guys.
I am trying to figure out if there is a MIDI Control Change option for adjusting tempo on my Multi ARPs. I see that I can send a very specific HEX string of "36 30 01 xx" where xx is the tempo from 5 - 300. Unfortunately, my Arturia KeyLab88 MIDI controller doesn't support sending HEX strings, so I'm hoping this can be done via a Control Command and assign it to one of the knobs on my controller.
By the way, if anyone knows of a MIDI controller that is better suited for the Motif Rack XS, please let me know as I'm in the market for a new one.
Thanks!

 
Posted : 11/11/2019 5:54 pm
Posts: 0
Eminent Member
 

No, the tempo is controlled by the flow of the MIDI clocks that can´t be edited neither by Control Changes nor by System Exclusive messages and the "value" of the tempo is a cue that require to be interpreted by the sequencer.
If I don´t remember bad the tempo changes were a later addition to the MIDI protocol, introduced with the Standard MIDI File and related with the developement of sequencers, not present in the original version 1.0.
It can´t be discarded the possibility of to have a Sys Ex message for to control the speed of the tempo but probably it would be a bad solution due the intrusive nature of the Sys Ex message (nothing can happen until the Sys Ex message ends) and of course it would be propietary of a precise mark and model of instrument.
The Standard MIDI File has a definition for tempo changes but it is internal, not a message for to be transmited.
Consider also that the main problem of the MTC (MIDI Time Code) is exactly the lack of accuracy in the tempo changes against the precision of the MIDI cloks that work like a cuasi-analog signal.

 
Posted : 11/11/2019 8:23 pm
Bad Mister
Posts: 12304
 

Tempo is a MIDI command all on its own. If you are in the market for a controller, add to the list of requirements that it send Clock or at least tap tempo.

 
Posted : 11/11/2019 9:14 pm
Posts: 0
Eminent Member
 

Probably along the years I missed something.

¿Can you Bad Mister tell me which is the command (channel message, common message, realtime message or Sys Ex message) called "Tempo" that can be transmited from one device to other?

Please let me know its structure in binaries or Hex.

The only reference to a Tempo information I know is in the definition of Standard MIDI Files and it is part of the Meta Events:

"Tempo
FF 51 03 tt tt tt
tt tt tt is a 24-bit value specifying the tempo as the number of microseconds per quarter note.
Specifying tempos as time per beat, rather than the more usual (musically) beat per time, ensures precise long-term synchronisation with a time-based synchronisation protocol such as SMPTE or MIDI time code.
Ideally, Tempo events should only occur where MIDI clocks would be located – a convention intended to maximise compatibility with other synchronisation devices, thus allowing easy transfer of time signature / tempo map information between devices.
There should generally be a Tempo event at the beginning of a track (at time = 0), otherwise a default tempo of 120 bpm will be assumed. Thereafter they can be used to effect an immediate tempo change at any point within a track.
For a format 1 MIDI file, Tempo Meta events should only occur within the first MTrk chunk (ie the tempo track)."

 
Posted : 11/11/2019 11:56 pm
Jason
Posts: 7911
Illustrious Member
 

The easiest encoding would be MIDI clock with 0xF8's sprinkled in the stream. 0xF8 is the complete message.

 
Posted : 12/11/2019 6:03 pm
Posts: 0
Eminent Member
 

Jason

MIDI clocks is not a tempo message is a synchronization signal, that is not the same and it does not carry any information of tempo..

 
Posted : 13/11/2019 12:27 am
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