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Using Assignable Knobs to send CCs to external devices

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I see how to set a Performance so that knobs 1-4 send the CC values of my choice on the MIDI channel I want them sent on, within a given Performance. It works fine as long as I'm editing the Performance and making these settings. When I'm done, and Store and Recall the sound, the assignable knob functions stop working. Can anyone reproduce this behavior and/or let me know what I may be doing wrong?

 
Posted : 18/08/2022 4:07 am
Jason
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In order to reproduce ...

"editing the Performance and making these settings"

How are the CC values assigned to knobs? Is this done through DAW Remote or some other feature?

 
Posted : 18/08/2022 2:33 pm
Dragos
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[quotePost id=117935]I see how to set a Performance so that knobs 1-4 send the CC values of my choice on the MIDI channel I want them sent on, within a given Performance. It works fine as long as I'm editing the Performance and making these settings. When I'm done, and Store and Recall the sound, the assignable knob functions stop working. Can anyone reproduce this behavior and/or let me know what I may be doing wrong?[/quotePost]
Do you mean something along these lines:
I did an Init AWM2 Performance, Utility -> Advanced -> Zone Master ON, Edit -Common/Audio -> Control -> Control Number -> changed the Assign Knob 1 CC to 16 from the default 17.
Then Part1 -> Edit-Common -> Zone Settings -> Zone ON, Transmit Ch 1, MIDI send ON and Zone Transmit -> All ON

I'm reading the MIDI from the MODX with Loomer Architect and when I turn the first Knob, I get CC16.
If I Init a new Perf, it'll be the default CC17, and if I load the previous one it'll return to CC16.

So it stays saved in my case.

 
Posted : 18/08/2022 3:06 pm
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Boot MODX (for a clean, known starting point).
Select a single part performance (for simplicity's sake).
Hit the PERFORMANCE (Home) button.
Hit the EDIT button.
Click the COMMON pop-up at the lower left of the screen, and select PART 1.
Go to ZONE SETTINGS and change ZONE to ON.
Set TRANSMIT CHANNEL to CHANNEL 1.
Hit the ASSIGN button located to the left of the 4 knobs.
(By default, knob #1 affects CC 17. This can easily be changed on another screen, as I originally did, but changing the CC is not even necessary to illustrate the problem.)
Turn knob #1. As expected, a MIDI Monitor will tell you, it is sending 0-127 values for CC 17.
STORE as a New Performance (let's call it MIDI TEST).
So far so good, turn the knob again, it still works.
Now select and play some other Performance.
Then go back and locate and select our MIDI TEST performance.
Turn knob #1... nothing, no MIDI is generated.
Why not? What needs to be done to save a Performance such that, when you recall it, knob 1 will send MIDI values out on its specified MIDI channel and CC number as you have configured it?

 
Posted : 18/08/2022 4:14 pm
Dragos
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Here's your answer:
[quotePost id=117938][...]
Click the COMMON pop-up at the lower left of the screen, and select PART 1.[/quotePost]
You need to select Part 1 to make it send the CCs.
So after loading the MIDI TEST performance, either tap Part 1 or select it with the Cursor keys and it'll work.
The white outline should be around the Part, not around the Performance Name at the top.

 
Posted : 18/08/2022 4:22 pm
Dragos
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Also, to be pedantic:
[quotePost id=117938]
Then go back and locate and select our MIDI TEST performance.
Turn knob #1... nothing, no MIDI is generated.[/quotePost]
There is MIDI generated, but it's SysEx, not note or controller.

 
Posted : 18/08/2022 4:30 pm
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[quotePost id=117939]Here's your answer:
[quotePost id=117938][...]
Click the COMMON pop-up at the lower left of the screen, and select PART 1.[/quotePost]
You need to select Part 1 to make it send the CCs.
So after loading the MIDI TEST performance, either tap Part 1 or select it with the Cursor keys and it'll work.
The white outline should be around the Part, not around the Performance Name at the top.[/quotePost]
Ah!! I don't suppose there is any way to save the Performance in that state, with the Part already selected?

The scenario is that I have Performances that include external sounds from iPad apps. I can easily select these Performances from the Live Set screen... but the knobs won't do what I want them to do. It's a bit of a bummer that it sounds like every time I select the Performance, I'll also have to tap PERFORMANCE (Home) and tap part 1 (or cursor down twice), thereby turning a 1-tap operation into a 3 or 4-tap operation... and then when I want to change to my next sound, I have to hit LIVE SET and then the desired sound, also turning the next 1-tap operation into a 2-tap operation. And I saw that I can't even return to the Live Set page until I'm done with the sound, because as soon as I do, the knob stops working again! So both the switch to AND away from the sound is time consuming and cumbersome compared to just staying on the Live set screen and calling up sounds as you need them, which, obviously, is generally how you'd want to do your instant live patch navigation.

[quotePost id=117941]
There is MIDI generated, but it's SysEx, not note or controller.[/quotePost]
Ah, yes. I have my MIDI Monitor set to filter out sysex.

 
Posted : 18/08/2022 5:03 pm
Dragos
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[quotePost id=117942][...]It's a bit of a bummer that it sounds like every time I select the Performance, I'll also have to tap PERFORMANCE (Home) and tap part 1 (or cursor down twice), thereby turning a 1-tap operation into a 3 or 4-tap operation... and then when I want to change to my next sound, I have to hit LIVE SET and then the desired sound, also turning the next 1-tap operation into a 2-tap operation.[/quotePost]
That's why the Montage has all those nice buttons on the right...

It makes sense to have the feature tied to Parts, you can have multiple parts, each set with a custom channel, and send to whatever destination you want just by selecting Parts.

But for real control live, I guess the Montage is the answer. The only advantage of the MODX is that it's lighter.

 
Posted : 18/08/2022 5:07 pm
Jason
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There's not a way to select a Part on Performance recall. Always no Part will be selected (Common is selected instead).

If the [PERFORMANCE CONTROL] button is blinking then this allows for the sliders to control Part 1's element levels (AWM2) or operator levels (FM-X). Assignable knobs are not part of this so it doesn't help your situation.

 
Posted : 18/08/2022 5:37 pm
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[quotePost id=117943]It makes sense to have the feature tied to Parts, you can have multiple parts, each set with a custom channel, and send to whatever destination you want just by selecting Parts.[/quotePost]
Yes, I can see that, but it would still be nice to be able to specify a part to be selected by default when the performance is recalled. And when a Performance only HAS one part, the need to select a part to get the knobs to function on that part seems especially unnecessary!

[quotePost id=117943]But for real control live, I guess the Montage is the answer. The only advantage of the MODX is that it's lighter.[/quotePost]
and cheaper, of course. But for that live use, weight can make a big difference. I love gigging with the MODX7's 16 lbs. No way I'm carting around the Montage at 37 lbs. And you need a bigger and more substantial (read: heavier) case to transport the Montage in as well.

 
Posted : 18/08/2022 5:49 pm
Dragos
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[quotePost id=117945]Yes, I can see that, but it would still be nice to be able to specify a part to be selected by default when the performance is recalled. And when a Performance only HAS one part, the need to select a part to get the knobs to function on that part seems especially unnecessary![/quotePost]
IMO the UX makes sense and is predictable, as is.

However, maybe some changes to the Zone configuration would make sense?
Maybe a Performance level, a default separate from the individual Parts?

 
Posted : 18/08/2022 6:09 pm
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I understand the logic of it, and yes it is predictable, but that doesn't mean it always gives the most desirable results. Your idea of a performance-level default could be an answer, but I think the simplest thing would be--at least as an option one could enable--that Performances are simply stored in the exact state in which they were when you stored them. If you have no particular Part selected when you hit Store, you get the current result. If you had a particular Part selected when you hit Store, then when you recall it, it will behave consistently with that Part having been selected. However it is behaving when you store it is a reasonable, logical thing to expect when you bring it back up. The fact that it didn't work that way is exactly what prompted this question!

 
Posted : 18/08/2022 8:48 pm
Jason
Posts: 7896
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Being able to store the selected Performance has been a request made before. I think enabling storing as part of the scene functions is a good way of managing. There are cases where you want to switch to Part 9-16 for single-Part soloing and presently the only way to utilize these Parts is to manually switch to these using the touchscreen on MODX. Having these at the ready in scenes would allow for more direct button access. Also, since default scene is already saved with the Performance - one could use scenes to force a particular Part to be selected.

Making [STORE] save the currently selected Performance (or no Performance selected) would be OK. There's a chance that it would also create some issues as it adds an additional burden on the user to make sure they press [PERFORMANCE] (HOME) before a [STORE] if they want to ensure the Performance has no Part selected (as today). I wouldn't mind this so much myself - but state dependencies are inherently more convoluted than fixed rules that do not depend on the state (such as selected Performance).

 
Posted : 19/08/2022 12:44 am
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[quotePost id=117949]Being able to store the selected {Part} has been a request made before.[/quotePost]
Do you happen to remember if it's already on ideascale?

[quotePost id=117949]since default scene is already saved with the Performance - one could use scenes to force a particular Part to be selected.[/quotePost]
That sounds like that could be a viable solution. I've never actually used scenes yet, I guess it's about time to learn. 😉

[quotePost id=117949]Making [STORE] save the currently selected {Part} (or no {Part} selected) would be OK. There's a chance that it would also create some issues as it adds an additional burden on the user to make sure they press [PERFORMANCE] (HOME) before a [STORE] if they want to ensure the Performance has no Part selected (as today). [/quotePost]
Or instead of pressing [PERFORMANCE] (HOME), they could tap on the Performance name at the top of the screen.

 
Posted : 19/08/2022 1:00 am
Jason
Posts: 7896
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Existing ideas requesting Part selection is added to the scene functionality:

Selected Channel as Scene parameter -> better Assignable Knobs!
https://yamahasynth.ideascale.com/c/idea/270978
(fairly identical to 230240)

Save selected part with scene selection and keyboard control ON
https://yamahasynth.ideascale.com/c/idea/230240

 
Posted : 20/08/2022 2:38 pm
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