tact switch issues: trolled forever

ah right. I've got a little trick iphone macro trick that I'm going to post a little tutorial about when I get time.

It's a bit out there maybe, but I thought it'd be great if JJ could add an extra channel to the MIDI outputs called "internal" that'd route the MIDI to buttons on a particular track without using up the hardware ports, thru would be hard set to off for internal to prevent feedback. Seeing as patterns can have different midi channels to tracks it would be pretty flexible too.

mikolo wrote:It's a bit out there maybe, but I thought it'd be great if JJ could add an extra channel to the MIDI outputs called "internal" that'd route the MIDI to buttons on a particular track without using up the hardware ports, thru would be hard set to off for internal to prevent feedback. Seeing as patterns can have different midi channels to tracks it would be pretty flexible too.

+ 1000.

this is a great request. not only for button mode but also for controlling anything in the MPC that responds to midi CC or program changes (internal fx, seq changes...).

it would make things easier & neater to set up, plus as you mention it would free up that extra MIDI IN/OUT port on the hardware.

Sooty_G wrote:

mikolo wrote:It's a bit out there maybe, but I thought it'd be great if JJ could add an extra channel to the MIDI outputs called "internal" that'd route the MIDI to buttons on a particular track without using up the hardware ports, thru would be hard set to off for internal to prevent feedback. Seeing as patterns can have different midi channels to tracks it would be pretty flexible too.

+ 1000.

this is a great request. not only for button mode but also for controlling anything in the MPC that responds to midi CC or program changes (internal fx, seq changes...).

it would make things easier & neater to set up, plus as you mention it would free up that extra MIDI IN/OUT port on the hardware.

+ 1001 Fantastic request.This would really make midi much more focused. Should this be moved to Feature Requests?

yes, someone please, please suggest "internal" as a FR. would open up the mpc as a standalone macro delivery system.


another FR i want is "reverse button mode"
where the physical buttons/pads on the MPC send pre-defined MIDI notes through a user-defined output/channel. why? because a user could record his ENTIRE SESSION, button press by button press, and use this to easily create macros OR EVEN easily recreate crashes, etc.

this would complete the in/out control capability of the MPC. no other hardware in the world does this, i think.

having nearly dead switches here, which deoxit to get?
D5 or F5? only ones I could find in germany

thnx

D5 but either will help.

@ ontherun: You want to get D5 for tact switches.

@ Mikolo: I suspect that the operation of button mode is defined by the hardware. Edit: <What I should have typed was: I hope it's not strictly a hardware function.> Have you tried a midi merger box to free up at least a midi input? Also, I'm looking forward to the iOS to MPC tutorial.

@Nym: Reverse button mode would be great! I'd like to hear more about your thoughts on how to implement it.

As for my own FR: Imagine a macro programming window within button mode, where you could program a sequence of buttons (note on/off or CCs) that referenced your own custom button layout. Then the sequence, or pattern, of button presses could be registered as Macro 1, Macro 2, and so on. These macros, in turn, could be assigned to another midi note or cc that will trigger the preprogrammed macro. Think pattern to pad but rather pattern to note/cc. Except that by having it controlled by the button mode parameters, it will be independent of multi-timbral mode and active track.

Great thread! Let's keep the ideas flowing.

Awesome stuff in this thread.

Back to your original post tho Nym. I've been doing some reading up on arduino making.. It's all new to me but very interesting.. So you intend to plug the keyboard, straight into the USB host shield via usb, which then wires to the arduino which is coded to convert USB keystrokes and mouse clicks to midi data.

If so..one could modify the keyboard before hand in this manner:
DIY ableton foot controller
https://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php ... 02cd363dff

And build an array of nicer buttons that also plug straight into a pc as keystrokes. I built one of these based on these instructions and it was awesome. But I used an ikea mossby shelf which makes a perfect enclosure. Sexy stainless steel at the perfect depth for switches plus wiring and it's got internal reinforcement which is easily hollowed out for cavities. Saddest moment was when I had to sell it upon changing countries

[quote]For internal mode to work, I imagine that JJ would have to write a routine to emulate what the hardware was naturally designed to do. The cpu would take a huge hit in processing power to do this. Otherwise, any additions to expand button mode functionality is welcome.

Not sure what this hypothesis is based on?It is midi.Lets see what a midi jenius can do.

shucks that is sad. build another/better one!

golfdogz wrote:Back to your original post tho Nym. I've been doing some reading up on arduino making.. It's all new to me but very interesting.. So you intend to plug the keyboard, straight into the USB host shield via usb, which then wires to the arduino which is coded to convert USB keystrokes OR mouse clicks to midi data.

yes, but with a correction in bold. i've built a proof of concept...dead easy. there is no more doubt that it works, i just need to write a bunch of 1st grader level C++ to make it do its thing.

my attention has been diverted and reclaimed by a renewed interest/recent success with my secret project. i had been stymied at the project box cabling for a while but finally opted for USB terminals/standard USB cords. when in a pinch, steal a ubiquitous design - as you can tell, this is a reoccurring theme in DIY.

again, a central DIY problem emerges when you try to create a good feeling tact switch array. it's pretty hard without precision laser cutters and other classy tools. this is why i think a keyboard is so valuable, it's a good feeling button array already.

TYPO wrote:Not sure what this hypothesis is based on?

Edit: Just speculating out loud. Only JJ knows for sure, and I do hope I'm wrong.

Nym, are you programming macros within the Arduino processor itself?

i probably won't be. it's more sensible in my setup to run all button commands from the arduino through my DAW and then routed back to my MPC. this is my homespun "reverse button mode" because i can record/capture all button activity from my MPC.

macros will be triggered and played back using REAPER's SWS media clip function, the way i do now with the extra keyboard and glovepie as per this now dated video:



you could run the macros from Arduino, though. they'd just be harder to edit, it'd be better to create them on a computer and then program arduino to spit out the notes in the order they're written in the MIDI file.

in short, hard coding macros directly into arduino is a LOT more work than letting the computer do it.

Nym wrote:...it'd be better to create them on a computer and then program arduino to spit out the notes in the order they're written in the MIDI file.

Thanks Nym, that answer was along the lines of what I was looking for.

My setup is almost the opposite of yours, so it would be important for me to have the MPC and Axiom as self-contained as possible, especially when it comes to macro delivery.

major, major DIY progress today.

multiplexers can suck a dick. seriously.

i've only gotten one to work once, last year.
i'm almost certain the issue is my code. it's crap. i need a partner who can program the boring stuff and let me do the fun stuff.