Since creating this thread, I really haven’t progressed much further. I just find the whole jumping around so many screens a bit stifling. I think the layout isn’t intuitive at all, and the whole though could be made more compact and direct. Not having the attack and release on an envelope on the same q links makes things a bit clumsy, especially with a 6 stage envelope with curves and levels for many of the stages. But I still think I sitting on a killer synth.
So I bought a midi controller. My choice came between the Akai Midimix and the Novation Lauchpad, which pretty much have the same layout. The key difference between the two is the Akai has 2 user templates, but the Novation has 8. With so many destinations on the OPX4, 2 templates is going to be limiting. And if all goes well, I can set up 3 banks for OPx4 and still have 5 left over for the Jura, Midi-D and Odyssey, with 2 spare.
I don’t think there is a way to assign everything on the OPx4, there is just too much. I’m not looking to completely lose the MPC q-links and screen, just supplement it so the main legwork can be done for the controller. It kind of makes sense assign the 4x4 matrix, but as it 3x8 and 1x8n faders, it fells a bit round hole square peg. So my thinking is to assign 2 operators and their envelopes to a bank and then have two banks. Then have a bank with the sub-mixer, the remaining 2 envelopes. I think setting the ratios will work better from the MPC, especially as the shift button helps on one of the screens keep round number ratios and they can also be keyed in
The first step is to set the launch pad up, set the midi channel to the match the OPx4, assign the colours to help identify the bank changes and assign the cc#. Setting each CC# to be sequential when setting up the Launch Control, will make identifying the mistakes easier when assigning on the MPC. The operators are coded blue, orange, red, green but the Launch Control only has yellow, orange red green, so blue will have to be yellow.
Note: When connecting the Launch Control MPC, enable the ‘Control’ option in preferences for the ‘Launch Control XL Launch Contro’ There are 2 to choose from, but the HUI option I don’t think does anything in the ‘MPC’
Here is a helpful video on how to set it up.
I then assigned the 96 targets, 8 a time and then checking them, and saving my template each time. Be sure to unclick learn before you exit the Midi Control screen, as some people think it may cause some instability if left on.
So after way too much scrolling I’ve finished assigning and everything seems to be working. They really need to put in folders instead of a single crazy long list, but the orders makes some sense, so it become intuitive. When planning the whole thing I wrote my own descriptions, but instead of replacing them with the MPC naming system, I’ve added that in in white underlined, so my description may hep make the numbering system employed a little clearer.
Note: You cannot zero the matrix after adjusted on the Launch Control, but only return to 1% (positive). The knobs are centre indented, but this is +1% and the next step down is -1% not zero.
Note: FM Filtering and FM Shaping are mislabeled in the drop down list and should be swapped for all four operators.
Seeing the envelopes at the top of the screen change with the faders when on a different envelope screen is really cool. By this I mean, when on Env 1 screen you can see the shapes of all 6 envelopes miniature at the top of the screen. These update in real time in response to the midi controller
I’m going to create my own INIT Patch and ss I am bypassing Decay 1 this needs to be set on all envelopes to 1.00ms with a level of 100%. I’m going to simplify the OPx4 to help get a feel for it. Just ADSR, with curves on the ADR, and envelope scaling to help get snappier sounds when needed. I’m going to just treat it as a 4 operators into 2 filters. I’m not assigning bus 3, and have just focused on 2 buses running through a filter each. As I can always add it back with the MPC screen. The same with the sample, but I kind of like the idea of not laying samples (I may come around as get more into the synth).
Note: As timescale ranges from 10% to 100%, the centre indent lands on 55.35%, not 50%
I wanted to assign the filter type as my 4th filter knob option, but it’s not available, so I’ll put LFO level in as a place holder.
