MIDI Chase

My Akai MPC Force doesn't seem to chase MIDI events (MIDI chase is explained here: https://steinberg.help/cubase_pro/v12/e ... ase_c.html).

This is an issue if I try to start playback in the middle of a track, because I use MIDI-to-DMX to synchronize lights to my music, and without chasing MIDI events, the lights stop working properly (because they're missing control events = MIDI notes).

I tried to find an option for this in the Force documentation, but came up empty. Am I missing something, or is the Force not capable of doing this?

I'm pretty sure that's a hard no. The midi controller side of the Force is more of an add on afterthought and it wasn't initially built to be any other thing a than basic midi sequencer. It has the power, but requires further development to maximize its capabilities.

Thanks! I was kind of hoping that I just missed a setting somewhere, but at least now I know. Hopefully this will be addressed in a future firmware update, it's a pretty basic thing that a MIDI sequencer should be able to do.

How did you solve this, do you use a secondary sequencer with MTC sync or something?

I didn't solve it. I just live with it:

In my concrete use case, I am using a MIDI track on the Force to generate MIDI that then gets converted into DMX messages to control a light show. Since many of the DMX messages are one-time only (things like setting initial brightness of a pixel panel and whatnot), not having MIDI chase means those panels never get their initial trigger message. This means that if I start playing a song in the middle of the track, some lights will not function (properly).

In a live situation (where this really matters), I will always start a track from the very beginning, so this really isn't an issue where it counts, but it is something that's annoying during rehearsals when sometimes you want to drop into the middle of a track to practice a section of a song, and the lights aren't working right. But like I said, it's something I can live with, since this isn't an issue when playing live.

Chasing seems to work for CV outs, so... CV to MIDI notes converter?

Ha, I just spent weeks getting the MIDI-to-DMX stuff to work right, so no way I'm switching any time soon

Good to know though about CV chase, so thanks for that!

Funny, it could actually be possible, here's Soundmachines SY1 Synesthesia CV to DMX converter module:

http://www.sound-machines.it/product/sy1synesthesia/



The general mentality here seems to be, if you try to do something that's not possible, you're trying to do the wrong thing...

And Youtube demo

Timo wrote:I didn't solve it. I just live with it:

In my concrete use case, I am using a MIDI track on the Force to generate MIDI that then gets converted into DMX messages to control a light show. Since many of the DMX messages are one-time only (things like setting initial brightness of a pixel panel and whatnot), not having MIDI chase means those panels never get their initial trigger message. This means that if I start playing a song in the middle of the track, some lights will not function (properly).

In a live situation (where this really matters), I will always start a track from the very beginning, so this really isn't an issue where it counts, but it is something that's annoying during rehearsals when sometimes you want to drop into the middle of a track to practice a section of a song, and the lights aren't working right. But like I said, it's something I can live with, since this isn't an issue when playing live.

This may not be ideal, but during rehearsals couldn't you just put the MIDI data at that point in the middle so it re-triggers the seq?

Good suggestion, I *could* do that. The only issue is that certain DMX commands, when retriggered, have undesirable side effects (like a brief flash of white light) that would interfere with the light sequence at that point. These retriggers don't happen during the initial trigger when the lights start up from a zero state.

Ok. I don't nothing about lights but hopefully, there's someway to cancel the flash with a MIDI command or whatever. Good luck!

Regarding the claim that the Force isn't supposed to be a real MIDI sequencer but just something basic, I found this in the User Guide

Force now supports multi-MIDI control, making Force the ultimate MIDI sequencing studio centerpiece.

According to Akai, it is now THE ULTIMATE MIDI sequencing studio centerpiece. Maybe they just forgot to show the MIDI chase options in the release version.

HouseWithoutMouse wrote:Regarding the claim that the Force isn't supposed to be a real MIDI sequencer but just something basic, I found this in the User Guide

Force now supports multi-MIDI control, making Force the ultimate MIDI sequencing studio centerpiece.

According to Akai, it is now THE ULTIMATE MIDI sequencing studio centerpiece. Maybe they just forgot to show the MIDI chase options in the release version.

Haha, that's like believing in the the Bible because it's says it's true in the book.

Not saying that you believe that.