followed the how-to video but i got problems

[evilprime]

Hello,

I’m trying to build a panel for me newly aquired Elka ER-33. I’ve looked at the how-to video and its really helpful but at the point where you test your newly created slider and view it in the midi monitor mine doesn’t change its value 🙁 I’ve set the properties on sysex and placed the xx on the bytes the slider needs to change but no luck :/ I see activity in the monitor but it just doesn’t change its value.

Btw, great tool when i get this up and running it’ll be fantastic!

Thanks

[atom]

show us what you got so far, we’ll help you figure this out.

[evilprime]

atom wrote:

show us what you got so far, we’ll help you figure this out.

Ok thanks. Let me explain first. I’m trying to create a panel for me ELKA ER-33 using the manual. I’ve looked at the instruction video and that’s basically all i got for now, a new panel with one slider and the hex string i constructed using the manual.

I’ve tried to view the midi output from my ELKA so i could figure out the string for various parameters but somehow its not working, the manual specifically states that a 3 pin midi cable should be used maybe that’s the reason, i dont know.

For now the manual is all i got and i’m not sure that my string is correct. I am attaching the manual just in case anyone would want to look at it for helping out.

I’ve tried the first parameter 1. Looking at the format this is what i got so far:

sysex format:

11110000 1000111 00000001 00001001 00000001 11110111

1: relative frequency(hex): 70 47 01 09 01 xx F7

I have put the hex result in the slider properties as the video showed me but the xx value isn’t changing.

Thanks for helping, i appreciate it.

Lennart

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[atom]

1. Compute your sysex correctly Windows->MIDI Calculator, paste your binary data and you’ll get: f0 47 01 09 01 f7
2. Check your MIDI Cabling, at least try to get the MIDI notes running if you can use MIDI-OX to test connectivity and then move to Ctrlr
3. Create a slider, set it’s MIDI type to SysEx and then paste the formula as: f0 47 01 09 xx f7 it must work, if it’s note you are doing something wrong.
4. Use the latest nightly

[evilprime]

Hey,

Thanks for your reply.

I think its good to mention that my midi-in on my synthesizer does work. I’ve worked with it using Cubase without any problems. I can use mimdi-ox to examine the midi data without problems also.

The problem is only that when i create a new panel with CTRLR with a new slider with the sysex string, CTRLR doesn’t change the value for xx, it stays on 00. Atleast that is what the midi monitor in CTRLR shows me. When i turn the slider all the way to its maximum the xx value still stays 00. Like it doesn’t interpret the xx value corerctly.

You mentioned the latest nightly build i’m not sure i’m on that build i will give it a try tomorrow.

thanks again.

BTW whas the midi calculator removed ?

[atom]

No it was added in the nightlies. Use that you’ll get better results.

[evilprime]

Hey,

I’ve uninstalled the version i had and rebooted the machine. After that i installed 1205, standalone.

With the other version the midi out would work, but the value didn’t change. With this version midi-out is not working, see attachement. I’ve again followed the instruction from the video. Any idea what could be wrong? I dont have any other midi problems whatsoever. My midisport and roland um-one are working correctly. In theory i could use any midi-out port just to see data in the midi monitor. I’ve tried other midi-out ports but nothing shows up in the midi monitor, the ports are not being used by other programs at the moment.

L

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[evilprime]

Also, i’ve tried the standalone version and the full vst version install, but with both i got no midi-out activity.

L

[atom]

Don’t use that panel settings window, its obsolete, use the MIDI menu.

Also i told you a sysex can’t start with 0x70 it has to start 0xf0 otherwise it won’t work. Calculate your sysex data correctly.

[evilprime]

I’m sorry. I’ve made a mistake in the beginning and i’ve wrote that down in my notes and i’m now accidently reusing that string.. my bad. I was using the correct sysex string with the older version though.

I’ve reinstalled everything and now with the correct sysex string it still not giving the right values for xx in the midi monitor.

see attachement.

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[atom]

Well it works for me, but i can say i’ve been messing around too much with that part of Ctrlr trying to make a big mess work, and it’s been a bad idea. The mess needs to be cleaned up instead of maintained. Anyway you can try changing the MIDI type from SysEx to CC then back to SysEx maybe it will help. Or wait a moment till i get this cleanep up. Anyway it has to work i bet youre doing something in the wrong order is all.

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[evilprime]

Hey,

For your information, i’ve installed it on my laptop, plugged in the roland um-one, set the midi settings using the midi menu, added a slider and set the proper sysex string and now it works!

thanks for your help, i can now move on in making a nice Elka ER33 panel, i hope.

[atom]

Let us know on your progress.

[evilprime]

Hey,

I’m well underway in creating a nice panel with mostly sysex and multi sysex strings. I’m doing sysex because i got some trouble with CC.

In the manual it says:

1011nnnn  Control change/channel

0ccccccc    Control number

0vvvvvvv   Control Value

c = 1            Modulation (v=0….127)

Now when i create a slider set the midi on CC, i’m a bit confused what to put at ‘control number’ I guess its the ‘data byte nr’ ? ( zie attached manual from earlier post)

When i want to edit data byte nr 55 (pith attack rate) the output in midi-monitor is:

[18:21:55:000858]: RAW:[b0 37 6b]
[18:21:56:000562]: RAW:[b0 37 6c]
[18:21:56:000675]: RAW:[b0 37 6d]

but nothing is changed 🙁

Wierd thing is when i make a Program change knob the mini monitor output is:

[18:24:21:000405]: RAW:[c0 03]

and this works… any idea what i’m doing wrong with the CC ?

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[cpt.cred]

Where is this “how-to video”?

 

[evilprime]

cpt.cred wrote:

Where is this “how-to video”?

do a search for ‘ where to start’ in the forum.

[atom]

go to vimeo and search ctrlr.

 

Also a CC has two properties, the midi channel: that’s the first byt (B0-Bf 16 channels in hex), then the CC has a number 0-127 that’s the second byte (0-f7), and the third byte is the value it’s transmitting (propably the value of your slider)

[evilprime]

Yeah i understand the format. Looking at the midi monitor and the manual i must conclude that the output is correct, but its not working. The synth has an ‘edit’ and ‘function’ mode but whichever i use its not responding on the control change message. I checked all midi settings on the synth and they are correct. It does accepts program change message, when i select the bank first.

You know of any reason why the control change message would not work in my case? anything i’m overseeing?

[atom]

Also looking at the manual you need SysEx not CC messages (see attachment). I decoded the manual for you.

I think the only thing you can do in realtime i simulate the potentiometers/buttons as desribed below, to change any of the sound parameters you need to send a complete program dump.

In the screenshot to change value of potentiometer 12, you’d set a SysEx formula for a slider to:

f0 2f 1b 00 xx f7

F0 – all sysex starts with that it never changes
2F – MIDI Code for ELKA manufacturer
1B – this is a trick you need take your potentiometer number and add 16 (in bits for number 12 that’s 0001 1101 the first 4 bits are always 0001 (16 in dec since theese are the last 4 bits) and the second 4 bits you set. That’s why it’s 16+number
00 – ignored i assumed 00
xx – Ctrlr will put the value of the slider in this byte
F7 – all sysex ends with that it never changes

Unless i missed something in the manual to get the full control of this synth (and many others like it). You need to be clever. I can write you a pretty long post on how to do that (it involves some clever coding, timers and a bit of patience). Depending on how the synth is built you might get crackling sounds when transmitting data in this clever way, it’s not perfect but i bet it’s better then going through the menus and buttons that were built in the 80s.

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[evilprime]

Hey,

Thanks for your efforts.

I’m a bit confused now. In the manual its says that indeed the first 4 bits of the 3rd byte should be set on 16 but the last 4 bits should be ‘channel’ wouldn’t that be 00010000 ?

Anyhow when i try to set your sysex value on a slider which is set for ’12 – key velocity?’ its not responding.

When i set the 3rd byte on 00010000 and manually select the key velocity parameter on the synth its working. This is how i made my initial panel. I’ve created ‘ key panel simulation ‘ buttons for the parameters. So there is a button for lets say ‘ 12 – Key velocity’  with multi sysex :

f0 2f 00 09 31 f7 (select key 1 on panel simulation)

f0 2f 00 09 32 f7 (select key 2 on panel simulation )

f0 2f 00 09 0d f7 (enter)

Then i made a slider for the value with sysex:

f0 2f 16 09 xx f7

This is great but in this way i need to make buttons for all the parameters with many sliders, it would be great if i could use 1 slider for 1 parameter in total.

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