Roland MKS-50 Advanced

[Bomma72]

So here is my MKS-50 Advanced Synthesizer Programmer. Basically and upgrade of the Layzer’s very well done pg-300. Originally I was just going to add the ability to receive the current patch settings. However I ended up basically recreating the whole thing and adding a lot of other features.

So basically what this adds is

Higher resolution graphics.
Send and receive tones, and patches.
Receive and update patch/tone names (double click on the patch/tone label).
Added chord mode “Selection” (though you can’t change chord settings but you can select them).
Next and Previous patch, tone selection (both are selected at once and together).
Fixed a few small errors in the pg-300.

A few notes. There doesn’t seem to be any way to make the Synth send parameters via a midi command. The only way to do it is to push the tone or patch button twice or change the tone patch using the physical Synth buttons. (If someone can figure out a midi command to do it I will gladly change this). At the present the best way is to double click on the Tone button (manual pg. 11). I say Tone button because the Patch button doesn’t send the tone parameters, however the tone sends both tone/patch. Because there is no midi command when you change to patch/tones via the controller’s Next/Previous buttons you won’t see any of the controls on the Ctrlr panel change until you physically push the buttons on the Synth. (Thanks Roland!)

Also I didn’t include the patch or Tone number id because the transmission of this information was not consistent between tone and patch. So since it ended up being wrong a lot of the time in testing I decided not to include it. (Again blame Roland…)

As for as changing the Chord Mode I decided not to make that a part of this controller. Frankly I believe the selections that are included with the Synth pretty much cover what you would want to use anyway. You can still make change via the Synth’s button panel (see manual), and you can also “select” a chord mode via the controller slider.

If you want the mono mode to work correctly via this controller you should keep to the default setting on chord mode 1 which uses all the 6 voices for one note. The reason I did this is because I found that for at least my MKS-50 the monophonic mode didn’t work very well and would cut off at times. The unison mode didn’t seem to have this problem and it worked better with Portamento as well.

If you want to save your sound I recommend transmitting the patch (Update Patch button) then saving, then transmitting the tone (Update Tone button) and saving. Make sure you turn Memory Protection off (via page 36 of the manual).

To get the MKS-50 to send the parameters for tone and patch you need to turn on transmitting for both on (manual pg. 51) as well as Midi Program Change (pg. 11). Annoyingly you will need to do this every time you turn on the synth. Again I suggest double clicking the tone button to send the parameters.

Finally the MIDI LOCK button will stop the controller from reacting to transmitted midi. I did this in case you create a sound you like but need to find a slot to save it in. With Midi Lock off you can search your tones and patches and the select action won’t overwrite your current Ctrlr panels settings.

Please post in this thread if you find any errors or suggestions. By the way I use OS X Lion for my music so I can’t verify that everything works the same via Windows. Hopefully. For the time being I have moved over to the Kawai K3 panel.

Note the font I used for the LCD Label was LCD-Dot

http://www.cufonfonts.com/en/font/6060/lcd-dot

Bomma

• This topic was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Bomma72.
• This topic was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Bomma72.
• This topic was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Bomma72.
• This topic was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Bomma72.
• This topic was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Bomma72.
• This topic was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Bomma72.
• This topic was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Bomma72.

[Bomma72]

*** PLEASE USE THE THIRD ZIP FILE FURTHER DOWN IN THIS THREAD ****

Bonus here K3 in progress, hopefully done in a few weeks.

*** PLEASE USE THE THIRD ZIP FILE FURTHER DOWN IN THIS THREAD ****

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Bomma72.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Bomma72.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Bomma72.

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Muve]

Hi Bomma

I’ve just bought an Alpha Juno 1 and have just started to get up to speed with how Ctrlr works, using the PG-300 panel. Your panel looks like a fantastic upgrade to that. Unfortunately on loading it up (Windows 7 64), it gives me a white screen with a few messages in red saying invalid resource, see pic. I’m using the latest build 1400. Any ideas on what I need to do to see the panel properly?

Thanks
Muve

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Bomma72]

I believe this may be the way I saved it, looks as if all the images are missing. I will look into it and let you know.

[Bomma72]

*** PLEASE USE THE THIRD ZIP FILE FURTHER DOWN IN THIS THREAD ****

OK so that was it. I didn’t realize that there was an export feature in the newer versions of Ctrlr. Needed to add the resources with it.

Anyway here it is again attached so you can discard the first one. It’s good that you are on PC as I have been wondering how well it will translate. I have a tri-booting PC (Mac/Win7/Ubuntu) which I built for all my endeavors, however I don’t use Win7 for Music, mostly web programming and gaming. The Mac OS is for Music and now Ctrlr programming. Anyway your testing will be a great help if you don’t mind letting me know how it goes pro or con I would appreciate it.

Bomma

*** PLEASE USE THE THIRD ZIP FILE FURTHER DOWN IN THIS THREAD ****

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Bomma72.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Bomma72.

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Muve]

Works great! The graphics are much improved, and I really like the envelope window, very useful! Also it’s great that the panel updates when you change patches on the machine.

I had trouble getting it do anything until I realised it works on midi channel 1 rather than 7 of the other programmer, but once I changed it on the synth it works perfectly. I’m still a bit confused about the MIDI channel thing in CTRLR though, so maybe you can help. If I change the MIDI channel via the MIDI menu, it doesn’t seem to affect it and it is still on MIDI channel 1, is it overruled by a setting in the panel? I figured in the original PG-300 panel that the MIDI display box on the bottom right controlled it, but now I’m a bit confused.

[Bomma72]

Check your setting at Panel/Panel Settings on the menu at the top.

I will check if I mistakenly hard coded the channels when I first started programming directly on the panel itself. I’ll let you know.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Bomma72.

[LastNinja]

hey bomma,

i also cant get this to work on any of the channels except 1.
could not find the problem.

too bad because you have really done a great job on the visual and functional side of the panel.

hope you look into it and thanks for sharing.

[Bomma72]

OK I made some changes. Please give it a shot. If it still doesn’t work please let me know what Operating System you are using Windows/Mac. This may help me track down the issue. Hopefully it will work though.

LATEST VERSION

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[thebeatmaker]

hi,
very nice programmer.
is it possible that the roland mks50 send the configuration of patch or tone to the programmer ? thanxx

• This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by thebeatmaker.

[Bomma72]

thebeatmaker wrote:

hi,
very nice programmer.
is it possible that the roland mks50 send the configuration of patch or tone to the programmer ? thanxx

Yeah that is what this does.

First of all make sure you are connected by making sure you can use the panel to make changes to the sounds. Also make sure you have the correct channels set for receiving Midi.

To get the MKS-50 to send the parameters for tone and patch you need to turn on transmitting for both on (manual pg. 51) as well as turning on Midi Program Change (pg. 11). Annoyingly you will need to do this every time you turn on the synth. After those parameters are set to on I suggest double clicking the tone button {{{ON THE MKS-50}}} to send the parameters. I say Tone button because the Patch button doesn’t send the tone parameters, however the tone sends both tone/patch.

Also “Make sure that the Midi Lock button is lit. If not push the “Midi Lock” button and try again.

[LastNinja]

Gonna try this out tonight.

Nice to see you are on top of it bomma. thanks four your work – really appreciated.

will report back.

cheers all

[LastNinja]

good news.

could not get the new version to work BUT:
just for the hell of it i copied the midi channel selector from the layzer pg300 into the bomme panel and bingo. works like a charm.

nice panel, looking forward to digging in.
i am having a ton of problem mapping the controls in ni maschine but that is a different issue…

anyway. hope the fix works for yall.

[Bomma72]

Hey LastNinja anyway you could post that. I would like to look at it and see what I did wrong. There are a lot of setting in the panel that I don’t exactly know what they all do. Truth is I think I understand the actual programing stuff better then I do the settings and such.

I still get confused with midi in general as far as midi-feedback and such. Also the don’t make midi interfaces the way they used to. I have a Midi express 128 but it annoys the hell out of me I can’t turn it off! Anyway I digress I am glad you can use it.

Once everyone says they have been using it without problems I will try to figure out how to upload it to the database if you can still do that.

Bommma

[elektroherd]

I am running under Mac 10.7.5 and so far no issues, but I haven’t been able to spend much time with it. It’s making me love my MKS-50 again. I thought I would have to settle with the TAL Juno-60 plug-in for easily editable Juno sounds, but using this with the module is far superior.

[Bomma72]

Thanks, High praise indeed, let me know if you find any errors. Funny my MSK-50 is getting a tune up so I haven’t had a chance to use it much of late. I am almost done with the K3 editor, which has even more bells and whistles for those who have one.

[koochey]

hey – that panel is amazing but i’m quit new to ctrl and don’t know how or if it’s possible to control the sliders via a midi controller too or just by mouse ?

[Bomma72]

koochey wrote:

hey – that panel is amazing but i’m quit new to ctrl and don’t know how or if it’s possible to control the sliders via a midi controller too or just by mouse ?

I believe this has to do with the VST index but I am not sure how to set it up. Haven’t messed with this yet. I am used to just assigning controls via midi setup where you select the control and then turn the knob or whatever.

I think you will need to to some research on the forum, as this is a more general question pertaining to Ctrlr and not specific to the panel.

[koochey]

doing it the same way but the ctrl plug in logic or ableton doesn’t response to midi learn ! any suggestions ? thanks

[Bomma72]

Yeah, I don’t think there is a midi learn function I think you have to manually change the settings. I would do a search on the board.

[Author]

Posts