monstrumWaveXT: Waldorf Microwave II/XT/XTk Panel

[fozzie]

What a fantastic work & very well laid out controller panel that is, msepsis! I am hoping to use it with my MWPC. At this moment changing parameters in the MWPC works, but I cannot get the panel to reflect the current patch settings. I am unsure whether this is a MWPC quirk or general MWxx issue but I’ll post my idea here anyway.

I hope to post a hack to use a sysex patch dump to update the panel settings by using a midiox script to remap the sysex dump to separate CC and sysex sound parameter changes. If this is successful, updating the panel with current settings could be done by making a patch dump (and having the midiox script active of course). I have done this scripting in the past for similar purposes and it worked back then, so I hope I can pull it off. I am new to CTRLR, but if I understand correctly there is no function yet to do this kind of sysex mapping/conversion yet within CTRLR. I think untill this is the case, Midiox (scripts) can probably take care of a lot of that functionality.

[msepsis]

Hi fozzie, welcome to ctrlr and thank you for the comments and compliment. building this panel was my absolute passion for about a month straight there, I’ve since been spending much of my free time just playing the XT through this panel given all the parameters accessible right there. The hard work has paid off and the payment has been a lot of creative sounds coming out of my XT I never had explored fully.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to hear what you’re working on. You are correct that the panel does not reflect the current patch settings and it is indeed a current limitation to ctrlr, but I am excited to hear any progress you make with updating the panel via midiox script parsing the sysex dump to CCs and sysex param changes. This is really a crucial missing element…

You can save "snapshots" within ctrlr and send them to the synth as almost an alternative to a patch librarian but as you and I know – sysex dumps are the way to go.. otherwise you must touch EVERY knob/param on this panel to your liking and with this many parameters it’s really unrealistic workflow unfortunately. This is why I mention in the readme that this panel is intended as a sound buffer editing tool.

I’ve since slowed down development on this panel but am still making tweaks here and there but mostly am gearing up for a project to do something similar to what you’re talking about as a tool within Renoise (my DAW of choice) using Lua scripting and Renoise’s extensive API. I’m looking to enable renoise to be able to receive sysex dumps, save them with the song and play them back out to the synth so your MIDI sounds get saved with the xrns project file. Its quite the undertaking but I know it will pay off.

I’ll be posting some updates to this panel sometime soon, lots of little tweaks and refinements here and there

Monstrum Media | Music, Sound & Software Design, Chicago / San Francisco listen

[fozzie]

This code seems to work, although it should be used with caution and with the disclaimer that I am not responsible for anything should problems occur. I have a microwave-PC module in my computer, which has some disadvantages but also the advantage that if anything goes wrong in any way, a reboot will solve all issues since the OS and soundset are loaded fresh everytime the PC has been shut down. My setup has some freezing issues once in a while, I cannot guarantee how things work on a ‘real’ hardware XT.

Anyhow, save the text below in notepad or similar tool to "filename.vbs". Run it (you have to have midiox installed), then initiate a sound dump. Now watch CTRLR update its settings.

Hope it works for others as well. Best regards,
Paul
PS: please forgive my not-so-consistent variable naming and similar quality commenting in the file, I’m not used to programming and associated best practices.

‘ Create object
Set mox = WScript.CreateObject("MIDIOX.MOXScript.1", "OnTrigger_")

mox.DivertMidiInput = 0 ‘no input diversion
mox.FireMidiInput = 1 ‘ Start processing MIDI
MsgBox "Press OK to end MIDI loop" ‘ Will not return until after [OK]
mox.FireMidiInput = 0 ‘ All done processing
mox.DivertMidiInput = 0

mox.ShutdownAtEnd = False

Set mox = nothing ‘ Cleanup

Sub OnTrigger_SysExInput (strSysex)
If len(strSysEx) > 100 Then
sysex = Split(strSysEx)

port = -1

‘MsgBox strSysEx

‘Conversion of all relevant Sysex parameters to implemented CC messages on channel 1
strsysexIndexCC = "8 9 10 12 13 14 19 20 21 23 24 25 26 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 54 55 56 57 69 70 71 72 73 74 80 81 82 84 86 87 89 91 94 95 96 97 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 120 121 122 123 124 126 127 128 129 130 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 166 167 168 169 170 171 173 174 175 176 177 178 179"
sysexIndexCC = Split (strsysexIndexCC, " ")
strccIndex = "33 34 35 36 37 13 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 45 46 47 48 50 56 54 51 52 53 60 61 62 57 58 55 12 10 65 22 23 5 102 105 104 103 107 106 108 109 110 14 15 16 17 29 18 19 20 21 31 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 24 25 30 112 113 114 26 28 27 115 116 117 118"
ccIndex = Split (strccIndex, " ")
For i = 0 to 89
mox.OutputMidiMsg port, 176, ccIndex(i), cint("&H" & sysex(sysexIndexCC(i)))
Mox.sleep(10)
Next

‘part two of conversion; the parameters that are not coupled to a CC will be transformed into separate sysex parameter change messages (part 1 for parameters 0-127

strsysexIndexUnmappedChannel1 = "58 60 61 62 64 77 83 88 90 92 93 108 109 110 111 112 115 116 117 119 132 133 134"
sysexIndexUnmappedChannel1 = Split (strsysexIndexUnmappedChannel1, " ")
strSysexLoBitIndex = "33 35 36 37 39 46 4C 51 53 55 56 65 66 67 68 69 6C 6D 6E 70 7D 7E 7F"
SysexLoBitIndex = Split (strSysexLoBitIndex, " ")
SysexParamChange = Array ("F0","3E","0E","00","20","00","00","00","00","F7")

For j = 0 to 22
SysexParamChange (7)= SysexLoBitIndex(j)
SysexParamChange (= sysex(sysexIndexUnmappedChannel1(j))

SysexParamOutput = Join (SysexParamChange, " ")

mox.SendSysExString SysexParamOutput
Mox.sleep(10)
Next

‘part three of conversion; the parameters that are not coupled to a CC will be transformed into separate sysex parameter change messages (part 2 for parameters 128-256

strsysexIndexUnmappedChannel1_pt2 = "135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246"
sysexIndexUnmappedChannel1_pt2 = Split (strsysexIndexUnmappedChannel1_pt2, " ")
strSysexLoBitIndex_pt2 = "00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 0A 0B 0C 0D 0E 0F 10 11 12 13 14 2F 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 3A 3B 3C 3D 3E 3F 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 4A 4B 4C 4D 4E 4F 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 5A 5B 5C 5D 5E 5F 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 6A 6B 6C 6D 6E 6F"
SysexLoBitIndex_pt2 = Split (strSysexLoBitIndex_pt2, " ")
SysexParamChange2 = Array ("F0","3E","0E","00","20","00","01","00","00","F7")

For k = 0 to 85
SysexParamChange2 (7)= SysexLoBitIndex_pt2(k)
SysexParamChange2 (= sysex(sysexIndexUnmappedChannel1_pt2(k))

SysexParamOutput2 = Join (SysexParamChange2, " ")

mox.SendSysExString SysexParamOutput2
Mox.sleep(10)
Next

End If
End Sub

*edited for mistake in last batch of sysex messages (parameters 128-256) / 4 june 2011

[fozzie]

This CTRLR thing is some serious fun! I am going to make a panel that incorporates all ~240 parameters of the MWXT ” title=”Very Happy” />

[msepsis]

seriously exciting update, fozzie, thank you for posting this. I’m about to test out what you’ve posted!

here’s my latest 1.99 version if you’d like to pick up where I’ve left off for now.. I did a bit of work with the knobs in knobman – another VERY fun program ” title=”Smile” />
http://www.monstrumsepsis.com/ctrlr/mon … .99_RC.zip

the osc octave/semitone knobs aren’t perfectly representative just yet but they’re an improvement from what I had before with generic knobs for every attribute. I also haven’t assigned the appropriate knobs just yet for all the wave level knobs, basically anything that goes from -x to +x should have the XTKnob-+Grey.png resource… it’s there, just haven’t assigned it everywhere it goes.

Ok..

I have ctrls’s midi in port set to the port the xt is sending out to.
I have a preset in midi-ox w/ midi out port set to the port connected to the XT
i ran your text as a vbs script by clicking it (i have windows set to single click)
I get a window from midi-ox "Press OK to end MIDI loop"… i leave that alone,
I initiate a dump from the xt (shift+utility, shift+utility again to confirm)… and ctrlr crashes.

It seems if i set ctrlr’s midi in AND out ports to the ports connected to the xt i dont get a crash, and with the midi monitor open I do see the sysex message in both the in and out screen… but ctrlr does not update with the sysex dump.

….. hmmm… I know the XT’s Equipment ID is different from the XT PC… where in your script are you defining the Equipment ID? I can probably figure that out and will update here when i figure this out.. unfortunately I’m on my way out in a minute to get my suit tailored for my wedding ” title=”Smile” /> ahhhhh priorities !

Monstrum Media | Music, Sound & Software Design, Chicago / San Francisco listen

[msepsis]

SysexParamChange = Array ("F0","3E","0E","00","20","00","00","00","00","F7")
….
SysexParamChange2 = Array ("F0","3E","0E","00","20","00","01","00","00","F7")

any other instances? the third hex value defines the hw, the xtpc is 0E, the XT is 00… i changed those, still no dice. anything I might be missing?

—- wait.. no I’m wrong. I’m using the same "F0","3E","0E" prefix for the wave Time and Level knobs and indeed 0E is what the XT uses for its hw ID. I’m pretty sure they should use different IDs but it seems to work for your XT PC. I’ll have to investigate this when I have time to do so.. later on this eve.

Thanks for posting your work!

Monstrum Media | Music, Sound & Software Design, Chicago / San Francisco listen

[fozzie]

"msepsis":7qkuubmb wrote:

seriously exciting update, fozzie, thank you for posting this. I’m about to test out what you’ve posted!

here’s my latest 1.99 version if you’d like to pick up where I’ve left off for now.. I did a bit of work with the knobs in knobman – another VERY fun program ” title=”Smile” />
http://www.monstrumsepsis.com/ctrlr/mon … .99_RC.zip

the osc octave/semitone knobs aren’t perfectly representative just yet but they’re an improvement from what I had before with generic knobs for every attribute. I also haven’t assigned the appropriate knobs just yet for all the wave level knobs, basically anything that goes from -x to +x should have the XTKnob-+Grey.png resource… it’s there, just haven’t assigned it everywhere it goes.

Ok..

I have ctrls’s midi in port set to the port the xt is sending out to.
I have a preset in midi-ox w/ midi out port set to the port connected to the XT
i ran your text as a vbs script by clicking it (i have windows set to single click)
I get a window from midi-ox "Press OK to end MIDI loop"… i leave that alone,
I initiate a dump from the xt (shift+utility, shift+utility again to confirm)… and ctrlr crashes.

It seems if i set ctrlr’s midi in AND out ports to the ports connected to the xt i dont get a crash, and with the midi monitor open I do see the sysex message in both the in and out screen… but ctrlr does not update with the sysex dump.

….. hmmm… I know the XT’s Equipment ID is different from the XT PC… where in your script are you defining the Equipment ID? I can probably figure that out and will update here when i figure this out.. unfortunately I’m on my way out in a minute to get my suit tailored for my wedding ” title=”Smile” /> ahhhhh priorities ![/quote:7qkuubmb]

Ooh, I can see how you have some difficulties in making this a priority

The way I have set it up (and working at least roughly, didn’t check all details yet) is the output of MWPC (should be the same sysex as any other MWII/XT) going into MidiOx (not CTRLR, otherwise CTRLR gets the full long sysex patch dump string!!). MidiOx output goes (through a virtual midi pipe) to CTRLR input, CTRLR output should go back to MWPC, but probably wise to turn midi thru off for safety (midi loop danger).

The way this works is that MidiOx (through the vbscript) translates the one long sysex patch dump string into a series of separate CC and short sysex messages that CTRLR understands (and that you have already set up in the panel).

The sysex string you quoted is my ‘template’ sysex string that I modify in two ‘for..next’ loops to insert the correct location and parameter values. It should work identically for your MWXT. Note however that I made a mistake in my code of the second sysex loop (a one-off mistake) that messed up part of the sysex. It should be correct now (notice the edited post with the code).

I wish you all the best in preparing for the big day! I am currently working on a panel that has all the modifiers and other sysex stuff on it, I’ll post when it is getting somewhere near functional ” title=”Wink” />

[msepsis]

Ok I have things routed exactly how you stated- midiox input port is the same port the xt out is going to, then I’m using a midiyoke virtual midi port 1 out of midiox into ctrlr, then ctrlr goes back in to the XT. I have MIDI thru for the ctrlr panel turned off, and of course I’m using the midi in and midi out jack of the xt, not using the xt’s "thru" output jack.

When i initiate a sysex dump from the xt after launching midiox by running your script, a second later I see the dump appear in midiox’s input and output monitor as well as ctrlr’s input monitor, but no changes to the knobs on the panel in ctrlr. I press OK to "end MIDI loop" and still no update on the ctrlr panel’s knobs.

hmmmm… Am I understanding you correctly that you are following this same step-by-step, you’re using this same ctrlr panel that I have posted, the only difference is that you are using an XT PC? Are you using a specific ini set up for the XT PC in midi ox?

hmm.. my brain is feeling more creative than technical tonight so maybe i’ll just kick back and make some noise instead! ” title=”Cool” />

Monstrum Media | Music, Sound & Software Design, Chicago / San Francisco listen

[fozzie]

Hmm, I don’t know what is going wrong in your setup. In my case, the panel updates correctly now, even the sysex knobs.

In the midiox output monitor, do you see a long list of cc messages followed by a very long list of 10-byte sysex messages? If not, there is something going wrong in the midiox part before getting into CTRLR.

The ‘press OK to end midi loop’ should not be pressed, it is the way to end the script when all conversions are done. I guess that’s not really clear but a legacy from the midiox script example that I based the script on.

I’ll try to make some snapshots of my setup in Midiox and CTRLR, to clarify. One thing could be important as well: my setup is on an XP 32 bit computer. I have read that 64 bit OS have issues with midiox and virtual midi channels.

[fozzie]

Argh, just typed in a lenghty reply and then it got lost on submitting the message

Anyhow, I have attached / linked to a zip file containing a screenshot of my setup. It shows the midi setting of my MWPC software editor (which does not work well, hence the CTRLR activity), the midiox setup plus input/output after running a sysex patch dump into the script, and my CTRLR setup.
My scheme with midi yoke channels is a bit complex since my MWPC output has to go into a virtual midi cable, and I mix in a usb keyboard controller as well just before going to the MWPC Midi1 output, which leads back into the hardware PC module. One important thing is to have the Midiox event port connected to the virtual midi cable that is coupled to the CTRLR input (out to midi yoke 1 in my case). This event port is the source of the processed cc and short sysex messages, so that needs to be in place.

My setup is on 32 bit xp, midiox 7.0.0.365 and CTRLR build 504.

If it still doesn’t work, change line 21 of the script by deleting the apostrophe (‘) before MsgBox strSysEx. If you delete it, midiox will show the captured sysex patch dump in a screen message (click ‘ok’ to get rid of the message and continue the script). It should show a 256 byte message (the end of the message is not captured due to a limitation in sysex capture size, but this gives no problem since the last bytes only deal with patch name). On an older system I had problems years back that Midiox would only capture the last part of a message that is larger than 256 bytes. If this is the case, the problem is clear but I don’t know if it can be solved ” title=”Confused” />

Still, I hope it works for you with this info. Let me know.

[url:34kgcsoy]http://www.mediafire.com/?1utzb8w4ssodwjp[/url:34kgcsoy]
This URL links to a mediafire hosted zip file containing a png screen shot of the setup, the vbscript file that works for me and a horribly edited version of your 1.98 panel that contains the entire mod matrix but not at all matched to your layout, so just for reference / information.

[fozzie]

I think I read somewhere around here that you use Win7 64 bit, msepsis. If that is the case, you should try out whether loopbe1 or loopbe30 virtual midi cables work, there seem to be issues with the old familiar ones (midi yoke, etc) and 64 bit OS’s.

[msepsis]

Yep, i thought about that too – the win 7 / midi yoke thing. I hadn’t honestly installed midi yoke since win98, had to set UAC off to even install it on win 7, but it did seem to be receiving and sending the cc and sysex parameter changes through yoke port 1 into ctrlr, as I saw the messages in both the outgoing monitor of yoke and the in port monitor in ctrlr, just no panel update in ctrlr. I didn’t investigate the messages much further after your last post.

I’ll be looking at this part again late this evening, thanks a lot for all your efforts!

Monstrum Media | Music, Sound & Software Design, Chicago / San Francisco listen

[fozzie]

Not sure if it is useful to anyone but me, but here is a version of the panel of msepsis with the addition of the modmatrix and a few extra parameters. I have made the layout worse, so apologies for that. I want to have the complete patch overview for myself, that’s why I added the stuff, layout is less important to me right now.

[msepsis]

fozzie –
wow. it was quite awesome opening that last night and seeing all the added modulators!!!
I used the panel for a few hours then started thinking about some layouts to make this all fit, and look nice and allow for even more room for all the other modulators the XT is capable of.

I need to spend some time figuring out a way to make the User arp pattern trigger LEDs working.
The effects dropdown + parameter labeling approach you used was a really good idea. I was going to ask for a feature for labels which are dynamically set based on another modulator’s selection – would be nice but this does the trick for now.

I’m curious – just your subjective opinion – would you rather have a layout that spreads vertically or horizontally? I know people seem to be used to the "reason" type layout of emulating racked synths but for some reason on a computer monitor side scrolling seems more intuitive to me. I had started creating a mod matrix just where you had (on the right) on that last version of the panel you posted, now I notice it’s below, so I figured I’d ask.

In regards to your midiox script, all i can do is crash ctrlr. the crash occurs right after the dump is sent from midiox. I did take midiyoke out and put in loopbe30. I’m thinking (hoping) it’s an incompatibility between midiox and win7, although midiox seems to work just fine in other regards (as a midi monitoring device etc) – the web site clearly does not show win7 as a supported OS for midiox. I’m pretty darn certain I have things routed correctly, so I’m banking on this being a win7 issue. I might spend some time digging out my old xp system this week to give it a spin there.

Monstrum Media | Music, Sound & Software Design, Chicago / San Francisco listen

[fozzie]

With regard to the layout, I started with the mod matrix on the right side, but thought it was a bit unbalanced in connection to your current layout. Also, I thought this gave a better overview of the parameters.

The screen I work on with my DAW is a large one, so I don’t need to scroll at all, can even zoom in and still see everything. Personally, I don’t need much screen real estate for a virtual keyboard, or modwheel/breatch/foot controllers. Still, if I need to scroll, I personally prefer to go up/down.

It’s really unfortunate that the script doesn’t work. On my setup, it updates all parameters in the patch sequentially (I inserted 10millisec delays between separate cc and sysex messages to avoid a midi overload) and works really nice. I have started synthesis with a Nord modular, and ever since I have a need to have a graphical overview of how a patch is set up. This panel works very well in that respect, so thanks again for your work. If I can be of help in the midiox problem, let me know. I think the messagebox thing could help to see where the problem in midiox lies.

[msepsis]

so yes, your script works with the same setup in windows xp sp2. I spent since I got home till a few minutes ago getting a rather fresh xp install, sp2 from an HP I had in the corner set up w/ anything else it needed for this check against OSs…
just sent a patch dump from the xt to midi-ox, then out through yoke1 to ctrlr and watched each and every modulator update.

and my jaw DROPPED.

THAT is kick ass. Good work. and THANK you.

If atom is able to wrap something like this directly into ctrlr i think there will be quite a few jaws dropping.

I was really just curious of your opinion on side scrolling vs up/down scrolling.. I may put stuff in separate pages with tabs but its nice to have everything right there.
I too work on large monitors, except when i take it on the road w/ my laptop – i ride a bus to+fromwork for an hour each way so it’s good time spent on stuff like this ” title=”Smile” />
I think I probably started piling a modmatrix on the right side so i didn’t have to scroll on the laptop and there was a bunch of room there.. whatever, it’s time to make noise with this, not go overboard on the layout just yet.

but yeah i hope you don’t mind if i take what you posted there and work from there? I think this is awesome collaborative work that’s pretty damn fun to no end.

Thank you again for contributing your efforts to this panel.

I think I’m just going to watch this thing accept patch dumps for a while in awe

Monstrum Media | Music, Sound & Software Design, Chicago / San Francisco listen

[fozzie]

"msepsis":2o87t78n wrote:

but yeah i hope you don’t mind if i take what you posted there and work from there? I think this is awesome collaborative work that’s pretty damn fun to no end.
[/quote:2o87t78n]

Please do so. I like this kind of DIY collaborations and am happy to contribute. I take the liberty to modify things to my own liking so please do the same! We can discuss and enhance each other’s ideas, but I also don’t mind to do some tweaking to make ik to my own liking if we have different preferences.

I am excited that the script works on your XP setup! Cool, isn’t it, watching all the parameters update

[atom]

i don’t know what exactly does that VBS script. what LUA will do (and i’m close to that) is definetly enable program dump/send in sysex format and changing those programs to Ctrlr panel states.

[fozzie]

The vbscript receives a large sysex patchdump, takes out the separate parameter values (props for waldorf for their thorough sysex format & description) and transplants the value bytes into corresponding CC messages or (for parameters that have not been assigned to CC by Waldorf) into short 10 byte sysex parameter change messages. Since the CC and short sysex messages are handled by CTRLR, the script enables updating all controls in a panel from sending a single patch dump sysex message.

If CTRLR will be able to receive long sysex message and use the separate bytes in there to ‘feed’ CC or short sysex messages, the script will not be necessary any more.

[atom]

yup

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