PBC w/ Strymon Nixie App

sread

sread

Active Member
Anyone tried to connect to the Strymon Nixie Beta through the PBC? The app supposedly lets you connect multiple units through the same midi path and make editing changes/preset backups.

http://www.strymon.net/nixie-public-beta/

I had the dream of being able to connect a single USB cable to the PBC and edit patch changes for the PBC and Strymon units with just one cable (I know probably a dream)....onwards....

Think this is possible? As far as I can wrap my mind around the possibility, it sounds like you'd end up creating a midi feedback loop if you brought a midi cable back to the input back to the PBC in order to make the PBC a midi interface for all the devices in the midi thru-loop.

Please excuse my midi ignorance if so. Just thought I'd throw it out there since I see so many PBC users utilizing the Strymon pedals.

Thanks!

Sam
 
I hadn't heard of that app until now, but I can already see what it would require. Right now, what you suggest isn't possible, but could be done in a future firmware upgrade. What's required is to make the PBC act as a USB to MIDI converter, allowing a computer connected to the PBC's USB B port to send and receive MIDI through the PBC's MIDI ports. I'll think about that...
 
Thanks so much, Ron! I'm sure there's quite a few PBC users out there that'd love that addition. Very appreciative for all your time and effort!
 
Another +1!

I hadn't heard of that app either so this thread has been very informative as it is, and having the PBC be able to serve as an interface for it would be huge.
 
Yeah that would be awesome to have the capability to use the PBC as a USB to MIDI converter. As it stands I have to pull cables out of my strymons to use this software... would be nice to keep everything all together.
 
+1 I use the timeline and bigsky with my mastermind pbc and have been debating adding on a mobius. This option would be fantastic.
 
Okay guys, have an update! While Ron works on a more permanent 1 cable solution in the software (and Ron if you are ever in Washington, give me a ring, beer is on me for all the hard work you put in) I found a way to get things up and running...

This solution requires your normal USB 2.0 cable to connect to the PBC and some sort of midi interface. I used an M-Audio Uno USB to midi interface. I'm sure you could also use an audio interface that has Midi I/O included.

It's fairly simple on the software side. You need to go to the Midi tab on the PBC Editor and enable "Midi Merge". This basically allows you to send midi information from the Strymon App through the USB cable then converts the signal to midi on the midi out of the PBC.

As usaual you string your midi devices together. But on the last midi out (for me it's my Big Sky) I connect the Midi Out of the midi USB interface to the Midi Out of the Big Sky or whatever is last in your chain.

So, you do not connect the Midi IN of the midi interface to the PBC input, only connect the midi interface to the output of your last pedal in the chain.

The genius here is that Ron allowed the PBC to act as a converter on the MIDI send and change USB to Midi on the output Midi of the PBC. I tried connecting the Midi send to the input of the PBC and the pedals did not like it. It created a midi feedback loop like I thought and the Strymon App was competing between the send of the PBC USB-Midi against the Midi interface.

This method seems to work for me and I have all three Strymon Units working and syncing to Nixie. Give it a try!
 
Oh man +1 here! That would be an INCREDIBLE Firmware addition! Thanks for your care Ron! My PBC has made my music life just too much fun!
 
sread said:
Okay guys, have an update! While Ron works on a more permanent 1 cable solution in the software (and Ron if you are ever in Washington, give me a ring, beer is on me for all the hard work you put in) I found a way to get things up and running...

This solution requires your normal USB 2.0 cable to connect to the PBC and some sort of midi interface. I used an M-Audio Uno USB to midi interface. I'm sure you could also use an audio interface that has Midi I/O included.

It's fairly simple on the software side. You need to go to the Midi tab on the PBC Editor and enable "Midi Merge". This basically allows you to send midi information from the Strymon App through the USB cable then converts the signal to midi on the midi out of the PBC.

As usaual you string your midi devices together. But on the last midi out (for me it's my Big Sky) I connect the Midi Out of the midi USB interface to the Midi Out of the Big Sky or whatever is last in your chain.

So, you do not connect the Midi IN of the midi interface to the PBC input, only connect the midi interface to the output of your last pedal in the chain.

The genius here is that Ron allowed the PBC to act as a converter on the MIDI send and change USB to Midi on the output Midi of the PBC. I tried connecting the Midi send to the input of the PBC and the pedals did not like it. It created a midi feedback loop like I thought and the Strymon App was competing between the send of the PBC USB-Midi against the Midi interface.

This method seems to work for me and I have all three Strymon Units working and syncing to Nixie. Give it a try!
Click to expand...
Michael - if I use a Midi solutions box (Out from my PBC into the Midi Solutions Quadra out to my TimeLine & Big Sky) which means no MIDI daisy chain... what would I plug into the Midi Out of the M-Audio Uno??
 
sread said:
Okay guys, have an update! While Ron works on a more permanent 1 cable solution in the software (and Ron if you are ever in Washington, give me a ring, beer is on me for all the hard work you put in) I found a way to get things up and running...

This solution requires your normal USB 2.0 cable to connect to the PBC and some sort of midi interface. I used an M-Audio Uno USB to midi interface. I'm sure you could also use an audio interface that has Midi I/O included.

It's fairly simple on the software side. You need to go to the Midi tab on the PBC Editor and enable "Midi Merge". This basically allows you to send midi information from the Strymon App through the USB cable then converts the signal to midi on the midi out of the PBC.

As usaual you string your midi devices together. But on the last midi out (for me it's my Big Sky) I connect the Midi Out of the midi USB interface to the Midi Out of the Big Sky or whatever is last in your chain.

So, you do not connect the Midi IN of the midi interface to the PBC input, only connect the midi interface to the output of your last pedal in the chain.

The genius here is that Ron allowed the PBC to act as a converter on the MIDI send and change USB to Midi on the output Midi of the PBC. I tried connecting the Midi send to the input of the PBC and the pedals did not like it. It created a midi feedback loop like I thought and the Strymon App was competing between the send of the PBC USB-Midi against the Midi interface.

This method seems to work for me and I have all three Strymon Units working and syncing to Nixie. Give it a try!
Click to expand...

I dont know what Im doing wrong here but I think I followed your steps correctly and I just cant get it to work. Does it matter that I use a Mac maybe? I also use a midi thru box but I have disconnected that and daisy chained all my midi pedals and it still doesn't work for me. I use a Creative EMU XMIDI 1X1 which works if I just connect straight to it.
 
sergicalhands said:
I dont know what Im doing wrong here but I think I followed your steps correctly and I just cant get it to work. Does it matter that I use a Mac maybe? I also use a midi thru box but I have disconnected that and daisy chained all my midi pedals and it still doesn't work for me. I use a Creative EMU XMIDI 1X1 which works if I just connect straight to it.
Click to expand...

Haven't tried this yet, but a Mac shouldn't be a problem. I'll try to find some time to try it in the lab.
 
rjmmusic said:
Haven't tried this yet, but a Mac shouldn't be a problem. I'll try to find some time to try it in the lab.
Click to expand...

I finally got it to work. But the only way I got to work was not having my PBC connected to the PBC editor. I just plugged my MIDI interface from my Macbook to the MIDI IN on the PBC to the last MIDI pedal in the chain. Even with that I think its great! Especially now that I can have my H9 Control on too!!!
 
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