PBC w/ Strymon Nixie App

[rjmmusic]

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!!!

There should be some setting in the Nixie app that specifies which MIDI port it uses - when the PBC is plugged in, check to see if Nixie is set to use your MIDI interface. The PBC also appears as a MIDI interface, and the app might be trying to communicate with it instead.

 

[Terry Richalds]

Uno's MIDI out goes to the MIDI In on the PBC. Be sure to turn on MIDI Merge on the PBC.

So to completely understand... I can have my PBC MIDI OUT feed a cable to my Midi Solutions Quadra Thru which feeds separate cables to the MIDI INs of my Strymon TimeLine and Big Sky... and then I can run an M-Audio UNO from the USB connection on my Mac and plug the MIDI Out into the Mastermind PBC's MIDI IN jack? And with MIDI Merge engaged in the PBC I am good to configure my Strymon's patches in Nixie through the Uno - through the PBC - through the Quadra Thru - TO my Strymon's? If so - my mind will splode.

 

[Rick in TN]

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!

THANK YOU!

This works perfectly.....Nixie sees all the Strymons...PBC Editor sees the PBC.......PCB is connected by Midi to all Strymons

Couldn't get that to work until I UN-connected the midi interface midi-out that I had going into my PCB midi-in (Nixie would open but then shut down)

using Win7...Roland UM 1-MK2 midi interface....

 

[Cody Perrin]

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!

Hey! can you explain this a little more? for some reason I was able to get the midi devices read and backed up (only with the pbc connected through the editor). but for some reason anytime I would send changes in names or parameters on it would not read them. I am using a Mio for my interface. My last midi pedal is the strymon big sky. So I just unplug the big sky midi out and plug in the midi out from my Mio into the midi out on the strymon? Thanks for your help!

 

[Rick in TN]

Hey! can you explain this a little more? for some reason I was able to get the midi devices read and backed up (only with the pbc connected through the editor). but for some reason anytime I would send changes in names or parameters on it would not read them. I am using a Mio for my interface. My last midi pedal is the strymon big sky. So I just unplug the big sky midi out and plug in the midi out from my Mio into the midi out on the strymon? Thanks for your help!

You shouldn't have anything to unplug from your midi out on Big Sky if it was your last pedal. Simply set PBC to midi merge and plug in your midi/usb interface into the midi out of Big Sky. Make certain you have all the midi settings correct on each midi controlled pedal in your midi loop from PCB. It works perfectly for me.

****your midi out plug from your midi/usb interface goes into your (last pedal in midi chain)midi out..........the midi in plug from your midi/usb interface is not used

 

[Cody Perrin]

You shouldn't have anything to unplug from your midi out on Big Sky if it was your last pedal. Simply set PBC to midi merge and plug in your midi/usb interface into the midi out of Big Sky. Make certain you have all the midi settings correct on each midi controlled pedal in your midi loop from PCB. It works perfectly for me.

****your midi out plug from your midi/usb interface goes into your (last pedal in midi chain)midi out..........the midi in plug from your midi/usb interface is not used

Hmm okay i'll check it out. It seems that the nixie app only works for me when the PBC Editor open and connected to the device; and then it reads all the strymon (i.e. I can back up and see the presets), but anytime I try to rename/ edit the presets an hit "write" on the nixie app, it doesn't change any of the edits I have made on the strymon units. I'll test some things out again and see if it works. Thanks again for the help Rick!

 

[sread]

Interesting that you can connect to the devices but not write the programs. The only change in Ron's software is the midi merge. Maybe the firmware updates on the Strymons changed a global setting or something on the physical units. I'll look in to it and see if I can replicate.
Glad to hear this method is working for others!

 

[Tim]

I'm way behind the curve on this concept (just got the board working and have been entering preset data like a madman and surely don't want to lose it ... then I stumbled upon this link when "Google-ing Nixie" after viewing the Strymon site). And, I would like anybody to double-check me on the concept and connections ... please and thanks. See attachments.

And, has anybody realized any "glitches" from the Beta versions? Thanks.

 

[Rick in TN]

I have the midi/usb interface going to my computer rather than the PBC. Also a 2nd USB from the PBC going to the computer (original connection for the Editor before Nixie). But maybe your way is better...never tried that.

Anybody else weigh in?

 

[Tim]

I have the midi/usb interface going to my computer rather than the PBC. Also a 2nd USB from the PBC going to the computer (original connection for the Editor before Nixie). But maybe your way is better...never tried that.

Anybody else weigh in?

I haven't tried it yet ... just verifying I'm on the right track ... please don't follow me, yet! I'm just trying to diagram "sread's" instructions. I will correct my diagram once I get all the feedback and I am sure it's right.

"DO NOT SEEK THE TREASURE" ... just yet!

 

[Tim]

Rick,

Is this what you've got?

 

[Rick in TN]

Rick,

Is this what you've got?

Yes

 

[Tim]

Yes

Thanx ... I'll give it a try this evening.

 

[Tim]

Thanx ... I'll give it a try this evening.

I've got it connected exactly as shown in this posts attached diagram BUT Nixie does not see my devices ... am I missing a step? I'm using a M-Audio Midisport 2x2 (all I've got for a MIDI interface just laying around right now). If it's the interface, let me know and I'll order a Roland UM-One or an M-Audio Uno. Any ideas anybody?

 

[Rick in TN]

I've got it connected exactly as shown in this posts attached diagram BUT Nixie does not see my devices ... am I missing a step? I'm using a M-Audio Midisport 2x2 (all I've got for a MIDI interface just laying around right now). If it's the interface, let me know and I'll order a Roland UM-One or an M-Audio Uno. Any ideas anybody?

That's exactly how mine is set only I'm using the Roland UM-1. I can open Nixie and PCB Editor any time and make changes.

Someone else might weigh in something else.

 

[Tim]

That's exactly how mine is set only I'm using the Roland UM-1. I can open Nixie and PCB Editor any time and make changes.

Someone else might weigh in something else.

I still can't get Nixie to see my Big 3 as diagramed. So, I tested the M-Audio Midisport 2x2 by connecting to each Strymon device individually (as described on the Strymon website ... Ins to Outs and Outs to Ins with regard to device to interface and interface to device) and alas Nixie sees my Strymon devices just fine individually, and then prompts me to update the Firmware, which I did on each device. Then, I tried to connect once again as diagrammed in my last post and Nixie still does not see my Big 3. MIDI all works correctly otherwise. I've built custom pages using the PBC editor to page through the Presets for each device and that works perfectly.

I guess I'll finish with my custom preset data entry and then tackle this problem down-the-road once Nixie goes live as opposed to Beta.

 

[Rick in TN]

Hmmn....I went back and double checked mine to be certain mine was set up as yours is. When you take the the PBC out of the equation with yours NIXIE works for you. I would assume the problem lies between your midi interface and the PBC for some reason (if I understand how you explained it correctly). For some reason the PBC isn't working well with the M-Audio interface.

 

[Tim]

Hmmn....I went back and double checked mine to be certain mine was set up as yours is. When you take the the PBC out of the equation with yours NIXIE works for you. I would assume the problem lies between your midi interface and the PBC for some reason (if I understand how you explained it correctly). For some reason the PBC isn't working well with the M-Audio interface.

Thanks Rick ... I'm thinking I should just order another MIDI interface (a commonly used one on this form) using and that way I won't be mixing apples and oranges ... I appreciate you taking the time and looking at it. I'll keep playing with it to see if I can discover why it's not communicating with the PBC ... and then when the new MIDI interface arrives, I'll give you an update, thanks again!

Should I get it working, I'll post it immediately with what was wrong.

 

[Rick in TN]

Sounds good. When NIXIE came out they suggested 1 of 2 different interfaces that they knew worked correctly. I had an M-Audio interface but it was a couple of years old. I just ordered the Roland before I even tried anything and it worked perfectly from the get-go. Although I have seen a few people say they have gotten other interfaces to work eventually. I have $5000 worth of pedals and boards so I wasn't going to let a $30 interface be a hangup. Please let me know whatever you get figured out.

 

[Tim]

Sounds good. When NIXIE came out they suggested 1 of 2 different interfaces that they knew worked correctly. I had an M-Audio interface but it was a couple of years old. I just ordered the Roland before I even tried anything and it worked perfectly from the get-go. Although I have seen a few people say they have gotten other interfaces to work eventually. I have $5000 worth of pedals and boards so I wasn't going to let a $30 interface be a hangup. Please let me know whatever you get figured out.

Good advice, I've got a hefty amount invested in pedals too and if $30 is getting in my way, I'm quite foolish ... I will remedy that problem immediately after I post this reply ... thanks again Rick. Keep you posted.