Boomerang 3 MIDI control?

[go2ldook]

Wondering if someone here can help me who knows more about Midi than I. I have set up presets to send CC messages to devices before, so I understand how to create "Actions". I have a need to trigger a loop to start when I choose a new Preset. I am able to start and stop loops on my Timeline, but would like to do this with my Boomerang looper. Did not think it was possible, but when I asked support at Boomerang whether they might expand their Midi capabilities beyond Midi sync, they indicated no plans to do that, but then said this:
"The Boomerang will listen to a Play/Stop/All command from another MIDI device when said device is sending MIDI Clock to the Rang. But, the other controls inside the “brain” of the Rang, can’t be controlled as CC information buy third party MIDI controllers. "

So, ok....that sounds like something. I turned on the Midi clock for the PBC and chose a song. I set the Boomerang to channel 16, which is what their manual says. But how do I create a Start and Stop action? From what I read this is not a CC command but a "system common" command. When I choose "system" under the actions menu, that looks like it pertains to the PBC.

Or am I just way off and there is no way to trigger the Boomerang to start playing?

 

[BrendanFrangers]

4 years later I am here to give you what you were looking for.

I went on the same journey a few months ago to figure out if I could control my Boomerang via MIDI and I got it to work. You will need a controller that can send Sysex messages.

Here is the write up I did about it for reddit.

Brother Sync (transmit and receive, MIDI SysEx format)
Erase Tap: F0 00 1F 7F 0F 03 F7
Play/Stop All: F0 00 1F 7F 0F 08 F7
LB3 Tap: F0 00 1F 7F 0F 12 F7
Loop3 Start: F0 00 1F 7F 0F 13 F7


These are the MIDI messages in SysEx format that the Boomerang sends when in Brother Sync with another Boomerang III."

Now I will add a note here about some of the functions and how they all work, as my testing has found.
LB3 Tap is the same as using the Loop 3 button on the 'Rang.
With no loop recorded, it will start recording. Sending again will stop recording and begin playback. Sending again will stop playback and any further uses will respectively start and stop playback.

Loop3 Start is redundant and shouldn't be needed. It will not start recording if there is no loop currently in Loop 3, it can only be used to start playback of an already recorded loop or stop recording and start playback for a loop currently being recorded. Sending again will not stop playback. Basically useless as LB3 Tap does all this and more.

Erase Tap will enter an erase command, allowing you to then select a stopped loop to delete using the buttons on the 'Rang.
Alternatively after sending Erase Tap you can send LB3 Tap or Loop3 Start to select Loop 3 for deletion.

Play/Stop All will start or stop playback of all recorded loops.

One very important thing to note about these functions is that they will only work if you are starting from a totally blank set up.
If you have any loops recorded, or are in the progress of recording any, that were started by using the buttons directly on the 'Rang, then the 'Rang will not respond to any MIDI signals at all. My guess is that beginning recording directly on a unit designates that unit as the Master.

However, if you start from a blank slate and the first loop you record is via MIDI controls, then you can proceed to record other loops directly using the 'Rang, or trigger other functions on the unit, and the MIDI signals will all still function correctly.

 

[rjmmusic]

Thanks for the detailed information! I'm sure that'll be helpful for some people in the future.

 

[tcguitar]

4 years later I am here to give you what you were looking for.

I went on the same journey a few months ago to figure out if I could control my Boomerang via MIDI and I got it to work. You will need a controller that can send Sysex messages.

Here is the write up I did about it for reddit.

Brother Sync (transmit and receive, MIDI SysEx format)
Erase Tap: F0 00 1F 7F 0F 03 F7
Play/Stop All: F0 00 1F 7F 0F 08 F7
LB3 Tap: F0 00 1F 7F 0F 12 F7
Loop3 Start: F0 00 1F 7F 0F 13 F7


These are the MIDI messages in SysEx format that the Boomerang sends when in Brother Sync with another Boomerang III."

Now I will add a note here about some of the functions and how they all work, as my testing has found.
LB3 Tap is the same as using the Loop 3 button on the 'Rang.
With no loop recorded, it will start recording. Sending again will stop recording and begin playback. Sending again will stop playback and any further uses will respectively start and stop playback.

Loop3 Start is redundant and shouldn't be needed. It will not start recording if there is no loop currently in Loop 3, it can only be used to start playback of an already recorded loop or stop recording and start playback for a loop currently being recorded. Sending again will not stop playback. Basically useless as LB3 Tap does all this and more.

Erase Tap will enter an erase command, allowing you to then select a stopped loop to delete using the buttons on the 'Rang.
Alternatively after sending Erase Tap you can send LB3 Tap or Loop3 Start to select Loop 3 for deletion.

Play/Stop All will start or stop playback of all recorded loops.

One very important thing to note about these functions is that they will only work if you are starting from a totally blank set up.
If you have any loops recorded, or are in the progress of recording any, that were started by using the buttons directly on the 'Rang, then the 'Rang will not respond to any MIDI signals at all. My guess is that beginning recording directly on a unit designates that unit as the Master.

However, if you start from a blank slate and the first loop you record is via MIDI controls, then you can proceed to record other loops directly using the 'Rang, or trigger other functions on the unit, and the MIDI signals will all still function correctly.

Thanks for all this info! I'm also working on integrating my Boomerang into a MIDI setup. Do you know if there are SysEx commands corresponding to any other functions? LB1 Tap (or LB2) would be particularly useful.