Update IA button state for external midi device

[JPF]

Hi,


I'm still in the middle of my band setup and I would like to be able to pull this off but definitely need some advice.

A computer is sending MIDI messages (PC and CC) through the mastermind GT (remote in) to control a Axe FX 2 XL+ and a voice live rack. That part works flawlessly.

Now I want to have a visual representation of the different scenes of my Voice Live rack (called STEPS but it's the same as the scenes of the AXE FX)

I already created local pages per presets with custom IA button for each STEPS in the voice live's respective preset.

Now I can control the voice live by clicking on the buttons. that works but I have a couple of issues.

PROBLEM #1

When the computer is sending its midi messages through the mastermind GT, they don't reflect on the pedalboard. For the Axe FX it works but not for the Voice Live IA Button.

each button has these actions :

Voice Live rack / PC off:None on:0 (set the presets number 1)
Voice Live rack / CC Toggle #115 off:None on:0 (set the scene/step number 1)

The incoming message from the laptop is the same :

first a program change to preset 1
and then a CC to set the scene.

These commands work perfectly. The only thing is that the IA button don't get turned on each time a command comes in. And I've turned on CC LINK for all of them.

PROBLEM #2

I've grouped the buttons together so that when one is turned on all the others are not highlighted.
When I step on a IA BUTTON twice it turns another Voice Live preset on which is totally weird as I don't have any other command sending stuff to the voice live.

So a practical example /

I have 2 buttons VERSE and CHORUS
Each time I'm on CHORUS and want to get back on VERSE the button activates another presets
And I have to step on it a second time so that the actual scene gets activated.


Hope someone can help me out on this.
It's the last step to finalize my whole setup.

 

[rjmmusic]

The answer is probably to turn off "Send off messages" for the group number you're using. With it turned on, two buttons will send their messages when you change groups - the one that turns on, and the one that turns off. If you turn off Send Off Messages, only the button that's being turned on will send a message.

CC Link requires you to set up a Generic device for the sending computer, with MIDI port "Remote In" and set its channel to the same channel number that the incoming messages are being sent on. It's ok that it will be the same channel that the Voice Live is receiving on. Then, you need to add another CC action, that's the same as the one you're sending to the Voice Live, but have it send to the computer instead. This action needs to be first in the list, above the one that you're sending to the Voice Live. This should get the CC linked to the messages coming from the computer.

 

[JPF]

The answer is probably to turn off "Send off messages" for the group number you're using. With it turned on, two buttons will send their messages when you change groups - the one that turns on, and the one that turns off. If you turn off Send Off Messages, only the button that's being turned on will send a message.

CC Link requires you to set up a Generic device for the sending computer, with MIDI port "Remote In" and set its channel to the same channel number that the incoming messages are being sent on. It's ok that it will be the same channel that the Voice Live is receiving on. Then, you need to add another CC action, that's the same as the one you're sending to the Voice Live, but have it send to the computer instead. This action needs to be first in the list, above the one that you're sending to the Voice Live. This should get the CC linked to the messages coming from the computer.

Thanks @rjmmusic for getting back to me.

Turn off SEND OFF MESSAGES resolved my first issue. Now the buttons are not sending 2 different Midi messages anymore.
So no double taping required ! that's great thanks for that.

The CC LINK on the other end is still not working.
I did what you told me :

- Setting another Generic Device I called Voice Live Sync on the same channel as the receiving command channel which is Channel 6
Midi port : Remote IN
PC Offset : 0
Max PC : 127
Bank Type : No banks (should I put in on MSB like the actual voice live device setting ? I tried but didn't work either)
# of presets : 128 (should this be turn up to 400 to reflect the voice live presets counts ?)

Send PCs : ON
Ignore incoming PC : OFF
Send redundant PCs: OFF
Ignore incoming CC: OFF
send CCs on preset change : ON
Direct send PCs/CCs : ON

I've attached the setting for the test button I created called VERSE and the midi PC command coming from Logic.

On the mastermind GT IA BUTTON : VoiceLive Sync / PC off:None on:1
in Logic on 1 1 1 1 channel 6 PC 1

Is there something that I'm missing here ?

many thanks in advance

 

[JPF]

The answer is probably to turn off "Send off messages" for the group number you're using. With it turned on, two buttons will send their messages when you change groups - the one that turns on, and the one that turns off. If you turn off Send Off Messages, only the button that's being turned on will send a message.

CC Link requires you to set up a Generic device for the sending computer, with MIDI port "Remote In" and set its channel to the same channel number that the incoming messages are being sent on. It's ok that it will be the same channel that the Voice Live is receiving on. Then, you need to add another CC action, that's the same as the one you're sending to the Voice Live, but have it send to the computer instead. This action needs to be first in the list, above the one that you're sending to the Voice Live. This should get the CC linked to the messages coming from the computer.

Hi @rjmmusic any guidance to make this work would be highly appreciated.
I'm really stuck, tried different things but I can't seem to find what is wrong in the command that I'm sending vs the mastermind GT first line on the IA button.

 

[rjmmusic]

CC Link works with CCs, not PCs. There isn't currently any way to sync PCs. But, if you can get your computer to send a CC along with the PC, then the button will sync to that.

 

[JPF]

CC Link works with CCs, not PCs. There isn't currently any way to sync PCs. But, if you can get your computer to send a CC along with the PC, then the button will sync to that.

That's what I thought so I did another test on a button sending only a CC message.

On the IA BUTTON I have :
Voicelive Sync / CC Toggle #115 off:None on:1
From Logic comes the same message on the same channel

In my song, the midi is switching the voice FX so I have different commands coming up on Channel 6

CC Toggle #115 off:None on:0
CC Toggle #115 off:None on:1
CC Toggle #115 off:None on:2

and so forth

Am I wrong or this should work if each IA BUTTON has a command with this new generic device set to the same channel
and each button having the respective command on the first line in the IA actions ?

is there maybe something in the settings that could screw this up ?

 

[rjmmusic]

It doesn't link based on the values in the action, the conditions are:

Given an incoming CC message
- There has to be a MIDI device defined on the channel of the incoming message
- And the MIDI device has "Ignore Incoming CCs" turned off
- And the button has CC Link turned on
- And the button does not have IA Cycle turned on
- And the first action is a CC Toggle action matching the incoming CC number
- then, turn the button on if the cc value is between 64 and 127, and turn the button off if the cc value is between 0 and 63

Following the actual value in the CC action is something I'll look at for the future, it could be useful, I admit.

 

[JPF]

It doesn't link based on the values in the action, the conditions are:

Given an incoming CC message
- There has to be a MIDI device defined on the channel of the incoming message
- And the MIDI device has "Ignore Incoming CCs" turned off
- And the button has CC Link turned on
- And the button does not have IA Cycle turned on
- And the first action is a CC Toggle action matching the incoming CC number
- then, turn the button on if the cc value is between 64 and 127, and turn the button off if the cc value is between 0 and 63

Following the actual value in the CC action is something I'll look at for the future, it could be useful, I admit.

Ok I think I get it now. I thought I had to send over the same command that actually controls the button.
But I just need to send a CC command before anything else that turns the button ON or OFF
I will give it a try tomorrow and get back here with the result. Might be helpful for someone else.
Thanks

 

[JPF]

Hi @rjmmusic

Just wanted to report back after applying your precious help on my setup.
It was tedious because I had a few songs to cover but it's working flawlessly.

Maybe somebody might find this useful:

The solution is to send a Midi CC to the Mastermind on a specific channel.
I chose Channel 7 as it was unused by other gear.
My midi timeline sends appropriate midi CCs on channel 7 each time I'm changing a preset on my voice live (on channel 6)

I've duplicated my MIDI CC messages from the Channel 6 to Channel 7 (to have the right timing for each command)
then replaced the CC messages (from Ch6) with custom CC Toggle :

in Logic (or other DAW) :

Ch7 CC 1 Value 127 (for my effect 1)
Ch7 CC 2 Value 127 (for my effect 2)
Ch7 CC 3 Value 127 (for my effect 3)
...

I don't need to send a OFF Value as I've grouped the IA buttons on the Mastermind to turn each other OFF.

on the Mastermind GT :

Create a generic Midi device, in my case, on Channel 7.
Midi Port : Remote in (so the device is actually listening to the midi CC coming into the mastermind GT)
Ignore incoming CC : OFF

Create a IA Button and the first command should be the one to control the ON and OFF Status of the button.

EFFECT 1: Device name / CC Toggle #1 off:0 on:127
EFFECT 2: Device name / CC Toggle #2 off:0 on:127
EFFECT 3: Device name / CC Toggle #3 off:0 on:127
...

Each IA Button is on GROUP 1 with SEND OFF MESSAGES set to OFF