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has anyone tried their pd1 with an iConnect MIDI2+?


Mike Edwards

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  • 6 months later...
On 12/30/2016 at 5:16 AM, MIDI said:

It seems like this probably won't get answered. May have to test it yourself, unfortunately. Still you can return the iconnect if it doesn't. Good luck!

 

On 6/17/2016 at 7:34 AM, Mike Edwards said:

Hi,

 

I think I would like to try using my pd1 to sequence my volca keys and beats. I would prefer to use the midi+ as it is cheaper and does more than the kenton. Can anyone confirm it will work?

 

http://www.juno.co.uk/products/iconnectivity-iconnect-midi2-lightning-edition-interface/555535-01/

 

Kind regards,

Mike

 

So before you go wasting your money (like I was going to), I hooked up the XW-PD1 to my laptop hoping to test out its midi functionality.  I intended to use the pd1 to control my meeblip anode.  I wanted to ditch the laptop, so I was looking at the iconnectmidi4+.  Before I spent the money on the iconnectmidi4, I wanted to make sure i could accomplish what I wanted to via midi.  Sadly, I couldn't figure out a way to send a specific BANK to a specific Midi Channel.  What this basically means is that if you want to send sequencer data from one bank to one external instrument and utilize the other 3 banks for internal sounds, you can't.  All 4 banks will be sending your midi instrument notes at the same time.

 

In an even more upsetting way, when you go into Midi mode on the XW-PD1, it disables all sequencer, bank, and pattern functionality.  In the Midi mode, you can control 16 different instruments (you can assign 16 different channels using the PD! software editor), but you are limited to the 16 notes/pads per midi channel.  It's probably hard to understand just reading my poor explanation here on the forum, but basically, in midi mode, I can send notes to my Meeblip manually, in real time.  A range of 16 notes mind you, and I can't change octaves.  I can't sequence the notes either.

 

Midi was an afterthought on this thing.  Don't know why they bothered with the USB port.

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thanks for the write up. I haven't usb midi'd my PD1 yet but I intend to. Surely in terms of receiving midi, each bank is on it's own midi channel? Are you saying the sequencer plays each bank on the same midi channel? I should check it for myself but I am curious as you have it all hooked up. Love your gear by the way. Casio and Meebleep ftw 

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28 minutes ago, Mike Edwards said:

thanks for the write up. I haven't usb midi'd my PD1 yet but I intend to. Surely in terms of receiving midi, each bank is on it's own midi channel? Are you saying the sequencer plays each bank on the same midi channel? I should check it for myself but I am curious as you have it all hooked up. Love your gear by the way. Casio and Meebleep ftw 

 

26 minutes ago, Mike Edwards said:

another thought. I was meaning to check this as well. If the trackformer software unlocks all of the hidden editing potential, doesn't that mean it is totally configurable via sysex? How else could they communicate?

 

hey Mike, thanks, the gear is fun, I literally just started doing the hardware thing like a month ago.  In late October, I was about to order a Meeblip Triode but decided to check Craigslist and someone had just listed an Anode, I couldn't believe my eyes, picked it up locally for $70.  In any case, I really envisioned a setup where I could control 1, 2,or 3 hardware synths on 1, 2, or 3 of the banks with the PD1 as the sequencing brains, and use maybe like the 4th bank for drums. 

 

I just tore down my setup last night, but I'll probably be setting it up every weekend.  If you go to the download area for the editor, it will let you download the editor itself, but there will also be a download button for the manual of the editor.  In fact, I think you can run the editor without having the PD1 hooked up.  You should check it out, it will give you a really good idea of what you can program. 

 

From what I discovered (or didn't discover), when NOT in Midi mode, all the Banks send to all midi channels.  So basically, I had my Meeblip set to channel 2, 3, or 4, and it would still receive midi from any of the banks on the PD1, which is not good.  The only way to set a channel for midi out is in the editor, in Midi config mode, the 16 step sequencer buttons can each get a Midi channel assignment.  So you can enter Midi mode, select the first "page" by pressing the 1st step sequence button, then you get 16 pads sending midi out to channel 1, and you press 2, you get the 16 pads sending midi out to channel 2, and so on and so forth.  This is pretty useless IMO.  I could be missing something though, but I don't think I am.  I was also pretty shocked/disappointed that there's no start/stop via midi or CC (for the master transport controls).  I know there's no Midi sync, but I thought well hey, at least I'll be able to set the BPM then have the DAW or whatever other external sequencer and the PD1 start simultaneously just by pressing start on the PD1 or the DAW.  Unfortunately, I don't think there's a way to do this.  You literally just have to start the PD1 and whatever other gear manually on the downbeat, which is both cool and annoying at the same time.

 

I'll update the thread if I have some big breakthrough.

 

PD1 jamming with Meeblip Anode

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