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How to use XW-G1 Sliders & Knobs as Software Controllers in DAW Virtual Instruments???


GeeWon
Go to solution Solved by Korakios,

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Hi All,

 

The XW-G1 has a nice complement of 9 sliders and 4 knobs. Can I and how do I use these sliders and knobs to control computer virtual instrument parameters?

 

For example - in Rob Papen Blue Software Synth you right click on a virtual knobs and engage "Midi Learn" or "Latch To Midi"

Then you simply turn a hardware knob on your hardware controller and the software "connects" to the particular hardware knob or slider.

 

Does the XW-G1 not output the midi signal from the knobs and sliders? I get nothing going out to my software from the G1.  Any tips?

 

If by chance the G1 doesn't currently do this, it would be amazing to have this feature added in a firmware update..... a shame to have the knobs and sliders only work internally in the G1.

 

Thanks very much :-)

 

Cheers,

GeeWon

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The 4 knobs on the XW-G1 transmit MIDI signals, the sliders do not. The XW-P1 transmits on both the knobs and when in drawbar mode also the sliders. You need to make sure the performance selected using the knobs/sliders(P1).. also think they need to be sending a MIDI CC.. then you can use the MIDI learn to map them.  Hope this helps. 

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  • 5 weeks later...

Also, the P1's sliders send NRPN data while in Hex Layer mode, although it might not be usable. See this post: http://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/44-nrpns-in-hex-layer-mode/#entry249.

It's unfortunate that the G1's sliders don't transmit MIDI data at all. An oversight on Casio's part, no doubt about it. Not that the P1's implementation is all that more usable.

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The future that might have been (from this post by Mike Martin on Gearslutz dated February 24, 2012)

The XW-P1 works with well with other MIDI gear and CAN function as a USB controller for your computer software. A few things to note:

1. The slider CC#'s are fixed (they can't be changed). In just about any software application these can be mapped to control parameters in software.

In Mike's defense I'm sure he wasn't made aware of the limitations for using the sliders until later.

 

BTW, according to the MIDI implementation document (page 14) the rightmost sliders that control the "A" and "B" effect parameters for tones other than drawbar organ can also apparently send out CCs when you are playing such a tone. But because the DSP parameter numbers that are assigned to "A" and "B" differ with each effect, the CC numbers the sliders send out probably also differ with each effect. So once again not very useful.

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The future that might have been (from this post by Mike Martin on Gearslutz dated February 24, 2012)

In Mike's defense I'm sure he wasn't made aware of the limitations for using the sliders until later.

 

BTW, according to the MIDI implementation document (page 14) the rightmost sliders that control the "A" and "B" effect parameters for tones other than drawbar organ can also apparently send out CCs when you are playing such a tone. But because the DSP parameter numbers that are assigned to "A" and "B" differ with each effect, the CC numbers the sliders send out probably also differ with each effect. So once again not very useful.

I use this method when I am using a keyboard as a controller only:

- Load in a patch that uses all the controls.. ie. each knob / slider sends out MIDI CC's

- Map using MIDI learn, etc. to the soft synth you want to control

- Turn off local control if need be

- Save this as a new patch using the name of the softsynth / app it is set-up to control

- You may need to save a custom set-up in your software program.. just call it the name of the keyboard used.

Now when you need to control the app/VSTi, just call up the patch.  Hope this is helpful.

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That's useful. One caveat for the XW if you want to turn local control off: The global setting for local control isn't saved per performance (as far as I can tell) and it turns ALL control of the internal sound sources on and off, including events from the step sequencer. Use instead the local control that is provided for each zone in a performance (the "Gen Out" parameter on page E-76 of the G1's user manual, page E-66 of the P1's manual). Alternatively, you could just turn the volume of the Zone(s) you don't want to hear to zero.

Obviously, a drawbar organ tone is going to be the one you want to start from if you require that more than two sliders send out CC data (so of course P1 only). And the CC numbers that get sent out when you have a drawbar organ tone selected are quantized to nine values (see page 103 of the MIDI implementation guide); a bit of a bummer but that's the way it is.

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  • 1 year later...
  • Solution

THERE IS A WORKAROUND SO THE SLIDERS CAN SEND MIDI CC (and use the G1 sliders for controlling a virtual synth in your PC) :)

 

First turn local off. Then make sure that all parts send  midi to the output .  (PERFORMANCE->EDIT->MIDI->Midi_Out).

 

Assign the Rotary Knobs (not the sliders) a MidiCC  ,to control  whatever you like and SAVE the patch.

 

Now goto MIXER and select volume (or pan ,tune etc). Magic vodoo ,the sliders transmit MidiCC (with visual feedback on the Screen!). B)

 

Use a midi CC mapper (I personally use Bome's MidiTranslator) and assign / re-map  the CC messages to whatever you like.

 

Happy jamming :D

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  • 8 months later...

Hi,

I need your feedback. I am working on a simple Puredata patch for making a universal XG-G1 cross platform midi translator .

I bumped into a hardware issue: when moving the sliders on mixer mode ,then the knobs and the keys transmit midi ,on a midi channel based on which slider is moved.

A quick thought is to ignore that and force the keys and knobs on one selectable channel.

This is where the XW sequencer becomes useless. Can't use the sequencer for controlling a soft synth drum machine and play a solo on another soft synth at the same time ,because midi out would be on the same channel...

A workaround is to use a separate usb midi interface and drive the step sequencer from the physical midi outs.

I plan making ,only the first 8 sliders ,assignable and leave the virtual 9-16 as they are. This means that the step sequencer can use midi channel 9 to 16 (imo more than enough) and have the 8 physical sliders controlling whatever you want...

Your thoughts please !

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  • 4 years later...

Here is a very important topic! I was impressed with the configuration Korakios describes for using the sliders, which I only saw in examples with P1. I made a request for a box of Midi Split (Midi Combo) with one input, 4 outputs and one dyn output. The intention is to use G1 as a Midi control center to mix a Minilogue keyboard and a synth-rack pro1 behringer clone in the future. But I need to know if it's worth the investment so that I can use the sliders to mix them like I would on a soundboard.

I wonder if in this case the midi parameters would be these:

Device ID: All  /  Basic Chanel: 1 /  Midi Out Set: Midi  /  USB Out Sel: Key /  Midi in: Off /  USB in: On /  Sync Mode: On /  Perform: On /  S. Seq: On /  Phrase: On /  Arp: On

 

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