Controlling the layer buttons with midi in the Layer Switch

robokop

Hi, I am new to drambo, but absorbed already quite some videos, forum messages and manual descriptions. However, I am not able to find how to control the layers in the Layer Switch with a midi controller. In the beepstreet wiki about the modules I read:

"Layers switch holds a number of parallel racks with only one of them being connected to the output. Choose which layer is connected by either hitting one of the track buttons or applying a signal between 0.0 and 1.0 on the index input, which will be mapped to the whole range of buttons you have (0.0=first, 1.0=last layer)."

However, how do I send these signals using Buttons (that I can each map to a different midi cc via midi learn)?

When I use a Knob and turn it through 3 layers, it works, but when I setup three different Buttons as follows:

Button 1: type=Switch, Gate Value=0

Button 2: type=Switch, Gate Value=0.5

Button 3: type=Switch, Gate Value=1

And I connect the 'index' signal to one of the three Button signals.

Result: strange behavior: it toggles for instance between Layer 1 and 3 without a possibility to select Layer 2 with button 2.

What am I missing here?

rs2000

You can do it like this:

The button gate values are 0.01, 0.33, 0.66, 1.0

I used 0.01 to trigger the Sample&Hold module like the other buttons.

Make sure you've set each button to Momentary mode, then MIDI map each.

Enjoy 😊

robokop

Thank you very much for your quick answer! I tried it, part of it works:

• When I press any of the Buttons on the screen and keep them pressed (momentary), it switches to the right layer,
• However, I mapped each of the buttons to a midi cc from my midi controller, but it is not really working as I want: it sometimes reacts to a key press on the controller, the resp. Button is turning blue. But with a second or follow-up press of any of the midi controls: some other buttons color blue, mostly the layers do not switch, except for 1 or 2 times after a couple of presses. When all the buttons are blue, nothing happens anymore. I tried to send the following cc's (e.g. cc 40):
• a) toggle: cc 40, 127 at press and 40, 0 at release (and also 127 at release)
• b) momentary: cc 40, 127

Midi settings in the track are: midi input: any, channel: any, note: any, receives midi: always

rs2000

I don't know what you mean by a) and b).

Not only the Buttons module but also the MIDI mapping has a "Button momentary" and a "Button toggle" Control type.

Make sure you're using Momentary CC too.

robokop

a an b are the midi settings of my midi foot controller (softstep 2): so the midi I send to drambo for the midi learn. The end result should be that the respective layer should stay selected after a single key press on the foot controller. Pressing another key should result in a selection of another layer. That is why I send a toggle from the controller. When sending a momentary midi signal, I have to keep my foot on the button for the other function which is undoable in live gigs (as a guitarist and keyboard player).

I didn’t know that the midi mapping also has a momentary setting.But I found it by double tapping a button after the screen turns blue. Will try this one!

robokop

It is solved. I used the oscilloscope to monitor the signals from the buttons. The solution is as follows (for reference for others who come across this issue). Example: 4 buttons and layers, controlled through midi cc: 40,41,42 and 43 respectively:

1. Put Buttons in front of the Adder and then the Layer Switch, set the buttons to momentary, and connect them through the Adder and Layer Switch buttons as explained above. This should now result in the following behavior: when a button is pressed, the respective layer gets a blue border (does NOT turn red!) to show that this layer is now selected.
2. Select Midi Learn and double tap on each of the Buttons to set them to momentary (if not by default). Then connect each of the Buttons to an foot/external controller CC# that you want to use to control the button. E.g. CC 40.
3. The trick now is to send the correct set of midi commandos, in the correct order, from the foot controller to drambo. In essence it means: for each footkey press (single press, not toggle, not momentary) send first the midi command to go back to the first layer (to reset the signal voltage) with e.g. Midi CC 1, 40, 127. (channel, midi cc and value) when 40 is connected to the first button. Then for each of the other button CC's, send a 0 value. E.g. CC 1, 42, 0 and CC 1, 43, 0 from the second (41) foot control button. See pictures below for the first two foot control buttons.

robokop

robokop

robokop

Thanks RS2000 for the support!

rs2000

You're welcome!

robokop

For a similar situation, I found that the Slide module could in some situations (like the one above) be a better solution. The slide works as a sort of radio buttons: it only has one state at one time (the Buttons module behaves more like a multiple select button). I now reworked the solution stated above with the simpeler solution using slides. No need anymore to reset the signal from the midi footcontroller. See the worked example here: https://forum.beepstreet.com/discussion/3317/how-to-send-midi-to-enable-module-that-has-been-disabled-by-external-midi#latest