Topic: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

So I finally got around to building my first stompbox pedal. It simply a footswitch that sends a midi note on/off with a press and I can program which midi message it sends by sysex.

I programed it to send the midi note that corresponds to muting channel 1. (midi note E-1) It works great in Totalmix FX! I can't get it to work when the UC is in stand-alone mode though and it would be so awesome not to have to bring the computer to gigs! I do have midi control enabled in Totalmix FX before I turn it off and unplug the usb cable form the computer. The UC is also receiving the midi messages as I can see the orange LED light as I press the footswitch in stand-alone mode but it does not mute channel 1 until I plug in the USB cable back into the computer and start Totalmix FX.

Is it a different midi note that I need to send when in stand-alone mode?

I am on OSX 10.6.5 and I am using a Fireface UC with Totalmix 0.924.

Thank you very much for any help,

Todd

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

2

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

Shouldn't that be E-0?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

I'm using Snoize's Midi Monitor and it is saying E-1 is the note that is muting channel 1. This will only work though while Totalmix FX is running. It stops working in stand alone mode. I have attached a link to my video of this behavior. (It's only 15 seconds and a little over 1 mb.)

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3046680/rmemidi.mov

Thank you for your help.

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

4

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

You use MIDI I/O 1? 2 will not work. With E0 7F/00 I can easily mute Input 1 in stand-alone mode. Also note that you have to toggle on/off. This is Mackie protocol.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

I got excited for a second because I was using midi port 2. I had my midi keyboard plugged into port 1.

I plugged in my fcb1010 midi foot controller with all banks and footswitches programmed to midi notes from C-2 on upwards for testing. On my system OSX 10.6.5 with the latest version of Totalmix fx 0.924 no midi commands worked in standalone mode. I am able to control the UC with midi only if I have the UC plugged into the computer and start up Totalmix FX. Then it works great. I can also control totalmix from port 2 as well as long as I have Totalmix FX open. It is strange that E-1 is the note that mutes channel 1 for me and for you it is E0. E-1 will mute channel 1 whether I am plugged into midi port 1 or 2 and have the UC plugged in with Totalmix fx open.

I can make a video of this behavior on my machine if you would like.


Any other ideas?

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

6

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

I wonder if you got confused during testing. To enter stand-alone mode the unit MUST be powered down and on again, with no USB connected. According to your first post you did so - but every time you tested then?

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

7 (edited by gtodd876 2010-12-31 00:00:41)

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

I had not been powering down each time. I thoroughly tested again making sure I had
- Midi control enabled in Totalmix FX
-that I hadthe correct midi port 1 selected and then
-plugged in the fcb1010 so I could try all midi notes.

While Totalmix fx was on I confirmed that I could mute channel 1 with E-1 on my system then shut down Totalmix fx, shut down the UC and unplugged the USB cable.
Once I powered it back up the orange led's light up with midi input but I could not mute channel 1. I tried all midi notes from C-2 on up. When I plugged the UC back in to the computer, and started Totalmix FX I was able to mute channel 1 again with midi note E-1.

Thank you for helping me troubleshoot, MC. Let me know if you have anymore ideas of what I could be doing wrong.

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

8

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

I use a Mackie control to do that. As this works there must be an error on your side. Did you note my comment about the double value sent (note on/off)? In TM FX Master Mute is on? Your routing is Input 1 to? Do not try other MIDI notes than E-1, you might change the configuration completely when doing so.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

If it is working on your side then I understand that I must be doing something wrong. What I don't understand is that why does it works completely fine with Totalmix fx software on? Why is it functioning different on my end when I turn it off and back on in stand alone mode?

I am in toggle mode on/off with my commands. My midi monitor show note on value 127, then note off value 0 everytime I depress/release a foot switch. When I program the firmware of the footswitch I built it is values 7F/00 for note on/off which in turn show up as value 127/0 in midi monitor.

When I have been testing the first thing I do is check midi note E-1 since that is the one that works for me with Totamix fx software on then I check midi note E0 since that it the note that mutes channel 1 for you. After those two notes do not work then I go through testing all other notes just in case. Sorry I wasn't clear on my testing methods before.

I will try again in a bit but I'm out of ideas on anything I could try differently? Maybe re-install the firmware on my UC? Maybe use bootcamp to set it up in totalmix software on windows and then see if stand alone mode midi control works?

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

10

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

I thought you mentioned the latest firmware already, but now I don't see that information. I use 112. Testing on Win might be interesting as I am indeed under Windows here. You didn't reply to my other questions above...

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

I am using firmware 112.
Yes I do have mater mute on. I tried turning it off and I see that the mute button will light up blue but will not actually mute the channel. This is with Totalmix fx software on. So I am making sure that master mute is on when I turn off Totalmix and reboot the UC.

My routing is Input 1 to A/N 7/8. I am monitoring through my headphones. Again this all works great with Totalmix FX software running and I have no problems muting channel 1 with the midi note E-1.


I will go test now in bootcamped windows.

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

I'm in windows 7 now and I'm getting some interesting results. It is indeed midi note E0 now to mute channel 1. I am using using the same footswitch that registered E-1 in OSX. So it seems there is an octave difference between OSX and Win7. I downloaded midi ox to monitor the midi input and now the lowest note the shows up in midi ox on my foot controller is C-1 instead of C-2 so I guess 'note 0' is C-1 in windows but it is C-2 in OSX. Although I still get the same function, mute channel 1, whether it is E0, or E-1, in either Windows or OSX.

Although I have the same behavior in windows. Midi notwe E0 mutes channel 1 just fine. Then when I turn off Totalmix, turn off the UC, unplug the USB cable, then turn back on the UC, Midi note E0 will not mute channel 1 anymore. Maybe my firmware installation is corrupt? I will try a reinstall next I guess.

Here is my settings for Totalmix in windows:
ASIO direct monitoring is checked
Enable midi control is checked
Under preferrecnes I have Fireface midi port 1 selected for the input

This is with Windows 7 boomcamped on a macbook Totalmix 0.938 firmware 112

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

Also as a side note I did change the firmware from AP to PC when switching between OS's.

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

Here is a screen shot of Totalmix fx and midi monitor. I tried to fit as much as could into the screenshot.http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3046680/tmfx.png

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

Would there happen to be any other Fireface UC users out there with a Macbook pro i7, on OSX 10.6.5 that could see if midi control works for them in stand alone mode?

I'm going to call Synthax phone support on Monday as well to see if they can walk me through it and get it working.


Thanks again for your help so far MC.

Happy New Year!

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

16 (edited by gtodd876 2011-01-04 01:37:09)

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

Update:

I talked with Synthax and one of their suggestions was to roll back to driver 1.40. The person I spoke with also thought it was strange that it works fine with Totalmix fx running but does not in stand alone mode. I uninstalled and reinstalled the older 1.40 driver. I noticed with the older Totalmix I had to move the 8 tracks in focus to the first 8 inputs. The tracks in focus started off as the software playback tracks. I was able to figure out which midi note moved the tracks in focus to the analog inputs and then I was back in business being able to mute channel 1 with the midi note E-1. Although it still did not mute channel 1 was I shut down and turned the UC back on in stand alone mode.

Could that mean in standalone 'mute channel 1' is not working because there could be different tracks in focus as a default stand alone behavior?

The other suggestion was to see if I could setup 2 different presets, one with midi channel 1 on and one preset with it muted and see if I can control presets in standalone mode.

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

Another thought I had could be if anybody out there that owns a mackie control surface and a UC could try running a midi monitor on the computer while operating the UC in stand alone mode. That way I could know if there are any other midi messages sent from the mackie that allow the UC to operate in stand alone mode. I'm at the point now I am 99 percent sure that I am not doing anything wrong with the info that I have. I also can operate the UC without problems with midi as long Totalmix FX is on. That helps confirm for me that I am doing the right thing. There must be something extra that the UC needs in stand alone mode that it does not need with the software running. If all the operations are controlled by midi then I think it just has to be some extra midi messages that I am not sending.

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

I have also testing out switching presets with midi which works great but only with Totalmix software running which is how it supposed to operate according to the UC hard manual.

I have now learned to Bank left/right and arrow up/down thorough the channels with my midi commands with my midi foot controller (fcb1010) this will also only work with my Totalmix software running. It does not work for me in stand alone mode. It seems when I first start up Totalmix the first 8 software playback channels are selected. Therefore if I bank left three times I am at the first 8 analog inputs. I should then be able to mute the first analog input with midi note E-1/E0 (mac/pc) That is how I tested which works great in Totalmix but does not work for me in stand alone mode.


I'm out of testing ideas currently so if anybody comes up with anything I would love to try it out.

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

This follow up is in case anybody would like to control FFUC's mixer with a midi foot controller in stand alone mode that it is not possible with the current firmware/driver for me. I have given up, as it seems I have reached the end of the road with support. I do not feel anymore that it is user error because I can get my footcontroller to control the mixer just fine with midi notes as long as the software running. This functionality stops for me in stand alone mode. I am purchasing a hardware muting pedal/footswitch to solve the problem for my situation.

It seems if you want to control the UC in stand alone mode with midi your safest bet is a mackie control or BF2000. From my experience not a midi footcontroller sending the same messages according to the mackie control midi map.

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX

20

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

I tested some more and found two possible pitfalls:

1) While online the velocity does not matter, stand-alone the two notes have to be exactly 7F and 00. You wrote you had this programmed, yet your later screenshot shows only 100 instead of 127 for note on.

2) To prevent any kind of wrong configuration within the unit it might be necessary to power the unit off without unplugging USB first. Several times I had a wrong configuration when unplugging USB first.

That said there is no difference between a simple MIDI footswitch and a Mackie Control. I used both a cheap keyboard and (under Windows) Bome's Send SX to verify the notes and values transmitted in all cases, and also to send them with Send SX from a different computer MIDI interface. (B0 10 7F, B0 10 00).

The MIDI note is E-0, the Mac software that you used shows wrong values. This is (unfortunately) quite often the case.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Controlling UC in stand-alone mode trouble

It works! I had to use the midi pedal I built instead of the Behringer FCB1010. With the pedal I built I made sure the Note velocity was exactly 7F/00 and then I made sure to turn off the UC before unplugging the USB cable. Thank you MC.

www.toddbass.com
Macbook pro i7 15" (mid 2012) 8 gigs ram, Fireface UCX