Topic: Midi control of UCX II from Node-RED

Hi

I'm using my UCX II in Class Compliant mode connected via USB to a Raspberry Pi4 running Linux. I'm using Node-RED to send midi commands out to the UCX II - or at least, that's what I'm trying to do without success so far.

I want to be able to change the setup between 1 and 2 using midi signals. The manual tells me:

Additionally the following functions are available via simple MIDI notes on MIDI channel 1:
Setup 1: 36 / 54 / #F 3
Setup 2: 37 / 55 / G 3

I understand that simple notes require a velocity instruction too, and I read that it needs to be 127.

Node-RED's midi out module requires a decimal array of the data, so I interpret that to be:

Setup 1: [176,54,127]
Setup 2: [176,55,127]

Node-RED's midi module detects two Fireface connections: port 24:0 and 24:1. I've tried both without success.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks

2 (edited by johnanon 2021-11-26 21:35:06)

Re: Midi control of UCX II from Node-RED

johnanon wrote:

Node-RED's midi module detects two Fireface connections: port 24:0 and 24:1. I've tried both without success.

I've noticed that on the UCX display, there's a small yellow blip above the CC indicator (as described in the manual on page 9) when I send a midi command to 24:0 but not when I send it to 24:1. So I guess 24:0 is the right answer. But it still doesn't respond to the signal being sent.

Re: Midi control of UCX II from Node-RED

Well, it seems it can't be done. It's not possible to control the device by midi unless you have TotalMix FX running, since it's not the device itself that acts on the midi signals, but the TotalMix FX software.

I did some extensive testing with support and guidance from Mark at Synthax, the UK distributor. We established that when in Class Compliance mode and connected by USB, then midi signals are passed through from USB to the 5 pin DIN midi port, and also in the opposite direction, without the UCX II acting on them.

So for my purposes, despite the UCX II sounding great and handling all the signals I want it to, I'm having to go for something else. Also from RME as it happens - an ADI-2 Pro FS R. I've yet to receive it, but it gets around the need for remote control of the sample rate (which I had hoped to achieve by changing between different setups) by offering Sample Rate Conversion on the inputs. Ideal!

4

Re: Midi control of UCX II from Node-RED

From the manual:

The stand-alone MIDI control mode is activated in the unit’s menu Options, Hardware/Diagnosis, Standalone MIDI.

    Additionally the following functions are available via simple MIDI notes on MIDI channel 1:
   
    Dim: 5D / 93 / A 6
   
    Setup 1: 36 / 54 / #F 3
    Setup 2: 37 / 55 / G 3
    The notes are (hex / decimal / keys)

I am sure this works.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Midi control of UCX II from Node-RED

johnanon wrote:

Well, it seems it can't be done. It's not possible to control the device by midi unless you have TotalMix FX running, since it's not the device itself that acts on the midi signals, but the TotalMix FX software.

I probably should have been explicit that I'm referring to the situation where the UCX II is in Class Compliant mode, as specified in all the previous posts, the paragraphs below and in the thread subject.

MC wrote:

From the manual:

The stand-alone MIDI control mode is activated in the unit’s menu Options, Hardware/Diagnosis, Standalone MIDI.

    Additionally the following functions are available via simple MIDI notes on MIDI channel 1:
   
    Dim: 5D / 93 / A 6
   
    Setup 1: 36 / 54 / #F 3
    Setup 2: 37 / 55 / G 3
    The notes are (hex / decimal / keys)

I am sure this works.

Hi @MC

I'm sure that's right Matthias for standalone mode, but the issue this thread addresses is midi control not in standalone but Class Compliant mode when connected by USB.

As described in my first post above, I have the UCX II in CC mode, connected by USB to a Raspberry Pi 4 running Linux. From what I've seen, when the UCX II is in CC mode, the standalone capability of the device to respond to control midi signals whether sent over the USB or a midi cable seems to be defeated. Or at least, I've been unable to get it to respond, as I've described in some detail above.

If you can highlight specifically what I should change to allow the UCX II to respond to midi control signals in the use case I've described, I'd be very pleased to hear. Thanks

6

Re: Midi control of UCX II from Node-RED

You're right, in CC mode MIDI is not supported the same way. And TotalMix FX for iPad won't help either, sorry.

Regards
Matthias Carstens
RME

Re: Midi control of UCX II from Node-RED

MC wrote:

You're right, in CC mode MIDI is not supported the same way. And TotalMix FX for iPad won't help either, sorry.

Thanks Matthias - that's perfectly clear now