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[Phinnin]

So I now want to control my Chauvet Obey 40 DMX Controller via setlist so the Mighty K can run that too!

I'm new'ish to the Chauvet so this foray into controlling it is sketchy so maybe you can validate I am doing the Kronos thing right (as it's not working as intended).

First the Chauvet: Set to receive CH15. Manual has Midi note reference 0-126. All reference banks of scenes and chases and in the case of 126, blackout. Pretty basic.

So I go into the Kronos sequencer, and just for testing, I grab a blank Song. I then go to track parameter and under Ch 15 I select Ext instead of Int (to push the midi out). it's already at Midi Ch. 15. All filters and zones should be enabled at default.

From there I go to Track edit, select midi track 15 and then do the pulldown for midi step recording. I play a C1 (which is Midi note 24 right). That is listed as Bank 4, Scene 1 on the Chauvet chart. I save that and then go back an "midi event edit" to raise the velocity to 127 (just in case). At this point, I should be able to start the sequence and at Measure 1:00 it should fire that C1 and Chauvet should change right?

Am I missing something because it's not working. As an aside, I did copy and paste the midi events to every channel just to make sure the Chauvet wasn't secretly receiving on another channel. No effect.

Hmm. Ideas?

[StephenKay]

1. I would assume you have Local Control turned on in Global Mode?

2. Did you try routing the output MIDI to some other device to see if it is actually receiving the note message that you are trying to send?
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Stephen Kay - KARMA Developer • Karma-Lab - karma-lab.com

[Derek Cook]

Hi, I do similar things in the Korg sequencer with DMXIS on a PC and that works in the same manner, i.e. you fire MIDI notes to select different cues.

I had a quick look at the Obey 40 User manual, and I'd say that you are doing the right thing, so I can only offer some elimination questions.

When you copied and pasted the notes to the other channels, did you set those channels to EXT as well (dumb, question, but....)

Do you have any indication of MIDI being received on the DMX Controller?

Do you know your MIDI cable is good; does it work with another unit?

Have you checked the MIDI output from the Kronos using something like MIDIOX on a PC or SNOIZE MIDI Monitor on OSX?
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Derek Cook - Java Developer



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[adamburgess]

Does assigning the channels to EXT2 make a difference?
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: Nord Stage 2 HA88 : Korg Kronos 61 : Korg Kronos 2 73 : MacBook Pro :

[Phinnin]

Thanks everyone for the input. I've concluded the Chauvet is just a difficult machine to control.

I plugged in my Yamaha Motif to isolate for a few things. The motif worked flawlessly on Ch.15 with existing MIDI cable so that eliminated Cable, EXT, and Kronos as the offender.

The Chauvet seems to respond "sort of" to MIDI messages of various kinds. It seems to not want to listen until the 3rd beat of the measure and then only some of the time. Also, hitting the "locate" button on the sequencer seems to throw the Chauvet back to Band 1, Scene 1 (even though hitting locate shouldn't be shooting any MIDI values). However, if I go into the event edit page, I can wheel through notes and it will change the banks/scenes. But if run through the sequencer, it's iffy at best.

Might need to see if I can find another controller to borrow from someone to do more testing.

[Derek Cook]

[LZ]

I'll bet the Kronos Sequencer is sending patch, bank, volume, effects send, and other controller messages that are throwing the Chauvet for a loop - it probably only wants to see note data. See if you can filter everything but notes from the Kronos.
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[adamburgess]

Could indeed be the little lighting desk getting too much MIDI info slowing it down. I'm using a nicoleaudie (sic) USB DMX interface (it was free!)!with some software on a MacBook that just seems to hang when triggered from Logic generated MIDI files. However, the scene changes are instant using a Bluetooth keyboard perched on my Nord. It's only an extra key press in the thousands I do per night. Works much better.
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: Nord Stage 2 HA88 : Korg Kronos 61 : Korg Kronos 2 73 : MacBook Pro :

[Phinnin]

Thanks again everyone. Given that the Chauvet appears to listen "sometimes" you all may be on to something with the midi message confusion. So in looking at the sequences, my master midi file only has a tempo message and channel 15 only has note data. Are there other messages being sent that I won't be able to see? Should I just use midi filter to block program changes, etc. or should I find offending messages and remove them?

I'm still pretty new to this whole thing as I've only controlled other keyboards prior to this. Thanks for the help.

[LZ]

The ones I mentioned are likely being sent based on which patch is selected and the volume level and effects level settings on the mixer page and IFX routing page. Haven't dealt much with controlling external devices but possibly uncheck everything on the midi filter tab for that track.
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[LZ]

I'll clarify a little more now that I'm not on my phone.... When doing sequences using internal sounds, I've noticed that if you add patch change, volume, pan, effects changes, etc, as events for the track, from that point forward they take affect. But if you rewind to 0, it goes to whatever the settings were that you set on the mixer and IFX pages - but those don't show up in the event editor at zero. So I assume that at the beginning of a song, it sends out all of those messages....basically any ing you see and can modify on any of the tabs that corresponds to a controller or patch message.
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[Phinnin]

Okay, so I got home and still having issues.

I am starting with a completely blank song. No changes made of any kind. The only defaulted command I can find is under "master" and that's just a tempo set. I made sure all other channels were INT except for 15 which I made EXT. Went in and disabled all midi filter options (program changes, CC's, etc.). Put one beat of measure 1 showing C3 (which should give me Bank 5, scene 5). Start sequence... Nada. Hit stop, then locate, then start again... This time it works. repeat, nada. Repeat again, nada. 5th time, it works.

It's just acting dodgy. Wondering if I have a loose solder connection on the midi connector or something.

As an aside, it seemed that hitting locate on the sequencer was getting a change to Bank 1, scene 1 a few times during my testing. Hitting locate shouldn't get me any MIDI note sending right?

Gah. I do have a friend with the same unit and I know his works, so might try hooking up to his later this week to isolate further.

EDIT: One more observation: If I go into "MIDI Event Edit" and select the note I programmed, I can use the wheel to change the note up and down the chromatic scale. While I do this, the notes change but just sometimes. They skip every few notes. But when they change, they change to the right note, So if I start of G, and go to F# I get no change, but then when I change to F, the bank jumps 2 down, indicating it's catching up. Make sense?

[LZ]

Maybe you're not understanding me.

A blank song with default settings still has the track assigned to piano, a volume of 127, a pan that's centered, 2 effects send levels, etc. The default settings don't show up in the event edit, but still get sent. If you don't want them sent, they have to be filtered.
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[Phinnin]

Okay, fair enough. But if I go to MIDI filter tab for Ch 15 and uncheck every option there, shouldn't that filter them out? If not, how should I filter said changes?

And thanks helping. Lord knows I need it.

[LZ]

That's what I'm not sure about. When you have internal parts, that will prevent messages from getting to the internal part.....but I don't know if it filters it from being transmitted on the out. Hopefully somebody who knows for sure can chime in.
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