MS 20 mini - Velocity via Doepfer Dark Time

[chris-korg]

Hi - I´m having a little Problem with my MS20mini in combination with Doepfers DarkTime:

So far I connected my DarkTime & MS20mini "Dreamteam" via Midi with DarkTimes Combi-Mode No1, which means steps 1-8 are for pitch and steps 9-16 are for gate length - works just perfect :) (1-8 & 9-16 are running parallel)

Now I wanted to try out the new DarkTime -Combi Mode No2 "Velocity" where steps 9-16 change from gate length to velocity (with constant gate length). The goal thereby is to get "Accent" similar to the TB303.
I first tried it via Midi on my (miditribe-) modded Monotribe where it worked just perfect!
Then I tried to connect DarkTime & MS20mini - for pitch and gate time I still use the old Midi-Connection (which works),
As MS20mini does not understand "velocity" via MIDI I additionally tried to connect DarkTimes CV2-out (which is the Voltage-out of steps 9-16) to severall "Ins" of MS20mini (Total, VCA Inital Gain,..), unfortunately without success - I do not hear any difference if DarkTimes CV2-control knob is at 0 or at 10 or any other position between...

I measured DarkTimes CV2-out voltages - depending on the knob-positions and the choosen pitch-range they vary between 0-1V, 0-2V, 0-5V

My question:
In which way do I have to connect the DarkTime with MS20mini to really hear "velocity"? I definitely want to keep the Midi-Connection for convenience - I just want to know how to get this velocity-Information to the MS20mini

Thanx for your help!!

[genshi]

From what I understand, and I could be wrong, you won't be able to do it since the MS-20 has no velocity at all, therefor cannot accept velocity via MIDI nor CV.

I've been loving the combination of my Dark Time with the MS-20 mini; been able to use the combi mode for gate length, for opening and closing the filters, but no velocity at all. It's just the way it is (again, unless I'm missing something as well.)

[chris-korg]

Good morning !

I do agree on the Midi-part, that is clearly documented.
I´m just hoping that I can do something on the CV-part....

I want to change loudness over time - from the MS20mini I do have constant loudness (=voltage).
With the CVoutput of my DarkTime (which voltages change over time between 0-1V or 0-2V or 0-5V depending on the choosen range) there should be a MS20mini-patch possible that continuously adds up
both voltages and controls with this the VCA of MS20mini - thereby changing MS20mini-Output-Volume.

I have already tried some patches - no success so far...
Maybe it is this Hz/V issue (DT CVoutput is based on V/Oct), maybe I do need some additional external equipment.
I´m a stubborn Austrian technician - there MUST be a way :)


@genshi: In your setup - do you use Midi or do you use CV? If CV - could you pls describe all your patch-connections beetween DT and MS20mini?

[genshi]

Good morning !

I do agree on the Midi-part, that is clearly documented.
I´m just hoping that I can do something on the CV-part....

I want to change loudness over time - from the MS20mini I do have constant loudness (=voltage).
With the CVoutput of my DarkTime (which voltages change over time between 0-1V or 0-2V or 0-5V depending on the choosen range) there should be a MS20mini-patch possible that continuously adds up
both voltages and controls with this the VCA of MS20mini - thereby changing MS20mini-Output-Volume.

I have already tried some patches - no success so far...
Maybe it is this Hz/V issue (DT CVoutput is based on V/Oct), maybe I do need some additional external equipment.
I´m a stubborn Austrian technician - there MUST be a way


@genshi: In your setup - do you use Midi or do you use CV? If CV - could you pls describe all your patch-connections beetween DT and MS20mini?

From the Dark Time to the Ms-20 mini, I only use CV. I use MIDI to start/stop and keep time from Ableton Live to the Dark Time.

Here is a screenshot of my patching; the only exception is, I have taken out the patch for the mod-wheel as it was causing some weirdness. Also, make sure you've updated to the 1.2 beta for the Dark Time as it fixed a lot of issues I was having and maybe it will allow you to find a way to get the velocity/volume/voltages to work as you expect (logically speaking, it should!)

[chris-korg]

Hi - had an interesting day!

Did some testing this afternoon - finally with positive results:

My actual setup:
clock/start/stop comes from MidiPal-MidiOut (mutable instruments) which goes into the DarkTime-MidiIn
DarkTime-MidiOut goes to MS20mini-MidiIn (for pitch and gate length; works perfect);
DarkTime is set to Mode 2x8, steps 1-8 Midi-channel is set to channel #1, steps 9-16 Midi-channel is set to any other channel except #1 (to avoid additional pitch-infos transfered to the MS20mini)

With that I tried 2 versions
a) DarkTime CV2out goes into MS20mini-HPcutoff-freq with proper settings on the HP-filters knobs (LP-knobs on "normal")
b) DarkTime CV2out goes into MS20mini-HPcutoff-freq (into a stackable cable); this stackable cable goes than into MS20mini-LPcutoff-freq; in that case both HP- and LP-filter knobs are properly set

That will be my "basic setup" - from there I will go and optimize... (by the way: it sounds already pretty cool)

best regards,

Chris

[raveboyy]

i don`t have a dark time but i would say for the velocity, you have to patch DT CV out into MS-20 `VCA control in` and then `VCA out` into `initial gain`

[guru]

With my MS-20mini, I also wanted to get Velocity working. For note triggering I use MIDI, this removes the need to send Hz/Oct and Gates for note triggering and also retains usage of the Portamento pot, which I consider to be a bonus. I use CV from a DC coupled audio interface to control velocity. I plug the velocity CV into the VCA Control Input, I take the Signal Out and plug that into the VCA IN and I run the VCA OUT to my mixer. For me it works, but I am interested in comments on this setup and also any first hand experience on using Initial Gain to facilitate Velocity control too. I have tried unsuccessfully to use Initial Gain for Velocity while others seem to be successful? If you do use Initial Gain to successfully control velocity, could you please detail the patching?