control channel issues

[WaltCollinsMusic]

As usual, I offer my disclaimer that I'm a very new NDLR user, and maybe I'm just missing some obvious workaround or procedure. I'm here to learn, so don't be afraid to correct me or suggest alternatives.

I like using multitimbral hardware synths (Waldorf Blofeld, and Yamaha MX), and usually select 16 different sounds that I like and save them all into a single multi/performance to help me easily access them later. Sort of a "My 16 Favorite Sounds" multi. My usual process while performing is to change the MIDI channel from my keyboard controller (Novation 61SL) and hop from one sound to the next when desired by changing the MIDI port/channel. The 61SL can dynamically send to either the USB MIDI port, or to one or both of the two MIDI DIN output ports. So I can choose any of the 16 sounds on the Blofeld, or any of the 16 sounds on the MX in real time. All good so far.

Enter NDLR. Now, instead of plugging my 61SL directly into my hardware synths' MIDI DIN Inputs, I'm plugging both of the 61SL's MIDI DIN output ports into the NDLR's DIN Inputs, and the NDLR then connects its output DINs into the Blofeld and the MX MIDI DIN Inputs.

This mostly works as expected. As long as I don't use the MIDI channels 15 or 16 (the channels I've set for NDLR Cntl and KB Trans channel in my NDLR settings), everything's fine. Any MIDI notes sent to channels 1-14 on the NDLR Input A port are sent through to the Output A port (to the Blofeld), and similar with the B port (to the MX).


But if I use MIDI channels 15 or 16, the NDLR is being controlled instead. The problem is that the MIDI notes are still also being sent through to the Output ports, and being changed while doing so. For example, if I try to play any black keys on MIDI channel 15, they are simply translated to the nearest white key (i.e. always playing in C Major scale), and then sent on to the synth.

Okay, so I can obviously work around this by simply avoiding using MIDI channels 15 and 16 on the hardware synths. And I guess I'd have to mute any of those synths' sounds on channels 15 and 16 so they don't play spurious notes while I'm actually trying to control the NDLR. This is a minor loss for me, but it'll work for now.

I have some potential NDLR development suggestions that would make this situation better for me, and perhaps others.

1. Change the Settings for NDLR Cntl and KB Trans channel to NOT always be ALL input ports, and instead allow a choice of a combination of both port and channel, similar to the way the four parts' output port+channels are selected. If I had a choice to use only one input port, I could select USB and then my two MIDI DIN outputs could use all 16 channels without conflicting with the NDLR controls.

2. Regardless of if #1 is implemented, I think it would be a great idea to NOT pass through ANY MIDI notes to the output ports on the selected NDLR control ports/channels. How would these realistically be used by a destination synth anyway? They'd always be forced to play in C Major!

Thanks in advance for your consideration.

[Scotty_123]

I think the option you suggest would be useful but as an option... I think many of us just assign the control channel and avoid using our synths on that channel... an option would be good... potentially more complex but useful.

[fluxus]

I'll vote for this, along with an option to disable/switch off the MIDI channel 15 and 16 for those who do not want/need to control the NDLR via MIDI. This combined with option #2 above should be enough initially.

[Darryl]

Good suggestions, we'll put these on the feature request list. We probably won't have any feature updates for a while, but we'll look at the list and prioritize once MRCC code is done. In the meantime, we're still doing bug fixes.