MPD is a MIDI controller only isn’t it? How does it do Swing? Very quick search shows something about Note-repeat Swing, so guess it can only apply when using the Note Repeatr function. Swing should be recorded into the Delay column, as long as you have this recording selected (but none of your other beats will be quantised then obviously, but you probably want that.)
You know that the MPC (so assumedly the MPD) pads are just like a MIDI keyboard, with the first pad starting at a note and each one after being a semi-tone higher? What you want is all drum-kit samples loaded in different sample slots of the instrument and then each sample assigned to a different note.
Renoise has a Generate Drumkit button that will do this for you automatically. Unfortunately it does not allow you to set base-note, always starting from C4, and I don’t believe anybody has made a decent script for easily setting this up yet (although could be wrong.) You should quite easily be able to change the MPD so Pad1 is C4 though, then the Generate Drumkit button would always create it with samples starting from your first pad. Bit of playing around to set up the MPD but make life a lot easier afterwards.
If I have mis-understood you or are teaching you to suck eggs (telling you what you know) then I apologise, could you expand further on what you mean.
There are limitations though. All drums will be recorded in the same Track. There is now a script that will spread these out for you though. There are no velocity layers, so you can not have multi-sampled drums. Hopefully this helps in some way though…
EDIT: To add - the above is all referencing to standard MIDI functionality, not to Duplex. Duplex is a different beast entirely, using the new Scripting features, and as such does not yet support true real time functionality so I think MIDI Note entry has been left out and as far as I understand recording of your knob twiddling isn’t supported. Both quite big flaws in my opinion and things I hope to see added soon (as its other MIDI features are loads better than the basic standard stuff.)
That was very helpful. I now have the MPK25 working as a 25key keyboard with the mpd pads enabled. I had to add a second midi input to renoise from MPK MIDI out #2. The kits do all load into the mpd pads as though they were keyboard keys though as you described, but with the instrument editor I am learning how to assign different things to kits.
I will probably set custom built kits up for this, although they do record to the same track which still sucks.
I am making progress now and in addition to sharing a Duplex XML map for the APC40 with the community I am actually up and running with the MPK to the point where I can get creative finally. Once I figure out how to build .lua files that work and figure out the Duplex channel functions, then figure out how to get the midi out codes from the controllers to add to maps I should be golden.
Thanks for your help.
The MPK is an MPD and a keyboard mashed together. (See the image in the post above.)
Duplex works fine for my nanoKontrol, but I can’t get this mapping for my new LPD8 to work. It isn’t reacting to MIDI at all, nor does it seem to be sending out any MIDI to toggle the lights (assuming that is supposed to happen)? I can click in the Duplex GUI window to affect the mixer levels, but nothing happens when I hit the pads (or turn the knobs) on the real device.
Yes, I did go into settings and set it to use LPD8 for input and output.
If I instead configure Renoise itself to use the LPD8 for MIDI input it responds nicely to pads and knobs.
Though I cannot confirm it since I own neither LPD8 nor Mac,
please check again the actual MIDI In & Out Device’s names of LPD8 at the Renoise’s Preferences panel.
And compare them with the names in the “AkaiLPD8.lua” file.
Those names must be completely the same.
If you find any difference in them, please edit the AkaiLPD8.lua file.
1729
Ahh, there was such a question before.
I think that the benefits of Duplex are:
bi-directional communication (as you said)
easy plug & play for any tune
easy “packaged” mapping (for example for mapping Matrix to a grid-type controller)
some useful and attractive applications like Navigator, Recorder, StepSequencer
On the other hand, the advantages of usual MIDI mapping are:
almost complete midi mapping ability which spread to details on Renoise
realtime automation recording
Of course, if you are satisfied with usual MIDI mapping, you do not need to use Duplex by force.
But I think that it’s the best to utilize both strong points.
The device is called just “LPD8” (in the Settings for Duplex anyway. But changing it (and restarting Renoise just in case) didn’t help.
Anyway I expected it to use the in and out devices set in the Settings window, not some hardcoded values in the script?
I think I will mostly use it mapped manually anyway (and it looks great with midi out set so that the drums trigger the pad backlights), but it would be nice just to see that it works with Duplex too.
Ah, sorry for my misunderstanding and misleading. The operation on your first post should work indeed. Hmm strange… I don’t have good idea now.
Well, if you check Tools >> Duplex >> “Dump MIDI” (at the buttom of the config list) and open the Renoise’s Terminal,
then if you hit any LPD8’s pads or knobs, can you see some midi signals like this??
This can probe that the midi connection is working at least.
The names are just default ones. Ideally you never have to choose a name, but in the case of your operating system you might have to select it (once).
Once chosen, the port names should be saved in the Duplex preferences - but it’s not working for you?
Tested now and everything (pads and knobs that is) shows up in the terminal window, but still nothing happens in the Duplex Browser for the LPD8. For the nanoKontrol I can see events in the terminal and it also works as expected in the Duplex Browser window.
Maybe the LPD8 duplex configuration (midi note numbers etc) just doesn’t match what is coming out of the device (default factory settings)?
I think this is the problem (from the LPD8 Duplex description I noticed now): “Pad CCs: 110-117, Knob CCs: 21-28. Preset file for LPD8 Editor included.” I didn’t load the special Preset file, assuming that the configuration would match the default settings. I’ll try to change the xml file to match my LPD8 rather than changing the defaults.
Hi,
Sorry for not getting on this earlier.
The default CCs for the LPD8 are not very well laid out. As I remember, there are duplicates, and the assignments may cause conflicts. The custom setup included must be used for this device.
Yes, exactly. I don’t install printer drivers. It’s 2011, not 1995. Never would I buy a printer that required 3rd party drivers on OSX or Linux. If it’s not class compliant, or maintained centrally, I don’t want it on my system. Heck even my Edirol soundcard doesn’t have drivers.
LPD8 works fine with my own Lua scripts, I’m a bit confused why the defaults don’t work out of the box. Seems like extra hurdles other controllers don’t have.
I will most likely cave and install sometime in the future. Just not anytime soon. On hold for now.
Bi-directional lights happening and all. Looking good!
Caveat 1: It’s also triggering Instrument notes. There must be a way to block this? E.g. don’t play notes? For example, in my own Lua, or if I use Renoise’s MIDI MAP, and map a “Pad” to something, it does not launch notes.
Caveat 2: Not working for “Effects”. I’m not sure why that would be the case. On the other hand, I don’t even know what this app is supposed to do…
For the record, this is the first time I use Duplex. I’ve been a cheerleader since day one. But, I’ve not read the documentation. Never plugged in any hardware to use it.
PS: I write my own Lua scripts. I’m not a dummy as I hope most of you know. I just have a fulltime job, a 18 month old daughter, I was born in the 70s, so I have other stuff to do than fiddle around with other people’s code and install preset editors I will never use. I was under the impression Duplex was “plug and play” and I’m hoping we can make the LPD8 in line with that vision. I don’t see any technical reason why this can’t be the case?
, besides midi-feedback, what is the benefit over usual midi-mapping?
It’s 2011, not 1995. Never would I buy a printer that required 3rd party drivers on OSX or Linux. If it’s not class compliant, or maintained centrally, I don’t want it on my system. Heck even my Edirol soundcard doesn’t have drivers.