New Firmware v3.1 for Slim Phatty, LP Stage and Tribute

[Benjamin AM]

I found a few new bugs in the new firmware(664). While using the hold function(momentary footswitch) under MIDI Setup I noticed that I would get stuck notes in the keyed mode(non arpeggiated) if I used the footswitch as a sustain pedal. This occurs primarily while striking multiple keys. It sort of happens randomly Second issue(and I'm not sure if it is), the momentary pedal kills the arpeggiator completely(not momentarily) while depressed in legato mode.
Thanks.

[Amos]

Benjamin: I am not seeing your first bug here (stuck notes when using Hold pedal for sustain). What is your setup? What model of Phatty, are you using poly mode or not, is there a computer in your setup (midi out to computer, midi back from computer to Phatty)? There are a lot of possible configurations, I may have missed the critical one.

For your second bug (hold pedal kills arp if in arp latch mode) I do see this... in fact I wasn't sure if it was a "bug or a feature" -- what do you think should happen if you are already in arp latch mode and you press the Hold pedal? Should there be a change in behavior or should it do nothing in this context?

If anyone has any good ideas about this, please feel free to contribute.

[Assar]

what do you think should happen if you are already in arp latch mode and you press the Hold pedal? Should there be a change in behavior or should it do nothing in this context?

I think the pedal should take over. It should be like pressing the button.

In practice it means that - if the arp is in latch mode and running and you press a connected hold pedal - nothing should happen when you press the pedal, but when you release it the arp should stop running if no keys are pressed.

[Amos]

I think it does this... try the above, while in arp latch mode. If arp is running but all keys have been released, arp latch should persist on Hold pedal down, and all notes should be cleared when Hold pedal released.

Same scenario, arp + latch engaged, play some notes, press Hold pedal, release only some (but not all) keys.. then release Hold pedal. Behavior should be that the notes which were released will stop, and the notes still pressed should continue.

If this is not the behavior, just give me your vote that this is how it should be, and I'll make it so.

Again, if you have a better idea for the behavior, please suggest it. Otherwise, this sounds good...

(edit: just checked this on my setup... seems to work already as described and as Assar suggested )

[spin]

spin, does this change persist after a couple of power cycles? I noticed the same on one or two units when I first loaded the new firmware, but I rebooted and the octave transposition was normal again. I'll look into this but I have not seen it persist yet...

Yep after a repowering all is ok^^. thanks!

[Benjamin AM]

Benjamin: I am not seeing your first bug here (stuck notes when using Hold pedal for sustain). What is your setup? What model of Phatty, are you using poly mode or not, is there a computer in your setup (midi out to computer, midi back from computer to Phatty)? There are a lot of possible configurations, I may have missed the critical one.

Well I'm using a LIttle Phatty Stage II, with a Yamaha momentary pedal. The poly mode is set to off. This problem occurs with or without a midi signal. The gate in (under Midi Setup) is set to hold(also happens in cv/hold). There is a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unWm4eOz96Q . This seems to be a similar problem that I reported a few builds back, regarding stuck notes with velocity.

For your second bug (hold pedal kills arp if in arp latch mode) I do see this... in fact I wasn't sure if it was a "bug or a feature" -- what do you think should happen if you are already in arp latch mode and you press the Hold pedal? Should there be a change in behavior or should it do nothing in this context?

If anyone has any good ideas about this, please feel free to contribute.

I'm not sure what should happen. For some reason, I assumed that the depression of a momentary pedal would temporarily kill all notes in legato mode and upon release the arpeggiation would start again. Sounds useful in a live performance.

[Assar]

(edit: just checked this on my setup... seems to work already as described and as Assar suggested )

Good. Then maybe I should get me a pedal and try it, instead of just talking about it ...

[Amos]

Benjamin - thanks for the video, that was helpful. I was able to reproduce the bug here.
Interestingly, you still get the "stuck" note if POLY mode is turned on, but it always clears as soon as you release the Hold pedal. In mono mode, it persists, as you discovered. I'll work on this in the morning.

Cheers,

Amos

(PS) all beta testers worldwide... if you find anything else, let me know. We're so close now... the end, it is in sight...

[gabestigmatic]

Wow! The arp works flawlessly now! You nailed it Amos! Thank you so much for your hard work. I didn't know Bob by any means, but I bet you he would be proud to see the work you're doing. I can't say the same for Digidesign customer support, I asked them about syncing the LP with Pro Tools months ago and I've had to reincarnate the thread over and over with no response. I'm still yet to figure it out.

[Amos]

I googled "pro tools" "midi beat clock" and found a few things.

Here's an Akai tutorial (refers to the MPC but the pro tools info should be the same)
http://www.akaipro.com/syncprotools

and here's a clip from a forum post on futureproducers:
"in Pro Tools, go to setup - midi - midi studio. this is where you tell pro tools where your midi devices are connected. next, go to setup - midi - midi beat clock. you want to 'enable midi beat clock' and select the devices that are going to be receiving midi beat clock. all devices that you setup under midi studio should be showing. "

Basically, if the Phatty has its clock source(s) set to MIDI, then if the Phatty is receiving clock it will sync. If the Phatty's clock source is set to MIDI and it's not syncing up, that means you're not sending clock out from Pro Tools.

Good luck, hope this helps!

[Sore_Knee]

I know it is too late to request something for this release, but maybe as an idea for a future update.

at the moment, we have globally and preset we can select the sync source for the arp and LFO. the global / preset thing is great. the source internal or MIDI.

now this idea came from well after i built my mod for the dr110 that enabled it to sync to MIDI. in hardware, you selected whether it synced from the internal clock, or the midi clock. i thought it would be good to be able to easily change to the internal clock to set up the sequence, then back to the external clock for the performance/recording when i needed it to sync to everything else again.

now the idea:

rather than switch in hardware, it did it in internally. it would default to the internal clock, if it received a midi start byte, it would automatically switch to midi clock until it received a midi stop/reset, then run of the internal clock again.

is it hard to implement a Internal/MIDI/Auto sync source?

[spin]

another idea for lp stage IV....aftertouch as a modulation source. I'm thinking especially to the filter.....amazing!

[tagirov]

Definitely, the AutoSync option for LFO and ARP would be great improvement.

[Amos]

Sore Knee, you are absolutely right. That would be much more useful. In fact, I think the Taurus has this behavior, if I remember correctly.

I just don't know if I can add it to this release... but I will if I can, and I'll definitely add it in future if not.

[diddi_jo]

Thank you Amos, for listening!
The new arp and LFO sync abilities have put the LP in a different league.

Best regards,
Sid
Iceland