I was hoping someone could assist in figuring my issue out.
I have sequences programmed into my MPC 5000. I have midi out from the MPC going into the Sub 37 to sequence the synth along with my songs on the MPC. I’m not exactly sure how/when it happens but it appears that if I press stop then play on the MPC, or load a new session, the MPC sets the Sub 37’s volume to maximum, even if it’s volume knob is turned down. There is a sudden and massive boost in volume which totally sucks as it happened to me last night again during a live set.
It seems that the MPC’s mixer is controlling the volume of the synth perhaps. All tracks in the MPC’s mixer are at default. I’d like to avoid having to go into each track on the MPC and pre-configure a volume for a number of reasons, and further I don’t think my other synth (Boomstar 4075) is responding to these max volume commands coming from the MPC.
Is there a setting in the Sub 37 to ignore midi volume changes? I can’t figure out any setting on the MPC to stop this from happening.
Does anyone have an idea on how to stop this? It’s ruining my live set.
This doesn’t happen with my Boomstar 4075.
Any time the MPC moves to the next sequence, or stop then play is pressed again the Sub 37 resets to max volume regardless of where the volume knob is on the synth.
I’ve set the program change a(send and rcv) to off on the Sub 37. I’m not super familiar with the MPC 5K yet so perhaps someone knows a setting I could adjust on that side?
*Edit
It seems related to the mixer settings in the MPC. The midi track (track 2 in this case) is set to max volume in the mixer. On sequence change or stop/start the MPC must be sending midi data for the mixer settings. Programming volume levels in the mixer is not ideal because a live setup can vary and I just need to have the synth’s volume dictated by the volume knob at all times.
The Minitaur seems to have a CC filter. Looking for something like this for the 37.
• MIDI CC Filter allows you to filter out incoming MIDI CC messages, so that the Minitaur responds only to MIDI notes and pitch bend.
The Sub 37 has MIDI filtering, but as far as I know it only has filters for outgoing MIDI messages (see OUT FILTERS in the MIDI menu), as explained on pages 35-37 of the Sub 37 v1.1 manual. These filters won’t help your situation, since you want to filter incoming MIDI messages.
I see two possible solutions:
Somehow make the MPC 5000 not send the volume changes. I don’t know this device, so I can’t help you there, but that would be the easiest solution.
Add a MIDI filter between the MPC 5000 and the Sub 37, like the MIDI Solutions Event Processor. You could also do this using software if you have a computer or mobile device in your setup, for instance using MidiPipe.
I would definitely appreciate an incoming filter option for the Sub 37 like the Minitaur has.
Other than the hardware you linked, the only solution I can think of is setting the MPC mixer settings to 50% for the midi track. It will keep it from blowing up the room on a sequence change but still not ideal. Either that or use a synth with CC input filtering.
I see the from a search that the MPC 5000 sends out a CC with full volume each time you stop or start it - a very silly feature. This is not a fault of the Sub 37, lots of gear and software would react the same way. Perhaps try this solution, of setting the desired mixer level for the track on the MPC 5000.
Fully anticipated it being a silly issue on the 5000. Thanks for verifying.
I’ve tried to set the midi track volume in the mixer settings which does reduce the jump in volume to whatever is in the mixer but for some reason there doesn’t seem to be a way to save mixer settings. Looks like I’ll have to adjust them each time the set is loaded.
The link you provided is the exact issue I’m having. Thank you.
Ahh, not saving mixer setting would be another annoyance… Perhaps there’s a slim chance that this save procedure helps, but you have probably tried it all. If none of that does the trick, would the mixer automation be a viable workaround? Or could you record a volume change (MIDI Control Change number 7) to the desired level from the Moog at the start of your MIDI track? Again, you’ve probably tried it all, just brainstorming some.
I have tried to save entire memory, separate programs and even separate sequences. I think it may save effect settings but for some reason not track level settings. The 5K was essentially abandoned by Akai and software has some deficiencies. I would have gone for a 2500 w JJOS but I needed the extra ram. I wonder if the MPC 4K does this as well.
Your suggestion about recording a volume change just after the start of the sequence may work. It sounds like this silly reset is global and overrides anything at 1.00.00. I haven’t tried recording mixer automation yet.
If any of these suggestions work I’ll report back. Surely it’s not just me having this issue when sequencing external synths.
I have no idea if this would work, but since it sounds like you’ve tried all the logical things, I’ll give it a shot.
The VOLUME description on page 34 of the manual says:
The PRESET VOLUME parameter is located in the PRESET EDIT menu. Learn more about this on page 42. If it is set to OFF the volume remains at whatever value the knob is left at regardless of which preset is selected.
NOTE: The PRESET VOLUME parameter is independent of the MASTER VOLUME knob
I have no way to test whether setting PRESET VOLUME to OFF on a particular patch in the Sub37 prevents it from responding to the CC message the MPC5K is sending, but it would be worth a shot to try it. You would have to set the PRESET VOLUME to OFF on each Sub37 patch you use in your set, but that seems easier than editing every sequence on the MPC.
The “OFF” setting seems to mute the patch entirely. Can’t even get sound by playing keys or rotating the volume knob. This doesn’t appear to work.
Looks like I can set the volume CC via the step edit on the MPC. Will explore this more this evening.
I just tried using the headphone output instead of the line out. It seems this prevents the volume jump. I would just assume that every patch will be played at max level on the main volume output and the headphone out would be moderating that level.
Any detriment to running the synth to the PA/mixer via the headphone output instead of the line out?
*edit in case anyone else is in the same predicament:
I did manage to add a CC 7 message to the start of each midi track at 001:02 (so this CC input doesn’t get overridden by this stupid global volume reset the MPC is sending) via the step edit mode. You have to insert a CC message anytime after your first recorded midi note, then move the CC message input to just after the start of the track. You can record the CC events live as well i suppose.
Regarding the volume settings, they are chained so that the patch volume takes effect first, then the main volume. The headphone is tapped from the main output so it is affected by patch volume, main volume and headphone volume.
