MF-105M MIDI MuRF teething trouble

[nathanscribe]

Just got my MIDI MuRF yesterday, and am confused by the implementation. I've tried syncing it to Logic, and when I hit stop in the DAW, the MuRF carries on - OK, I understand that is one of the two modes of operation, but when I hit stop again, it seems to be triggering some kind of tap tempo, and I don't want it to. I just want the thing to actually stop. Also, I can't seem to get it to start at the beginning of a pattern, which is annoying. I'm guessing there's a setting or two I've missed?

Secondly, using the editor app, whenever I start to move one of the filter bands, the clock automatically slows to minimum. This is regardless of where the knob is set, both physically and on-screen. This seems like a bug, but correct me if I'm wrong.

EDIT: OK, so I've updated the firmware, whether it needed it or not, and it still doesn't do what it should. This is frustrating. It isn't responding to any of the CC changes that are supposed to set options as stated in the addendum. I have not filtered them in Logic. The MuRF seems to drop the first step when restarting. It also steadfastly refuses to actually stop, and it's as though a double-tap on Stop in the transport bar of my DAW sends it into slow mode and I get a new step every few seconds.

EDIT: the general controller app will allow change of the panel settings (glitch above notwithstanding) so it's not my interface settings...

[nathanscribe]

OK, right, so this is beyond a joke. Does nobody else have trouble getting this thing to work with MIDI? I've been trying to clock the MuRF from Note On 108, as suggested in the manual, but it only worked once. As soon as I stopped and restarted, it failed to clock again. I couldn't even get it to respond to MIDI again at all till I'd closed Logic, restarted the Controller app, and reset the MIDI channel and device, despite having never changed any of this in use. And despite turing it all off and on again, the MuRF still refuses to clock.

EDIT again: tried clocking from an external analogue drum machine clock - works, but when changing patterns mid-flow, it drops the external clock and reverts to panel speed. That's not so useful.

Am I the only one here?

[nathanscribe]

Seem to have got it working more or less in Logic by keeping open the MuRF app simultaneously so I can reset the MIDI if needed - closing it, then opening Logic, seems to kill the control of the MuRF and there's no way in Logic of getting it back. However, playing notes now seems to trigger the MuRF correctly (MIDI note 108 is not, as I had read, C8 but C7...) and inserting controllers before the notes now seems to be doing what it should as far as step reset and stop mode are concerned.

Gradually things seem to be falling into place, but I still think there are a couple of bugs that could be ironed out.

[nathanscribe]

Further experiment reveals that the MuRF sync to the computer is dropped when closing a software application.

It seems that if I open Logic first, then switch on the MuRF's power, the MuRF receives MIDI controls just fine. It also seems that if I only open the Controller app, that works fine too till I close it. Closing software seems to be causing the loss of sync. That sync can only be then be reinstated by using the MIDI selection menu in the Controller app.

I have also found that the most reliable way to clock the MuRF's patterns from a DAW is using MIDI note 108 (C7 in Logic, not C8 as I had read somewhere). This permits the user to change patterns on the fly without losing sync. If the device is clocked with MIDI clock, changing the settings on the MuRF's front panel drops sync.

I have not yet tried the MuRF with a hardware sequencer or MIDI drum machine so can't comment on how that works, but it's taken me at least three days of messing about to find out how to get this thing locked to a sequence, so I'm leaving this info here in case it helps anyone else.

Moog, I love your stuff, but I can't help but think operation would have been simplified by the inclusion of a switch to select int/ext sync...

[Sir Nose]

I had better luck using a command station with the murf than the machinedrum I now have. On the CS pressing start and stop at the same time sent a restart command which worked great. The murf responded by restarting it's internal sequencer. It always stop when it is supposed to though.
The mungo sync could be helpful http://mungo.com.au/syncZ.html


I am currently working on programming my patterns for the murf externally. Velocity to level and staccato mode should add some nice variety. I then plan on using the onboard sequencer for psuedo delay and phaser-like effects and for patterns where each track is a different length (I don't have the ability to do so externally).

[nathanscribe]

I am currently working on programming my patterns for the murf externally. Velocity to level and staccato mode should add some nice variety.

This sounds like it might be the best way - treat it almost as a synth or similar module, something to be sequenced, rather than hooked up and run in tandem. I suspect half the problem is the MuRF's own software, half the way a DAW etc. is configured and because life's too short and information too long, I'm not going to sit around working it out. If I can trigger the MuRF using MIDI notes, fine.

As a standalone unit it's great - completely disregarding any MIDI issues, it's like nothing else I can think of - almost phaser, but not quite - almost filter, but not quite - and good for interesting percussive loops as well as slow evolving ones. Almost immediately on plugging it in I knew it'd be getting some serious use, but my joy was quickly tempered by the awkwardness of MIDI use. If only there was some foolproof way to select internal or external clock, or to disable some of the less obvious and more troublesome functions, it'd be gold stars all round.

[Voltor07]

It's a BIG RED BUTTON! I like it!

[BHC303]

Wrong thread

[nathanscribe]

Never mind, you reminded me to finish what I started!

I hooked up the MuRF to a Yamaha RX11 drum machine - simple job, MIDI out to MIDI in - and it works perfectly! Funny, that... keep it simple, and all is well. Start starts them, Stop stops them, and Continue starts from where the MuRF left off - exactly as it should be.

Typical, how introducing a computer into proceedings makes things more awkward.

[drwasabinut]

Belatedly I just wanted to mention a work-around I've discovered for this logic-MuRF sync problem. If you pass the MIDI through something like a drum machine that transmits midi clock, (making sure to use the MIDI out rather than the thru) it seems to do the trick. it still gets upset occasionally but rebooting the murf and syncing to the drum machine as a stand-alone seems to reset it, ready to receive the logic signals again.
Al