Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here please

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Amos
Posts: 2438
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2003 3:11 pm

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by Amos » Tue Sep 24, 2013 5:22 pm

ALB wrote:Hi Amos,

please give me (us) some news... even if it's not finished... you don't know how many musician i crossed these last weeks that are waiting for...you ! :idea:
Hi Clément, here is some news for you and everyone:

1.) The new Minitaur editor is actively in development, by the same team who created the recent Sub Phatty editor. This code is being written right now, a new UI is being designed, and I will have more information about it in the coming weeks.

2.) This "residual last note" problem that is new since recent firmware versions.. I'm working on it now. I will try to release a new firmware update this week (by 27 Sept) to fix this problem.

3.) Also, I will make the adjustment of Release exactly as you say. In Mode 2, the RELEASE button light ON = "Decay/Release" knob adjusts only Release. RELEASE button light OFF = "Decay/Release" knob adjusts only Decay. Simple and clear. The light will be just to say "if you turn the pot it will affect the release".

More from me soon,

Amos

ALB
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:34 am

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by ALB » Wed Sep 25, 2013 7:42 am

This is very good news, Thanks Amos !!

I'm watching more this topic than facebook these days, waiting for this kind of messages...

Despite these digital problems, the Minitaur is a f..king good synth. Eeeeven more frustrating.


Will I lost my internal presets if I upgrade the firmware again ? (I didn't really trust the "save" function in the editor... so I keep writing them on paper, but... if I could not lost the few that seems pretty well saved... )

Do the bug that sometimes makes the Midi lost on a "note on" and makes me reboot the minitaur is a firmware trouble that can be fixed, or a sword upon my head ("épée de Damoclès" en français) that I need to deal with in live situation ? ("euuh.... sorry guys, we'll start this song again in a mn")

by the way my birthday is the 28, a new firmware would be appreciated :D

Cheers

TffShtt
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2013 11:48 am

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by TffShtt » Wed Sep 25, 2013 3:30 pm

ALB wrote:or should I find another synth quickly to play my basses because this one would never be really... reliable ?? ALB
@ Clement - if you're looking for a minitaur stop gap, check out a Waldorf Pulse. I have both and even after extensive listening sessions have trouble distinguishing between the two sometimes. As far as oscillators and general tone goes I can mimic a (fat spitting or silky smooth) minitaur extremely well. After spending a long while with the both of them I could distinguish between the filters (the pulse is 'big wide and clean', the minitaur 'creamy') so if you do a lot of filter tweaking you might notice a difference, the audience will definitely not. The Pulse is rock solid and has a very good (cc) midi implementation if you have a controller.

I too am eagerly anticipating the day when I can trust the minitaur in a live setting!

Amos
Posts: 2438
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2003 3:11 pm

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by Amos » Sat Sep 28, 2013 12:26 am

OK, here is another update (joyeux anniversaire, clement) :)

http://www.moogconnect.net/downloads/mi ... 2_0_11.syx
this is v2.0.11 (I will advance to v2.1 when all obvious bugs are fixed).

In this version:

(1) RELEASE MODE 2 is changed. No longer must you hold the RELEASE ON/OFF switch while turning the Release knob. Whose idea was that, anyway? (mine; I apologise) ... now it is simple. If RELEASE on/off is lit, the DECAY/RELEASE knob is editing the Release time. if RELEASE On/Off is dark, then DECAY/RELEASE knob is editing Decay time. Release Mode 1 behavior is unchanged; still v1.0 Minitaur behavior (which is: Release on/off sets release time to zero when off; release and decay times are linked when release is on). Press and hold Release On/Off for >1sec to toggle between modes 1 and 2.

(2) VCA "off threshold" from previous version was removed. This value was too high, and was causing the VCA not to close completely on some units (leaving a "ghost" of a note still playing).*

* -- you can calibrate this "off threshold" precisely for your unit, if you like. Don't worry if you don't want to do this... the default setting is zero, which is the same as v2.0 and older firmware (so, if you don't do any calibration, everything should be the same as you were used to). However, a calibrated VCA off threshold should provide smoother envelope release.

To do this calibration, connect the minitaur to a good sound system, play a note, and after the note has decayed to silence, turn up the sound nice and loud. :twisted:
Next, send this sysex file:
http://www.moogconnect.net/downloads/mi ... o_end).syx

You will see the GLIDE switch light blinking on/off (at 120bpm). Turn the GLIDE RATE knob up and down. Above 12:00, you should start to hear the VCA open up, and the sound of the oscillators will get louder. Make sure you are NOT playing a note, because we are setting the "OFF" voltage for the VCA, so we want the envelope to be off. Now turn the GLIDE RATE knob down slowly, just to the point at which the VCA is truly closed and you can't hear the oscillators at all anymore. This is the correct VCA Off threshold for your unit. Press the GLIDE On/Off switch to end the calibration.

Lastly... is this version stable? I don't know yet. It's the best improvement I could make, for now... my work will continue.
-- there is definitely no risk to your saved presets; they will persist unchanged by this firmware. Presets are saved on a separate memory chip in the hardware, so they are totally unaffected by firmware update.

Kind regards,

Amos

Motion
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2013 9:49 am

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by Motion » Sat Sep 28, 2013 1:50 pm

Hi Amos

Thanks for the update to 2.0.11.(and all the recent clear instructions around firmware upgrading/problem solving)

I seem to be having problems here:

After firmware upgrade I get no sound no matter what I do, the Minitaur is receiving midi fine, I was wondering if maybe its the VCA off threshold calibration?, I know you mention that it should be at a default.Just a thought..in any case I cant send sysex file as the link appears to not work...I corrected the .syx in the url but no file.I have tried cold reboot also.

Going back to firmware 2.0.9 (before upgrade) everything okay.(tried V2.10 while I was at it and I get the constant high fixed note when playing, tried the reset, CV reset etc commands but no joy).

Your help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

ON OSX 10.8.5 using C6

mydni
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2012 10:44 am

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by mydni » Sat Sep 28, 2013 5:13 pm

Hey Amos,
Unfortunately the noise when I release a note is still here, perhaps a bit less but still here, back to 2.0.0, no noise...
I know a new editor is being developed right now but the current one has problems to follow/register the new release mode/behavior which is really nice by the way.
Another thing : I've just realized when I raise the volume with the volume pot on the minitaur, it produces a little background noise/artifact (the pot is not silent), is this normal ?
Thanks for your effort Amos.
Greg

sp00ge
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2011 2:39 am

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by sp00ge » Sat Sep 28, 2013 10:17 pm

Sup Amos,

FYI after erasing the old firmware and then updating to 2.0.11 my Minitaur stopped producing sound... even though the editor recognized the unit, was still able to capture from it, updated firmware version was displayed and midi activity light on the unit matched input from my DAW. I reverted back to 2.0.10 and the unit is now producing sound. Just giving a heads up.

spin
Posts: 198
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2010 11:52 am

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by spin » Sun Sep 29, 2013 6:01 am

Hi, after the 2.11 update try to send the factory_restore.sysex message to minitaur, and then it sould sounds again. At least for me this worked

Amos
Posts: 2438
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2003 3:11 pm

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by Amos » Sun Sep 29, 2013 10:09 am

almost 100% sure the issue with "not producing sound" is related to MIDI channel - I will add an extra check on update to make sure the previous MIDI channel is preserved.

sp00ge
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2011 2:39 am

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by sp00ge » Sun Sep 29, 2013 2:14 pm

Amos wrote:almost 100% sure the issue with "not producing sound" is related to MIDI channel - I will add an extra check on update to make sure the previous MIDI channel is preserved.
That sounds logical. I will try it again and update the channel.

bgr_2112
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 6:15 pm

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by bgr_2112 » Sun Sep 29, 2013 4:16 pm

Hi Amos,

I registered on here so I could follow these updates! My only real issue is the one with the moving presets - I can set them up how they want but the next time I go to look at them they have moved around/changed name (as has been pointed out on here before).. My needs for the Minitaur are fairly simple really but this one issue is stopping me from being able to use it effectively, as I am dependant on being able to reliably locate presets in a live situation. I appreciate that you have a lot on your plate here but I think that this is an issue that needs resolving if anyone is to be able to effectively use this important function!

All the work being done here is much appreciated however; I can't imagine receiving this kind of support from any other company.

Cheers

Amos
Posts: 2438
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2003 3:11 pm

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by Amos » Sun Sep 29, 2013 5:19 pm

I am on my way out to a Legendary Pink Dots concert :) but here is a Sunday update...
this one fixes the MIDI channel change on update, which was causing some consternation with v2.0.11...
also I added some smoothing to MIDI filter cutoff changes.

http://www.moogconnect.net/downloads/mi ... 2_0_12.syx

cheers,

Amos

Briman
Posts: 32
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by Briman » Sun Sep 29, 2013 7:01 pm

Hey Amos...

Sorry Buddy... installing 2.0.12 on my Minitaur left it not responing to any MIDI Note On Commands from any MIDI Channel!
A reboot did not resolve this. I had to do the Select MIDI Channel proceedure from the Manual...
before it would produce Audio again from a MIDI Note ON command!?

Waiting anxiously for the NEW Minitaur Editor... as gave up a long time ago on trying to make the 2.0 Editor work for me!
Many thanks though... for all your recent Firmware tweeking Updates!

Best Regards,
Cheers,
Brian :)

Motion
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2013 9:49 am

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by Motion » Sun Sep 29, 2013 7:20 pm

Hi Spin and Amos

Thanks for the info..just visited and would have tried the restore (I don't seem to have that file, time to look back on earlier posts but I have everything else) but see that 2.0.12 is there....I can confirm sound is back and if its midi channel related, its playing fine now.

Thanks for the update Amos...enjoy the Dots.

ALB
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Sep 16, 2013 8:34 am

Re: Minitaur firmware update soon - your requests here pleas

Post by ALB » Mon Sep 30, 2013 12:35 pm

Hi Amos,
1000 Thanks for the birthday present !

i've upgraded/tested it a few minutes ago, i've done the "smooth" calibration procedure too, everything is working fine for me.

some presets have changed a bit with some release on them, but after a manual release set to 0 (with new function working perfectly 8) :D ) and a "quick save in place" mode it's ok. guess there was a problem with the strange release mod when i saved these presets before, and it's fine now.

Sooooooo if everything stays like this, with no bug when i do rehersal, i's seems that it's ok for me now !!!! except.... THE EDITOR !! waiting for a way to save correctly in place and manage my presets as i want, in or out of the machine (like... ctrl C/ctrl V ? I know i'm crazy :D )

Thanks again, "good work dude" as you say in the US
Cheers from france
Clément
(do not think i will let you like that... i've got tons of basses to program we'll meet later i suppose :wink: )

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