MIDI Kinetics Forum

Hi
Now would be a good time to either change the title to something GR-55 or start another topic re: GR-55 so others can track it as well . . .

Try this quick module, it's an expanded(9 Banks) version of one I did for the VG-99
It send Bank change as msb only CC#0 -Roland does not mind - so long as it's followed by a PgmChg message - works on the VG and some other modules for me.
Pgm change is limited to 100 to match the Bank step size, it does not miss any patches , you may need to check to make sure with your device.
All this is done with simple MIDI Mapping of the scaled .x variable only, and the Monitor are using the .value variable - check the Mapping panel . . .

Have got a copy of Marc'TouchOSC project - and it won't be too difficult to get values,etc to build a Lemur GR 55 controller
The interface can be far richer with Lemur via scripting so you only show the parts that are relevant to what you are doing
I've got a Menu-driven COSM selector that just needs a tidy up and will soon be opening editors for each COSM model . . .

There are some other good tricks you can do with the Control Assigns which you can now control and change what CCs do
Tap a button for real-time CC control of Guitar amp, tap another button for realtime FX change - the vg is good cause I can use the knobs on it as well

Check out the attached patch, Cheers
MM

Thanks for the help Macciza ! It worked perfectly..now when i try a fader or knob and try to use it to control patch vol (CC1) using control change it doesn't work..what am i doing wrong or must i use sysex? also, how do you know the CC# for each parameter? I only know CC1 cos Marc wrote it on his template..thanks!

Hi
Usually CC1is Modulation, CC7 is Volume
That would probably be master volume for the whole unit
See http://www.midi.org/techspecs/midimessages.php for MIDI details
You will need to sort other info for particular pieces of equipment also
Cheers
MM

Hi Macciza, i've tried a Fader set to control change and controller 7 to 7.. in fact i've tried 0 to 127 all the way but couldn't get anything changing on my gr55..what am i doing wrong? Or is there more than setting up a Fader to control change? Do you have an example for both CC and F0? Thanks a bunch!

Hi
Looking at the GR MIDI implementation it only receives the CCs on the Basic Channel - check that they are the same . . .
Next you need to confirm that is actually mapping it to it's default of volume control

Make Basic Channel the same as what you are sending on and try again . .

Cheers
mm

Hi Macciza, by Basic Channel, do you mean keeping 'Channel' within 1-16? I always keep it at 1 to 1..also, how do i confirm what its mapping to? I've tried changing almost everything but still nothing seems to work..downloaded some generic templates to see if the any parameter gets changed with the controls but no luck too..Thanks..

sorry but another thing, how do i write the script for sysex? does it go something like,
(select on expression), set it as x,
midiout(0,{0x41, 0x10, 0x00, 0x00, 0x53, 0x12, 0x18, 0x00, 0x20, 0x04, 127*Fader.x})

or have i missed something out? Thanks again!

here's a screenshot...feel really close now but the actually string itself is in blue even though its recognized in the custom midi..what am i typing wrong in the script? Thanks!

Every sysex message start with 0xF0 and ends with 0xF7. This defines a MIDI string as a sysex command. In addtion Roland gear usually has one more byte before the end byte (0xF7) which contains a checksum. I am not sure if the GR-55 needs this checksum byte, but all the Roland devices I've got need them (S-760, DJ-70, V-Synth, JV-1080).

Your midiout command should look like this:
midiout(0,{0xF0,0xF41,0x10,0x00,0x00,0x53,0x12,0x18,0x00,0x20,0x04,127*fader.x,0xFF,,0xF7});
Where 0xFF is the checksum byte. Just in case you need it, here is the formula to calculate the checksum:
Sum of all variable bytes. That is everything between 0x12 (DT1) and the checksum byte. In this example 0x18 + 0x00 + 0x20 + 0x04 + 127*fader.x
divide sum/128, take the remainder (e.g. if sum is 129 the remainder is 1; if sum is 64 the remainder is 64)
128 - remainder = checksum (so if fader.x = 80 the checksum for the sysex message above is decimal 116 or 0x74)

Some more (or rather less) information around sysex and the GR-55 can be found here http://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index. ... 0#msg32490

Also note, all values in the sysex string can also be maintained in decimals. I prefer hexa decimal as all the MIDI implementation charts are in hex ...

Hope that helps,
B.

Hi Tele
My reference to Basic Channel was referring to the GR - figure it is similar to the VG in that it has a 'Basic Channel' that it's system responds to . .

B's comments seem fine - though I would add that checksum accuracy is not needed most of the time with Roland hardware, I generally use '00' without problems when sending to my VG - though it may be used in their editors to confirm accuracy of data exchange . . .

A few comments I would add -

Look for repeated data and abstract it to a constant/expression - ie. Model id hex 41,10,00,00,53 should not change, DT1/DataTransmit is always 12 too
Then your message end up something like {0xF0,GR_55_id, DT1, etc . . . - I also find Fader.x * 127 easier to read than the other way around . . .
Unless you are doing other necessary scripting it is probably easier to use MID Mapping/CustomMIDI - the Standard Mapping Sysex should be fixed soon . . .

Here is part of a VG-99 controller - the Amp Head section, allowing selection of Amp, speaker, mic/position etc plus amp knobs etc . . .
Most of the knobs use custom midi scripts, the Amp menus use a bit of scripting - mostly using decimal rather than hex in the MIDI messages
Have a look and see what you can work out - with the info from the GR55 editor it should be able to be adapted . . . Still need to add one or two things and sort out some pre-load issues but it works pretty well as is on the VG . . .
Have also done a similar thing for guitar selection . . .
Cheers
MM