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MIDI program changes-- is there a way to use them "out of order" or cycle back through them?

Brian Dupre

Brian Dupre

Jun 16, 2017
192
159
#1
Hey everybody. Hopefully I can explain what I want to do properly:

The bulk of my current setup is an H9, a handful of Source Audio pedals, and recently, a Positive Grid Bias Mini Amp.

All of these are chained together via midi. The H9 and SA pedals (using the hub) all have a total of 128 midi presets.

The Bias Amp only has 16. Which in of itself is fine, I can barely come up with more than 8 or 9 amp tones/variations I want or really need. Especially with all the EQ and tonal options with the pedals, it's more about having the amp tones to get some authentic flavor to what I'm doing. Playing Alice in Chains? Let's have an SVT tone. Got my EUB out? Let's have a transparent, acoustic sounding amp. That kind of thing.

The (very minor) problem comes in when I go above preset 16 on the H9-- obviously the Bias just won't go above 16.

But preset 17 may be just to make up an example, a fuzzy synth sound and I have an amp tone tailored for that that sits on preset let's pretend, 4 on the Bias head.
Does anyone know if there is a way to send midi channel change messages "out of order" or somehow have them cycle back through? (make preset 17 on the H9 goes back to preset 1 on the Bias...)

Of course, the easy, and probably only answer I'm guessing, is to just turn the preset dial on the Bias to what I want independent of the midi program changes I'm making with the H9 and SA pedals.

But I'm super lazy and forgetful, so it's satisfying knowing I can just click up or down presets on my H9 and everything changes at once...
 
#2
I though PC Up and PC Down were separate MIDI messages.

Then again I haven't MIDIed anything in 20 years. =0\ Sorry, I'm realizing this post may not be very helpful.
 
#3
What are you sending MIDI messages with? If your sending device is complex enough, you could send messages on different channels.

DDXdesign said:
I though PC Up and PC Down were separate MIDI messages.

Then again I haven't MIDIed anything in 20 years. =0\ Sorry, I'm realizing this post may not be very helpful.
Click to expand...

"PC Up" and "PC Down" are not actual MIDI messages. You send the PC number that you want. You may have an "up" or "down" command on your sending device, but it's still sending a specific number based on its own counter, not the preset that the end device is currently on.
 
#4
Adamixoye said:
What are you sending MIDI messages with? If your sending device is complex enough, you could send messages on different channels.



"PC Up" and "PC Down" are not actual MIDI messages. You send the PC number that you want. You may have an "up" or "down" command on your sending device, but it's still sending a specific number based on its own counter, not the preset that the end device is currently on.
Click to expand...


The "brain" right now is my H9, so when I preset up or down with the H9, everything else follows.
 
#5
You will want a MIDI controller (i use the Boss ES-5 to send out midi infomation) that way you can set up midi signals so that midi channel 1 receives one midi change while other channels recieve different midi infomation.

This way you could keep your H9 on one setting and change everything else around it. So you could have the H9 on midid preset 89, the bias amp on preset 3 and source audio stuff on midi preset 32.

I believe that a midid controller will solve your issue and open up whole lot more possibilities.
 
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#6
Blu bro said:
You will want a MIDI controller (i use the Boss ES-5 to send out midi infomation) that way you can set up midi signals so that midi channel 1 receives one midi change while other channels recieve different midi infomation.

This way you could keep your H9 on one setting and change everything else around it. So you could have the H9 on midid preset 89, the bias amp on preset 3 and source audio stuff on midi preset 32.

I believe that a midid controller will solve your issue and open up whole lot more possibilities.
Click to expand...

What you explain is exactly what I'm looking to do! I wonder if the SA Soleman can do roughly what the Boss can do?
 
#9
Does the PG Bias accept midi via its usb port? I'm tempted to say the ZPI would do what you want, plus it would give you unlimited scene control with graphical interface. (There - I said it!) Its general purpose midi interface is just about up to speed - some configuration options and expression pedal to CC to add.
 
#11
The midi in and out for the Bias is weird-- it's like a 1/8" jack. The amp came with an adapter that converts the jack to regular 5 pin midi. The amp is pretty small, but it must be really jam packed to not fit a regular midi i/o.
 
#12
Brian Dupre said:
Unfortunately the USB is strictly an output for recording and talking to the Bias software.
Click to expand...

That's a bugger.

Brian Dupre said:
The midi in and out for the Bias is weird-- it's like a 1/8" jack. The amp came with an adapter that converts the jack to regular 5 pin midi. The amp is pretty small, but it must be really jam packed to not fit a regular midi i/o.
Click to expand...

Double bugger! (Possibly...)
The _only_ reason to use legacy midi is for long cable runs to avoid noise pickup and earthing issues. It's slow! Its capacity is severely restricted! I wonder does the Bias midi input have optoisolators? (Hope so!)

To use the ZPI with the Bias, you'd need a usb to 5 pin midi converter, costing a few extra dollars.
 

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