Korg KP3 and external MIDI switching of program 1-8 buttons

[gmeredith]

Hi all,

I posted this message in the Korg forums but I thought I'd post it here as well because there are a few KP3 users here who do external MIDI control here.

I'm trying to control the 8 buttons via MIDI with a sequencer (an Alesis MMT8). Basically I have stored in them different programs with other thing set like key, fx etc. I want to be able to call up each of these scenes remotely. Apparently they respond to CC message numbers 49-57. What I did was start my sequencer recording and then press the button on the KP3 I want for that song, and it sent the messages to the sequencer.

The sequencer captured a program change message and 2 CC messages that look like bank select messages, none of which appeared to be CC's 49-57. Playing the sequencer back into the KP3 only changes the basic program number as per the main LED readout to its correct number, not actually selects the button (meaning it doesn't light up), and none of the things saved into each button are applied. Is it supposed to light up?

What might be going on here? What should my CC numbers string look like, say, when programmed into an editor or sequencer in order for them to trigger (which my sequencer, an Alesis MMT8 uses)? I can insert them into my sequencer tracks manually if I know what they would look like - it doesn't simply call them CC#49 etc but uses MSB and LSB format as:

Controller: 000:000 (MSB:LSB)

Or do I have to enable a setting in the KP3 before the buttons will respond? Like I say, the KP3 is responding somewhat correctly. Can the buttons send out these messages I recorded on a certain MIDI channel but receive on a different settable channel, so that I would have to know in order to get them to change?


Cheers, Graham

[Stab Frenzy]

Where did you get the information about CCs 49-57? In the manual it doesn't say anything about the buttons themselves sending CCs. Check out page 21 of the manual, it has a list of what is sent and received.

The buttons themselves just bring up programs, and the programs can be brought up with Program Change messages. The button won't light up but the settings should be the same as the patch you've saved there.

[gmeredith]

It's in the manual in a second list - my friend has the manual at the moment reading up on it, when i see him I'll post the page number. I've noticed that the pdf manual online doesn't have that page - I tried to find it to read up on it again while my friend has the paper copy but it wasn't there. So yes, it says they respond and send those CC numbers.

**EDIT** I've just installed the KP3 editor on my computer and it shows that the default settings for each of the buttons are indeed CC#49-57 when in "External control" mode. When in "Global" mode they don't receive control messages themselves - the KP3 just normally responds directly to program change messages direct to its 200 patches.

A guy on the Korg forums replied:

Those 8 buttons only generate and respond to CC events when in Ext. CTRL mode. When in Global/Normal mode, then they just do what you've assigned them to do in the Program Memory, and then you see the CC events of the results.

OK then, the if buttons aren't expected to light up via MIDI in Global mode but the KP3 receives the program change itself rather than the button, that's cool. I'll try it in External mode - the presumption being that the button will now respond directly with the receiving of its assigned CC value. But in External mode, will it still funcion as a program button, or turn into a controller button instead and not recall a stored program which it is in Global mode?

I'm asking all these dumbass questions, instead of going and trying it myself to see if it responds because I'm at work and don't have it here with me

Cheers, Graham

[Stab Frenzy]

Yeah I'm pretty sure in external control mode it just acts as a midi control surface, and doesn't do any effecting.

Why do you want to have the buttons light up anyway? If the program change messages change to the right programs then it's doing what you want isn't it?

[gmeredith]

The lighting of the button was just so I would know that it had been selected and was in operation over MIDI. I was under the impression that the buttons in global mode were used as preset "scenes" containing everything - the program number, effects settings, key etc. whereas just scrolling through and choosing one of the 200 programs or accessing them via MIDI program change only just contains the basic synth patch. Am I correct in that? Or can you store all of that in each of the 200 programs?

[Stab Frenzy]

I thought the program stored everything, and the button was just sending the program change message. If I had more time now I'd go get the KP3 and try it out, hmmm.

[cartesia]

You can save the default settings for an effect, I can't remember the exact button combo that did it..

I'm pretty sure it's tied to that effect program though rather than the 8 selector buttons

[gmeredith]

I am such a dumb dumb dumb a*s ...... Everything I have been referring to in this thread, I was actually meaning to refer to the KAOSILLATOR PRO, not the KP3.

Excuse my complete idiodicy

The problem is is that I have both machines

So, to re-state the question, on the KAOSSILATOR PRO, can I switch the program 1-8 buttons via MIDI, and do these buttons store and recall whole scene settings, or do the main 200 patches store these? Ditto for any questions in previously in this thread: convert the question to the KAOSSILATOR Pro, not the KP3

It's been one of those weeks. But hey, If I ever want to know about the KP3 in this regard, I'll have the answer also And in all probability, both machines may just be likely to operate the same way in this function anyway.

[gmeredith]

OK I've been playing with it and the buttons don't respond as such in Global mode. In External mode they act as controllers, not program buttons. But it's been easy enough to just program into the sequencer control change messages to operate what the buttons can be programmed to operate anyway - I just had to find out what did what to do it. A bit more fiddly than I would have liked but achieved the same end.

Cheers, graham