Doepfer Dark Energy + Yamaha YPT-200 +note pitch midi learn

[silikon]

I wouldn't immediately rule out your yamaha. I also don't think there is a problem per-se with your DE.

I don't have the same midi keyboard as you; but I have no problem with the DE and many different keyboards.

Let us know how you fare after resetting.

[astro123]

I did a reset (manual seems to state: have the power supply plugged in, then press Learn Button, wait till it flashes, then press the button again while the LED is flashing, it then turns to a solid LED light). I also pressed the Learn button first, before plugging in the power supply, just in case that's what they mean (the light flashes initially, then turns solid while I am still pressing the Learn button down). Either way, the keyboard is not playing notes. I also made sure to "flip the VCF tracking switch to full".

I am not sure about what page 30 says except to plug a patch cable from the Gate socket on the rear panel to the Envelope socket on the front panel?

as always, thanks!

[astro123]

@silikon: Also, could you list a couple of keyboards that you've gotten to work with the Dark Energy? (preferably the one's that are not too expensive). It would save me some leg work, just in case I decide I'd like to try another one. Also, the easier ones to set up the better.

[silikon]

Yep. M-audio radium, Nord wave, moog voyager, dsi mopho keys, and my möbius sequencer.

Any m-audio midi keyboard... Maybe if you have a music store nearby and willing-to-help staff, they'll let you jack into their midi keyboards to give it a shot...

I would try that next and also write doepfer... It could be something as simple as the jumpers on the midi control coming loose, a faulty DE, or the longshot, your Yamaha's midi being faulty and only transmitting a single cc for all keys..

What I was eluding to on page 30 was the different patch versus page six.

... So, just to be clear, if you mess with the vco tun knob, it will change pitch, correct? Any messing about with the knobs on the oscillator or filter actually change the sound, correct?

Did you buy this just recently from a dealer, or a second party (eBay, etc)?

[astro123]

So maybe this keyboard would be a good one to try out?
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/keyboard ... controller

I'll try and see who to write to as far as Doepfer support. I just got the DE last week but you never know.

Yes, if I turn the VCO tuning know it changes the pitch. And messing around with the other knob will give me all kinds of great sounds.

I just bought this keyboard from a dealer a couple of days ago. I have time to take it back so I probably will and see if I can try out a M-Audio Radium, there may even be one already in some of the stores around here. If not, I can get them to order it for me. If the M-Audio Radium doesn't work for me then I'll start thinking of more "painful" things like a faulty DE or something like a jumper on a midi control coming loose. :/

thanks!

[astro123]

@anyone: I can get this particular keyboard controller at my local dealer for a good price: http://www.guitarcenter.com/M-Audio-Axi ... 1532543.gc# I see it has a Midi In and a Midi Out. Has anyone tried to use this particular keyboard controller with a Dark Energy?

Like @silikon stated, I would think any/almost all M-Audio controllers would do, just hoping it's not too high-tech...the reason I say this is that I'm seeing that the majority of these controllers are only computer-based!!!

I think this is bad for everyone, especially for the younger generation, they really don't know that they can go hardware and that their options aren't just a Abelton Live set up, I'm proof of that :/ ...now I'm just rambling though.

Thanks everyone!!! I think I'll try another keyboard controller starting tomorrow, unless I can get this figured out before bedtime.

j.

[meatballfulton]

Go to a local dealer with your DE and try hooking up a few MIDI keyboards to see if they can trigger pitches properly. That will at least tell you if your Yamaha keyboard is the problem or not.

The problem you seem to have is that the DE is recognizing note msgs (because it is playing notes) but not the pitch information in that msg...that would be a pretty unusual. In 20+ years of using MIDI I have never seen that happen with any MIDI gear. if it plays the note, it's always the right note.

I read this in the DE manual:

"After resetting, Dark Energy‘s parameters are set to the following default values:
- MIDI channel 1
- Reference note 36 (i.e. the lowest „C“ on a standard 5-octave keyboard)
- Retrigger: on
- CV3: volume (controller #7)
- CV4: modulation (controller #1)
- Key assign mode: highest note
- Internal Arp-Tempo: approx. 120 BPM
- Gate length: 6
- Octave: 1
- Arppeggiator Sync: internal"

So try doing a reset but do NOT go into learn mode. Most MIDI keyboards default to channel 1 and note 36 is usually the lowest note, so your Yamaha keyboard should just work without the DE needing to "learn" it. See if this results in the same issue (same note when any key is pressed).

Other things to try:

Make sure FM is OFF
Make sure filter resonance is ZERO
Make sure tuning knob is set at 12:00




Good luck.

[Stab Frenzy]

DON'T go and buy another keyboard to try and solve this, if the Yamaha is getting the DE to make sound, just not the right sound, then the problem is in the DE not the Yamaha. Buying a controller keyboard is just going to make you angry that you've wasted all that money when it still doesn't work.

If you have a patch cable available plug the CV1 on the back to VCO F on the front. See if that makes any difference, if it works that way then the issue is with the normalling of CV1 to the VCO, if not then it is most likely an issue with the midi -> CV section.

One thing the might be worth trying is plugging and unplugging a jack from all of the CV sockets, just to make sure none of them have anything stuck in them. Also I know this is really obvious and dumb, but you don't have a lead in the VCO F jack on the front do you?

[astro123]

@meatballfulton: I did the steps you mentioned but with the same result. What I am getting is a constant pitch all across the keyboard. I can adjust the knobs on the synth and make all kinds of sounds just no scales and therefore not much in the way of a melody line. Also, I figured I would mention this, probably isn't too important but it's in the section of the my Yamaha manual...:

• Program Numbers 001 to 128 directly relate
to MIDI Program Change Numbers 000 to
127. That is, Program Numbers and Program
Change Numbers differ by a value of 1.
Remember to take this into consideration.

• The Voice List includes MIDI program
change numbers for each voice. Use these
program change numbers when playing the
instrument via MIDI from an external device.

thanks

[astro123]

@Stab Frenzy: Really? So do you think it could be an issue in my brand-new Dark Energy? That would be absolutely horrible for a beginner like me. :/

Regardless, I put the patch cable from the the CV1 on the back panel to VCO F on the front panel and there was no difference.

I also went and ahead and plugged and unplugged a jack from all of the CV sockets, just to make sure none of them have anything stuck in them.

And sorry I'm as "green" as you can get but what is a "lead in the VCO F jack" mean? I don't have anything plugged into the VCO F socket on the front panel, that's for sure.

Wish I had my camera with me to post what everything looks like but I'll try w/o it: I have a Midi cable plugged into DE (and the other end is plugged into the Midi Out of the Yamaha). I have the power supply plugged in. I also have a 1/4 to 1/8 cable running from my far right Audio socket on the front panel of my DE to the Input of my guitar amplifier.

Do you think it could have anything to do with my amp? My guess is "no". I do plug it into the front input of my amp, correct? (I am using a fender fm 212 dsp).

thanks all for your patience.

[Stab Frenzy]

@Stab Frenzy: Really? So do you think it could be an issue in my brand-new Dark Energy? That would be absolutely horrible for a beginner like me. :/

It happens sometimes; something comes loose in shipping, QC people miss something at the factory, etc. Better that something goes wrong right at the start than after you've had it one day longer than the warranty period.

If you bought it in a shop locally take it back and have them look at it, if you bought it online email whoever you bought it from (maybe doepfer too) and tell them everything you've tried and maybe send a link to this thread. Sounds like there's an issue with the DE that needs to be fixed, but I doubt very much it'll cost you anything.

[astro123]

@Stab Frenzy: I bought it from Analogue Haven http://www.analoguehaven.com/doepfer/darkenergy. The guys there were really cool. I've emailed them but it's a holiday so probably won't hear back until tomorrow.

In the meantime I'll try and find out what is the email address for Doepfer's support for the future.

thank you!
j.

[meatballfulton]

I'm going to ask a potentially dumb question: Since you obviously own a computer, have you tried using the MIDI Over USB function yet to play the DE?

Do you have any software that can output MIDI?

[astro123]

@meatballfulton: I haven't tried using MIDI over USB. I do not any software that will put out MIDI. If there's some freely available software (or trail software) I'd be willing to try it out. Just curious though, why do you ask? I am assuming that I would have to learn how to get the software to output the MIDI as well.

I am also going to one of the local music stores today and trying out another keyboard (an M-Audio Axiom Pro 49), just in case something different happens.

[astro123]

Just got back from the local music store. I tried another controller (a M-Audio Axiom 49), just in case I got a different result...same result though. :/

I'll try and keep you informed on what it was where this isn't just a wasted forum thread, we've got enough of those on the web.

Thanks again everyone!
J.