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

[astro123]

I have a Yamaha PSR-E223 YPT-220 [digital] and a Doepfer Dark Energy and I'm new to synths. Question: I hooked up the midi out of the Yamaha to the Dark Energy's Midi In and started playing with patches. And I noticed something while doing this, no matter what key I play on the keyboard it's always the same pitch/note, no matter what. Is this always the case? For example, is there a way to get it to Play, the C scale with one of my Dark Energy Lead Patches? So far no luck and not even sure it's possible...

[Psy_Free]

I assume you've done the following as stated in the User Manual :

– Select the desired MIDI channel on your MIDI device / software application. Please refer to their
respective user manuals when in doubt.
– Press the „Learn“ button on the back of Dark Energy and keep it depressed for at least one second. The
LED will start flashing, showing that Dark Energy is in „learn mode“. The delay of one second avoids
accidental use of the „learn“ mode. The flashing LED always indicates Dark Energy‘s active learn mode.
For easy access to the „learn“ button you can use a pen or a plug.
– Press the key on your keyboard with the lowest key that Dark Energy is supposed to play. This key will
set CV1 (pitch CV) to 0 Volt. This is approx. equivalent to 65 Hz / „C“, when tuning control and range
switch are both in their center position. The available range will cover five octaves above that key. The
default setting is MIDI note number 36.
– Now you´re done - Dark Energy‘s MIDI channel will now correspond to the one of the connected MIDI
device. Dark Energy will quit learn mode automatically and return to normal running mode. If you enable
„learn“ mode accidentally, simply hit the „learn“ button again to quit

[astro123]

Yes, I've done those steps. In fact, many times. But maybe this is the issue: "Select the desired MIDI channel on your MIDI device", (which in my case is a Yamaha PSR-E223 YPT-220). The manual doesn't show anything on how to change MIDI channels and I am pretty sure the channels go from 0 -127. And the Doepfer is from 1-128 (the standard for MIDI). I guess there is no way to change the Doepfer to go from 1 -128 to 0- 127...and I'm not sure I even want to do that. Pages 21 and 22 goes over this.

Regardless, maybe I need to find out where to ask about the Yamaha PSR-E223 YPT-220 in the meantime.

thanks for the reply, I do appreciate it!

[Stab Frenzy]

Nope, midi channels are always 1-16.

[Psy_Free]

The fact that it is sounding anything shows that the MIDI channel (1-16) on the Yamaha is matched to the MIDI channel on the Dark Energy. The pitch on the Doepfer is internally controlled by CV1 so it should automatically track the keyboard if you've done the MIDI learn steps.

You could try doing a factory reset on the Dark Energy and reconnect the Yamaha & repeat the learn process.

Also, maybe try it with a different keyboard, or if you can via the CV/Gate inputs with a synth/sequencer with CV/Gate outputs.

Can't think why else this isn't working.

[Stab Frenzy]

The fact that it is sounding anything shows that the MIDI channel (1-16) on the Yamaha is matched to the MIDI channel on the Dark Energy. The pitch on the Doepfer is internally controlled by CV1 so it should automatically track the keyboard if you've done the MIDI learn steps.

Unless the VCA amplitude is turned up and it's droning.

Does the Gate LED on the back of the DE come on when you send midi from the Yamaha?

[astro123]

@Stab Frenzy: Yes the Gate LED comes on when I press a key on the Yamaha. The VCA is turned all the way down, I made sure of that.

Question: Do need to use a patch cord on the rear panel for something? I am beginner's beginner so just making sure I'm not missing something. Manual doesn't mention this so my guess is 'no'. For instance @Psy_Free mentioned that "Doepfer is internally controlled by CV1", just making sure that I don't need to put a patch cord into the socket and link to to somewhere.

The way I did the Learn Process was to: Press the Learn button on back (it starts to blink) then I press the lowest key on my keyboard). The light stops blinking. I then press the keys again but nothing has changed...same pitch everywhere.

Thanks again for the help, I couldn't figure this out without it.

[astro123]

...and just in case this info might be useful: the keyboard has a Midi In and a Midi Out. My guess is that this has nothing to do with my problem but thought I'd mention it.

[astro123]

Not giving up just yet. :p Here are two screenshots of the Data List for my keyboard. I have not clue what's it's telling other than the the data list states that the note numbers are 0 - 127 (which I think the standard is 1 - 128), just figured I'd just in case someone has been this something like this before. Screenshots below:

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/40 ... otase.png/]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/69 ... ot1sv.png/

[Stab Frenzy]

If the gate light is coming on then midi is getting through fine, that's not where your issue is.

You are holding the learn button and then the lowest C your going to be playing right? It sets 0V to the key you press when you learn it, so it has to be the lowest C you're planning on playing to stay in tune correctly.

The only other thing I can think of is that the filter resonance might be all the way up so you're hearing the filter self-oscillating rather than the oscs?

[astro123]

The gate light is definitely coming on. Yes, I am pressing the Learn button for at least a couple of seconds, it will then start to blink then I'll press the lowest C on this keyboard (it's a 5 octave keyboard). I also kept the Learn Button pressed down while also pressing the lowest C and still no luck. I have a basic patch (it's the patch on page 6 of the manual, section 1.3 http://www.doepfer.de/pdf/Dark_Energy_Manual.pdf).

The fact that it's probably not the midi concerns me a bit now but not panicking. I am pretty much clueless at this point as well...

Thanks again for the replies back.

[Stab Frenzy]

So is the note triggering as expected (comes on when you press a key, goes off after a moment when you let it go)?

If that's working fine but the pitch of the osc isn't changing then something might be going wrong with the CV getting from the interface to the osc. Does turning the VCO FM knob (second from the top on the left hand side) to 10 change the pitch of the sound coming out?

[astro123]

The notes are triggering fine except when I do the Learn Button process. When I press the Learn Button, then press the lowest key there is no sound at all for the first time. Once I hit the key again (obviously I'm out of the Learn Button mode) it simply goes back to the same behavior as before (all keys same pitch). So, if I understand the question correctly: No, the note is not triggering when I press the key. When I press the key it's just silence. :/

Yes, turning the knob of the VCO FM knob to 10 changes the pitch, sort of gives me a sci-fi sort of sound or maybe something you'd hear in the emergency room in the hospital.

[silikon]

I have a couple of these things linked together via internal MIDI; I recall having a similar problem originally with the one, but it was a simple fix, and for the life of me, I can't recall what it was.

What I can offer you if you haven't already gone through the process, is to reset to factory defaults (hold the learn button while powering on), make sure EVERYTHING in the patch on page 6 is correctly set, and then go through the midi-learn again.

After that's complete, and if you still don't have playable notes, I suggest setting up the DE just as they show on page 30; there's a nagging voice in the back of my head that says "flip the VCF tracking switch to full" -- But looking at the patch you say you have from page 6, it also shows the tracking switch to full, so maybe that's not it at all.

If it wasn't 0100 here, I would power up my DE and see if I could reproduce on the spot. If you're still having the problem tomorrow, I'll see what other ideas crop up.

Worst case is you send an email to Doepfer and query their support folks...

-N

[astro123]

@silikon: So you were able to get this particular keyboard to work with the DE??? If so, that would be good to know and I probably will not go through the trouble of taking it back as it must not be the keyboard...thanks for that info, that helps out *tremendously*.

I will try those steps above very carefully and get back to you on this asap. thanks!