Sequencer should record when receiving MIDI start signal.

Questions and Discussions about G-Stomper
mark_orion
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2017 1:00 pm

Sequencer should record when receiving MIDI start signal.

Postby mark_orion » Thu Feb 20, 2020 7:55 pm

I maybe missing an existing configuration feature here, but when I "arm" the sequencer on my G-Stomper Studio for recording (red recording button and flashing play), the sequencer starts playing and not recording when a MIDI start signal arrives. As I cannot see any advantage of this behaviour but much use of the ability to trigger recording via MIDI I would suggest to change this so that the sequencer actually records after receiving "start".
Another great feature would be a way to start recording automatically when the first note arrives at the tracks assigned MIDI channel.
User avatar
planet-h
Posts: 1545
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 4:46 pm

Re: Sequencer should record when receiving MIDI start signal.

Postby planet-h » Fri Feb 21, 2020 9:47 am

mark_orion wrote:I maybe missing an existing configuration feature here, but when I "arm" the sequencer on my G-Stomper Studio for recording (red recording button and flashing play), the sequencer starts playing and not recording when a MIDI start signal arrives. As I cannot see any advantage of this behaviour but much use of the ability to trigger recording via MIDI I would suggest to change this so that the sequencer actually records after receiving "start".
Another great feature would be a way to start recording automatically when the first note arrives at the tracks assigned MIDI channel.

Thanks for your message. I remember that case ... and I drove some decent tests around it.
The problem is simple: A MIDI start event has to start the sequence from zero position, always and in any case, even if you have previously paused the sequencer.
Also keep in mind that a MIDI stop always has to do a pause in G-Stomper, so that a MIDI continue will work after wards.
Now imagine that you send a MIDI stop in the middle of a pattern, which results in a pause. Then send a MIDI start (not continue). This must result in a start from zero pos, which again means a internal reset is required first to bring the current playback pos back to zero... and this is what results in the record being reset.
Sure, you could say that reset is not required if the sequencer is already at zero pos. But what if you want to start recording at zero pos of bar 3?
However, here is the solution:
Arm the recording in G-Stomper at paused state, as you already did.
Then send a MIDI continue (not a start) event.
This will keep the recording active;)
mark_orion
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2017 1:00 pm

Re: Sequencer should record when receiving MIDI start signal.

Postby mark_orion » Fri Feb 21, 2020 3:30 pm

Thanks a lot for the very detailed explanation. There is only one problem:
planet-h wrote:Then send a MIDI continue (not a start) event.

Tell that Roland.... The SH-01A only sends start/stop, no continue.
However, luckily I am familiar with MIDI programming (mainly using "Processing"), so I will probably just code my own MIDI router that translates either start/stop or the first Note ON into continue.
mark_orion
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2017 1:00 pm

Re: Sequencer should record when receiving MIDI start signal.

Postby mark_orion » Fri Feb 21, 2020 5:05 pm

For those who use a Linux computer, here is a simple solution to convert MIDI start messages into continue messages so that G-Stomper will start recording when you press "Play" on your external device (Synth, Sequencer etc.):
1. Install "mididings". The packages that come with many Linux distros crash because of problems with Python 2.7. None of the provided workarounds worked for me but the obvious did the job: Clone the sources from github and compile it for Python 3!
The sources can be found at: https://github.com/dsacre/mididings
2. Create a simple python file containing just the code below.
3. Start it with python3 myfile.py
4. Connect the MIDI input to MIDI out of your synth and MIDI out to the device running G-Stomper.
That should do it.

Code: Select all

from mididings import *

config(
   backend='alsa',
   client_name='MIDI_Router',
)

run(
   [ Filter(NOTEON, NOTEOFF, SYSRT_STOP, SYSRT_CLOCK, SYSRT_RESET), Filter(SYSRT_START) % Generator(SYSRT_CONTINUE) ],
)
User avatar
planet-h
Posts: 1545
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 4:46 pm

Re: Sequencer should record when receiving MIDI start signal.

Postby planet-h » Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:23 pm

Thanks taking the time for this. That's an elegant solution, indeed.
User avatar
planet-h
Posts: 1545
Joined: Wed Jun 19, 2013 4:46 pm

Re: Sequencer should record when receiving MIDI start signal.

Postby planet-h » Fri Feb 21, 2020 7:26 pm

mark_orion wrote:Tell that Roland.... The SH-01A only sends start/stop, no continue.

Aww.. I see. There's only a play button, no pause.

Return to “General Questions and Discussions”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 43 guests