In one of our tutorials 2 weeks ago I showed you how to layer 2 filters on top of each other and assign one knob to many different functions on those 2 filters. This “super knob” is a handy way to create wild sounds with minimal effort. In that case the desired effect required a Zone 92 LP filter on the deck and a HP filter on the master effect. So if you suddenly get inspired to create some wild filter builds in the middle of a set, you would probably want to have 2 controllers dedicated to that function. A button to engage the required effects and the super knob to tweak them out. So how do you make one button do that?
There are 10 FX slots in Traktor and they are spread around the 127 step midi sweep. So if you assign a knob to “direct effect select” then the knob will scroll through all of those slots as it turns from 0-127. A little math or a midi monitor would figure out where in that range each effect sits. 127 steps divided by 10 slots means that every 12.7 ticks a new effect will be selected
Limit the Range
This is a simple way to make a knob directly select a more limited number off effects. Lets say that you want the left side of the knob to be a LP filter and the right side of the knob to be HP filter. Then you will have a clear visual reference for which effect is loaded without checking the screen. To accomplish that you just need to figure out where in the midi range those effects sit. The easiest get that info is by connecting a full range knob to the “direct effect select” midi assignment in Traktor.
Now you need to monitor the value that is being spit out by your midi controller. Some controllers display that info on the unit or you may need to use software to monitor the stream between the controller and Traktor. In the above example a Low pas filter kicks in at a value of 10 and a HP filter 39. So limit your knob to those ranges and it will be easy to select 2 effects with one knob.
Direct Select
What about a single button that sets up 2 effects at once? That’s a little more complicated but follows the same rules. First you would need to duplicate the signal in a midi translator so that the button is sending out 2 different CC numbers. Now we need to restrict the range of each CC number even tighter. The first one would be a low of 10 and a high of 11 so it can only select the LP filter. The 2nd CC number needs to be restricted to 39-40. Now assign both of these CC numbers to “select FX” in direct mode. Assign one to the master and the other to the deck of your choice and you now have a powerful little button.
[quote comment=""][quote comment=""]Hey Ean, just a short question:
I tried to setup my UC-33 in Traktor which worked after routing the midi signal through midipipe. Now i wanted to assign the FX Select to one of the Knobs but i doesn't really work out for me. I set the range of the knob to 10 on the Midi controller and in midipipe but it wont limit the range to 10 steps and still sends out 127 messages only changed to 10 times 0 , 10 times 1, 10 times 2 and so on. If i use this in Traktor it switches through the effects so fast that its impossible to pick the effect you want.
Is there an option in Midi Pipe to only send every 10th step ?[/quote][/quote]
you really dont need midi pipe for that- as long as your midi controller is only sending out one value (10) and you have traktor set to "direct" effect select
[quote comment=""]Hey Ean, just a short question:
I tried to setup my UC-33 in Traktor which worked after routing the midi signal through midipipe. Now i wanted to assign the FX Select to one of the Knobs but i doesn't really work out for me. I set the range of the knob to 10 on the Midi controller and in midipipe but it wont limit the range to 10 steps and still sends out 127 messages only changed to 10 times 0 , 10 times 1, 10 times 2 and so on. If i use this in Traktor it switches through the effects so fast that its impossible to pick the effect you want.
Is there an option in Midi Pipe to only send every 10th step ?[/quote]
Hey Ean, just a short question:
I tried to setup my UC-33 in Traktor which worked after routing the midi signal through midipipe. Now i wanted to assign the FX Select to one of the Knobs but i doesn't really work out for me. I set the range of the knob to 10 on the Midi controller and in midipipe but it wont limit the range to 10 steps and still sends out 127 messages only changed to 10 times 0 , 10 times 1, 10 times 2 and so on. If i use this in Traktor it switches through the effects so fast that its impossible to pick the effect you want.
Is there an option in Midi Pipe to only send every 10th step ?
Not inteding to show off but here is the (interesting concept) FX selector from my MIDIBox.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tosys/2109916550/
It is a 6 step rotary switch, on the box configurable to select specific effects. Midibox software segment can also pre-set(or remember) FX knob 1-4 positions separately for each effect(and set them while you are selecting the fx).
Interesting part for you (with off the shelf midi consoles) is possibility to swap one knob with this kind of switch(you can choose number of steps).
After that CCs sent from this “knob” can be either transformed/changed via computer software or you can fine-tune the ressistors to select your favourite FX based on the position.
That sounds like an interesting concept! Look forward to hearing about it. 🙂
DJ ToS: Bome’s midi translator is the best I know of under Windows. I didn’t realize that the classic version cost money. With that said, with what I’m about to say, the professional version is the way to go.
Alternatively to Ean’s example, another way to do it would be to use a switch to engage different filters. The problem is that Midipipe and Traktor don’t have a memory, so they don’t know what ‘state’ they are in. I have a hacked out solution for this, which I will post later.
For example, I use (on the VCI-100) the ‘Eq-Hi’ knob and the ‘Gain knob’ are assigned to knobs 2 and 3 of the effects in Traktor. By default, the effects is the Low-pass/Width filter (I forget the real name) and the rest of the knobs as a 3-band eq.
However, when I depress the ‘effect’ button, it sets the Effect of the deck to the beatmasher and ‘Eq-Hi’ and the ‘Gain’ knobs still affect the same effect knobs. The difference is that, in this mode, what I normally use for the high freqeuncy eq (the Eq-mid low knob) is remapped to affect effect knob 1. Once I release the ‘effect’ button, Midipipe sets the effect back to the low-pass/width filter.
Not rocket science, but its pretty useful.
As stated above, I’ll post an example of this later today. I need to optimize the way data is stored because it truly is a hack.
And what about the windows users…. 🙂
The cracked version od bome’s translator? (translator is powerfull but quite pricey too)
I’m cooking a CPS patch to do the trick of MIDI transformation for me but can’t decode the licence. Is it permited to use it on a live performance?
You never cease to amaze me Ean! This is so freakin cool! Now gimme that VCI-100SE so I can get to business :]