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Groove Rider GR-16 with Arturia Beatstep
Hi all! I just bought an Arturia Beatstep (not the Pro) and I'd like to use it with Groove Rider GR-16 app on Iphone 6. Is there anyone who has made a functional midi mapping?
- For example the play and stop button, they start playing the Beatstep sequence, but I want them to play the GR-16 sequence instead.
- The pads, they play notes, but I want them to act the same as the 16 pads of GR-16, dependent on the function (Mute/Erase/Trigger/Seq/Keys/Chords/Slice/Jump; with one of the rotary knobs to scroll trough these functions).
- I want one of the rotary knobs to scroll through the parts, just as the left and right button on GR16
- I want to map the big button of the Beatstep the same as the big round button of GR16.
Is all of this possible or am I asking too much?
Comments
You're asking too much I'm afraid, iOS apps generally have very little support for MIDI CC mappings and GR-16 is already on the better stage with quite a list of parameters that can be controlled via MIDI CC, on up to 16 channels simultaneously and individually.
Everything GR supports in terms of MIDI control is listed in the manual.
As for transport control, I think there's a solution but let me double-check that later.
RS2000 thanks for your answer! I read the manual of GR16 but yeah there is only a couple of functions to midi map.
Honestly all the gr-16 knobs map and the note buttons, should be fun. Play / stop/ rec. Theres 3 knobs per pad right? Make thise the attack decay vol knobs per cell and youll have fun building kits and making pattern with a controller. Then go to the ipad screen for in depth manipulation. I wouldnt buy a spark to do this, but if you have one lets have some fun
I did map the beatstep to Gr16, I’ll see if I can send it to you. I have to see how to export a mapping from the arturia midi control program. I am not so successful with making music with the app, but that’s due to me own difficulties with groovebox style workflow. However, the beatstep is a good match for it.
Can you control the GR16 transport with your Beatstep?
I think so, it’s been a long time since I did it. I will go downstairs in a little while to try it.
I mapped my Beatstep to Groove Rider by using the Arturia MIDI configuration software to make the Beatstep match GR's CC values. Since I use different MIDI controllers with GR sometimes, this was the better way to handle it because you can't MIDI learn several MIDI controllers to a single knob in GR. A few controls must still be mapped in GR using MIDI learn, though, because they have no default CC value.
I used Omni mode so the Beatstep would work on all channels (i.e. in GR, it will apply MIDI to the currently selected Part).
Also, GR v1.7.x recently added the ability to map most of the buttons (Play, Stop, Trigger, SEQ, etc.) in GR including the data entry knob (!), so if you tried to do this a few months ago without success, you can do it now.
To MIDI learn in GR, you triple tap a function (like a knob) and you are in MIDI learn mode. But you can't triple tap the buttons, so to MIDI learn the buttons, triple tap a knob, then tap the button you want to map and now it is flashing and can be mapped. Make sure to press Write to save your mapping.
I used the Beatstep Arturia MIDI software to do the following:
Set the big encoder knob as Relative #1 mode so it would work as a continuous spinning knob (an encoder), then I MIDI learned it to the GR data entry knob. It works great. Once, I saw that in some menus (like selecting a sound in the Wave menu), it skips two items at once, but I haven't been able to get that problem to happen consistently.
Set all 16 smaller encoders as 0-127 count knobs (default mode for the Beatstep) and mapped them to the CC values in GR that I wanted so that I didn't have to MIDI Learn all of them. CC values are in the GR manual, or you can see the assigned CC value in GR by tapping on the knob/button you want to program.
I tried to use the Beatstep knobs as continuous encoders (not 0-127 value knobs), but GR wouldn't work. No matter what encoder mode I selected inside GR or in the Arturia software, using the Beatstep knobs as encoders didn't work except for the Data Entry knob in GR. Maybe another thing to ask the developer about?
Play and Stop buttons - On the Beatstep, Start/Stop default to MMC button modes. GR does not support this mode. I believe you can program these in the Arturia software to anything you want (set a custom CC value or note value), and then MIDI learn them in GR to the play and stop buttons. I didn't do it this way, though. Instead, I run GR in AUM, and since AUM supports the Beatstep play/stop buttons natively, I just route the Beatstep to AUM's controls and AUM starts/stops GR. But you must press (enable the) EXT Sync button on the Beatstep. Otherwise, it also starts/stops the Beatstep's sequencer. I use AUM because it also allows me to route my keyboard into GR as well as the Beatstep. GR doesn't support two midi controllers on its own, but AUM solves that. Just make sure Virtual MIDI IN is enabled in GR.
I didn't go so far as to figure out how to get external MIDI sync from AUM into the Beatstep so that AUM would start and stop the Beatstep's sequencer. It should work somehow, but I didn't care about the Beatstep sequencer since GR is the sequencer.
Just like mapping the Play/Stop buttons, you can MIDI learn the up/down buttons. But, I didn't go so far as to try and map a Beatstep encoder to continually press UP UP UP, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN as you rotate it up and down. I don't think this is possible - maybe the Arturia MIDI software can configure this mode (??).
As for making the pads work - they should work by default exactly the way the pads work in GR. Meaning, they are mode dependent based on MUTE, TRIGGER, SEQ, KEYS, CHORDS, etc. The exception is, sadly, the upper and lower rows in GR are reversed compared to the Beatstep, or any other Drum Machine type controller. The upper row on the Beatstep controls the lower row in GR and vice versa. This is just the way GR is mapped. You could remap this in the Arturia MIDI software, but now the Beatstep's pads, when used for notes, will be backwards. I wish GR had an option to swap the upper/lower row mapping.
So to be clear, if you are in TRIGGER, MUTE, SEQ, etc. (not in KEYS or CHORDS mode), pressing a pad on the Beatstep should press the corresponding pad in GR (except upper and lower rows swapped). But switch to KEYS or CHORDS, and the pads on the Beatstep will play notes. Unfortunately, the octave buttons in GR do not affect the Octave played by the Beatstep. You have to set this in Arturia's MIDI software. You can change note scale/octave in the Beatstep sequencer, but that's not what we need because that is only useful when the Beatstep is in sequencer mode. So I consider this largely useless. You could probably save several Memories (profiles) in the Beatstep to play different octaves I suppose, but kind of cumbersome. Hence why I connect my MIDI keyboard to GR using AUM, or just use GR's pads directly.
@MLohmeyer I would consider relative MIDI CC work in progress. The thing is that even if you enable a specific relative CC mode in GR16, it will try and guess the relative CC type anyway. I found the knob mapping to work the best when I've turned the BeatStep knobs very slowly when learning.
This is because notes are usually played on a MIDI keyboard with octave buttons or a Launchpad for example so the on-screen octave switches are for the on-screen pads only.
I would agree though that being able to map the octave (and bar) buttons to CC or notes would definitely make sense.
@MLohmeyer Would you mind sharing the Beatstep config? I'd like check it out despite above issues.
Thanks, I'll try that to see if it works better. I just posted in the main GR16 topic to see what I can do to help sort it out.
Thanks. Yes, this is an issue with the Beatstep not having octave buttons - but instead, you have to pre-program the scale and octave in the Arturia MIDI software. But just mentioned it in case other people thought it should work when of course that's not how MIDI controllers work.
I'm real glad to see Jim P. is actively working on all this and maybe will add it to Pure Acid soon as well.
I attached a .beatstep file. I had to rename it by adding .txt to the end of the file. It is just a text file anyway. Download it, remove the .txt in the file name, and import it into the Arturia MIDI Control Center program.
This profile maps the big encoder knob to move the GR16 data entry knob as a continuous knob.
It also maps the 16 other Beatstep encoders as "pots" to control the other parameter knobs. That means the Beatstep outputs values from 0 to 127 like a normal pot instead of acting like an encoder. All GR16 knobs are mapped except for the GLIDE knob (because there are 17 knobs in GR16, and only 16 on the Beatstep and GLIDE was least important to me).
I have GR16 set to "MIDI Knob Mode: Catch", but it will work in Jump mode as well. If you set to Catch mode, be aware, you may have to rotate the Beatstep knob 2 turns, or 1 turn really fast (using encoder acceleration) in order to get GR16 to catch the current knob setting.
For this profile, you'll need to MIDI Learn the big encoder to the GR16 Value knob. The other 16 knobs are using default CC mapping for GR16.
Oh, Duh. I just realized I was having troubles because when using relative mode on the Beatstep, I have to MIDI Learn it even if I'm using the default MIDI CC values. I assumed GR16 would automatically figure it out, but since those default values are expecting a pot (non-relative mode), it doesn't work that way. I have to Learn it anyway.
Definitely. No software can know if an incoming message is a relative or an absolute MIDI CC message, it can only guess while learning and only if the user moves the knob in a certain way.
Simply turning a knob to the right can actually send the same stream of messages for incremental as well as for linear CC control: A sequence of e.g. 65, 66, 68, 70, 73 when quickly turning a knob to the right can both be a simple potentiometer knob or a relative encoder with acceleration.
@auxmux Here is a .beatstep file with all encoders set to relative mode and also with PLAY and STOP on the Beatstep changed to "Switched Control" mode to act as "Gate" on/off buttons. All of this set in the Arturia MIDI Control Center.
You will have to MIDI learn everything since they are now all relative encoders (as I just realized), as well as MIDI Learn the STOP and PLAY buttons of course. Make sure you see "[ofs]" in the info display when you MIDI Learn the knobs. The [ofs] means GR16 identified it as an encoder.
Unfortunately, none of the other control buttons can be configured to send MIDI info.
Awesome, thanks @MLohmeyer
Hello riderz !
Has anyone managed to select a pad directly in midi? without passing part part- part+? Neither by clicking on it :-)
It's one of the only things I miss to configure my midimix and GR-16.
For info I use https://tshoppa.github.io/Midios/configurator.html to map the buttons. If anyone is interested I can give my mapping
Thank you!
You can't. it's one of the few reasons that still is a total dealbreaker for using a midi controller with GR16 which has really great midi mapping and is a fantastic app in general.
You can browse sounds using a relative endlesss encoder.
But selecting a pad. nope.
With this feature you could fully control and perform with Gr16 , eyes closed. Not looking away. Just controller and sound.
But you can't.
Otherwise it would be a perfect match for the beatstep. Omni mapping and relative controls. But selecting a pad.
Nope.
You could use ios accessibility. If you feel its worth the effort. 🔥
it's very sad, as you say, almost everything else is controllable with a controller, if @jimpavloff listens to us :-)
Perhaps will try to developp m'y first mozaic script for that 😅
Ok, it works :-) I use a mozaic script who send x MidiCC to grooverider. Before i have map the parts arrows to this cc.
I will make a template in patchstorage with this.
I also use midiOS to map the parts.
Would be nice if Beatstep was the perfect match especially with the encoders. I just bought the Launchpad pro mk3 and it seems to work quite nicely. Only trick is to get used to the buttons that correspond to groove rider. So far I’ve tried pattern switch, mutes, the touchpad fx, and the different pad modes and it’s a lot of fun. Wish @jimpavloff made a manual for it though.
please share that patch plz
I'd love any mappings with BSP, Koala, Driambo, Mirack, AUM, Cubasis, if anyones working with BSP and ios ill take the mapping plz
@biggir
Any word on that script? 😭🙏🏽