Issues sending pattern changes to hardware from various sources

slicetwo

I have been creating a song arranger for the Digi boxes in FLStudio (PC) and Xequence2 (iOS) so I can easily recreate songs for recording to release. I've managed to get my automation recordings to work very well, but I'm still having issues with program changes. I'm posting this on Elektronauts, FLStudio, and Audiobus forums in hopes that someone can help me out.

I have a MIDI Out channel on FLStudio hooked up to the keyboard controller so that I can automate pattern changes on all 3 Digis at the same time. If I only use one box at a time, they work fine, but once I introduce all 3, I end up having issues. You can see in the video how the first 2 PC work fine, but afterwards, they're all an extra bar late, even with me making up for it with the placement of the triggers. I've tried USB and MIDI DIN for MIDI transfer, and this happens on both my iPad with Xequence 2 and my PC with FLStudio.

Any ideas?

uncledave

@slicetwo Could you please share one specific configuration that works (with one Digi box), and one that does not work (with 3 boxes)? Specifically how the gear is connected: USB, 5-pin, USB to interface, then 5-pin using MIDI In, 3 boxes in parallel, etc.? What part does the keyboard controller (which?) play in this?

Just to confirm, are these MIDI Program Change messages?

Since you say that the first two PCs work without delay, I wonder if the delay is inherent in the hardware. Maybe it can hold two patterns in memory, then needs to clear and reload, taking additional time.

slicetwo

@uncledave said:
@slicetwo Could you please share one specific configuration that works (with one Digi box), and one that does not work (with 3 boxes)? Specifically how the gear is connected: USB, 5-pin, USB to interface, then 5-pin using MIDI In, 3 boxes in parallel, etc.? What part does the keyboard controller (which?) play in this?

Just to confirm, are these MIDI Program Change messages?

Since you say that the first two PCs work without delay, I wonder if the delay is inherent in the hardware. Maybe it can hold two patterns in memory, then needs to clear and reload, taking additional time.

USB works fine with just one box, but not with 3. I also tried MIDI DIN in both configurations, though that was still USB for the Blokas MIDIHub.

If I manually trigger the PC changes with my Mozaic script, everything works fine. Also, to my knowledge, there is no pattern memory issue with the Elektron boxes in this regard.

espiegel123

@slicetwo said:

@uncledave said:
@slicetwo Could you please share one specific configuration that works (with one Digi box), and one that does not work (with 3 boxes)? Specifically how the gear is connected: USB, 5-pin, USB to interface, then 5-pin using MIDI In, 3 boxes in parallel, etc.? What part does the keyboard controller (which?) play in this?

Just to confirm, are these MIDI Program Change messages?

Since you say that the first two PCs work without delay, I wonder if the delay is inherent in the hardware. Maybe it can hold two patterns in memory, then needs to clear and reload, taking additional time.

USB works fine with just one box, but not with 3. I also tried MIDI DIN in both configurations, though that was still USB for the Blokas MIDIHub.

If I manually trigger the PC changes with my Mozaic script, everything works fine. Also, to my knowledge, there is no pattern memory issue with the Elektron boxes in this regard.

Have you put a midi monitor on the signal you are passing out to see if the delay is actually somewhere in your stream?

slicetwo

@espiegel123 said:

@slicetwo said:

@uncledave said:
@slicetwo Could you please share one specific configuration that works (with one Digi box), and one that does not work (with 3 boxes)? Specifically how the gear is connected: USB, 5-pin, USB to interface, then 5-pin using MIDI In, 3 boxes in parallel, etc.? What part does the keyboard controller (which?) play in this?

Just to confirm, are these MIDI Program Change messages?

Since you say that the first two PCs work without delay, I wonder if the delay is inherent in the hardware. Maybe it can hold two patterns in memory, then needs to clear and reload, taking additional time.

USB works fine with just one box, but not with 3. I also tried MIDI DIN in both configurations, though that was still USB for the Blokas MIDIHub.

If I manually trigger the PC changes with my Mozaic script, everything works fine. Also, to my knowledge, there is no pattern memory issue with the Elektron boxes in this regard.

Have you put a midi monitor on the signal you are passing out to see if the delay is actually somewhere in your stream?

I'll def. do that. Don't know why I didn't think of that...

rs2000

Sounds familiar.
https://www.elektronauts.com/t/digitakt-ableton-program-change/43316/14

slicetwo

@rs2000 said:
Sounds familiar.
https://www.elektronauts.com/t/digitakt-ableton-program-change/43316/14

I've already taken that into account. It's a huge pain in the arse. Haha. It's why I can't use the Elektron boxes to send PC to each other, at the moment. I use a mozaic script and usually do it manually.