Any tips on hooking up Morningstar MC8 to FM9?

Tremonti

Tremonti

Fractal Fanatic
I programmed the Morningstar with online editor. Midi channel 1, named each button A-H, Did CC # for each effect I want to toggle. I also setup in FM9 and it is getting midi signal on unit, but no change. Any advice. The MC8 size is awesome!
 
Same as with FM3 and Axe 3. If you have the midi out of the MC8 and in on the FM9 and the blocks mapped.

What specifically isn't working for you? When you are on the FM9 did you use learn to make sure your signal/message was coming through?
 
bshaw92 said:
Same as with FM3 and Axe 3. If you have the midi out of the MC8 and in on the FM9 and the blocks mapped.

What specifically isn't working for you? When you are on the FM9 did you use learn to make sure your signal/message was coming through?
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Did not know about the learn function. I will look into that. Thanks!
 
Whatever you have (CC#) programmed into the MC8 > go to the FM9 Midi and choose your block for mapping. Hit the bottom learn button and then hit the MC8 switch to tie them together. Very quick and easy.
 
I have an MC-6, and it works great for scenes. I might try to find a way to get two way communication going, as the state of the Morningstar might not always reflect the state of the FM3/9.
 
Casimir said:
I might try to find a way to get two way communication going, as the state of the Morningstar might not always reflect the state of the FM3/9.
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Currently this is only available with scenes and presets. The other blocks have to be matched up by saving in the state you want to start. Still very usable but keep it in mind.
 
bshaw92 said:
Currently this is only available with scenes and presets. The other blocks have to be matched up by saving in the state you want to start. Still very usable but keep it in mind.
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So having say a button on the MC8 for Multi Delay on or off would require me to program the state to on or off on the MC8? I thought it would just toggle whatever the saved state is on the FM9?
 
Tremonti said:
So having say a button on the MC8 for Multi Delay on or off would require me to program the state to on or off on the MC8? I thought it would just toggle whatever the saved state is on the FM9?
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I think he was saying that if something besides your midi controller toggles the Multi Delay on or off, then the change won't be reflected on your MC-8. You MC-8 should have no problem setting up a toggle for the Multi Delay though.

For my application, since I am only sending midi from the MC-6 to the FM-3, and not sending anything from the FM-3 to the MC-6, if I change presets on the FM-3, the scene indicated as active on the Morningstar might not be the active scene until I actually select it on the Morningstar.
 
Tremonti said:
So having say a button on the MC8 for Multi Delay on or off would require me to program the state to on or off on the MC8? I thought it would just toggle whatever the saved state is on the FM9?
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You can only program the on/off on the MC8. If it was saved as ON in the FM9 when you first push the MC8 it will want to turn it on....it's already on, so you would have an additional step on the MC8 to turn it off, but then back to normal.
 
Casimir said:
I think he was saying that if something besides your midi controller toggles the Multi Delay on or off, then the change won't be reflected on your MC-8. You MC-8 should have no problem setting up a toggle for the Multi Delay though.

For my application, since I am only sending midi from the MC-6 to the FM-3, and not sending anything from the FM-3 to the MC-6, if I change presets on the FM-3, the scene indicated as active on the Morningstar might not be the active scene until I actually select it on the Morningstar.
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This is where using a separate MIDI controller collides with a device that is designed to control the system. Fractal designs the current generation of devices to act like a computer with multiple terminals attached. The modeler knows its state and sends information to the displays and the FC act like keyboards returning commands to the modeler.

And that same scenario was the breaking point for me when dealing with a Helix Stomp and a MC6. The Stomp thought it was in controI and I wanted the MC6 to be its peer. I had to program everything because it was several years ago and Morningstar hadn’t added any capability to query the modelers for their preset info, which reduces some of the pain. That disconnect was annoying after trying workaround after workaround that didn’t do what I wanted. And it was the final straw that began my move to Fractal and using the FC6 and FC12.

Yes, the FC controllers are more expensive, but they, and the modelers’ interaction with them, and the Layout Manager in the editors, really lessen the frustration and workload. I’ve adjusted my FM3+FC6, FM9, and FX3+FC12, to use the same behaviors in their layouts, with layout-links and per-preset overrides kicking in when they need to. Not having the frustration lets me focus on other things. That’s my $0.02.
 
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Greg Ferguson said:
This is where using a separate MIDI controller collides with a device that is designed to control the system. Fractal designs the current generation of devices to act like a computer with multiple terminals attached. The modeler knows its state and sends information to the displays and the FC act like keyboards returning commands to the modeler.

And that same scenario was the breaking point for me when dealing with a Helix Stomp and a MC6. The Stomp thought it was in controI and I wanted the MCY to be its peer. I had to program everything because it was several years ago and Morningstar hadn’t added any capability to query the modelers for their preset info, which reduces some of the pain. And it was the final straw that began my move to Fractal and using the FC6 and FC12.

Yes, the FC controllers are more expensive, but they, and the modelers’ interaction with them, and the Layout Manager in the editors, really lessen the frustration and workload. I’ve adjusted my FM3+FC6, FM9, and FX3+FC12, to use the same behaviors in their layouts, with layout-links and per-preset overrides kicking in when they need to. Not having the frustration lets me focus on other things. That’s my $0.02.
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Agreed, I think an FC6 would be the ideal solution if I were to start from scratch with the products available right now. I have been on the FM9 wait list, and plan to grab one of those once I get the invite. For me that would be the ideal solution as the FC6 would be "built in". I had the Morningstar from my old setup, so I am just keeping it around since I already have it. I would not recommend it for someone starting from scratch if anyone is wanting my $0.02.
 
bshaw92 said:
You can only program the on/off on the MC8. If it was saved as ON in the FM9 when you first push the MC8 it will want to turn it on....it's already on, so you would have an additional step on the MC8 to turn it off, but then back to normal.
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Exactly.
 
Casimir said:
Agreed, I think an FC6 would be the ideal solution if I were to start from scratch with the products available right now. I have been on the FM9 wait list, and plan to grab one of those once I get the invite. For me that would be the ideal solution as the FC6 would be "built in". I had the Morningstar from my old setup, so I am just keeping it around since I already have it. I would not recommend it for someone starting from scratch if anyone is wanting my $0.02.
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I was just experimenting with that combination and it’s very flexible and useful. I have a layout that’s like an extension of the OFM9G layout that incorporates it when you get the FM9 and FC6 if you want to try it.

Post in thread 'FM9 + FC6 question'
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/fm9-fc6-question.180569/post-2208504
 
...but keep in mind that the MC8 and some other midi controller give you some options the FC's do not. If you are a channel person (which I was - until Mark Day helped me with scenes AND control switches to act like a pedal board) you can only change the amp channel and cabinet channel together using midi.

The MC continues to develop and does 2 way communication on scenes and presets with the Axe so maybe things will keep moving. The MC is mid $200's used so it's a good amount less than the FC-6 and $300 ish less than the FC-12. I've used an HD500x and M-9 when we didn't have the FC's yet so people will make due with what they have or need to. I have an XLR cable to 9V so I can also power mine with the XLR/Faslink connection. Having said all this, I don't find that I need it for my FM9, but would have used it to change the channels of the Amp/Cab if I didn't get the scenes global thing working.
 
bshaw92 said:
...but keep in mind that the MC8 and some other midi controller give you some options the FC's do not. If you are a channel person (which I was - until Mark Day helped me with scenes AND control switches to act like a pedal board) you can only change the amp channel and cabinet channel together using midi.

The MC continues to develop and does 2 way communication on scenes and presets with the Axe so maybe things will keep moving. The MC is mid $200's used so it's a good amount less than the FC-6 and $300 ish less than the FC-12. I've used an HD500x and M-9 when we didn't have the FC's yet so people will make due with what they have or need to. I have an XLR cable to 9V so I can also power mine with the XLR/Faslink connection. Having said all this, I don't find that I need it for my FM9, but would have used it to change the channels of the Amp/Cab if I didn't get the scenes global thing working.
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So what you are saying is that as you learned how to use your FM9 and its capabilities you found that what you thought were limitations weren’t really, that the channels-only mindset was only one way of getting there. :)

A wish already exists to be able to tie amp/cab combinations together so the cab change always follows the amp.

The MIDI dictionary on the devices continues to expand but I doubt it’s as high a priority for Fractal as modeling and the editors. I remember seeing some MIDI requests come through a while back. They’re probably listed in the master wish list.

Yes, the MC is less expensive, and MIDI has its strengths, especially when controlling multiple disparate devices, but the difference in prices comes at the cost of needing to do more work. If Fractal implements more MIDI capability in partnership with Morningstar and Mastermind then they might equal what the FC can do. (I’d move to Mastermind’s units if I had to use MIDI, but that’s my own personal poison.)
 
Greg Ferguson said:
So what you are saying is that as you learned how to use your FM9 and its capabilities you found that what you thought were limitations weren’t really, that the channels-only mindset was only one way of getting there.
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No. I'm saying that whether FM9 or Axe 3 the answer was always you can't do that in scenes so I stayed with channels where it worked as I needed. I recently asked again and it was able to be accomplished using Scenes.
Greg Ferguson said:
A wish already exists to be able to tie amp/cab combinations together so the cab change always follows the amp.
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Yes. I was part of that long ago as I could do that on my Voes before the FC's came out.
Greg Ferguson said:
Yes, the MC is less expensive, and MIDI has its strengths, especially when controlling multiple disparate devices, but the difference in prices comes at the cost of needing to do more work. If Fractal implements more MIDI capability in partnership with Morningstar and Mastermind then they might equal what the FC can do. (I’d move to Mastermind’s units if I had to use MIDI, but that’s my own personal poison.)
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But that's why the OP posted what he did. Not our opinion of which is better or worse, but help with the MC8 to FM9 connections and setup. That is what the thread is about.....
 
Greg Ferguson said:
Yes, the FC controllers are more expensive, but they, and the modelers’ interaction with them, and the Layout Manager in the editors, really lessen the frustration and workload. I’ve adjusted my FM3+FC6, FM9, and FX3+FC12, to use the same behaviors in their layouts, with layout-links and per-preset overrides kicking in when they need to. Not having the frustration lets me focus on other things. That’s my $0.02.
Click to expand...

This is where my setup is going the opposite direction. I am using the FM9 and the FX3 together, primarily, and the one thing the FC devices don't do very well is share control capabilities between two Fractal devices.

I ended up offloading the control pedals onto an ExpressionIO (and their own board), and splitting up the button-controlled stuff between the FM9 and the FX3/FC6. The way I have the CS MIDI set on the two devices lets me share the pool of 12 CS between the two. I have a few presets where there is crossover between them (i.e., an FM9 CS controlling something in the FX3, or vice-versa), but the line between the two units, conceptually, is a thing. FM9 does my "pedals and amps", and FX3 does my "rack FX", for the most part. I did figure a way to integrate them a little more tightly by splitting the SPDIF between input mirroring on one side and full amp/cab on the other, so the possibility of a 4-amp preset is there for the doing.

What I found is that the FC6 doesn't really add much that I can really dig into to the FC9 with my setup, since my FM9 presets are, necessarily, a bit leaner and simpler. I just got a second ExpressionIO, and have plans to use it for two sliders (my F/M compensator, and one for Wet/Dry on the delays) and four switches under the board like I did on the FC6 board. That will be plenty for the FM9, and save me taking the FC6 board when using the FM9 alone. I am sure it will present some interesting extras for the FM9/FX3 rig as well....
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The newer ones are metal \m/....
 
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