FX8 Used as Effects Processor with Kemper - MIDI PROBLEMS

bbbuck

Member
I have set up my new Fractal Audio FX8 to work as an effects processor for the Kemper Profiler. I had abandoned my full Axe-FX rig maybe a year ago in favor of the amplifier tones available in the Kemper. That was a correct decision. That said, the effects in Kemper are adequate but not even close those produced in the FX8. The two rigs in tandem are epic and better than either company had achieved in their own systems. I believe this is the current rig to beat.

Now I am on to crafting the rig MIDI control. I have setup the FX8 using the 4 cable method so that I can place effects before the Kemper preamp or after. This works perfectly. My control intent is to have the effects setup on the FX8 so that when I change a performance on my Kemper Remote, it automatically it sends a Program Change (PC) change to the FX which changes the effects on the FX8. Plugged a MIDI cable into MIDI OUT on the Kemper. Set the Kemper to send MIDI on the "MIDI OUT" output. Set my FX8 to receive MIDI on Channel 2. Then grabbed the midi listing for the FX8 designating what each Midi Program number would be for each setting. (Note that the Kemper starts MIDI Program Change Numbers with "1" and FX8 Starts with "0" which means there is always an offset). I am sure this can be corrected in either system but I have not done so thus far. I then went into the Kemper Performance Rig Settings and went to set the Midi output for channel "2" and made the appropriate FX8 Program Change Choice (+1 for the offset) to drive the FX8 changes. I probably went through a dozen performances and set this up for each respective slot as well.

Ready to rock, right? Almost - the program changes seem to work to perfection on about half of the rigs. The other half seem to change nothing on the FX8. As if the FX8 is getting no MIDI call at all on these performances? I spent a couple of hours verifying that each performance was set up using the same protocol but still the same channels worked perfectly while others drove no change. Any ideas what would drive this erratic behavior? Is the Kemper perhaps sending a conflicting MIDI signal of which I am unaware? Would deeply appreciate any insight into the problem! I am so close to my dream system, so close!
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THANKS
 
You can use a program like MidiOx to monitor the MIDI messages from the Kemper to verify the correct messages are being sent. MidiOx has input and output port monitors that let you see the midi messages being sent in real time. You can probably use midi over USB on the FX8 to connect it to MidiOx.

I'd verify that the Kemper is sending on the same MIDI channel each time. Maybe that has to be specified for each preset or rig. Alternatively, you can try setting the FX8 to the Omni MIDI channel and see if it responds every time then.
 
You can use a program like MidiOx to monitor the MIDI messages from the Kemper to verify the correct messages are being sent. MidiOx has input and output port monitors that let you see the midi messages being sent in real time. You can probably use midi over USB on the FX8 to connect it to MidiOx.

I'd verify that the Kemper is sending on the same MIDI channel each time. Maybe that has to be specified for each preset or rig. Alternatively, you can try setting the FX8 to the Omni MIDI channel and see if it responds every time then.

Great idea. I will definitely try the MidiOX approach. I have really only dabbled in Midi controls. Time to go deeper, I guess. I did try the Omnichannel on the FX8, made no difference. Thanks for the wisdom!
 
Great idea. I will definitely try the MidiOX approach. I have really only dabbled in Midi controls. Time to go deeper, I guess. I did try the Omnichannel on the FX8, made no difference. Thanks for the wisdom!

Did you ever find the cause and/or solution?

Getting ready to try this same rig... FX8 MkII + Kemper Profiler Rack.
 
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