How to MIDI?

B

bloodninja

Inspired
I looked around a few old threads but can't find any answers. I'm a complete beginner when it comes to MIDI. I just bought a Nektar Pacer to hold me over until I can get an FC, and have no clue what to do with it. I'm usually pretty good at figuring things out myself, but I don't know where to start...like do I have to go and change settings on the Ax, or change settings on the Pacer, or what? All I want for now is scenes 1-4 and a couple of effects on/off. Tuner and tap tempo would be nice but not necessary. Can anyone help me to get started figuring this out?

EDIT: This really makes me appreciate how easy it is to set up AX8 footswitches!
 
Bit of both, you need to tell the Axe what you want to happen when certain CC messages are sent, with specific values changing different scenes etc (listed in manual) and you also need to set the Pacer to send certain message with each press, as it too can be tailored to do different things with each press

I think there are some preprogrammed settings you can load into the Pacer, but that takes a little effort as well

They have a pretty good manual with step by step instructions for both products but the learning curve is a little step for both if your not used to working with these type of products and midi

Rather hard to really explain in detail too. I’d say start with the manual and folks here can hopefully help with clearing up some details, but to really walk you through each and every step would require a post as long as those manuals.
 
Thank you. I spent a little time with it last night and am starting to understand a little, but wondering if it's worth the effort since FC will hopefully be available soon.
 
One thing that is different about the III, as compared to the II, is that there are no factory programmed CC # assignments.

Each user, can determine what CC # number controls an effect or parameter.

So, I can program my III this way:

DRIVE 1 - CC 1
DRIVE 2 - CC 2
CHORUS 1 - CC3
CHORUS 2 - CC4

and another user could do it this way:

DRIVE 1 - CC75
DRIVE 2 - CC119
CHORUS 1 - CC 12
CHORUS 2 - CC 37

Both users are "right"!!!!!!!!

However, if the first guy programs his foot controller to send those CC#'s, but then he plugs his controller into the other user's III, it won't control the stuff he thinks it's supposed to control!!!! He may get some "unpleasant" consequences. Essentially, this pairs a foot controller to its own Axe III - you can't borrow my foot controller for a gig, unless we've both assigned identical CC numbers within our Axe III's.

I hope this makes sense.

Step 1 - assign CC#'s inside the Axe III to the parameters you wish to control. KEEP A WRITTEN LIST OF YOUR CC ASSIGNMENTS. I recommend you decide on your CC assignments first, by writing out on paper, the stuff you want to be able to control on/off, like Drive, or Delay,

Step 2 - go into the Axe III midi menu and make the assignments match your written list.
For instance, you could look at the CC assignments in the Axe II manual, and mimic those assignments. Scenes is CC34, for example. If you assign scenes to CC34 in your III, then you will have to program your foot controller to send CC34 when you step on a scene button.

Step 3 - program your foot controller to correspond to the midi assignments you made from your written list.

Your scene buttons on the foot controller would send this info:

Scene 1 button: Send CC34, value 0
Scene 2 button: Send CC34, value 1
Scene 3 button: Send CC34, value 2
Scene 4 button: Send CC34, value 3

Good luck!!!!!
 
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Slightly off topic, but still related. For anyone that is interested in understanding MIDI to a deeper level, there's a free course on MIDI, that is very deep. There are a few specific lessons that are good for understanding the things that are available in Axe FX. Specifically,
Section 10: Program Change, Section 12: Control Change Messages and Section 19: System Exclusive Messages. The course is here: https://midi.nonlineareducating.com/play/1198/midi-demystified/ and the write up on the course and why it exists is here: http://www.musicconnection.com/midi-association-nonlinear-educating-online-courses/.
 
rodzimguitar68 said:
One thing that is different about the III, as compared to the II, is that there are no factory programmed CC # assignments.

Each user, can determine what CC # number controls an effect or parameter.

So, I can program my III this way:

DRIVE 1 - CC 1
DRIVE 2 - CC 2
CHORUS 1 - CC3
CHORUS 2 - CC4

and another user could do it this way:

DRIVE 1 - CC75
DRIVE 2 - CC119
CHORUS 1 - CC 12
CHORUS 2 - CC 37

Both users are "right"!!!!!!!!

However, if the first guy programs his foot controller to send those CC#'s, but then he plugs his controller into the other user's III, it won't control the stuff he thinks it's supposed to control!!!! He may get some "unpleasant" consequences. Essentially, this pairs a foot controller to its own Axe III - you can't borrow my foot controller for a gig, unless we've both assigned identical CC numbers within our Axe III's.

I hope this makes sense.

Step 1 - assign CC#'s inside the Axe III to the parameters you wish to control. KEEP A WRITTEN LIST OF YOUR CC ASSIGNMENTS. I recommend you decide on your CC assignments first, by writing out on paper, the stuff you want to be able to control on/off, like Drive, or Delay,

Step 2 - go into the Axe III midi menu and make the assignments match your written list.
For instance, you could look at the CC assignments in the Axe II manual, and mimic those assignments. Scenes is CC34, for example. If you assign scenes to CC34 in your III, then you will have to program your foot controller to send CC34 when you step on a scene button.

Step 3 - program your foot controller to correspond to the midi assignments you made from your written list.

Your scene buttons on the foot controller would send this info:

Scene 1 button: Send CC34, value 0
Scene 2 button: Send CC34, value 1
Scene 3 button: Send CC34, value 2
Scene 4 button: Send CC34, value 3

Good luck!!!!!
Click to expand...

This is a great explanation, thanks!
 
Don Watters said:
Slightly off topic, but still related. For anyone that is interested in understanding MIDI to a deeper level, there's a free course on MIDI, that is very deep. There are a few specific lessons that are good for understanding the things that are available in Axe FX. Specifically,
Section 10: Program Change, Section 12: Control Change Messages and Section 19: System Exclusive Messages. The course is here: https://midi.nonlineareducating.com/play/1198/midi-demystified/ and the write up on the course and why it exists is here: http://www.musicconnection.com/midi-association-nonlinear-educating-online-courses/.
Click to expand...

I'll take a look at the relevant sections, thanks.
 
Fortunately, the axe has a MIDI learn function. When your foot controller sends preprogammed Cc’s, you can easily teach the axe. Just go to the setup /MIDI menu, find the proper command, press enter on the axe, then the pedal of your foot controller. And it is set up! Repeat as needed!
 
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