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Hardware Instruments => MiniBrute => MiniBrute Technical Questions - FAQ => Topic started by: Skipp on March 28, 2013, 06:57:13 pm

Title: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: Skipp on March 28, 2013, 06:57:13 pm
I'm trying to control my monotribe from the pitch and gate CV outs on my minibrute. Unfortunately I can't get the gate signal to work and the pitch signal is intermittent. When it works I can control the pitch on the monotribe whilst the gate is being driven from its sequencer.

I believe that he cables are Ok.

Has anyone had any success with this and if so what setting on the minitribe and connections did you use?

I'd appreciate any help.
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: rove on March 28, 2013, 07:51:06 pm
I am also having trouble getting this to work properly... However, I am having the opposite trouble, where the gate is working as expected, but I am not getting any pitch control.  The wiring of the cable is odd, I am using an Apple AV cable (TRRS-3xRCA) which may be part of the problem, I'd suggest you try a different cable.  At one point I swear I was getting pitch, but it was inverted--now nothing though which make me suspect the cable.
In the meantime, with the Minibrute gate out to sync in on the Monotribe(while the MT is in sync mode, not CV mode), MB gate switch set to KBD, will get you tempo sync with the MB arpeggiator, giving a type of midi sync for the monotribe (I know there is  midi mod, but this works stock), which is proving quite useful and fun.
Also interested to hear if anyone has gotten both pitch and gate working with the Minibrute/Monotribe setup. thanks
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: Skipp on March 28, 2013, 08:19:13 pm
Thanks for the fast reply. I bought a purpose built cable from Michigan synth works and two brand new mini jack leads so I'm fairly sure I'm Ok on the cables.

I've found a video that shows manual tweaking of the gate signal using a mini screwdriver so I'll try that next. I am however able to sync the unit when not in CV mode so that would suggest I am getting a gate signal?

Have you gone with just led 1 lit in the monotribe when in CV mode?
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: Skipp on March 29, 2013, 02:58:40 pm
Fixed it  :D

Had the gate source on the wrong setting .... doh   :-\

It's good times now its working, adds a whole lot to both devices. It's now well worth investing in Monotribe for anyone with a Minibrute. (Instant additional oscillator with cool filter and LFO)



Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: Robbie on March 29, 2013, 03:41:01 pm
Could you share the exact settings and calibration method you used to get it working?  I mucked around with it for about an hour last night and had all the gate I needed but could never get the pitch to work.
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: Skipp on March 29, 2013, 04:52:18 pm
I followed the process in the PDF.

I'll assume that you have a cable that's wired correctly?

Power on the Monotribe holding down Gate Time and SN.

Make sure that LED 1 is lit and 2 and 3 are unlit.

Hold down note C4 on the Brute and press play on the Monotribe until the light goes out. Hold down C5 and press play on the Monotribe again.

Hit the record button on the Monotribe.

There's a few flashing lights and then its all good  :)

Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: Ed Solo on March 31, 2013, 11:38:58 pm
i did not think there was a pitch in on the monotribe ?

Do i need a mod on the monotribe to have a pitch in ?
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: rove on April 02, 2013, 07:54:27 am
There is no mod necessary for the pitch/CV gate in on the Monotribe, just an upgrade to the latest firmware (2.1) and a properly wired TRRS cable.  I finally got mine working after soldering my own cable.
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: davesittingathome on April 03, 2013, 05:17:28 am
And on this topic, I'm having no luck. I picked up a trrs cable from Memory Express for 20 bucks and two RCA to mini plug adapters, got the gate working fine but can't get the monotribe to recognize the pitch. The cable I got has 3 rca jacks, the white seems to work good for the gate, so it is up to the other two, red and yellow. Neither seems to do the job. I've tried all the different variations of setting on the monotribe to no avail. I'll quit for tonight and maybe someone will have some advice. Cheers!
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: noNson of Adam on April 03, 2013, 08:07:22 am
Good Morning Guys,

I tried it also with a Headset adapter which won't work due to the uncommon wiring/soldering of the 4 pole TRRS from KORG.
Have a look at the attached Manual and bear in mind that MiniBrute has only MONO Jacks for CV out.
So the Tip of MiniBrutes Mono Jack is "hot" means CV pitch or Gate and Ring is Ground.

It seems we don't get around soldering our own cables...




Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: theshaggyfreak on April 05, 2013, 09:48:34 pm
Actually, you don't need to solder your own cable. I finally got it figured out and found a cable that works. Most of these types of cables have the ground in the wrong place. The audio/video cable for Nokia phones is one that is configured correctly! You can grab them off Ebay pretty cheaply and I think I got mine for about $3. I had to wait a week or so for it to show up from China, though. I made a quick video about it if you want to check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIv0wSTluiM
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: illintechnology on April 05, 2013, 10:43:08 pm
Thanks so much!  I was pulling out my hair trying to get it working with a standard composite video 3xRCA+mono 3.5mm adapters to 3.5mm trrs cable.  I just ordered my cable off eBay. Hope to get it soon.
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: theshaggyfreak on April 05, 2013, 11:33:27 pm
Unfortunately, not all companies use the same configuration with these four pole 8th inch jack cables. I eventually found a chart that showed the various configurations depending on who the cable was made for. Most have what we need for ground and CV reversed. The Nokia cable was the easiest one to find that had the ground right.
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: squil on April 06, 2013, 03:30:38 pm
Thanks yo! nice find. :)
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: illintechnology on April 06, 2013, 05:44:48 pm
To work wth these video cables, I found these RCA female to 3.5mm TS (mono) male adapters from Hosa. Part #: GRM-114 They're cheap at Sweetwater, eBay, etc. I couldn't find them locally.  Better than using an RCA>1/4">3.5mm adaptor stack.


http://www.hosatech.com/product/0/GRM-114/_/Adaptors%2C_RCA_to_3.5_mm_TS%2C_2_pc
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: jonnyj on April 24, 2013, 01:40:59 am
Thank you all for posting in this helpful thread. Unfortunately I have everything going except the CV still isn't right. I am getting just a Middle C playing when I play my Monotribe from The MiniBrute. I am wondering if it's because of this jack. See attached pic. I am using this plugged into the Monotribe's Sync out with two two Stereo Sync Cables going into the MiniBrute. I have also tried using T/S cables with adapters and different combos that should work but no avail. See attached pic I was informed by another forum that this would work. Any advice, ideas appreciated.
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: illintechnology on April 24, 2013, 01:48:25 am
I use this cable:

http://bit.ly/YMBhfS

with these adaptors:

http://www.hosatech.com/product/0/GRM-114/_/Adaptors%2C_RCA_to_3.5_mm_TS%2C_2_pc

Works great for me.  S/O to theshaggyfreak for finding the right cable.  Here's his YouTube video describing how you hook it up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIv0wSTluiM

Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: jonnyj on April 24, 2013, 02:03:29 am
Thanks for the info. I M going to buy one of those. I can return the adapter I showed in my post but I was hoping to get it working guess it ain't gonna happen without Nokia.
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: caseonfire on May 30, 2013, 04:22:24 pm
Problem....
I used the proper cable and things worked fine but quit pitch correct...so followed the Korg instructions...CV pitch calibration playing the C4 and C5 keys on the Minibrute while pressing play on the Monotribe....now the monotribe is tottally fu$%ed up.....high notes are low and low notes are high and totally random pitch even when NOT connected to the Minibrute....How do I reset this?????

Case
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: illintechnology on May 30, 2013, 05:39:21 pm
The Monotribe can work in either Volt Per Octave or hz per volt, did that setting get inadvertently changed? Did the cable get inverted so the gate and pitch signals were routed to the wrong jacks? Is is the  gate polarity set to "active high" or "active low""?
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: caseonfire on May 31, 2013, 03:28:46 pm
Problem solved

Two things

First I had the cutoff vcf on monotribe turned too much to the left which made the higher octives go lower, solved it with a slight nudge to the right

Second I turned led 2 off in the setting on the monotribe
So now it is first led on second led off and third led off
Does everyone have these settings?

And it works
Thanks for the help
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: Tess on October 28, 2014, 04:23:05 am
Just wanted to say thanks.

I picked up a Nokia 3.5mm TRRS to 3xRCA cable on Ebay along with a couple of RCA to 3.5mm TS adapters, but I was having trouble figuring out the settings and going through the procedure for getting everything to work to send Pitch and Gate from my MicroBrute to the Monotribe. The posts in this thread helped me get it all sorted out.

Cheers, everyone.  :-*
Title: Re: Minibrute and Monotribe with CV using 2.1 upgrade?
Post by: nickzero on June 22, 2016, 04:27:02 pm
Fixed it  :D

Had the gate source on the wrong setting .... doh   :-\

It's good times now its working, adds a whole lot to both devices. It's now well worth investing in Monotribe for anyone with a Minibrute. (Instant additional oscillator with cool filter and LFO)
how you fixed the gate source???????