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Author Topic: External keyboard triggering stuck notes on MB?  (Read 1455 times)

MichaelMonkey

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External keyboard triggering stuck notes on MB?
« on: June 09, 2019, 03:27:51 pm »
I have connected a Korg Minilogue through the external input on the MB to mix and mash sounds.  After some trial and error, I got it to work so I can hear the Minilogue and play it through the MB.  The problem is, if I have any of the MB VCOs turned "up" in the mixer and running through a filter, when I hit the Minilogue key, it triggers a constant note (meaning the frequency doesn't change regardless of the key I hit on the Minilogue) which plays along with the Minilogue.  The notes from the Minilogue come through just fine. The note from the MB stays on for about ½ second after I release the key on the Minilogue.  It doesn't matter if I change any of the envelope settings on the MB, the constant note is still triggered.  Is this a known bug, am I doing something wrong, or is it possible my unit defective?

As a side note, after reading through this forum and the stuff over at Gearslutz, each time I run into an issue while learning the MB functions, I have to ask myself, is this user error (my default answer), a bug that remains unfixed two years after the product was released, or something wrong with my unit.  I have gone through the process of getting to know a few synths over the years (although I am very much a hobbyist and lack the knowledge of many around here), but never before with such trepidation about the synth itself being the problem. So far, I love the MB for what it does, but the seemingly utter lack of tech support from Arturia about all these issues has me pondering returning it before the 45 day return period ends.  Maybe Arturia will release a firmware update before that time, but that seems highly unlikely given their previous statements on this issue and overall track record on user support. The MB is my first Arturia product. Well, okay, I also bought the floor model of a DrumBrute because it was so cheap, and I will be returning that unit because the tambourine pad isn't sending out an audible signal (might be that it was just too beat up after years on the floor at Guitar Center). If I end up also returning the new in the box MB, it will likely be my last Arturia product, which is too bad, because they have brilliant designers (as evidenced by the sheer uniqueness of what the MB does do so well).

DrJustice

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Re: External keyboard triggering stuck notes on MB?
« Reply #1 on: June 09, 2019, 05:03:58 pm »
I have connected a Korg Minilogue through the external input on the MB to mix and mash sounds.  After some trial and error, I got it to work so I can hear the Minilogue and play it through the MB.  The problem is, if I have any of the MB VCOs turned "up" in the mixer and running through a filter, when I hit the Minilogue key, it triggers a constant note (meaning the frequency doesn't change regardless of the key I hit on the Minilogue) which plays along with the Minilogue.  The notes from the Minilogue come through just fine. The note from the MB stays on for about ½ second after I release the key on the Minilogue.  It doesn't matter if I change any of the envelope settings on the MB, the constant note is still triggered.  Is this a known bug, am I doing something wrong, or is it possible my unit defective?

Is the "Audio Gate" switch on the back of the MxB set to "On" by any chance?

That would result in what you describe, as the envelopes gets triggered when the audio input goes from silent to sound, and the gate is held for as long as there is sound (this is the intended behaviour). The LFOs will also obey their trigger modes when using the Audio Gate. You have probably found out already that the "ENV Follow" row in the mod matrix is a true envelope follower which extracts the amplitude envelope of the external signal. These things enables all sorts of triggered/synchronized processing/synthesis when using an external audio signal.
« Last Edit: June 10, 2019, 03:17:03 am by DrJustice »

MichaelMonkey

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Re: External keyboard triggering stuck notes on MB?
« Reply #2 on: June 09, 2019, 05:31:59 pm »
I forgot to mention the Audio Gate switch.  Yes, I have it on.  If I have it switched to "off," then when I hit a key on the Minilogue it comes through just fine, and there is no trigger of the MB Oscillators. That seems to make sense. The problem is, now with it off, when I play the keyboard on the MB, only the MB Oscillators frequencies change, with the Minilogue frequency staying the same, unless I play a different key on the Minilogue.I can see how this would make sense if you had two people playing each synth simultaneously, but I am not two people. :)  Is there a way to play both the Minilogue and the MB sounds together on the MB keyboard, where the frequency/note of both change depending on the key I play on the MB keyboard? I can do this when I run audio into some of my other synths without any issues. I hope this makes sense. If there isn't a way to do this, the external audio option seems really limited.

standingwave

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Re: External keyboard triggering stuck notes on MB?
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2019, 06:48:00 pm »
You could run midi from the synth that is to be your master a MIDI din into the slave synth in inclusion of the audio cable. MIDI of the master could control both pitch and gating.

MichaelMonkey

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Re: External keyboard triggering stuck notes on MB?
« Reply #4 on: June 09, 2019, 09:40:59 pm »
You could run midi from the synth that is to be your master a MIDI din into the slave synth in inclusion of the audio cable. MIDI of the master could control both pitch and gating.

Doh!  Thanks for your willingness to state the obvious. Not surprisingly, it worked like a charm. I have become unaccustomed to component-to-component midi routing over the past few years, with all my external hardware connected to my computer through USB Midi. Here at my cabin, I only used my laptop to upgrade the firmware for the MB and to use the Midi Control software.  I am glad I grabbed a couple of "old school" midi cables before I left.  They were literally the last thing I grabbed before taking off for the weekend.  I am so glad I did.

So, thus far, each of the "issues" I have encountered were the result of my own creation (okay, except following a typo in the MB manual for memory protection).

Thanks again to you and Dr. Justice for your willingness to help with what must be pretty obvious questions I've had!

standingwave

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Re: External keyboard triggering stuck notes on MB?
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2019, 12:47:24 am »
 No problem.
 There arent any ignorant questions though. I'm just grateful these forums are available as a resource for us all.
 Cheers!

 

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