Using USB-Midi to connect strymon pedals to Nixie software

For the Voluum™ Digitally-Controlled Analogue Volume Effects Pedal

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ChrisJ
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Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 8:48 pm

Using USB-Midi to connect strymon pedals to Nixie software

Post by ChrisJ »

Hi,

I have my voluum pedal (latest firmware) connected via midi in a loop with 2 strymon pedals (latest firmware) and a roland es-8 in the following configuration:

Voluum (midi ch 4 in, ch 4 out, midi thru off) -> ES-8 (ch 1, midi thru on) -> Timeline (ch 2, midi thru on) -> Mobius (ch 3, midi thru on) -> Voluum

This works great in regular use - I use the ES-8 to control patch changes and route the cc#7 from voluum via assignments (e.g. to control filter sweep on the mobius for wah effect).

I have come across Strymon's new nixie software (currently in beta) for patch editing and firmware updates. I have been trying to use the voluum's usb-midi to connect nixie to the Strymons, but to no avail. Voluum appears in the midi setup of nixie but it can't find the strymons. The voluum manual does indicate that it is possible to do this:
The Voluum can also be used as a USB-MIDI interface, allowing you to send MIDI between your computer and other MIDI gear. When the Voluum is connected to your computer via USB, any MIDI messages sent to the Voluum over USB will also be sent out the 5-pin MIDI output. Similarly, MIDI received on the 5-pin MIDI input will be sent over USB to your computer.
The Nixie software finds the strymon pedals and works great if I connect a regular USB-Midi cable to the es-8 and Strymon pedals (PC out->ES-8->Timeline->Mobius->PC in). If I introduce the Voluum to this chain (PC out->ES-8->Timeline->Mobius->Voluum->PC in), again nothing.

I'm wondering if there's a problem with the way I'm connecting the devices or if the voluum just doesn't pass through anything other than regular patch and control change messages.

Am I doing something wrong?
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james
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Re: Using USB-Midi to connect strymon pedals to Nixie softwa

Post by james »

Does Nixie use Sysex?

Currently the Voluum doesn't forward Sysex messages between 5-pin MIDI and USB-MIDI.
ChrisJ
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 8:48 pm

Re: Using USB-Midi to connect strymon pedals to Nixie softwa

Post by ChrisJ »

I'm pretty sure it uses sysex, so that would explain not being able to find them with the voluum connected.

Does "currently" indicate that it may do in the future?
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james
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Re: Using USB-Midi to connect strymon pedals to Nixie softwa

Post by james »

Yes, we might add this in the future. Sysex messages do not have a defined size, so there's a lot of extra handling involved to make it robust especially if bad sysex is received. In particular to handle the merging between the USB MIDI and the MIDI generated internally in the Voluum.

It was low-priority because customers have not asked for this before.
ChrisJ
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 8:48 pm

Re: Using USB-Midi to connect strymon pedals to Nixie softwa

Post by ChrisJ »

Great stuff. Many thanks for the swift and candid responses.

I can appreciate why this would be a low priority feature. If you guys do decide to implement this in a future firmware update then I am keen to beta test.
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james
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Re: Using USB-Midi to connect strymon pedals to Nixie softwa

Post by james »

Thanks. I've taken a note so we can get you involved in testing if/when we get to this.
ChrisJ
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 8:48 pm

Re: Using USB-Midi to connect strymon pedals to Nixie softwa

Post by ChrisJ »

bump - any luck with sysex support?
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