Hardware controller for Rack in Linux

VCV Rack
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This is getting serious… I’m already thinking about getting a hardware controller for that hands on experience in Rack. I like the look of the Beatstep Pro so I watched Omri’s video. It appears you need the midi software to change the background parameters like midi channels. Is there any any other way to do this just from the hardware? The problem is that I run Linux and the midi software is Win and Mac only, has anyone had any success with running it under Wine, or VirtualBox? Perhaps I will have to go for a simpler controller which is entirely set up from the hardware.

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You can press the chan button and press any pad to assign global channels on a beatstep.

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It should work in virtual box i suppose.

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Thanks Phil, that’s good to know. Now I need to count my pennies!

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OK, I took the plunge and got a Beatstep Pro. It is a good solid bit of kit and is basically working well. I got midi connection to and from VCV with no problems but I haven’t managed to sync clock using either VCV or the BSP as master. I’m running the Arturia midi control center in a virtual machine (Linux host) OK and that recognises the BSP, I can change parameters etc so set the BSP clock resolution to 24 ppqn there and in Clockd on VCV.

If I try to use VCV as master then an audible clock is sent from audio out on my laptop (I can hear it through speakers). Connect to the clock in on BSP, set sync to clk, it doesn’t sync although there is some kind of connection as play / stop no longer work on the BSP and the bpm display changes between 120, 50, 00 and —.

Using the BSP as master from clock out to the audio in of my laptop there doesn’t appear to be any signal - nothing shows up in Scope.

So I am stumped at the moment, does anyone have any suggestions? I wonder if my minijack - minijack lead has the right TRS connections (I’ve tried 2, same results), how would I know? It’s a standard stereo extender, works fine with headphones etc.

Sorry for the long post!

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Pretty sure Omri Cohen has a vid about this, though I haven’t watched it.

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Thanks dag2099, I’ve seen that and for Omri it works… but not for me

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Do you have an audio Interface ?

I’m pretty sure you can’t run an analog signal like that in the audio in of a computer.

Also i would try to avoid that, it could damage your speakers i think :confused:

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Solved, it was a problem with the audio in my laptop. The Beatstep Pro is now looking a good fun way to interact with VCV. Thanks to all for your help.

1 Like
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Good ! Happy it works now :slightly_smiling_face: have fun