Step Sequencing with visual feedback on Controller

[pheek (Info)]

Hello all, as a live performer, I’m building a patch that I can use to play my music. I’ve been performing with Ableton for 20+ years and am now interested to have an experimental setup in VCV. So far, it’s going great. I’m using 3 controllers: 2x Novation Launchcontrol XL and a Livid DS1.

This is my question/need: Option 1: I’m trying to have the Novation’s button to light up when I use Patch Master’s mapping. Option 2 (Wish!): I’d love to turn the 8 buttons of the Novation into a step sequencer where you see the lights move.

Is there any wizard here that can explain me how this could be done? Maybe the guys from mindmeld?

[pachde (Paul Dempsey)]

Managing the lights on an external device is mostly about each device’s specific protocol for manipulating their lights. After figuring that out, then figure out how to implement that protocol using VCV modules. Probably lots of options for doing that, not necessarily Mindmeld. So, first do the research on how to control lights on your device. It’s probably by sending specific MIDI control codes or SysEx.

[pheek (Info)]

I found the information here. But what would be the next step?

[pachde (Paul Dempsey)]

So, it’s a matter of sending midi note on and note off to the device, with the appropriate channel, note, and velocity.

I’d start with something very simple, just to figure out addressing the lights and turning them on and off. Maybe sequencer into CV-MIDI, just to get the principles down. Then figure out how to associate that with what’s going on in the patch.

I don’t have these controllers, so I can’t help with further than that.

I hope that helps!

[PaulPiko]

@pheek

But what would be the next step?

I’m pretty sure there are old threads about this for the Launchpad. Here’s an old post of mine about the AKAI APC Mini

Tip - Control the lights of AKAI APC Mini

Here’s a quick video showing how to control the button lights of an AKAI APC Mini from VCV Rack.

[Jens.Peter.Nielsen]

Modscript could perhaps do it, but it’s not in the library yet (github link).

You use LUA script syntax in a script for the module - a few keywords to communicate with rack, and a few for midi.

I haven’t experience with Novation controllers, but used it a bit to read Patchmaster knobs, and send CC and/or NRPN to a korg minilogue XD module.

Here’s the original intoduction by the author +thread:

ModScript: Using scripts for a better and richer integration with MIDI controllers (beta soon!)

Hello there, today is announcement day! I can finally introduce the result of one year of research and development! ModScript Lune and its accompanying helper is yet another scripting module for VCV Rack, it uses the Lua language. It focuses on integrating with MIDI controllers and enabling interactions that would be very tedious or even impossible to do with current MIDI modules as per my research (VCV’s, Stoermelder’s etc.). [Screenshot] From the readme: ModScript’s approach differs from …

[pheek (Info)]

I was hoping you’d answer me Jens, thanks! You always provide great help on this forum. I will look into your other post.

[pheek (Info)]

Thanks Paul! I checked your ressources. It’s a bit overwhelming but I’ll give it a try. I think my ideal scenario would be to find a way to add code to an existing module.

[Jens.Peter.Nielsen]

If you just need something right now for a live performance setting, get 2x used launchpads and use Iverson - as you can see in the docs linked below, it has configurations for APC mini, launchpad Mk2 and Mk 3, akai apc key 25. Maybe it can be configured for your controller too.

I think it should work, maybe someone who use it can tell what model they use it with. I have used it with two “novation launchpad mk ii” - but it has been a while.

VCV library:

Studio Six Plus One Iverson

Source and docs on github

GitHub - StudioSixPlusOne/rack-modules: VCV Rack modules

[pheek (Info)]

wow I didn,t know about Iverson. I tried it with my APCmini and it doesn’t work because I think I have the MK2. I checked on youtube and saw how someone did it with the MK1 and it works well. I tried replicating step by step, also using the preset but it doesn’t work. Thanks for that tip. I’ll try to investigate more.