Minimax External Input Problem

Tiitu · Post by **Tiitu** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 9:51 pm

Have you ever tried to process external signals using Minimax? ... I have, but could not make it work!

First, I connected a guitar through Line 6 PodXT Live to Minimax Audio In connectors. Second, I tried the same by connecting Tyros keyboard to Minimax. But, in both cases there simply was no audio signal coming out of Minimax. Ofcourse, I set the External Input Volume Switch ON and turned the External Input Volume high. The led is not lighting, no matter of increasing the Line Out signal level from PodXT or Tyros. And, they both work perfectly connected directly to a mixer.

Should I return my MINIMAX to the factory for repair due to this error, a.o.?

[ This Message was edited by: Tiitu on 2006-08-26 00:39 ]

Otto_Tomek · Post by **Otto_Tomek** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 11:21 pm

Did you press a key?

alfonso · Post by **alfonso** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 2:52 am

You need a note to be played to trigger the envelope, you can turn the osc. levels down to avoid the note to play.

Otto_Tomek · Post by **Otto_Tomek** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 3:40 am

Would be nice if Creamware could have an update for the editor software with an extra feature like the old "Triggy"* for the Minimoog.

*was manufactured by Studio Funk, Hamburg, Germany: a small box which gives a trigger pulse (for shooting the envelopes) when the incoming audio is higher than the adjustable threshold level.

Regards

Otto

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmitt_trigger

Tiitu · Post by **Tiitu** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 8:05 am

I got it working, but somehow it is not quite reliable. I'm still suspecting my Minimax. At least it appears that Minimax requires a way higher Line In levels than standard. I cannot make the led turn on! Can any of you?

But, YES, I'm beginning to realize that Minimax requires an automatic trigger: It is not quite practical to play guitar and try to trigger the notes at the same time with the keyboard! Using a keyboard instead of a guitar is easy, however. Just connect its MIDI Out to the Midi In of Minimax and Audio Out to the Audio In of Minimax. Then, turn the volume of the three oscillators down as suggested by alfonso.

Maybe we also need a MIDI guitar with MIDI Out and Audio Out connectors. A trigger box or software would be nice (much cheaper too).

[ This Message was edited by: Tiitu on 2006-08-26 22:43 ]

mos6581 · Post by **mos6581** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:00 pm

There is something called a (software or hardware) sequencer and MIDI interface. You might want to check those out.

On the Nord Modular they have a function for the software keyboard called "drone" which repeatedly plays a note. Creamware should really have added something similair to the remote software. Why not even a small arpeggiator? That would be awesome.

Shayne White · Post by **Shayne White** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 12:32 pm

There's a free Scope plugin that can output a constant MIDI note in order to open up the MiniMax VCA. Don't remember what it's called or who made it, 'cause I'm not at my Scope computer. I've had to use it for the Scope version of MiniMax, so if you could get it hooked up to the ASB, that would work out just fine.

Yeah, CWA should have added a "Hold" switch, like John Bowen did with Solaris...

Shayne

Tiitu · Post by **Tiitu** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 10:06 pm

Ok. I think you can use a sequencer to feed a predefined time-sequence of notes to Minimax in order to trigger your guitar playing at the same moments of time. It gives you a partial freedom to play the guitar, i.e. you can define the melody (pitch, chords, sound effects), but the sequencer would define the rhythm by triggering. Maybe it is quite good. Let's try.

[ This Message was edited by: Tiitu on 2006-08-26 23:12 ]

mos6581 · Post by **mos6581** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 5:55 am

If all you want is a continous note just put a four bar long note in a loop or something. This one might not be possible in your sequencer, but you could even try to delete the note off event in the midi event list.

[ This Message was edited by: mos6581 on 2006-08-27 07:03 ]

Shayne White · Post by **Shayne White** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:07 am

I don't know how other sequencers work, but in Sonar you can't delete a MIDI note off message. It's always tied to the length of the note. What you can do is insert a measure-long note and turn the resulting clip into a groove clip, which you can then drag out. If you're using another sequencer, you'll have to do it its own way.

Of course, that means you can only run audio through MiniMax when the sequencer is actually playing, which is a bummer....

Shayne

Otto_Tomek · Post by **Otto_Tomek** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 11:53 am

Rubbish.
A=0, D/R=0, S= 10 - press and hold a key. You can fix the key on your keyboard for example with a small piece of wood.

Regards

Otto Tomek

P.S. Anyone here knows John Cage?

Shayne White · Post by **Shayne White** » Sun Aug 27, 2006 6:06 pm

Yes, let's hear MiniMax's DSP-modelled, anti-aliased, 32-bit silence. Beautiful.

Tiitu · Post by **Tiitu** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 2:56 am

Shayne is right: Pressing ang holding works somehow (just put a heavy object on the keys), but it is a noisy approach. I haven't been able to get a decent tone from Minimax by using a guitar.

I wish Creamware would release some instructions for guitar and other external voice sources. Otherwise, it looks like this is not working well at the moment.

[ This Message was edited by: Tiitu on 2006-08-29 04:07 ]

mos6581 · Post by **mos6581** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 3:39 am

I'm assuming that you use a pre-amp of some sort since the signal from a guitar is much too weak for line level input. Do you have a line level output on that pod-thingy?

Tiitu · Post by **Tiitu** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:54 am

Yes, ofcourse. I also tried Yamaha keyboard's Line Output and the led never flashes.

I have asked Creamware, if they can give more detailed instructions for the use of external sound sources, and, I'll let you know what they'll answer.

[ This Message was edited by: Tiitu on 2006-08-29 05:55 ]

Otto_Tomek · Post by **Otto_Tomek** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 9:09 am

The little light is called "Overload". If it does not lit, you still have enough headroom.
If it never lits, you will have enough headroom forever.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenm ... concept%29

[ This Message was edited by: Otto_Tomek on 2006-08-29 10:09 ]

EricNS · Post by **EricNS** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 10:08 am

On 2006-08-29 05:54, Tiitu wrote:
Yes, ofcourse. I also tried Yamaha keyboard's Line Output and the led never flashes.

I have asked Creamware, if they can give more detailed instructions for the use of external sound sources, and, I'll let you know what they'll answer.

The overload led is not active in the OS. It's a "not-ready-yet" feature...

Cheers,

Eric

Otto_Tomek · Post by **Otto_Tomek** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 10:34 am

On 2006-08-29 11:08, EricNS wrote:
It's a "not-ready-yet" feature...

It's a "future".

Regards, O.T.

Ralf · Post by **Ralf** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 4:58 am

Hello,

the inputs of the MM should be tested with an external keyboard and with the user preset 7.

- To hear an external signal, please make sure, that the External Switch is enabled.
- External volume should be adjusted to maximum.
- Feedback has to be disabled ( to avoid the use of the internal feedbackrouting ).

The audiosignal will cross the filter and you have to play a note on the midikeyboard to hear something.
Behind the filter comes the envelope
The envelope must be "opened" to hear something from the external signal.

1. Alle Eingänge eines ASBs werden getestet mit User Preset 7 und einem Keyboard.

2. Damit man ein externes Signal hören kann, muß
Esternal Switch an sein
External Volume auf maximum stehen
Feedback auf aus, damit nicht der interne Feedbackweg genutzt wird.

3. Da das Audiosignal in das Filter eingeschleift wird muß auch tatsächlich eine
Note gespielt werden um etwas zu hören. Nach dem Filter kommt die Hüllkurve
und die muß natürlich aufmachen, damit man was hören kann.
cheers
ralf

On 2006-08-25 22:51, Tiitu wrote:
Have you ever tried to process external signals using Minimax? ... I have, but could not make it work!

First, I connected a guitar through Line 6 PodXT Live to Minimax Audio In connectors. Second, I tried the same by connecting Tyros keyboard to Minimax. But, in both cases there simply was no audio signal coming out of Minimax. Ofcourse, I set the External Input Volume Switch ON and turned the External Input Volume high. The led is not lighting, no matter of increasing the Line Out signal level from PodXT or Tyros. And, they both work perfectly connected directly to a mixer.

Should I return my MINIMAX to the factory for repair due to this error, a.o.?

[ This Message was edited by: Tiitu on 2006-08-26 00:39 ]

Tiitu · Post by **Tiitu** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:19 pm

Thank you Ralf.