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Echoes in the Attic wrote: Mon Oct 07, 2019 2:01 pm
Markus Krause wrote: Mon Oct 07, 2019 1:37 pm Finished today:

Support for MPE-devices like the Seaboard (Midi PolyPhonic Expression). You can enable MPE support in the setup of the synth.
Amazing! That must be record time. So the mpe expressions are in the mod matrix as mod sources then I assume?

Also - You probably didn't have time for this but in the future maybe, it would be great to have curves to scale the mpe expressions like in Equator.
+1 !!!!
Yes, curves are really important for Mpe, lag, smooth setting too.
Best
YY

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A smoothing of the MPE parameters could indeed be necessary. My measurements have shown that the update-rate of data sent by the Seaboard is pretty slow.

If you connect a Seaboard to Icarus2 all you need to do is to click on 'Enable MPE support' in the setup. The synth does the rest. MPE works for all existing Icarus patches without any further steps necessary. It also works if the host does not support MPE as long as it filters no Midi messages.

The typical Midi-MPE parameters in the Matrix are assigned to:
- Aftertouch (Z-axis, how strong you press)
- Macro (Y-Axis)
X-Axis is the pitch (as usual)

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Are there any preview (videos) of this version?

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Markus Krause wrote: Mon Oct 07, 2019 3:21 pm A smoothing of the MPE parameters could indeed be necessary. My measurements have shown that the update-rate of data sent by the Seaboard is pretty slow.

If you connect a Seaboard to Icarus2 all you need to do is to click on 'Enable MPE support' in the setup. The synth does the rest. MPE works for all existing Icarus patches without any further steps necessary. It also works if the host does not support MPE as long as it filters no Midi messages.

The typical Midi-MPE parameters in the Matrix are assigned to:
- Aftertouch (Z-axis, how strong you press)
- Macro (Y-Axis)
X-Axis is the pitch (as usual)
Actually what I meant by curves is fully scalable input/output curves, like in Equator. For example let's say you wanted a parameter to begin to be modulated only after you've reached 50% of the pressure range, a curve would let you do that, or you could make it an exponential curve. This can be useful, even necessary for some mpe sounds.

By the way, purely out of curiosity, how long did MPE take to implement? I've always been curious what kind of effort it is to add to an existing synth. I guess it's fastest for synths with a mod matrix.

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Adding MPE support required around a week. From the technical part you need to do this:

- Handle the incoming midi events
- Add channel handling to the synth voices
- Integrate it to the mod matrix

In Icarus MPE works fine with the existing patches and when you play it live.
However many hosts can not handle MPE properly. So editing MPE recordings in the host might be tricky.

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Markus Krause wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:59 am Adding MPE support required around a week. From the technical part you need to do this:

- Handle the incoming midi events
- Add channel handling to the synth voices
- Integrate it to the mod matrix

In Icarus MPE works fine with the existing patches and when you play it live.
However many hosts can not handle MPE properly. So editing MPE recordings in the host might be tricky.
I'm grateful for your efforts to implement MPE!

Do you have a list, perhaps, of DAWs that don't handle MPE properly? Or maybe a shorter list of DAWs that do? ;-)

Kind regards,

Joachim
If it were easy, anybody could do it!

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Markus Krause wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:59 am Adding MPE support required around a week.
Awesome, thanks for adding it! Really looking forward to the result! :tu:
Some music with visuals and mixed tutorials related to game dev and sound design: https://www.youtube.com/@MetasideOfficial

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Spitfire31 wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:22 am
Markus Krause wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:59 am Adding MPE support required around a week. From the technical part you need to do this:

- Handle the incoming midi events
- Add channel handling to the synth voices
- Integrate it to the mod matrix

In Icarus MPE works fine with the existing patches and when you play it live.
However many hosts can not handle MPE properly. So editing MPE recordings in the host might be tricky.
I'm grateful for your efforts to implement MPE!

Do you have a list, perhaps, of DAWs that don't handle MPE properly? Or maybe a shorter list of DAWs that do? ;-)

Kind regards,

Joachim
This is already well documented elsewhere. I'd look at the Roli and linnstrument sites for details about this. But in Short - Cubase, Logic, Reaper and Bitwig are good with MPE. Studio One, Ableton, Reason I think don't have MPE support (though often you can do a multi-track workaround but it's clunky, or you can record straight to audio).

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Echoes in the Attic wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2019 4:07 pmCubase, Logic, Reaper and Bitwig are good with MPE. Studio One, Ableton, Reason I think don't have MPE support (though often you can do a multi-track workaround but it's clunky, or you can record straight to audio).
Thanks!
Kind regards,

Joachim
If it were easy, anybody could do it!

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Echoes in the Attic wrote: This is already well documented elsewhere. I'd look at the Roli and linnstrument sites for details about this.
Since Mr. Linn is present here on KVR you could probably just consult him directly via PM.

(The man is a veritable fountain of information and with regard to the LinnStrument your No.1 contact since he is the guy who invented it.)

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I am wondering how the synth should react when a MPE device is connected in combination with a monophonic patch. Currently it ignores the MPE commands and behaves like an ordinary Midi keyboard is connected. What do you think?

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Well did you try contacting Roger Linn?

Im sure he can answer your MPE questions much better than the average user around here.

(Just wondering because consulting someone who has the knowledge seems the obvious thing to do.)

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ENV1 wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 11:14 am Well did you try contacting Roger Linn?

Im sure he can answer your MPE questions much better than the average user around here.

(Just wondering because consulting someone who has the knowledge seems the obvious thing to do.)
He also actively promotes synths that have MPE ability on his web site etc- it is to his advantage (as an MPE hardware manufacturer) to have more fully MPE synths!
X32 Desk, i9 PC, S49MK2, Studio One, BWS, Live 12. PUSH 3 SA, Osmose, Summit, Pro 3, Prophet8, Syntakt, Digitone, Drumlogue, OP1-F, Eurorack, TD27 Drums, Nord Drum3P, Guitars, Basses, Amps and of course lots of pedals!

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What's in general wrong with asking the users what they expect?

I already own the detailed technical specification from Roli. The MPE specs are not clear in every place. They just say 'a meaningfully behavior'.

I also contacted Roger Linn and am collaborating with him.

This is what kvr-member 'Echoes in the Attic' wrote:

"Looking forward to seeing if mono modes work normally in mpe mode as well. Even though mpe is meant for polyphony, mono modes can still be really cool with mpe devices. Only a few synths work correctly in mono - Cypher, Equator and now Phonec 2. You can hold one note and play a second note on and off with bends and expressions and the first note always triggers properly when you lift the second note. Makes for some cool playing techniques."

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Markus Krause wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2019 11:34 am What's in general wrong with asking the users what they expect?
Absolutely nothing at all, just most of us cant help and we want it released :wink: !
X32 Desk, i9 PC, S49MK2, Studio One, BWS, Live 12. PUSH 3 SA, Osmose, Summit, Pro 3, Prophet8, Syntakt, Digitone, Drumlogue, OP1-F, Eurorack, TD27 Drums, Nord Drum3P, Guitars, Basses, Amps and of course lots of pedals!

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