garageCube

[amp]

Hi. I'm a newbie. I'm using an M-Audio Trigger Finger. It's plugged to the wall, just in case my Macbook's usb can't power it fully.

The trouble I'm having is setting the midi controls and then saving them.
Basically, everytime I get the midi map done, and I quit, shut down, or disconnect the Trigger Finger, the next time I reconnect it, I have to redo all the midi mapping.

Midi mapping is also difficult, bc I have to find the positions where one control doesn't "steal" from the other.

Anyways... Looking for help. Thanks

[vanakaru]

save map as defaults
if you get lucky it will work again after restart. but be prepared to disappointment - sometimes it works sometimes not and you never know why.
as long we do not have total control over midi in M8 (where and what is saved and ability to edit related files) we depend on chance.

[incuf]

It works "every" time for me. I use a codanova vmx vj


cheers

[amp]

save map as defaults
if you get lucky it will work again after restart. but be prepared to disappointment - sometimes it works sometimes not and you never know why.
as long we do not have total control over midi in M8 (where and what is saved and ability to edit related files) we depend on chance.

It's working just like you said it would.
While playing it lost signal a couple of times. Without quiting the app, I disconnected and reconnected the usb to the computer. And everything just worked. (and still is)

By the way, I'm using a Macbook 2Ghz w/ 2gig ram and all my footage is Photo-Jpeg codec 320x40. (720x480 was lot's of lag)

Thanks for the help, y'all!

[vanakaru]

By the way, I'm using a Macbook 2Ghz w/ 2gig ram and all my footage is Photo-Jpeg codec 320x40. (720x480 was lot's of lag)

320x240 is so sad. try reading topic how to prepare your media. You should be able to do better. and maybe decide if you need quality over clip length.
also there is a instructions how to set up your M8 and computer. it's all in this forum and
http://vjforums.com/.

[ilan]

640 x 480 has always been the sweet spot for me.

[amp]

90% of my clips are around 3-10 seconds in length.

Before I was working with 720x480 and things got a little slow. When I pressed a pad to load up an image, the responsiveness of the cpu would be about half a second slow... I suppose that first generation macbooks aren't exactly optimal for VJ'ing...

When you save the midi presets, do you save them globally or for each document?

Thanks again for the tips!

[ilan]

I save them for each project file.

For the band I perform with each song is a project file with its own unique mapping. I have never had an instance where I opened a file and the mappings were not as they were when I created them.

We have performed these many times over.

You just have to be really methodical about how and where and in what mapping mode you set things. Keeping it simple is key.

For VJ'ing gigs I don't even bother trying to save a setup. I create some basic mappings with the Trigger Finger and then switch things around during the night mapping on the fly where and when I get inspired. If I just stuck to one layout and set of functions for a whole night I would get seriously bored. And I am not in this to be bored.

[amp]

Preparation seems to be key, knowing your footage/images, where everything is etc. Methodical is the word...

I'm still learning, so I'm practicing with one setup, getting accostumed to the controls and what I can do with them. It's been really fun.

I'm gonna start vj'ing for a band. Hopefully I will do this for more bands, and in time, who knows, I can start doing this regularly. Here in Brazil there is quite a vacuum in all VJ-things related.

Out of curiosity... when I first mapped the trigger finger, it had a different behaviour than it does now. When i pressed on a pad, the image would appear just as long as I kept it pressed. Now it doesn't do that anymore, which is a pity, since it was a nice behaviour.

Can you program the TF pads to behave in such a manner? Or in different manners altogether?

[ilan]

I had a lot of trouble in the beginning with the TF because I would not be looking at what I was doing and would accidentally change the programming mode and this would throw all my mappings off.

I regularly use program bank 13. From what I know about the TF thus far it will activate something on pressing and deactivate on depressing. It is interesting that you note otherwise.

I am curious what program bank you are using that lets you do that.

For turning things on and off I mostly use the knobs. The default setting for them when they are not being used on a slider or knob within the modul8 interface is that when turned all the way to the left its off and by turning them slightly to the right they turn on.

[amp]

That's a tough question considering I don't even know how to change the program banks. (And the documentation that comes with the TF is sooo FAIL) So, you are saying that different program banks have different behaviours? How does one choose the program bank one wishes to edit midi map in?

All I know how to do is map it. This is how I do it:
1. Enter midi map mode.
2. Press the Memory Recall & Prog / Bank button simulaneously (they will flash)
3. Assign the pads.
4. Press the Memory Recall button to exit, flashing will stop
5. Program the knobs and faders.
6. Exit Midi Map Mode.

Is this an odd way to do it? Notice that to assign the pads I have to press those two buttons, and to assign the knobs and faders, I have exit the "flashing mode"...

[ilan]

The manual for TF is indeed very useless.

You actually don't need to press any of the programming functions on the TF to map MIDI controls to modul8.

The procedure:
1. In modul8 enter MIDI map mode.
2. Select the slider, knob or button you want to map a MIDI control to.
3. Move the control until you see a number appear over it (i.e. 10/34).
4. Exit MIDI map mode in modul8.

Generally what would happen if I discovered that none of my mappings were not working properly I immediately (because the show must always go on) press 'Prog / Bank Change' and hit the pad labeled 'p13.' The display will show '12' and then everything goes back go normal.

Hope this helps.

[amp]

Generally what would happen if I discovered that none of my mappings were not working properly I immediately (because the show must always go on) press 'Prog / Bank Change' and hit the pad labeled 'p13.' The display will show '12' and then everything goes back go normal.

Hope this helps.

Cool! Gonna try that next time. What I do is unplug and plug the usb.

Did you learn this somewhere or from someone? Or did it just happen by chance and you said to yourself: "Oh, so this is how you do it?"

[ilan]

The band I am in...LANCE BLISTERS, the guy who does the music is an expert on music interfaces, particularly MIDI devices. He explained from the beginning 'you should be able to do it all within software.' And that is true of most computer software that is MIDI compatible.

From then on it was just a matter of experience.

I recently purchased a korg Nano controller. I wanted to have some extra sliders and knobs to play with in addition to what is available on the TF. It has these VCR like controls on it it that unless you are a hardware geek and are using it to control a MIDI enabled sampler or MIDI module only give you some extra buttons to control your software with. Even musicians I know state this.

With modul8 there are few controllers with special things on them that require a custom module in order for them to operate. The nice big jog dials that I don't find any particular use for on the VMX VJ controller require a module that is available on the GarageCube module library.

[deepvisual]

It's working just like you said it would.
While playing it lost signal a couple of times. Without quiting the app, I disconnected and reconnected the usb to the computer. And everything just worked. (and still is)

its a weird little mac bug, but MIDI works better on the right USB port than the left...

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/05/t ... k-all.html