LAYOUT: Korg TR Rack-Trinityby thedood

Question

Platinum

MIDI Target Manufacturer(s): Korg

Background

Ok, I know there's already been a great TR Rack panel uploaded here a while back. I tried this and although I loved using it, it didn't implement many sysex calls, (no effects editing) and I found the workflow a little limited. So, I decided to redesign one, consider this an updated version to an already great original.

TR Rack

Anyone whos edited a TR Rack knows the interface sucks. This panel lets you change every variable for programing sounds via Sysex. I have designed over 90 different effects sections, I almost ran out of tabs in MD2 and I must admit the file is on the "large" side. I have also included a Drumkit editor, although this is one small limitation that is caused by MD2 not being able to send more than 2 variables (L and V) per Sysex call (I needed 3), so it only edits DrumKit 00.

This is a beta version and needs testing, I haven't found many problems, however I will highlight some instructions/notes on how it works. 

Notes/Instructions

• Throttle Midi All controls must be throttled (vintage) as the korg TR series was notorious for crashing with high baud rates (if you don't believe me, disable a controls vintage setting and go the James Dean! Unlike poor james you can reboot the trinity)
• Effects Selection Ok this is a little confusing as I cant fully control the UI but if you understand how the TR/Trinity effects work you'll be fine. Basically with Insert effects you can only have four stages running at a time, each effect can have one, two or four stages, but as MD2 cant receive sysex I cant display UI to show "which" effects are running or disabled from over use on another. Read the Korg manual, you have to understand the synth a little to use this.
• Effects Editing There are two Master effects units and 3 Insert in the Korg TR. Many of the master effects cant be interchanged with insert as they are different (more verb related). You'll notice a slide bar down the bottom of each effect page. Make sure you have it on Insert 1, 2 or 3 with Inserts effect and with the master effects either on Master 1 or 2. Its complicated, but basically I kind've had to modify the "Channel" control to make each control in the effects setting work on 5 different stages, insert 1 2 3 or Master 1 or 2. The slider simply selects which effect the control will work on, be sure to change it when editing but you'll obviously hear no change of its set wrong. 
• The Drum Kit editor only works on Kit 00. As with the korg, you have to be in Global mode to edit kits, so make sure you set a program to kit 00 , save it, then, while still on that program number, go to global, and you can start to change each notes drum sound, the big slider is king basically, it selects which samples will change on each note. If you need to edit a kits filters etc simply go to voice one and select Drums from the voice select, some controls don't work in this mode, but they dont on the korg interface either.
• Writing, you can save sounds instantly, be careful with this, set the Bank control to Write Off, this disables its ability to write. The picker control selects a program number but also FIRES a sysex write command back to the Korg. Because the Picker is controlled by the Bank Select knob (channel supercontrol L), it sets the sysex bank number value to 99 (there are only four), which is invalid, basically making every write command fail. Now, with the picker on the correct number, select the bank number, then hit the Write button (simply fires the picker). Set the Bank number back to Write Off to disable all accidental write button presses etc.
• Make sure the Korg Sysex Rec is ON in the global midi settings.
• Selecting Effects. On the FX1,2 page, hit the button of the effect you are using/have selected, this takes you to the effects editing page, change the effect slider to the whichever effect number you are editing, and edit. To go back, hit the Home button down the bottom to return you back to the menu.
• Oh, the Devito Tab, its from the movie "Twins", all the "left over shit" went in him!

Cheers

Brett (Thedood) 

Downloads: 1997
LAYOUT: Korg TR Rack-Trinity v0.9b01 - Initial upload. This is a beta.
Downloads: 1999

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Comments

Matching Sysex Controls

Short answer: once the control is configured, it is always watching for a matching message, and updates when it sees one.  With the RD-2000, you have to request the data, so my tabs have a “Load” button.

Long answer:  here is how many of my tabs work:

I have a master “zone” selector to choose zone being edited — using the “channel” selector as a “zone” selector.

There are a number of sub zone selectors that provide pointers for parameters (since a zone goes from x0 xx to x6 xx, plus other offsets for effects, etc.)

For example, zone x tone character sysex is 41 10 00 00 75 12 10 00 L 3E V
    where 41 10 00 00 75 is the Roland Identifier
         12 is Data Transmission   
        10 00 L 3E is the address of tone character in zone x
        V is the single byte value

Other control settings
    Tone character display is -5 to +5 for Midi of 59d to 69d
    Assign the sub zone selector that has the +6 offset as super control
    Midi Receive On

This control now monitors continuously for a matching sysex (zone has to match the super control selection) and updates the control with v.

With the RD2000, you can request precise Sysex packets, i.e, a single desired parameter.

To read data and match controls, the tab has a “Load” super control.  This has a number of hidden sub controls that each send a sysex request.  The request matching above is: 41 10 00 00 75 11 10 00 L 3E 00 00 00 01
         11 is Data Request   
        10 00 L 3E is the address of tone character in zone x
        00 00 00 01 says I want a single byte

The ability to request precise data has let me avoid parsing a long sysex with streambyter.

But, nothing is easy.  The RD2000 will only accept eight sysex at once.  I can get up to 16 parameters with a single control by using both on and off values of a sub control.  Example, in above request, replace the 3E with V, and set the midi on/off values to 3E & 3F, ensure send ON ONLY is not selected either for the control or super control.  

I have an idea, not yet tested, to use the Roland portion of the Sysex to tell streambyter how long to delay an outgoing request, and replace that data with the std Roland header, allowing time to process the first 8+8 requests.

And I also need to post a hint on how to keep pushbutton selectors synchronized.

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Hey Brett.  Mapping out dumps to determine what individual control values do can be a little tricky.  If you're lucky then the product has a SysEx map or key you can use.  How I did mine was I had a 36 byte message and knew what the first 5 or 6 bytes were.  Then I opened up the MD log, turned the first knob to 0 and sent a SysEx dump, changed the knob to 127 and sent a second sysEx dump and compared the two to determine what bytes the knob changed.  The rest of my knobs were in logical order in the sysEx dump so it didn't take too much work.  I only had about 16 parameters to map so it didn't take me too long, I'm not sure this would be a reasonable strategy for massive amounts of knobs. - Mitch

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Great reply Jkhiser/Mitch very much appreciated.
Ok so the sysex controls "will" receive transmitted sysex matching the headers.
So basically RD is a very "tunable" device, and you can bend (very innovatively!) MDs parameters enough to make an interface.
I have no choice but to script with all my old beasts. I need to rip apart these streams "per" control.
I gave the streambyter documentation a read tonight and I just need to workout how to "generate" a Sysex packet to "match" the controls input, so it updates the Sysex control types V. It (streambyter) looks way cool, you can do so freaky stuff to midi (midi fx etc).
Many thanks.
Cheers

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Congrats, huge work!

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Platinum, congrats!

Answer 1

Hi, how can I download it?

Comments

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Answer 2

Hi, how can I download it?