I have created two presets on my MC6 MKII to control my X18. Preset A is a toggle that sends CC messages to turn the effects in the X18 on and off. Similarly, Preset C is a toggle that mutes and unmutes the mains and monitors using CC messages. Both work when their respective switch is Pressed. Operated from the MC6 MKII, they work perfectly. And I could use them that way, but for an upcoming gig I prefer to trigger these two presets from the Helix Floor.
Accordingly, I set up two Helkx footswitches to trigger the presets, as follows:
For Preset A: MIDI Channel 6, CC# 10, Value 1
For Preset C: MIDI Channel 6, CC# 12, Value 1
Neither works. Although when I first set up Preset A I had the value set as 127 (not having read the manual closely enough), and it worked perfectly for a few minutes. And, every once in a while, with the value at 1, it works, but that might be 1% of the time. I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.
By the way, I also have an Instant command set up on the Helix to send a PC 26 on Channel 6 to select the right bank on tbe MC6 MKII. Tbat command works solidly every single time, so I know I at least have the MIDI channel right.
I can't figure out wbat I'm doing wrong. It almost seems as though the MC6 MKII is filtering out CC messages it receives, while allowing and responding appropriately to PC messages. I have made sure the MC6 MKII is not in edit mode when I test this setup. And, in the MIDI Monitor I can see the CC messages A and C should be sending whenever I send the CC from the Helix, but they don't seem to be actually being sent to the X18.
It's pretty confjsing, when it seems, based on the mamual, tbat it should be simple. Any advice would be apprecisted.
Thanks,
Carl
This looks like the fix is in?
v3.4.4
Last updated: 2019-12-30T01:00 GMT+8
Bug Fixes
Fixed toggle issues when preset is triggered externally via MIDI CC
Improved MIDI Thru reliability
Memory address fix
I'm looking at getting an MC6 for very similar use. Is that code now in the firmware or will it come soon?
Thanks!
UPDATE: James Toh from MorningstarFX replied to my email this morning. I sent him pictures of the two MC6 MKII presets and the Helix commands I've set up to trigger them. He apparently looked at the code, rewrote some of it, and sent me a revised version of the firmware.
Short version: It works. I can now send both PCs and CCs from the Helix and the MC6 MKII receives them and responds to them reliably.
That is superior service from James, and I thank him for it. And thanks to DeSelby for working through the problem with me and offering so many possible solutions.
Assuming you’re still on warranty I would email support and say you want to return it. Maybe that will elicit a response. I imagine they are busy with the MC8 but still. I know James posts on TGP so that might be another route.
I've been loath to do that, but just tried it. Oddly, it didn't reset the MIDI channel, which I have set to 6. Unfortunately, the device still doesn't seem to be acting on ANY MIDI messages sent to it. Very weird. Until yesterday, it was at least acting correctly on PC messages.
Do you think doing a factory reset might help. I would have thought installing a firmware rev would reset everything but maybe not. It will wipe all user data. Might be worth a try.
I woke up this morning and saw that I was on 3.4.2 as I've been trying this out. I went to 3.4.3, with no difference, except that now the MC6 MKII doesn't respond at all to any MIDI messages. I went to 3.3.1, and nothing changed - still no response to MIDI messages. It's now back to 3.4.3, only so that I have the latest firmware. But this is really weird.
In reviewing the thread there is one item that has not been touched on. What version of the firmware are you running. All of my testing has been done on the rev one back from the latest.
I'm happy to have your input. But I think this is unlikely to get resolved until I hear from Morningstar tech support. I've been over it and over it, tried different preset addresses and different types of CC messages. I believe the Helix is properly sending the CC messages. So I think the MC6 MKII is somehow filtering, or not responding to, CC messages. If I send a PC message, it responds.
If you want me to butt out just say the word and I will :)
If we take it as given that the Helix is working then there are 3 possible sources of the problem - with the MC6, the X18, or in the interaction between the 2.
To determine if the problem is with the MC6 filtering CCs the following scenario should establish whether it’s the case : HX>>MC6>>HX. I did this with a HXFX rather than the Floor and can confirm that it works.
With the HX default midi channel set to 1.
On the HX a switch is set up to send a CC Togl message CC #12 and DimVal and LitVal set to 1 and 2.
On the MC6 preset A is set up to send the following messages -
Msg1 Action=Press, Type=CC, CC#=4, CC Val=5, Channel=1
Msg2 Action=Release, Type=CC, CC#=4, CC Val=21, Channel=1
On the HX an IR block is set up and the IR Sel parameter is configured to be controlled by CC #4
Toggling the switch on the HX should toggle the IR selection between 5 and 21.
If this works for you that means the problem lies with either the X18 or in some artifact in the interaction between them. As you said using just the MC6 and X18 works, it would suggest the problem lies in the interaction between the devices when the messages are triggered from the HX.
Thanks. I never thought to put the suggestions in that forum, so it's cool that you did.
I tried clearing the preset, and even putting it in another bank. No luck. The MC6 MKII really seems to be filtertijg out CC messages, but not PC messages.
First, on your suggestions:
Suggestion: ability to clear Midi Monitor message display Bank Selection Initialization Commands
Vote ‘em up :)
As I said above I got this to work using PCs and CCs using HXFX->MC6->HX Stomp. I believe that if you see the messages in the monitor they are being sent. One thing you might do to confirm this is to run a midi monitor (not the Morningstar one) on your computer connected via USB from the MC6 and see what the output is. The other thing I’d do is clear the preset by copying an unused one from elsewhere and starting again. I mentioned my problem getting my test scenario to work a couple of comments back.
If you reload the browser page when using the monitor in the editor it clears the messages. It’s kludgy but it does work.
I finally got to work on this again. I tried the preset of PC and CC idea, with no success. Just to be clear, the MC6 MKII seems to receive PC messages just fine; I use one as an Instant on every Helix preset to make sure I'm on the right MC6 MKII bank. (Instant means that command is sent instantly as soon as a Helix preset is selected, without having to press a switch to make it happen; I'd sure like to see a feature like that implemented for each bank on the MC6 MKII.) Those PC messages are received and processed correctly by the MC6 MKII. But if the Helix (or any other device or software I have capable of sending MIDI CC messages) sends a CC, the MC6 MKII just doesn't respond. It's almost as if it is filtering out CC messages, but allowing PC messages. But I don't see anything in the documentation that says the MC6 MKII can do that, so I'm mystified.
The MIDI Monitor in the desktop app seems to show all the correct messages, but I am not sure at what point in the routing they are being read. Also, that monitor BADLY needs a CLEAR button, doesn't it?
I've tried several MIDI cables, all known good and all going directly from the MIDI OUT of the Helix into the MIDI IN of the MC6 MKII. I've looked through every preference I know of in the Helix and the MC6 MKII, with no obvious culprits. I've also written to MorningStarFX tech support, with no response for over a week (unusual for them, I've usually found them to be quite responsive).
I really am mystified by this one. It makes me think I must be doing something wrong, but I can't see what it is.
Sorry. I played my gig for the veterans on Sunday sick with bronchitis, and got progressively worse over Monday and Tuesday. I haven't even brought my Helix and other gear in from the car yet. So, I haven't had a chance to do anything with this yet. I think it will be Saturday before I can get to it. I do appreciate your interest and advice, and will respond as soon as I have a chance to experiment again.
Did you have any success. Hope you did.
One other thing I’ll mention. It has happened before and it happened when I was trying to get the Stomp scenario working.
Sometimes the presets on the MC6 get corrupted and don’t work as expected. I have had this happen on a good number of occasions. Unfortunately using the Clear Preset option in the editor often doesn’t work. I believe the on-device Clear does work but am not sure. In any event what I do is copy a blank preset that hasn’t been used and paste it into the location of the preset I want to use. I then configure the preset again.
As I say, this happened with the preset I was using to recreate the scenario. I had been able to monitor the midi messages but then it stopped working. After copying in a blank preset and starting anew everything worked as expected.
Brief update. It is working for the HXFX -> MC6 -> HX Stomp scenario, both PCs and CCs.
I will, but have to run to a dinner with friends now. The gig I'm playing, a benefit for older veterans, happens tomorrow, and I know I won't have time to do any more debugging before then. Since I can trigger what I need right from the MC6 MKII, I'm not worried about this. But I'll try your suggestion Monday and let you know the results. Thanks for taking an interest.
For the record, it makes no sense to me, either. I thought this would be easy. And, very oddly, it HAS worked maybe three times since I first set it up. I am pretty good at computers, pretty good at MIDI, and pretty good at solving technical problems, but this stumps me. I can't see what I'm missing or doing wrong.
This really makes no sense to me. Can you configure the MC6 preset A so it sends a PC in Msg1 and a CC in Msg2. The new editor has a midi monitor in it. What do you see when you press on the HX switch.
I have a HX Stomp and will confirm that the messages are being generated properly. The configuration will look so: HXFX -> MC6 -> HX Stomp. I will do it in a while as my wife has some chores she wants done. But do try what I suggested with the monitor.
Thanks again, DeSelby. I appreciate your input. Unfortunately, I don't seem to be able to trigger CC messages at all on the MC6 MKII. Not even simple, non-toggling ones. Yet, I can trigger PC messages just fine. I've tried from my Helix, from within Logic Pro X, and from a Line6 FBV 3 pedal. It almost acts as though the MC6 is filtering and rejecting CC messages. Is that possible?