Use MIDI Controller/Faders/Knobs with GrandMA2

Hey everyone

I am having a problem making GrandMA understanding My translations for knobs and faders. My pad translations Are working perfect and the connection is also flawless. But I can see that in My midi window inside of GrandMA says Control Change everytime i turn a knob and pitch bend when push a fader.
What do I need to do in My midi translation? I've tried with a Nano Korg. A behringer BCR and a Akai lpd8.

THanks

There are many people who use a control surface like BCR/LPD8/APC Mini/NanoKontrol with GrandMA2 by using translations in MIDI Translator Pro. We don't have a GrandMA2 expert at Bome, but searching for GrandMA2 on this forum gives quite a few results. Though I could not find a ready-to-use solution, so I give it a try here.

GrandMA2 requires MIDI Notes instead of Control Change and Pitch Bend messages. See the GrandMA2 setup here Remote MIDI.

So the general scheme is:

• connect the MIDI controller to MIDI Translator Pro (MT) instead of GrandMA
• use MT's virtual MIDI port 1 for sending data to MA (and back, if needed)
• modify the MIDI messages in MT as needed (using translators)

Configure GrandMA
For this to work, first configure MA:
Instead of selecting the MIDI controller for MIDI IN and OUT, select Bome MIDI Translator 1 for both MIDI IN and OUT.

Now start MT Pro.

MIDI Router
Go to the Project Properties (in the right sidebar). Scroll down a bit to see the MIDI Router.
Draw a line from the left MIDI control surface MIDI IN port (e.g. NanoKontrol) to the right "Bome Virtual Port 1" OUT port.
Now all MIDI data from the MIDI controller will be routed directly to GrandMA. For the return stream, draw a line from "Bome Virtual Port 1" to the MIDI control surface.

Test: the MIDI data from the MIDI control surface should arrive in GrandMA.

Now, for example let's convert a fader to a Note On message, note 40. The Note On message's velocity will be set to the controller's value. This is how to do it:

In MT Pro:

1) Create a Preset
Let's give it a name, e.g. "CC Mappings to GrandMA2".
In the Preset's properties, MIDI INPUT list, check your MIDI control surface (e.g. NanoKontrol). Check Bome Virtual 1 in the MIDI Output list.

2) Create the first Translator
Now create a translator. Give it a meaningful name, e.g. "Fader 1 to Note 40".

Incoming
In the right sidebar's Incoming section, select MIDI Message as the type. Check "Capture MIDI" and move the fader on your control surface. For example, with a Korg NanoKontrol, you will see something like this:
We want this translator to translate all possible values of this fader, and we want to remember the value of the fader, so click on any line which says "...set 'pp' to value". Then, deactivate Capture mode.

The Incoming Action now should read something like this: "pp" is a variable and will contain the value of the fader while you're moving it.

Outgoing Action
Now in the side bar's Outgoing section, select MIDI Message for the action type. In the drop-down list, select Note On. Then set the parameters like this: Verify correct operation
From the View menu, open the Log Window. Make sure that Incoming and Outgoing are checked. Now, when moving the fader, you should see output similar to this: Setup GrandMA2
Now in GrandMA2, go into MIDI setup and map Note 40 to the function you need. As said, we don't know this part well, but it should work.

Mapping other faders
Using this scheme, you can map any faders to GrandMA2's Note On messages. Use a different Note number for the Outgoing action for every fader. You can use the same variable "pp" for every translator.

Share your results
Once you've created a useful project file with MT Pro, please share it here in the forum. And discuss!

Thanks,
Florian

Tanks for the reply Florian! I'll try this out tomorrow, Will return with results
Cheers

Hey Florian I made it work, with your guide step for step. What I was doing wrong all along was the 'pp' thing.

For the GrandMA part.
You have to setup the onPC by going into Options on the yellow button in the upper left corner.
Then go to midi, incoming midi device should be set to 'Bome MIDI translator 1' midi out should be set to 'Midi Mapper'

Then go to Setup -> Remote Input Setup -> MidiRemotes
In there you add all of your buttons and faders etc.

My setup is working now, thanks for the help. I'll upload a behringer X-touch preset for GrandMA at some point.

Thanks!

That's great to hear! I'm sure many other users will refer to this forum thread for setting up a control surface with GrandMA2.
Best,
Florian

hi, Sorry for my English, i do all the map of the faders and the buttons for a x-touch and the OnPC my problem is with the encoders, i need to split signal of CC in 2 diferent notes, for example when the CC is positive 1 note and negative other note, thats it´s posible. i´d try a lot with the rules but a haven´t any result. Anyone con Help. Thanks

There should be an option in translation where you can deactivate negative bipolar. And only have positive values. I'm not on my computer right now. Can send a screenshot later

yes, you can try the bipolar option. Otherwise, please send a log of the Log Window (from the View menu) what happens when you turn the encoder left and right.
Florian