I’ve built a headless zynthian and am exploring how best to control the synth parameters. Is there a way to MIDI learn such that the same 4 midi hardware knobs persist across all synth screens and chains, controlling whichever 4 controllers are on screen?
Hi @3tree - I’m not sure I got what you asked, but I’ll answer anyway!
You wouldn’t midi learn the encoders, what you’re describing is how the encoders work with either a DIY Zynthian or the official kits.
You have to configure Zynthian as to where the encoders are in terms of I2C. See Zynthian Hardware - ZynthianWiki to get started and search this forum for more instructions, using the terms you get from the wiki, or to ask about your specific hardware.
Thanks @tunagenes, I’ll take a look at the wiki, I’ve moved forward but my workaround is not ideal! Hopefully I can explain better - if I have a hardware midi controller with 4 knobs, I want to map them so that they control the 4 synth controls that are currently on screen. Standard Zynthian MIDI controller mapping, once set, persists to the same synth control regardless of what screen is currently showing, but I want knob one to always control the first synth parameter on screen now, knob two to control the second synth parameter etc, then if I change screens, to control the same options showing up now… I’ve hacked together a passable (ish!) solution with TouchOSC mapping to zynpot sending -1 and +1 against an encoder turn, and then mapped a midi controller hardware encoder to that Touch OSC encoder. It’s a bit ropey but it works.
I think I understand more clearly now what you’re trying to do. I’m glad you’ve worked out a passable solution. I do have two thoughts-ideas which I’ll pass along for what they’re worth:
I think there is a way to map four Midi controllers to act like the Zynthian encoders. I don’t know how to do that, perhaps somebody else will chime in.
The most flexible way you can set up controllers is through the recent addition of ‘controller drivers‘, here’s the topic where they were introduced: