N00b struggling with MIDI channels

Using Zynthian
1

Hi Zynthianers,

I’m completely new to Zynthian and assembled v4 this very week. I’m completely overwhelmed of what I got. Thanks a bunch to all involved.

Currently I’m struggling with MIDI channels.
On the one hand, one has to choose an individual channel for any layer created. On the other, Zynthian per default appearently is switched to OMNI on. I understand that this makes life easier for N00bs connecting the Zynthian for the very first time. Great. Eventually they might detect the OMNI off switch in the configuration panel. Great.

What confused me was that switching OMNI to off didn’t take effect for existing snapshots. Appearently the OMNI setting is not global, but part of snapshots. I think the behaviour is OK, but should be part of the documentation.

Now for the tricky part, concerning Aeolus. For other instruments, the MIDI channel of layers can be changed from the layer options menu. Great. For Aeolus, however, this feature does not exist. Aeolus’ default configuration consists of three divisions for keybeds and one for pedal board. The former ones are listening to MIDI channels 1 trough 3, the latter one for 4. Great. I connected it to a digital pipe organ console with two keybeds (plus pedalboard) only. Those are transmitting on channels 1 respectively 2 and the pedalboard on 3. Since I cannot alter the MIDI channels on my console, I’m desparately missing the possibility to set the MIDI channel of layer 3 to off or anything above 3 and then alter the pedal division to MIDI channel 3. Currently the pedalboard is playing the third division, not the fourth as intended.

I have no clue wether this was possible to add, but it would definitely make Aeolus’ layers more consistent to other synth layers if MIDI channels could be changed. For the time being, I wait for the micro HDMI adapter arriving next week, since Aeolus’ native UI allows to change the MIDI channels.

So there’s no need for any software changes at my end, but for other users changing MIDI channels for Aeolus’ layers may be a useful feature.

Have fun making noise,

ce

2

If you bold press on a layer you can reach a customizing menu. In there you can clone midi to another channel.

Bold press aeolus layer 3 and clone midi to layer 4, close all the stops on layer 3, unless you want to pretend you’ve linked pedal to manual 3!

1 Like
3

Ah. Great idea. I can just clone the MIDI events from layer 3 to 4 and disable all stops of division 3. Need to try that immediately - thanks a bunch.

ce

1 Like
4

Also, when selecting the clone channels, you can bold click over a channel yo choose the CC to clone.

Regards

1 Like
5

Thanks, that did the trick. I’m now struggling with Aeolus’ default temperment, but that’s mainly an issue for pièces in “unusual” keys (like f minor).

1 Like