SooperLooper - In Testing

Currently zynthian doesn’t support “one to many” MIDI mapping.
A single switch pedal sends a single CC. For sending multiple CC you need several switch pedals and learn each one to the desired controller.

For a multi-switch-pedal controller, you could program a more complex behavior, emulating a big number of pedals with just a few. I.e. using 1 or 2 switches for “paginating” the rest, etc.

In your case, you have a FCB1010. You could assign (MIDI-learn) each switch to the desired controller, and use UP & DOWN for changing the selected loop.

Indeed, the optimal UX will be to have a specific “zynthian sooperlooper driver” for the FCB1010 controller, so you load the driver and it simply works. I’m quite interested on making this to work, so you could send me the “factory default MIDI assignments” for this controller and i could try to write the driver for the FCB1010 :wink:

Regards,

Hi @zynthianers!

Those of you using SooperLooper in the Bookworm-Oram image, please, update your zynthian!

I just pushed some improvements to SooperLooper engine and the MIDI-learning subsystem that would improve your UX and workflows:

  • Improved controllers and state feedback in sooperlooper
  • New “Momentary Switch” emulation flag in the controller options menu (control MIDI-learn menu). By setting this flag you could use a sustain pedal for toggling switches (i.e. managing SooperLooper controllers).
  • Specific V5 ALT-mode for sooperlooper. If you have a V5 kit, click ALT button for entering the new mode.

V5 SooperLooper ALT-mode Quick Guide:

  • UP/DOWN arrows: changing selected loop
  • LEFT/RIGHT arrows: undo/redo in current loop
  • REC button: start/stop record (from scratch) or overdub in current loop
  • PLAY button: mute/unmute/unpause current loop
  • STOP button: start/stop multiplying in current loop
  • F4 button: add new loop
  • F3 button: start/stop replacing in current loop
  • F2 button: start/stop substituting in current loop
  • F1 button: start/stop inserting in current loop

For sure you will find some bugs :wink:
I will release better documentation in the wiki ASAP, when bugs are fixed.

Enjoy!

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Thanks for you reply. I thought someone figured out how to do this in PureData. I read i somewhere in this forum.
Interesting idea with the up/down switch, but it might get quite complicated on stage.

what do you mean with the ‘factory default midi assignments’?

I think @Joe is who you’re thinking of re PureData:

this is the one I mean.
sounds interesting. But I have no clue how to use it.

Hi @robert

Can you please describe your stage equipment in more detail and how you have it connected. And what exactly do you expect from SooperLoper? So how do you think he should behave.

So far I have guessed that you have:
Zynthian
Behringer FCB1010 - probably with a standard chip, probably no tuning with a UNO chip

You probably don’t have something like BomeBox or MidiHub in your equipment?

These details could help in designing some viable solution.

this is great stuff! And really what I needed. The keys only work when sooperlooper is opened, right?

I just figured out how to work with this. It took me some time to figure out. Is it an idea to write down the workflow for sooperlooper?

I put sooperlooper on an audio+midichannel (channel 3)
I put zynadsubfx on an chain with midichannel 3(midiforwarding is not working)
I put linuxsampler on a chain with midichannel 3.

made a subsnapshot with sooperlooper selected and linuxsampler muted. I mapped these to programchange 1 on my keyboard
I made a subsnapshot with sooperlooper selected and zynadsubfx muted. mapped to progch 2.

now I can open sooperlooper and change instruments quickly, without leaving sooperlooper.
Is this the way to go, or is there an easier way?

It still would be nice to start recording/overdubbing/playing with a single footswitch.

Perhaps I’m commenting in the wrong category, but I have an issue related to sooperlooper.
When using Zynthian version from 2022, Sooperlooper worked fine.
I’ve recorded 5-10 instruments (various zynthian gig sampler instruments), looped, overdubbed etc.
Yesterday I’ve managed to install latest stable version.
Now when adding sooperlooper I get an error: Error CUIA zynswitch 3,5.
If I try to add sooperlooper 1 or 2 more times Zynthian freezes, displaying “Adding chain”.

After you installed latest stable version did you do a software update? It might fix it, and is probably a good idea anyway.

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Yes I did and it didn’t help.
I went back to a 32bit stable version for now. :slight_smile:
Thanks!

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I just tested sooperlooper in Oram and it works. There was a period when it wasn’t working because Sooperlooper binary hasn’t been added to the build but an update should fix that. We need to understand why it is failing for you.

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I need to buy another SD card and make an image of the working setup I have right now, before I try 64bit version again.
I want to be able to switch to working environment quickly.
Can you please send my a link to a semi fresh 64bit Zynthian image?
I’ll try it as soon as I have a backup.

Thank you!

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I put sooperlooper on an audio+midichannel (channel 3)
I put zynadsubfx on an chain with midichannel 3(midiforwarding is not working)
I put linuxsampler on a chain with midichannel 3.

made a subsnapshot with sooperlooper selected and linuxsampler muted. I mapped these to programchange 1 on my keyboard
I made a subsnapshot with sooperlooper selected and zynadsubfx muted. mapped to progch 2.

This workflow worked for one day. Now every time i press progch 1, sooperlooper resets.

I’m using bookworm, updated it last wedsnesday.

Is there a way to work with sooperlooper, recording different channels on the Zynthian? And can someone describe the workflow?

Thank you for that.

So, maybe I want to much. I want to use a zynthian as a synthesizer and a loopstation. This guy only uses one instrument on Zynthian. I want too use more instruments on Zynthian.

within sooperlooper I want to press progch 1 and play Zynaddsubfx, , and then press progch 2 and play piano. Is that possible?

It seemed to be working, but sooperlooper restarts when I send a progchange. Is that a bug, or I’m I pushing it too hard?

Hi @robert !

I don’t think you are pushing too much. It should work. Let me check with your snapshot. Please attach it.

Anyway, why not placing sooperlooper in the main bus? It seems a better place if you plan to change instruments while looping.
Also, are you using ACTI or MULTI mode for your input devices? How many input devices do you have? Etc.

Regards,

This workflow is not what i would do. How is routed audio?
I would do something like this:

  • SooperLooper in the Main Bus. MIDI-learn sooperlooper controls using absolute MIDI learn (controller/learn options submenu), so you can control it regardless of the selected chain. Should we force absolute MIDI learn on Main Bus, @riban?

  • Chain with ZynAddSubFX: channel 1

  • Chain with LinuxSampler: channel 2

  • etc.

If you want to layer sounds, then use the same MIDI channel for them and enable “Active MIDI channel” from admin menu.

If you use a single keyboard for playing, set ACTI mode for it. Then learn your ZS3s.

Regards,

I’ve ordered a spare SD card. Will try Oram again in a few days.

I didn’t know there was a function called absolute midi learn. I’ll check it out. But at the moment I’m using the v5 buttons to control it.

But still… How do I change the active layer when I’m in the sooperlooper GUI?