Re: new MIDI Looping Standard

[Matthias Grob <matthias@grob.org>]

>  > Off topic, but I know this list has a number of FC-200 wizards on 
>it....

your specific case may be OT but it makes me think of the burning 
actuality of a big important back ground problem:

Standardizing is essencial. One of the biggest errors mankind made 
was to introduce 60Hz power in America and 50Hz power in Europe. I 
dont know how it came, but I suspect a business trick or political 
macho beaviour of people unaware of the later consequences for film, 
TV and so on, forced adopt these frequencies for their picture speed, 
leading a big hassle with intercontinental video exchange and 
conversions and what not - big work and cost without any improvement. 
Its just complicated. :-(
Now with the Internet we have it in hands to standardize things when 
they come up and simplify the future for everyone - if its well done.

I wanted to syncronize a standard for a hexaphonic guitar plug. But I 
was a nobody and it seems Roland made it with the delicate DIN13 :-( 
).

Now we have the problem that there are a growing number of MIDI 
commands necessary to control looping and other sequencer control.
So it would be great to agree on some usefull schema, just like 
GeneralMIDI for example.
With joined intelligence of the creators of the loop gear and the 
users that are interested in thinking on this side, we may find a 
clever agreement so that the user in the future can load the LOOP 
preset for his MIDI pedal and then control his computer programs and 
looping units and they would all do the same thing on the same 
button. I know this aim can hardly exactly reached, but we could make 
an effort to get as close as possible.

And the right moment seems NOW, because we have to do it when the 
related products become fairly clear (list of the functions) and 
before the manuals are printed.
The EDP slightly changed the organization for the next upgrade anyway 
and its now at last state to change it more
The Repeater probably can still change its tables at this stage
There is no realtime SW looper out with MIDI pedal operation, but 
people are working on it.
I dont know about the JamMan and Bobs upgrade and Eventide...

When we started with LOOP delay, we first discussed the command type: 
Program changes have no long presses and are taken for presets. So we 
made switchable between notes and controllers, thinking that some 
pedals may not create notes and keyboards not controllers. Default is 
notes.
It may become more complicated since for example it would make sense 
for Pitch to be a controller if its continuous (a dial in the HW) and 
a note if its a "toggle octave" kind of key press or even about two 
octave of notes if it serves for harmonical keyboard 
operation/sampling.

Then we need a consistent sequence of the functions, easy to remember 
and extend. The soft ware may let the user choose, but there is a 
default, so we talk about that one.
The EDP only lets you select the cntl/note # of lowest command.

The first commands are the repetition of the front pannel buttons. 
This we cannot change and I think this goes for any unit: Its where 
the "personality" section is:
The most important functions have their keys and the user wants them 
repeated on the floor. So independant of what they are, if we put 
them into the same range, from left to right, we are compatible, 
somehow, right?

Then comes the part where it gets complicated but rich:
The more special functions should be accessible directly through 
MIDI, too. Each product has a list of different but similar functions 
that can have the same sequence. Its not much work effort to create 
this standard, but:
Will we have the currage to exchange our secret function lists? :-)
Once the relaese is close, it probably will not matter that much and 
we can all gain a lot.
And the users made very clear what they expect from the manufacturers! :-)
If we can line up the loop products coming to the market, we can 
create a bigger wave in the hole music/show business.

We could maybe put an adress list of some gremium together and take 
this mostly technical discussion off the list.
Does the MIDI Association support this kind of work, or just disturb it? 
:-)

Hoping for a brotherly meeting
Matthias Grob
Aurisis


          ---> http://Matthias.Grob.org