MTG MIDI Patch Changer User manual
MTG
MIDI Patch Changer
User Guide
V4.00
January 2019
Subject to change without notice
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CONTENTS
1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 4
Understanding the Keypad ..................................................................................................... 5
Hooking Up ............................................................................................................................. 6
2: Manual Mode .............................................................................................................................. 8
MIDI Channel .......................................................................................................................... 8
Enable/Disable Banks Select(s) ............................................................................................. 9
To Change a Bank Value Without Sending ............................................................................ 9
To Change a Bank Value With Sending ................................................................................. 9
To Send the Bank and Patch Values .................................................................................... 10
Scrolling through Patches ..................................................................................................... 10
Using the Arrow Key on a Bank Select ................................................................................. 10
3: Preset Mode ............................................................................................................................. 11
Changing Presets By Number .............................................................................................. 12
The MIDI Channel Key .......................................................................................................... 12
Arbitrary MIDI Data ............................................................................................................... 12
4: Editing Presets (on the keypad)............................................................................................. 13
Modifying the Preset ............................................................................................................. 13
Editing the Preset Name ....................................................................................................... 14
Pre/Post-Patch Arbitrary MIDI Data ...................................................................................... 15
Saving ................................................................................................................................... 15
Abandon Changes ................................................................................................................ 15
5: Using Speed Dials ................................................................................................................... 16
Preset Mode Speed Dials ..................................................................................................... 16
Assigning Speed Dials (on the keypad) ................................................................................ 16
6: Chain Mode .............................................................................................................................. 17
Accessing Chain Mode ......................................................................................................... 17
Leaving Chain Mode ............................................................................................................. 17
Chain Select (Browsing) ....................................................................................................... 18
Chain Run ............................................................................................................................. 18
Chain View ............................................................................................................................ 19
7: Editing Chains (on the keypad).............................................................................................. 20
Modifying Chain Links ........................................................................................................... 20
Editing the Chain Name ........................................................................................................ 21
Saving ................................................................................................................................... 21
Abandon Changes ................................................................................................................ 21
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8: Utility Menu .............................................................................................................................. 22
Preset Mode Browsing .......................................................................................................... 23
Receive Program Changes ................................................................................................... 23
Edit Speed Dial ..................................................................................................................... 23
Send a Preset (via System Exclusive) .................................................................................. 24
Send a Chain (via System Exclusive) ................................................................................... 24
System Exclusive Mfg ID ...................................................................................................... 25
MIDI Pass-Thru (v3.20+) ...................................................................................................... 25
MIDI Monitor ......................................................................................................................... 26
Restore Factory Defaults ...................................................................................................... 26
Show Version ........................................................................................................................ 26
Download New Firmware ...................................................................................................... 26
Set Patch Range (v2.79, v3.30+) .......................................................................................... 26
9: Using the Windows Editor ...................................................................................................... 28
Installation ............................................................................................................................. 28
Editor Features ..................................................................................................................... 29
Preset Panel ......................................................................................................................... 30
Preset Panel: Edit MIDI Data ................................................................................................ 31
Chains Panel ......................................................................................................................... 33
Speed Dials Panel ................................................................................................................ 35
Settings Panel ....................................................................................................................... 36
Toolbar File Operations ........................................................................................................ 37
MIDI ....................................................................................................................................... 38
Uploading .............................................................................................................................. 41
Firmware Upgrade ................................................................................................................ 43
Appendix A: System Exclusive Implementation ...................................................................... 44
Command Types ................................................................................................................... 44
General Format ..................................................................................................................... 44
Restart Command ................................................................................................................. 45
Get Port Command ............................................................................................................... 45
Get/Set Global Parameter List .............................................................................................. 46
Get Global Parameter Command ......................................................................................... 47
Set Global Parameter Command .......................................................................................... 48
Get One Preset Command (old format) ................................................................................ 49
Set One Preset Command (old format) ................................................................................ 51
Get One Preset Command (NEW format) ............................................................................ 53
Set One Preset Command (NEW format) ............................................................................. 55
Get One Chain Command .................................................................................................... 57
Set One Chain Command ..................................................................................................... 59
Universal Device Inquiry ....................................................................................................... 60
Appendix B: Sys Ex Firmware Update via MIDIOX .................................................................. 61
Configure MIDIOX ................................................................................................................. 61
Prepare the Keypad for Download ........................................................................................ 62
Test the Communication ....................................................................................................... 62
Firmware Upgrade ................................................................................................................ 63
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1: Introduction
The MIDI Patch Changer is the perfect solution when you need to control MIDI
presets for one or more devices, but a giant keyboard controller or a MIDI
footswitch/pedalboard just won’t do.
The MIDI Patch Changer has all the features you'd expect in a full-featured
patch-changing controller.
o Manual Operation. Manual Mode is used to key-in or scroll-through
Program Change messages with or without MIDI Bank Select messages.
o Preset Operation. Preset mode is for live or studio performance
situations. The unit can send a complete set of 16 patch and bank select
changes for every Preset. Each Preset can contain up to 180 bytes of
other MIDI data too!
o Speed-Dials. Pick your 9 favourite Presets and access them at any time
using a hot-key
1
.
o Chain Operation. Chain Presets together into a list that you can navigate
through.
2
o Expandable and upgradeable. The MIDI Patch Changer is
programmable including re-flashing the firmware.
o Durable. Made with high-quality switches (50 million+ operations) on a
metal sub-frame.
o Stable. No PC operating system to worry about crashes, hang-ups or
viruses.
The standard unit includes:
o 20-key keypad with 16-character backlit liquid crystal display (LCD).
o Power adapter (110-240v AC input to 5v DC output).
o Rear-panel RJ connector supports multiple cable types.
o RJ-to-USB cable for USB-MIDI connection (using OS built-in driver).
o RJ (Cat-5) cable for 5-pin DIN MIDI In and Out (on small external box).
o System Exclusive implementation for reading/storing the Presets and
other settings.
1
v3.10 or later.
2
v3.10 or later.
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Understanding the Keypad
The Mode Keys:
The MIDI Patch Changer has three
major function groups (modes).
o Manual Mode is for sending patch
changes by hand “on-the-fly”.
o Preset Mode is for sending pre-
arranged patch changes and MIDI
data during live performance.
o Finally there is a Utility Menu for
changing the keypad preferences.
The three MODE keys indicated by the
arrows (see diagram left) are used to
change the operating mode of the
keypad.
The Numeric Key Section:
The numeric key section is used for manually entering Patch
Change and Bank Select numbers (in decimal). In each
case the number range can be 0 to 127 or 1 to 128 to match
the receiving MIDI device. Future updates may allow for
alphabetic patch numbers (some vintage synths collect
patch sets of 8 or 16 into “banks” called A, B, C, D, etc.).
In addition the ENTER keys serves as a yes/confirm key in
certain menus and likewise the CLEAR key serves as a
no/escape.
The Arrow Keys:
The up and down keys are active in all three operating modes. They are
used to manually scroll through banks and patches in Manual Mode, to
manually scroll through Presets or Chains in Preset or Chain Mode
(respectively), and to navigate the Utility Menus.
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The Other Keys
The MIDI Channel key is used to change the transmit
channel for patches in Manual Mode as well as to review the
settings for each MIDI channel in a Preset (or Chain).
The Bank MSB and Bank LSB are used to select/enable/disable the sending of
Banks Select messages in Manual Mode. In this mode they act like a mute
button.
Hooking Up
There are several ways to connect the MIDI Patch Changer to your gear and/or
PC.
5-Pin DIN MIDI Gear
RJ Cable
Keypad
MIDI IN MIDI OUT
5v DC
OPTIONAL
If you need to connect to
5-pin DIN MIDI
gear, then use the
supplied Cat5 cable and supplied MIDI adapter box.
o Plug the short Cat5 cable into the back of the keypad
and into the RS232 MIDI adapter box.
o Plug the supplied DC power adapter into the wall socket and
then into MIDI adapter box.
o Then hook your MIDI gear into the IN and OUT jacks on the
MIDI adapter box.
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USB to PC (Sequencer, Soft Synth, etc.)
USB Cable
If you are hooking the MIDI Patch Changer keypad to a
PC that has USB, then you can use the supplied RJ-
to-USB cable:
.
o Connect the RJ end into the back of the keypad
o Then connect the USB connector into your PC or USB hub
The PC (Mac or Windows) will use the basic class drivers supplied with the OS.
No additional driver is needed.
Alternate USB to PC (Firmware Upgrade, Configuration, etc.)
RJ Cable
Keypad
MIDI IN MIDI OUT
5v DC
PC MIDI INTERFACE
(Not Supplied)
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2: Manual Mode
In Manual Mode you can send one, two or all three of the following standard MIDI
messages on the MIDI channel of your choosing:
Program Change (always transmitted)
Bank Select MSB - Controller number 0 (optionally transmitted)
Bank Select LSB - Controller number 32 (optionally transmitted)
The LCD will show what the current patch value is and what components are
enabled or disabled. If one or both of the Bank Selects is disabled (muted), then
the LCD will show “
···
“
next to the name on the LCD. For instance, on the
LCD shown below, the Bank MSB is not enabled, the Bank LSB value is
25 and the Program Change value is 34
3
.
MIDI Channel
Once you have your cables hooked up, the first
thing you should do is set the MIDI channel used
for manual mode. This is done by pressing the
MIDI CH key and using the Up or Down arrow
keys to scroll to the channel you want (1 to 16).
Alternatively you can erase the displayed value
using the CLEAR key and then type in the
3
As per common convention, Bank numbers range from 0 to 127 and Patch Change numbers range from 1
to 128. In both cases the underlying MIDI messages use the number range 0 to 127.
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channel you want and then press ENTER.
Press ENTER to save your new MIDI channel number. You can abandon your
changes by pressing MIDI CH a second time. The MIDI Channel value will be
retained even if power is lost.
Enable/Disable Banks Select(s)
The Bank Select MSB and Bank Select LSB can be enabled and disabled by
repeated depressing of their respective keys.
When the Bank Select is disabled (muted), the three dots appear: “
···
“. When the
value is being editing the cursor is flashing over the value being edited. When the
value is solid then the value is enabled for transmitting. Normally, when not
editing a bank value, the cursor is flashing over the program change value at the
far right of the LCD since this is the value you will be changing most often.
To Change a Bank Value Without Sending
This allows you to establish what patch you want to send, but not send it yet.
Press one of the Bank Select keys until you are in the edit mode (cursor flashing
on the bank value). Enter the new value for the Bank Select using the number
keys. Press the same Bank Select key again (do NOT press Enter). This
changes the value on the display but does not transmit anything.
To Change a Bank Value With Sending
To Edit a Bank Select and send it immediately (along with the current Patch
value), press one of the Bank Select keys until you are in the edit mode (cursor
flashing on the bank value). Enter the new value for the Bank Select using the
number keys. Press Enter.
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To Send the Bank and Patch Values
While in Manual Mode, pressing Enter at any time causes all of the displayed
(enabled) data to be transmitted.
Scrolling through Patches
With the cursor flashing on the Patch value, pressing an Up or Down arrow key
causes the displayed patch value to be incremented or decremented by one, and
the new displayed (enabled) data to be transmitted.
If the Patch value overflows or underflows, then the Bank Value (if enabled), is
modified by one also. This allows you to scroll seamlessly over bank boundaries
in both the forward or reverse direction.
Using the Arrow Key on a Bank Select
To quickly change to the next or previous bank, put one of the Bank Select value
in edit mode and press the desired Up or Down arrow key. This will cause the
Bank Select value to change by one, followed by transmission of enabled data.
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