How to load Electra One banks and pages via my Morningstar MC8?

Hey there,

is it possible to send Program Changes or so, to load Electra One banks and pages? Really need that feature for my live setup having a fast workflow.

The Morningstar MC8 MIDI foot controller and Electra One both are connected to an USB-C hub. This USB-C hub is connected to an iPad Pro 2018. Using AUM app.

It seems unclear to me reading this: External control with LaunchPad | Electra One Documentation

  • Prepare Configuration file with customized assignments.

  • Upload the Configuration file to Electra.

How to do this and what is the content of this configuration file if you are using the MC8?

Just an example* is needed to understand, so I can edit this config file to my needs and my MC8 settings on my own.

*sending some MIDI notes by the MC8 to Electra One.

Hi Matthias!

I am not sure if it will fit your setup but let’s try. If needed, things can be adjusted. This feature was pretty much inspired by your setup anyways :slight_smile:

To configure Electra’s MIDI control commands:

  1. go to https://app.electra.one/sandbox
  2. select “config” option
  3. paste the config file (as shown below) to the text window
  4. check that there is “VALID” text above the Upload button
    5… press Upload

Connect your MC8 to Electra’s Control port:

  1. Connect your MC8 with a USB cable to Electra’s USB host port
  2. press [MENU] button and then the [USB HOST] on-screen button. You will land in the USB HOST Configuration window and you should see your MC8 there.
  3. Select [CTRL] port for MC8

The MIDI messages coming out of the MC8 will be accepted by Electra as commands to control Electra.

if everything worked correctly, you will be able to:

  • switch to page 1 by sending Note On - note nr 46
  • switch to page 2 by sending Note On - note nr 47
  • switch to page 3 by sending Note On - note nr 48
  • switch to preset 1 by sending Program change - program nr 0
  • switch to preset 2 by sending Program change - program nr 1

The config file:

  {
      "version": 1,
      "midiControl": [
        {
          "event": "switchPage",
          "eventParameter": 1,
          "midiMessage": "note",
          "parameterNumber": 46
        },
        {
          "event": "switchPage",
          "eventParameter": 2,
          "midiMessage": "note",
          "parameterNumber": 47
        },
        {
          "event": "switchPage",
          "eventParameter": 3,
          "midiMessage": "note",
          "parameterNumber": 48
        },
        {
          "event": "switchPreset",
          "eventParameter": 1,
          "midiMessage": "program",
          "parameterNumber": 0
        },
        {
         "event": "switchPreset",
         "eventParameter": 2,
         "midiMessage": "program",
         "parameterNumber": 1
       }
     ]
  }

a few important notes:

  1. Messages sent to the CTRL port are not forwarded to any port now. I think this might be something you do not need.
  2. The assigment of the USB device (MC8) to Electra’s CTRL port can be also included in the config. If such an assigment part of the config, the MC8 will be automatically connected to the CTRL port whenerver it is connected to Electra’s USB host port.
2 Likes

edit: clarify: possibility to jump direct to bank 4 > preset 6 > page 1 > section 2 (example)

Hey Martin,
thank you very much!
That works for me here seemless.

A further question about this config file:
Is there a way hit one MC8 button to load directly with one button press:
bank 4 > preset 6 > page 1 > section 2 ?
(Could you maybe please provide what I have to write in the config file text window for this example above?)

  1. Messages sent to the CTRL port are not forwarded to any port now. I think this might be something you do not need.

The Morningstar MC8 lets you send up to 16 MIDI commands per press. I really need this function to send my already installed MIDI commands through Electra One through the iPad. Is there a solution to solve this without coding each time I changed some MC8 MIDI commands in its Morningstar MIDI editor?

push

Happy new year! :santa::clown_face::japanese_ogre:

I added this to the next release.

I will try to come up with a way to forward the messages. There was at least one more user who wants that.

A question:

say, you have a MC8 configured so that the press sents two messages. The first to switch the preset on Electra and the second is for a piece of gear connected to Electra. The second message needs to be forwarded, that is obvious, but do you want the Preset switch message to be forwarded too or just executed in Electra?

I hope you catch my drift. Thanks!

1 Like

I made both requests kind of possible in the latest 1.4 - but still some clarifications are needed, please lets discuss on PM or chat.

2 Likes

Hi @martin,
just started my Electra journey - such a good idea and realisation :clap:t2:
I would also like to preselect a section to control via a midi command… I didn’t find any mention of this in the 1.4 release notes for a config command. Any hints?

Thanks for your time to answer!
Björn