USER MANUAL
Special Thanks DIRECTION Frederic Brun Pierre-Lin Laneyrie ENGINEERING Samuel Limier Michel Davit Valentin Lepetit Mathieu Nocenti Benjamin Renard Germain Marzin Matthieu Courouble DESIGN Morgan Perrier Sébastien Rochard MANUAL Morgan Perrier Randy Lee © ARTURIA SA – 2017 – All rights reserved. 11 Chemin de la Dhuy 38240 Meylan FRANCE https://www.arturia.com Information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Arturia.
Thank you for choosing Arturia! This manual covers the features and operation of Arturia’s MIDI Control Center, the companion software for many Arturia hardware devices. For additional information about the hardware itself, please read the appropriate owner's manual.
Introduction Dear musician, The fact that you're reading this manual means that you have done your research and have purchased one of our products. Thank you! We like to think that you did so having recognized the power, flexibility, and sheer fun of the Arturia device you now own. We are certain you are about to begin a journey that will lead to the production of some amazing music.
Table Of Contents 1. Welcome to the MIDI Control Center! ............................................................................................................ 2 1.1. Features of the MIDI Control Center ......................................................................................................................... 2 2. Overview......................................................................................................................................................................
1. WELCOME TO THE MIDI CONTROL CENTER! Arturia has a long history of developing highly sought-after hardware products, while also crafting supplementary software that enhances the capabilities of the hardware many times over. The MIDI Control Center (MCC) is software with many faces, but one purpose: to unlock the full potential of the device with which it is being used.
• • Sequences/patterns ◦ Pattern length ◦ Step size ◦ Notes ◦ Duration/Gate time ◦ Tie/Hold ◦ Legato ◦ Swing amount ◦ Scale selection Keyboard ◦ Zone MIDI Channel ◦ Split point Arturia - User Manual MIDI Control Center - Welcome to the MIDI Control Center! 3
2. OVERVIEW 2.1. The Main window The Main window of the MIDI Control Center shows information related to the device(s) you have connected. For example, you may see one or more of these items on the right side: • an image of the device: this enables you to assign MIDI messages to many of the controls. • a grid or a musical staff for creating and editing a sequence or pattern. • two or more tabs within the window for access to different features.
2.1.2. Sync The Sync button is located immediately to the right of the Device selection window, as shown below. For those devices that support Sync mode, clicking this button will pull the contents of their memory into the MCC for editing. For more information about Sync and non-Sync operations, see the chapter Working with Templates [p.10]. 2.1.3. Firmware Revision The MCC will notify you of firmware updates for the connected device if your computer is connected to the internet.
2.1.4. Device Memories / Device Projects The left side of the MCC window shows a list containing Memories, Projects, and Templates, depending on the connected device. When one of these items is selected from the list the MCC can transmit that item to, or request that item from, the internal memory of the device. The Store To / Recall From buttons are used for this purpose. See Working with Templates [p.10] for information about this.
2.1.5. Template utility buttons Beneath the Project Browser window are a series of buttons that are used to save, create, and share your original Templates. The functions of the Template utility buttons are discussed in greater length in Working with Templates [p.10]. 2.1.6. Resizing the window To see a larger number of the Projects in the Device Projects list, click and drag the window resizing button: Resizing the Device Projects window 2.1.7.
2.2. The basics of editing 2.2.1. Selecting a control Many devices have a page inside the MCC that shows a graphic representation of their front panels. This enables you to construct a Controller Map for that device. A Controller Map contains a set of MIDI assignments for the available knobs, pads, buttons and controls. Hover over the desired control, or click it; if it is assignable it will turn red and a list of its editable parameters will appear at the bottom of the MCC window.
2.2.3. Selecting the tabs The middle window of the MIDI Control Center often has tabs. For example, when used with a BeatStep Pro there are six tabs: Project, Seq1, Seq2, Drum, ControllerMap, and Device Settings. The device tabs: BeatStep Pro shown In the picture above, ControllerMap is the active tab. Simply click on a tab to select its window. Please refer to the appropriate manual if more information is needed about editing the parameters of a particular device.
3. WORKING WITH TEMPLATES 3.1. The Sync button ♪: Some Arturia devices do not support the Sync feature. Here is a partial list of devices that do or don't: - Sync supported: BeatStep, KeyStep, KeyLab series - Sync not supported: BeatStepPro, DrumBrute, Spark, MiniLab series Clicking the Sync button is a quick way to back up the data from your device. It also allows you to do other things we’ll cover later in this chapter.
3.1.2. Non-sync operations When the MCC and the device are not synced there are plenty of features available.
3.3. Project / Template Browser The Project / Template Browser shows a list of all the Templates that have been archived onto your computer using the MIDI Control Center. These are divided into two main groups: Factory and User. A Template often contains the same number of items as the internal memory of the device, and it also has them arranged in the same way: for example, four banks of 16 patterns, or whatever is appropriate for your device. However, some devices can hold multiple Templates at one time.
3.3.3. The Working Memory / Working Project ♪: Some Arturia products do not have the Sync feature, and others do not have a Working Memory or Working Project. Please refer to the documentation for specific information about your device. When the MCC and a device are in sync, the Working Memory is also the active memory of the device. Edits made to most parameters and performance data inside the MCC are made simultaneously to the device.
3.3.3.2. Drag and drop It’s possible to drag a single item or an entire Template from the Project Browser onto the Working Memory. When you do, the data will be sent to the device internal memory.
3.3.4. Revise a Template 3.3.4.1. While synced If the MIDI Control Center and the device are already in sync, it’s easy to modify an archived Template. Simply select one and its data will appear in the Editor window. This data will also be transmitted to the device internal memory. As long as the device and the MCC are in sync, any changes made to the data inside the MCC will also be made in the device.
3.4. Store To / Recall From 3.4.1. The ‘Store To’ button The upper left-hand section of the MIDI Control Center has a button called “Store To”. It is used to transmit a Template from the Local Templates / Project Browser window to the device. !: The following process will overwrite the internal memory of the device. If you are not sure the data has been backed up, be sure to archive it to your computer using the Recall From button.
3.4.3. Template utilities Beneath the Project Browser window are a series of buttons that are used to save, create, and share your original Templates. 3.4.3.1. Save/Save As… Use these buttons to preserve an edited Template or make a duplicate as a backup. These files will appear in the Project Browser window in alphabetical order. 3.4.3.2. New/Delete Create a new Template from the default settings with the New button.
4. DEVICE SETTINGS 4.1. The Device Settings tab When a device is connected, the MIDI Control Center will automatically pull the settings for that device into the computer. To view the Device Settings for the connected device, select this tab. ♪: There may be more parameters than can fit in the window at one time, so use the scroll bar on the right side of the window to access them all. Device Settings are also sometimes called "Global parameters".
4.2. Import/Export Device Settings When the Device Settings tab is selected you will see two buttons below the tab labeled Import and Export. The function of these buttons is to manage files containing only the Device Settings. They are different from the Template utility Import/Export buttons, which are used to generate a file containing both the Project Tab settings and the Template data. Those buttons are described in greater detail in Working with Templates [p.10].
5. CONTROLLER MAPS A Controller Map contains a set of MIDI assignments for the configurable knobs, pads, buttons and other controls a device may have, including pedals. There are many different types of data that may be transmitted, depending on the control: • MIDI Continuous Controller values (modulation, volume, expression, sustain, etc.) • Registered/Non-Registered Parameter Number values (RPN/NRPN) • MIDI Machine Control commands (MMC), such as Play, Stop, Pause, Rewind, etc.
♪: Some devices may not use standard MIDI controller assignments. Refer to the documentation for your device to determine what settings to use for each purpose. 5.1.1. Assignable vs. non-assignable controls If you click on a control and it does not turn red, then that control is not assignable. For example, the left side of the BeatStep Pro front panel has entire sections of buttons and knobs that are not assignable, such as the Project/Sequencer/Drum section selector buttons.
6. UPDATES 6.1. Device Firmware Upgrades The MCC will notify you of firmware updates for the connected device if your computer is connected to the internet. Firmware update notifications will look something like this: Firmware update notification !: If the upgrade notification also appears in the middle of the MCC window, this means the firmware update is an important one. The notification window will continue to appear whenever that device is selected until the upgrade is performed.
7. TROUBLESHOOTING 7.1. Error messages The MIDI Control Center may occasionally have trouble connecting to an attached device. When this happens, it will display an error message to let you know there is a problem, and it will also suggest a solution. The following chart has a list of steps you can follow if you encounter an error message.
7.3. Device failed to open (Windows only) The following message may appear if your device is already being used by another application such as a DAW or a standalone version of a software synthesizer. Device failed to open The solution in this case is as follows: 24 1. Quit the other application 2. Launch the MIDI Control Center 3. Make the changes you would like to make on your device 4. Quit the MIDI Control Center, and 5. Restart the other application.
8. SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT In consideration of payment of the Licensee fee, which is a portion of the price you paid, Arturia, as Licensor, grants to you (hereinafter termed “Licensee”) a nonexclusive right to use this copy of the SOFTWARE. All intellectual property rights in the software belong to Arturia SA (hereinafter: “Arturia”). Arturia permits you only to copy, download, install and use the software in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
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