M-218

Trig/gate to MIDI w. Gate-level velocity

M-218 Trig/gate to MIDI converter with velocity recognized from trigger/gate level. Converts trig/gates to MIDI notes (note and channel can be set independetly for all channels), three velocity curves (low/linear/high), mute on/off (suppress sending MIDI notes), note-off message sent as note-on/vel=0 or as note-off/vel=half of note-on velocity (jumper selectable), processing time under 2ms in normal mode or under 4ms in low sensitivity mode (filtering noisy inputs like piezos/drum pads), jumper selectable.

6 input jacks + LEDs, 5 buttons, MIDI out + MIDI activity LED.

PLAY MODE (default)
Input LEDs shows currently active notes, from NoteOn to NoteOff at full brightness regardless of MIDI Note velocity.
Up > Changes velocity curve to “more sensitive”, low level trigs are translated to higher velocity (there are three curves translating input levels, see picture)
Down > Changes velocity curve to “less sensitive”, high level trigs are translated to lower velocity
Note > Sends MIDI CC 123 + 120 All Notes Off and All Sounds Off on all channels as “panic”
Channel > Mutes all channels (incoming triggers stop sending NoteOn to the Output), all input LEDs lights at half brigtness as mute warning, next pressing unmutes all channels
Edit/Select > Goes to EDIT MODE (All Notes Off + All Sounds Off is sent whenewer mode is switched between “edit” and “play”)

EDIT MODE
Currently selected input LED lights up at half brightness. Input triggers have no effect during this mode. There are three available selections:

1. Input selection (default)
   Up > scrolls up to the next input channel, current MIDI Note is sent to MIDI with fixed velocity value of 120 as indication
   Down > scrolls down to the next input channel, current MIDI Note is sent to MIDI with fixed velocity value of 120 as indication
   Note > Goes to MIDI Note selection (see below)
   Channel > Goes to MIDI channel selection (see below)
   Edit/Select > Goes back to PLAY MODE (All Notes Off + All Sounds Off is sent whenewer mode is switched between “edit” and “play”)

2. MIDI Note selection
   Up > increases MIDI note number assigned to current input, new MIDI note is sent to Output and input LED goes down briefly
   Down > decreases MIDI note number assigned to current input, new MIDI note is sent to Output and input LED goes down briefly
   Up + Down together > sets MIDI Note to 60 for current input, MIDI note 60 is sent to Output and input LED goes down briefly
   Note > Current MIDI note is sent to Output and input LED goes down briefly
   Channel > Goes to MIDI channel selection (see below)
   Edit/Select > Goes to Input selection (see above)

3. MIDI channel selection
   Up > increases MIDI channel, LEDs briefly shows current MIDI channel using “summing” code (e.g. a selection of MIDI channel 12 will be shown as LED6 + LED5 + LED1 together), MIDI note is sent to MIDI with fixed velocity value of 120
   Down > decreases MIDI channel, indication same as above
   Up + Down together > sets MIDI channel to 10, indication same as above
   Note> Goes to MIDI Note selection (see above)
   Channel > LEDs briefly shows current MIDI channel using “summing” code, MIDI note is sent to MIDI with fixed velocity value of 120
   Edit/Select > Goes to Input selection (see above)

POWER UP
Setting is memorized for next use. As starting point General MIDI and Nord Drum 2 default settings can be loaded by holding Up or Down button at power-up. If no button is held at power-up last user setting is loaded.
Holding Up loads General Midi setting, holding Down loads Nord Drum 2 default setting

JUMPERS
upper jumper sets processing of input signals as sensitive (jumper removed) or more immune (jumper set)
lower jumper sets note end message as note-on, velocity=0 (jumper set) or as note-off, velocity= half of note-on velocity (jumper removed)

Edit example – changing MIDI channel and note for input 3:
power-up M-218, press edit (halfbright LED1), input select – press down twice (halfbright LED3), press channel (channel selection), press up/down to get desired channel (LEDs blinks briefly at full brightness showing current channel), press note (note selection), press up/down to get desired note, press edit (input selection), press edit (exit from edit mode to play mode). Each time an button is pressed current MIDI note is sent to hear your current setting. Really easy.

Original idea by Konstantine.

http://ladik.ladik.eu/?page_id=1972