Struggling with MIDI patch/scene changes for Fractal Audio AxeFX and BT

[greiswig]

Hi, all,

What I am trying to do is just use the selection of a song in a Bandhelper to trigger a patch change on my AxeFX rig. I have a Yamaha MD-BT01, and I swear I had this working at some point, but it isn't now. I've also borrowed a friend's CME WIDI device to see if that's the issue, but I can't even see that in the "Connect to a bluetooth device" item.

But maybe we should start from square one to make sure I'm actually SENDING something.

Attached is a test MIDI preset I'm using, which I attached to a song in Bandhelper. So what this preset is trying to do is shift the AxeFX to preset 69, Scene 4.

If I open up the MIDI monitor Activity Log in BH, I can see that I'm attached to the Yamaha unit. I can verify that in Settings on the iPad, too. I can also see the "Added port" message in that monitor for that device.

However, switching back and forth to that song shows nothing additional getting added to the Activity Log. So it feels like fixing this is Step 1.

Any help is appreciated!

[arlo]

Were you sending MIDI from the Song Selection layout action, and now you're using a different layout that doesn't have that setting enabled?

[greiswig]

Thanks, Arlo.

Possibly? I have around 40 layouts in my list, most of them with identical names, and I'm not sure how they even got there. I whittled that list down to a handful by selecting all, un-selecting that handful, and removing them from Active status. I then went into all of those and enabled "Send MIDI" to "Song Selection." Is that correct?

However, I can't tell from my setlist what Layout it is using, and if it refers to the name only, I'm screwed because of all the duplicates. It looks like I can't do a bulk delete on the browser version or the iPad, either.

[greiswig]

OK, I did get Step 1 resolved by deleting all the layouts and starting from scratch. I'm not sure how they all got added...I think I was saving them, but thinking I was overwriting the old one when in fact I was just adding another version of it with a slightly different resolution.

Changes are working again. Now to see if I can figure out the syntax.

[arlo]

From the Repertoire > Layouts page of the website, you can filter layouts by user and screen size and batch-delete layouts you don't need.

[greiswig]

Hmmm...I must be missing it. I can see how to search, maybe export (?) and add, as the left-to-right icons above the list of layouts, but I don't find a way to do bulk selections and deletions here.

[arlo]

You're looking at the mobile app and the batch functions are only available in the website.

[rcomeau]

I'm a big fan of using a BandHelper annual subscription on an iPad to send midi to Fractal. I've been using it with an Axe FX III and converted to a FM9. Once setup, it changes the Fractal to the right preset and scene each time the song changes no matter how the band arranged the songs. Here are some notes for the setup:

(1) A QUICCO SOUND Bluetooth MIDI Adapter mi.1, or similar device, plugged into the Fractal's midi in & out enables wireless receiving of midi from an iPad.

(2) In BandHelper, create a Midi Device record to identify the Fractal's midi port and channel. The channel number must match the Fractal's Settings > General > MIDI/Remote > Send Midi PC.
(Note: I don't think the BandHelper's Settings > Remote Control > midi settings are applicable unless you want BandHelper to receive midi in addition to sending midi.)

(3) Use Fractal's Setup > MIDI/Remote > Other > Scene Select to set a CC # value

(4) In BandHelper, create Midi presets.
Raw Midi Device = the device that you created in step #2​

For preset 130 scene 2, for example:
Program Changes Bank MSB = 1 (if the 1st bank is 0 to 127 and the 2nd bank is 128 to 255 then enter 1 because preset 130 is part of the 2nd bank)​
Program Changes, Bank LSB = (I leave this blank)​
Program Changes, Program = 2 (because 128 + 2 = preset 130)​
​
Control Changes, Controller = the value that you set in step #3.​
Control Changes, Value = 1 (because 0 is for scene 1 and 1 is for scene 2 when Preset Inc/Dec Start = 0)​
​
Fractal's manuals have a good MIDI BANK & PROGRAM CHANGE section that lists the values for presets.
(Note: The above example assumes that you left the default of 0 at the Fractal's Setup > MIDI/Remote > Other > Preset Inc/Dec Start = 0.)

(5) In BankHelper, create songs and associate them with the Midi presets from step #4 as well as lyrics, and recordings.

(6) Connect BankHelper to the midi device each time you turn on your Fractal. I have BandHelper setup to view song lyrics with a midi icon on the screen. Click that icon to connect the bluetooth midi each time you turn on your Fractal.

I recently setup a footswitch on the Fractal for sending Midi to BandHelper for Next Song and hold for Previous Song.  That obviously requires more setup including setting up  Control Switches on the Fractal at Setup | FC Controllers/Onboard Switches | CS Midi.

(I came here looking for a way to send BandHelper midi to click the looper buttons that are on the extended recording controls.)

[tchopper]

@rcomeau thanks for that explanation!  Extremely helpful. I was trying to mess around with this last night using ink from the manual and the fractal forum, but couldn't get it to work. I'm gonna use this info and try my luck tonight!