Related Manuals for Conductive Labs MRCC
Summary of Contents for Conductive Labs MRCC
- Page 1 CONDUC IVE LABS Electronic Music Instruments MIDI ROUTER CONTROL CENTER User Manual as of FW v1.1.020...
- Page 2 The information contained in this manual is believed to be correct at the time of printing. However, Conductive Labs LLC reserves the right to change or modify any of the specifications without notice or obligation to update the hardware that has been purchased.
- Page 3 The MRCC’s trials and tribulations. To the Team: Darryl McGee - The MRCC Design, PCB Layout and Hardware Design, Procurement, and Web Site Dev Steve Barile - The MRCC Design, Firmware and Hardware Design, Video Production, Graphic Design, and Manual Jesse Johannesen –...
- Page 4 COPYRIGHT @ CONDUCTIVE LABS LLC 2021. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. All documentation, images, software, firmware, user interface, industrial design and hardware design is protected by copyright law and international treaties. The firmware is licensed (not sold), and its use is subject to a License Agreement. Unauthorized use, copying or distribution of any of the above material or any of its components may result in severe criminal or civil penalties, and will be prosecuted to the maximum extent under the law.
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Page 6: Table Of Contents
Menu & Navigation Buttons ......................... 18 Encoder Button ............................. 18 Shift Button ............................19 Stand-By Button ............................ 19 MRCC Remote Routing Button “Y”......................19 MRCC SIDE PANEL BUTTONS........................20 Power Switch ............................20 Firmware (FW) Button .......................... 20 USB HOST AND PC PORT STATUS LEDS ..................... 21 USB Type B PC Port .......................... - Page 7 Note Map [NMp] Sub Page ........................34 Channel to Port Mapping [C-P1] Sub Page .................... 34 Extras Screen Page ..........................36 MRCC Clock Sub-Page ........................... 36 Program Change Sub-Page ........................37 MRCC Arpeggiator Sub-Page ......................... 37 Tools Screen Page ..........................39 Load/Save Sub-Page..........................
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Page 8: Introduction
PC in sight! On the following pages are all the nuts and bolts of the MRCC. In addition to the simple button press routing there is USB virtual cable routing and some extras and tools that will be explained in this manual. -
Page 9: Quick Start
Plug the USB-C end of the power supply cable into the MRCC USB-C socket on the side of the unit. Turn on the MRCC. The OLED splash screen should show and the LEDs should light with a brief prismatic light show. -
Page 10: Product Features
Port and/or routing filters (Clock, Note, CC, Prog Change, Stop/Start/Continue) • Six routing modifier types (Channel, Velocity, CC, KB Range, Random & Transpose) • Extras: MRCC Clock, and Arpeggiators • Routing Presets (128), Extras Presets (30), & Sys Settings Presets (5) •... -
Page 11: Things You Should Know About Midi
USEFUL MIDI BACKGROUND MIDI was mostly invented by a guy named Dave Smith who is famous for making the Prophet line of synthesizers, the first with digital controls that were polyphonic and had presets. One of the original goals of MIDI was to have a keyboard on one synthesizer play the sound engine of a second synthesizer. - Page 12 (think mouse) as cost effectively as possible. Thus, a DEVICE is cheap and simple and the HOST is not! As a result, there aren’t very many USB HOSTs in the music world. The MRCC solves many of these issues. With all that said the MRCC treats 5-Pin cables a bit differently than USB cables. Notably, the USB cable is treated as both an in-port and an out-port, you can see each port has two physical buttons.
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Page 13: The Basics - Port Routing
THE BASICS - PORT ROUTING 5 Pin Port Routing The most fundamental use of the MRCC is to route in-ports to out-ports. This is simply done by choosing any in-port and then routing it by selecting one or more out-ports. When choosing an in-port the LED will shine green, out-ports shine blue. -
Page 14: Remote Routing
The MRCC can route and filter MIDI messages from any in-port to any out-port regardless of the port type; 5-Pin, USB HOST, or USB DEVICE over any “virtual cable”. We know this adds a little complexity but it is what makes the MRCC free from requiring a PC to make routings. -
Page 15: Midi Routing Cache
Shift+Enter button when on the routing screen. MIDI Merging – it just happens… but be advised! The MRCC implicitly merges when more than one in-port is routed to the same out-port, it just happens automatically. - Page 16 16 | P a g e...
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Page 18: The Mrcc Buttons
Menu & Navigation Buttons There are two menu levels on the MRCC. A row of circles shown across the top of the screen for the top level menu, like this: “ ”. A second row of circles are shown on the title banner of each screen page for the second level menu. -
Page 19: Shift Button
Preset files on the SD Card. MRCC Remote Routing Button “Y” The “Y” button enables routing to MRCC Remote products or to a second MRCC*. In order to route to a remote device press and hold the “Y” button while selecting a remote out-port. -
Page 20: Mrcc Side Panel Buttons
• In the loader app click on the Auto button (1st time only). • On The MRCC, use a toothpick or pen to briefly press the recessed FW button (located on the right-side panel). 20 | P a g e... -
Page 21: Usb Host And Pc Port Status Leds
If a USB device demands more power than can be delivered with USB 2.0, it will light amber. Disconnect the USB device when it causes an amber LED to light, then cycle the power on MRCC to re-enable the port. -
Page 22: Mrcc Screen Pages
The Screen Page Overview The MRCC display is a 1.5” dia OLED with 127x127 resolution. It is very crisp and readable with no apparent loss of quality at high viewing angles. The display can be dimmed in the Settings menu. This setting is stored and will remain for subsequent use. -
Page 23: The Activity Screen Page
The Activity Screen Page This screen is a snapshot of all the MIDI messages going through the MRCC. The screen’s rows and columns… each row is an in-port and each column an out-port. The first six rows (two groups of three) are the 5- Pin in-ports. - Page 24 Activity Screen – USB Host “A” Activity Screen – USB “PC” Virtual Virtual Ports. (B,C & D not shown) Ports When any MIDI messages arrive, a green triangle will point to the in-port row. If that MIDI message happens to be a “clock” message, it will be a red triangle. This is very handy for monitoring where messages are coming from.
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Page 25: The Routing Screen Page
Notice when scrolling through the Out-ports that only one MRCC LED out-port is brightly lit, the newly selected one. All the other out-ports are dimmed. You can also choose an out-port by simply pressing any dimly lit out-port button. - Page 26 To the right of the In/out-port display is the real time MIDI information area. As MIDI messages come through the MRCC for this specific routing, you can see which channel and which type of message it is. In some cases more information such as CC number etc. is shown. A green arrow indicates MIDI message activity, a red arrow shows clock messages.
- Page 27 Encoder to toggle the icon red to start filtering the inbound clock messages. (Actually, a port filter is a better way to do this… see below in-port filters) Note that these are routing filters, not In-Port or out-port filters. This method only filters the messages that go through the specific routing.
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Page 28: Port Filters Screen Page
Port Filters Screen Page MIDI message filters can be applied in three ways; based on the routing (see Routing Filters), the inbound port regardless of destination, and the outbound port regardless of source. In-Port Filters Sub-Page Stops filtered MIDI messages coming in from a specific in-port regardless of the destinations. -
Page 29: Modifiers (Mods) Screen Page
Modifiers (MODS) Screen Page There seven different MOD types: 1. Channel Mapping 2. Velocity Scaling 3. CC Scaling and Mapping 4. Keyboard Ranges (Layering and Splitting) 5. Alter (Random & Probability) 6. Transpose 7. Channel to Port Mapping (there is no screen settings for this mod) Channel Map (Chan Map) [Ch1-6] Sub-Page This is the modifier that enables the re-mapping of MIDI message channels. -
Page 30: Velocity Scaling [Vel1-6] Sub-Page
Velocity Scaling [Vel1-6] Sub-Page This is the modifier that enables scaling the inbound velocity to outbound velocity. By scaling velocity you can set a “floor” and “ceiling” and “compress” or “expand” the velocity range. The inbound floor velocity means any inbound velocity below this value will be equal this value, same for ceiling. Any values between the floor and ceiling values are scaled. -
Page 31: Cc Scaling And Mapping [Cc1-6] Sub-Page
CC Scaling and Mapping [CC1-6] Sub-Page This is the modifier that enables mapping the inbound CC number (and velocity) to any outbound CC number. Also scales the inbound CC value to the outbound CC value. By scaling the value you can set a “floor”... -
Page 32: Channel Layers (Splits And Layers) [Lyr1-6] Sub-Page
Channel Layers (Splits and Layers) [Lyr1-6] Sub-Page This is the modifier that enables channel splitting and layering aka “Splits and Layers”. Each of the 6 variants has a source and destination MIDI channel. But what makes this mod really work is how it only passes the notes that are inside the note range and filters out notes below and above. -
Page 33: Alter [Alt1-6] Sub-Page
2) plug in your 2 synths one to MIDI OUT 6 and the other to MIDI OUT 8. 3) route MIDI IN 3 to both MIDI OUT 6 and MIDI OUT 8. 4) on the routing screen select routing 3->6 and add “Lyr1” modifier to the first modifier box. 5) on the routing screen select routing 3->8 and add “Lyr2”... -
Page 34: Transpose [Tp1-6] Sub-Page
Transpose [TP1-6] Sub-Page This is the modifier that enables transposing all the inbound notes. Alter variation (tab-stop) There are 6 variations of Transpose modifier #1- #6. Use the Up/Dn buttons to move to the variation number, the number gets underlined. Use the Encoder knob to scroll through the 6 variations. Src Chan (tab-stop) Choose the MIDI source channel “Any”... - Page 35 Example Continued: if you have an additional routing (i.e. in-port 3 -> out-port 8) with the same inbound MIDI messages on channels 6, 7 & 8, only the MIDI messages on channel 8 will be sent. And they will be sent on channel 1 / out-port 8. No other message will be sent on out-port 8. Example Continued: if you have an additional routing (i.e.
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Page 36: Extras Screen Page
The PPQ (Pulse Per Quarter note) value can be set to 1,2,4, or 24 and only affect the analog Clock-Out signal on the 1/8” jack on the side of the MRCC. Use the Up/Dn buttons to move to the PPQ value, the value gets underlined. -
Page 37: Program Change Sub-Page
MIDI control channel. Not implemented as of the publishing of this manual. (TBD) MRCC Arpeggiator Sub-Page This is the extra that enables the 6x arpeggiators. Since this is an “extra”, the MRCC port routings or clock routings are NOT associated with the Arp’s source and destination ports/channels. If there are ports/channels routed to the same synth as the Arp destination it can result in double triggering notes. - Page 38 Use the Encoder knob to scroll through the choices. Clock Source (tab-stop) Choose the Clock Source: “Int” (MRCC Clock) or any in-port (1-6, A(1-4)-D(1-4), PC(1-12)). If the source clock is active the source label will be green and a small clock face icon will show. Use the Up/Dn buttons to move to the Clock Source choice, the choice gets underlined.
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Page 39: Tools Screen Page
Notes to Ports. Load/Save Sub-Page This is the tool to Save and Load the presets for the MRCC. The presets save all the parameters of the Routings, Modifiers, Extras and Labels assignments. There are 127 presets. Preset 0 (“FACTORY”) is the factory parameters and can’t be saved. -
Page 40: Edit Labels Sub-Page
Encoder knob (shift rotate goes faster). Notice that the MRCC LEDs are light purple, this is to remind you that you can also choose the Assign port by pressing the MRCC In/Out -port buttons and not change the actual port routings. - Page 41 41 | P a g e...
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Page 42: Midi Monitor Sub-Page
MIDI Monitor Sub-Page This is the place to watch the outbound MIDI messages flow by. Note: inbound messages do NOT show. If there are no routings then no MIDI messages will show. The format is: nn i->o MsgType d:data1.data2 Ex: 23 2->11 On d:3:127 = Line 23 –... -
Page 43: Play Notes Sub-Page
Play Notes Sub-Page This tool plays notes on one or more of three port ranges 5-Pin, USB Host & USB Device on all channels. The port the note is play on is indicated by a yellow blinking LED above the in/out-port buttons. Start Test (tab-stop button) Play/Pause a single note on all the ports selected on all 16 channels. -
Page 44: Settings Screen Page
Settings Screen Page The MRCC Settings is a place to set global parameters for the MRCC. These settings are stored in the “onboard” memory of the MRCC, NOT on the SD Card. Settings Page1/4 Sub-Page Settings: MRCC Control Port and Channel and MRCC Brightness of the LEDs and OLED Screen. - Page 45 If X Arp Panic (tab-stop) This is a Y/N toggle (default = Y). When turning off an Arp, the MRCC will send an “All Notes Off” to the port the Arp was sending notes. This turns off any notes that may be “On” at the time of the toggle, removing any “stuck”...
- Page 46 Empty Setting TBD settings added as needed. Empty Setting TBD settings added as needed. MRCC FW Version Shows the current FW version. Note: this is not editable. MRCC Serial Number Shows the current Serial Number. Note: this is not editable.
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Page 47: Mrcc Setup Examples
MRCC Setup Examples In this section we’ll outline some MRCC physical setups. These examples aren’t meant to be exhaustive but should help with some of the more common ways you’re likely to use MRCC with other hardware and software. Hardware Connections Here is an example of a typical setup. -
Page 48: Tips And Tricks
When on the clock screen simply press any out port button (red LED shows) to send the clock out to that port. MRCC Arpeggiator The Arp can be controlled externally by sending CC messages to the MRCC using the MRCC MIDI Control Port and Channel. See the Appendix for MIDI implementation details. System Exclusive SysEx messages are passed through the system via out-ports: 5-pin 1-6, Host A-D, and USB Dev 1-12. -
Page 49: Appendix
“Copy 1-5” mode copies MIDI messages to the R7 out-ports jacks 1-5. So whichever MIDI messages are routed to MRCC jacks 1-5 also show up on the R7 1-5, they are usable at the same time. The “Y” button is NOT required to route to these copied ports. - Page 50 MRCC-to-MRCC + Remote7 connection It is possible to have both a MRCC-to-MRCC connection at the same time as a Remote7 connection. It requires a special RJ45 “splitter” where the on the MRCC-to-MRCC side of the splitter only connection pins 4 & 5 (middle tow) are present and all the connection pins on the Remote7 side are present. All RJ45 cables should be as described above.
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Page 51: Midi Implementation: Cc (Control Change) & Program Change
B. MIDI Implementation: CC (Control Change) & Program Change Go to the Setting Page 1 in the MRCC to set which Port and Channel to receive CC and Program Change messages CC (Dec) Target Range Range Description (Hex) 21-27 Arpeggiator Receives CC messages on the port &... -
Page 52: Midi Message Filtering Details
C. MIDI Message Filtering Details MRCC MIDI Message Description Actual Filtered MIDI Message Values Filter Categories 240 (0xF0, B1111 1000) Timing Clock 24PPQ Clock Clock messages 241 (0xF1, B1111 0001) MIDI Time Code Quarter Frame 8 (0x8n, B1000 nnnn) Note Off 9 (0x9n, B1001 nnnn) Note On Notes, Pitch Bend, &... -
Page 53: Mrcc Specifications
However, some power supplies may exhibit a large voltage drop. The longer the USB cable the bigger the drop. USB devices in the host ports may not operate correctly under 4.75V. The MRCC may not operate correctly under 4.5V DC measured at the USB host ports. - Page 54 10x MIDI 5-Pin DIN Outputs 4x MIDI 1/8” TRS Outputs (MIDI Type A and B) • 1x MRCC Remote (RJ45) connector – NOT ETHERNET. Only for use with Conductive • Labs accessories. 1x CV Clock Output 1/8” TS jack (requires a TS mono cable, not TRS stereo). +5V •...
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