Launchpad S – bidirectional communication with axoloti

#1

Hi i am new to the community but had my axoloti around for a little while.
I connected my Launchpad S to the USB-host port and its possible to receive note on and off messages.

My question is: Can i send the note values of pressed pads back to the Launchpad so that the LEDs will light up?

I've already tried to connect the incoming note, velocity and gate information to midi out note, velocity and trigger inputs. But it didn't worked.

Is it possible to achieve this kind of bidirectional communication?

#2

well you can of course send midi messages, we do it all the time for external synths (and I did what your trying to do with the Push 1)

you'll need to check the programmers reference for the Launchpad S to see if if the notes can just be sent back...
(it might for example depend on the mode, or you might have to be careful with the midi channel used etc)

#3

Hi There I'm trying the same for my Launchcontrol XL with no luck.

I've recorded the notes sent out of the Axoloti into Ableton and sent them to the Launchcontrol XL, the coresponding LED blinked.
However sending them from Axoloti directly shows no results.

So theoretically everything is programmed right, I don't know whats the problem.
Am I using the right out port? I've tried all 4 USB Host ports.

EDIT:
Just checked my Nanokontrol and it works, so is this a problem with Novation products?

#4

Hi, I wanted to do the same thing with my Launchpad but the axoloti isn't picking up any incoming midi data. Is it possible the LP needs more power than the axoloti USB host will provide?

EDIT
actually read through the console readout, most importantly the last line:

"Axoloti says: Device not supporting VEN class."
googled, took me to this thread: https://sebiik.github.io/community.axoloti.com.backup/t/nord-stage-2-midi-not-working/1413

suspect it's the same issue but haven't tested in fw 1.0.6 or 1.0.9

#5

I updated to 1.0.9 and now the connection is working. I can receive from and send midi to the launchpad. Right at the moment i am coding an object which is a simple step sequencer with the lp as interface and display at once.

#6

1.0.9. is the key, launchpad and control work now.

@beat
That sounds awesome, I'm trying similiar stuff with patching objects: https://sebiik.github.io/community.axoloti.com.backup/t/step-sequencer-with-external-input/1380/8
Let us know when it is finished, I'm highly interested!

#7

you might both want to look at the patch I posted in the January challenge. (whatif.axp)

the challenge basically was for random generation, so what I did, was have random data being sequenced in a table, which has N rows. (no UI)
this could easily be adapted to (e.g.) take data from midi and output to midi.
(it different rows could contain, pitch, gate, velocity, and other cos)

for this challenge, we couldn't use custom objects, which is how I would code it now...

in a similar vane, I also did an 'event recorder' which you will find in the community library (under by prefix tb)

both probably are more 'starting points' than exactly what you want.
.. though one day I probably will write a full sequencer designed for external controllers.

(Id planned it for the push, but then traded it in... and to get the push2 working I need to do some work work)

#8

Did you use Launchpad mk1?
I remember I saw this mk1 was not USB compliant...

#9

I just did a test with the launchpad mk1 on 1.0.9 with no success. I think you're right about the class compliance issue, seems to be the same reason the mk1 won't work with the Ipad app: https://support.novationmusic.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207378225-Can-I-use-the-original-Launchpad-with-Launchpad-for-iOS-

#10

@anorchidtexture @mcpepe
No LP1 is not class compliant. Launchpad S and Mini (Mk1 and Mk2) are however so they will work, with 1.0.9. also work with full LED feedback.

@thetechnobear
Thanks for your suggestion, I've looked into your patch but don't really get how it works. You use the index of table for the different values, like note, velocity etc. Where do you store where the value is in time?
My first intuitive aproach was using the index of the table for time, or like wich step.

Since I want to focus more playing rahter than patching, I finished a simple stepsequencer witch I'm gonna use for now. you can turn steps on and off, no bar counter feedback. You can't store patterns too.
If you open the subpatch and set the note values right you can use it with your launchpad!

Stepsequencah.axs (28.8 KB)

Usb host midi output ringbuffer overflow?
#11

yeah, its not simple... this one uses steps, the patch calcdataoffset, works out where the attribute is, given a voice, step
(and number of voices and steps). its a reasonably simple structure.

the event recorder (hmm , will need to track that down, Im not sure its in the community lib at the moment) uses time,
i did post it on the forum here before. it takes a different approach, its a custom object, and what it does its used 2 arrays (or tables) , one holds the time, the other the data... the trick is then only playing the new values as the time passes when your doing playback... pretty simple, but with looping, and starting and stopping it can get a little tricky.

but I'm with you, I need to spend more time making music and less coding :smile:

#12

This looks awesome, Beat! I have it connected with my Launchpad mini and it seems to work, but none of the gates are triggering. Any ideas?

edit -- disregard. Just realized that it does work, but for some reason the gate outs are switched. As in I get a trigger out from Gate A when I put in a step on page H (bottom pad as labelled on the mini)

#13

@spacelordmother thank you for this comment. I had the same issue.

One thing that would be SUPER nice is if it recalled settings on reloading a patch. Guess it needs some table implemented for that...

#15

Yeah, that would be great for setting up sequences for use/reuse! I'd also love to be able to set the number of steps for each row. @beat mentioned some additions to the objects in another thread, but he hasn't been around in almost a year, so probably not happening.

#16

I have been busy finishing my master thesis. And i focused on programming teensy boards. But if there is enough interest in axoloti lp sequencer i could start again.

If you are interested in my thesis:

#17

VERY cool project! I love the idea of dynamic shape-based input - great format for accidental exploration!

And of course I am definitely interested in the updated Launchpad objects. :blush: