Harpeggiator won’t run pitch sequences with tempo on?

[Invisible Man]

Hello all! 

My recently purchased Harpeggiator algorithm won't run any pitch sequences when tempo is "on" in H9 Control. Rhythm sequences still run…any ideas?

[brock]

Try going to the Pedal tab, MIDI Settings, MIDI Clock, and set Enable MIDI Input Clock to No.  It's somewhat counterintuitive.  I end up setting it back to Yes (more specifically, CLK IN = ON in the PitchFactor) when leaving H9 Control over USB.

At that point, it's controlled by my system's MIDI Clock over MIDI DIN.  Not the easiest method for programming presets with H9 Control, and then re-integrating it back into the context of my working setup.

[Invisible Man]

Thanks, Brock. I'll try that. You are the master of all things Harpeggiator…and it's one of the greatest sounds I've ever encountered.

[JCHam]

Hi Brock,

Will setting the MIDI Clock Enable to NO disable the H9's ability to sync with an external MIDI clock (seems obvious that it would, but I just want to be certain)? If so, then the whole point of having the Harpeggiator being rhythmically related to the BPM of the music is lost – which is my fear.

I have been having plenty of trouble with getting the Harpeggiator to work right in BPM mode but it works in the other mode.

What do you say?

John

[brock]

I don't know that I'd be the definitive authority on the finer points, John.  I don't use iOS devices, I'm still looking into a reliable Bluetooth dongle for Win8.1, and my laptop doesn't have MIDI DIN out (for the 'Connect MIDI Device to Eventide Device' option in H9 Control Settings).  I have an H9, but the HarPeggiator algo work comes from my PitchFactor.

Disclaimers aside …

Quote:

Will setting the MIDI Clock Enable to NO disable the H9's ability to sync with an external MIDI clock (seems obvious that it would, but I just want to be certain)?

That's correct, if you mean a MIDI Clock coming in over the MIDI DIN plug.  If you're plugging in USB to use H9 Control for programming (like I am), that takes precedence over the MIDI DIN jack input.  The app itself generates its own competing 'internal MIDI clock'.  You have to physically unplug USB from the H9 to gain back external clock (with Clock In set to On/Yes).

Quote:

If so, then the whole point of having the Harpeggiator being rhythmically related to the BPM of the music is lost – which is my fear.

Without working around it … yes.  When my main pedalboard is in the home studio, it's hooked up to MIDI pedal control, rack FX, a MIDI router, my desktop DAW, mLAN mixer, etc.  I have selectable sources of MIDI master clock; each one fits different situations.  So the easiest way to program my H9 and PF is to plug in a laptop via USB – *without* breaking the other routing connections.

So, I end up wiring in for H9 control programming, disabling the incoming MIDI Clock, matching the BPM in the H9 Control app, programming & tweaking the preset, removing the tether from H9 Control, re-enabling external MIDI Clock control, and integrating the preset back into my main system.

It sounds like a PITA, and it is.  I still get caught with forgetting to reset some setting (such as closing H9 Control before removing USB – it gets lost and freaks out).  But that's how I work around all of this.  I tend to do the 'coarse' preset configurations with H9 Control, and fine-tuning on the H9 and PitchFactor devices themselves.  It helps to have a lot of templates in my MIDI pedalboard geared to different algorithms.

The new Looper algo programming drives me a bit crazy, because it really *needs* to be integrated into the whole system while tweaking [MIDI Start / Stop].  The same goes for any rhythmic-focus algorithm (like the HarPeggiator).  I'm still working on a better way to go about this, but for now … it's the best I've got.  Programming in H9 Control still beats any of the earlier methods.

[JCHam]

Hey Brock, Thanks for your reply.

This is a problem that needs algorithmic intervention. The Harpeggiator needs to work in Sync with the incoming MIDI Clock. I hope the Eventide Software Team is aware of this … I will see if they are. The H9 is for the most part amazing and a glitch like this one should be an easy fix for them.

Thanks All …

John

[JCHam]

Figured it out …

I contacted the Support team and they tried to duplicate the "Problem" without success, so I got focused and really went through my set up "By The Numbers" by taking note of every little thing.

To make a long story short, and get to the point, the Harpeggiator needs my drum machine (Akai XR20) to be in the "Play" mode in order to run freely. My take on this is that the Harpeggiator Algorithm must need to receive a MIDI Start signal (or something like that) in order to initiate the sequences of the algorithm … which makes sense if you want to properly align what is happening in the algorithm to what is happening musically.

When not in the play mode, the H9 can receive the Tempo info but the Harpeggiator stays "stuck" until it receives the Start (Song Start I think) via the drum machine.

I hope this helps, It was a revelation to me when I discovered it. The algorithm works just fine!!! Give it a shot and then, Rock On!!!

John

[Author]

Posts