Akai APCmini with DMX Freestyler

Hello everyone,

after 3 days of extensive research how to use my controller with the DMX Software Freestyler X2 and colored LED I've found the solution almost everybody use: I connect the APC mini to loopMIDI, Midi-OX, Bome MIDI Translator (Classic) and then to Freestyler DMX. Everything is working fine. I figured out how to do basics with BOME.

Today I need a little help of you. I figured out that the AKAI APCmini has 4 switchable sliderbanks with can be normally mapped to pushing the SHIFT + Cursor up/down/left/right key. If I push this buttons the MIDI Data won't change so how to do it with Bome ? In Freestyler I can define the Shift Button (which will be on channel 1) and use a shift bank which changes the channel to 6 but honestly I don't think that's the best solution so I would like to give the change order in Bome. Any idea ?

One more question left. On the cartonage the round button has a green light, all I get is off, red or red blinking. What is my mistake ?

Thanks and best regards,
Marc

No one any idea ?

Best regards
Marc

Hi Marc Mono

This post seems to have missed my radar, sorry for the delay.

Let me get some clarification from you. Are you saying that when you press the Shift + Cursor the faders don't change what MIDI data they are sending? If that's the case then we can easily fix that using presets. We will hit limits, though, since MT Classic doesn't allow us to use rules. We will only be able to use presets, which will get us only so far.

As far as the button on the case, do you know what the MIDI messages are that are required for the different colors?

Jared

Hi Jared,

thanks for you reply. Today I'm late but anyway the problem still persists Yes following the product specifications I can press SHIFT + Button to switch the fader bank. I hope I can explain correctly because I'm Newbie but the programm is really helpful - and cool

Best regards
Marcus

I think I'm confused as to what you want. You said that if you press the button combination of Shift + Arrow button it changes the channel of the fader banks, as expected.

So are you saying that in Freestyler you can assign a shift button, and then the commands will only respond to messages on Channel 6?

Have you toke a look at the programm ? Like I understood it I can assign the Shift button on Bank 1 (I think CH=1) and go to Bank 6 to define the SHIFT Function. Freestyler says channel 6 but the data is still the same like channel 1 and so I can't shifting MIDI data. I think it's difficult to explain. Can you follow my mind ?

Regards
Marc

Okay, so I did a little digging into their wiki and I think I have this figured out.

The MIDI messages won't change when they come out of MT. When you use the shift function in Freestyler it will receive the same message and instead have it trigger the second command. This is really hard to explain, so let me try one more way.

Say you have a button that controls a light on bank 1. You assign this to B0 01 (CC1 on channel 1). In Freestyler you want that same button to control a light on bank 6 when you hold shift. When you press shift, and press that command on your controller it will still send CC1 on Channel 1, but Freestyler should have it trigger the light on Bank 6 instead. Does that make sense? It doesn't change what the controller sends, but instead how Freestyler responds to it.

Okay, thanks for your explaination. I think I got it. But is it possible to change the LED color so it can be seen which bank is used ? Freestyler can't send LED command but bome can

Yes, this is definitely possible.

Do you have the MIDI Spec for the APCmini? That should show us what MIDI commands are needed to change buttons to specific colors.

Thanks
J

DvlsAdvct wrote:Yes, this is definitely possible.

Do you have the MIDI Spec for the APCmini? That should show us what MIDI commands are needed to change buttons to specific colors.

Thanks
J

Unfortunatly I was unable to get the specifications. Does anyone can help ?

I can't give you the answers right now, but I used the google and found this

APC MINI MIDI spec forum post

And there's an image a few posts down with the MIDI specs for your reference. Let me know if this gets you started. If not I can help out.

J

Afternoon
Ive just bought an Akai LPD8 controller to attempt to use as a controller for use with freestyler, unfortunately the "buttons" are in fact velocity pads which generate a different value depending in how hard they are pressed. Is there a way to use these to control functions on the software? Or do I need a controller with buttons instead?
Or does anyone have any experience with this particular controller and know a way to make it generate just one value rather than a variable value?
Thanks

Hi HaroldRice

That's very easy. You just need to use rules. It depends on the way the messages are formatted. The basic rules would look like:
As long as the velocity isn't 0, it will be 127. If it is 0, usually the velocity upon release, the message will still be 0.