Setting up a New Midi Controller

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DJdp
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29 Jun 2018

Hi,

I have a Pioneer DDJ-XP1 and I am wanting to use it on the Kong, but when I set it up as a new Midi device I can't map any of the pads. Can anyone help please?

Cheers

Dan

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Carly(Poohbear)
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30 Jun 2018

Just had a quick look at the manual, there is a keyboard mode (now if that that's a midi keyboard mode I'm not sure ?) I would set your device to that.

Are you using a PC or Mac?

How does Reason see the DDJ-XP1 device? e..g does it present Reason with a Midi port (does it even present the PC with a midi port?)

If you can see the midi port in Reason set it up as an "Other" Keyboard only controller to start with and test it against a thor or subtractor first.


EDIT: I had replied to your message on FB Propellerhead Reason Users group.


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DJdp
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02 Jul 2018

Hi,

I am using a 27" iMac and the XP1 is linked via USB, but I've looked in to this a bit more over the weekend.

I downloaded an app that detects the midi signals, and the pads automatically send midi out C1 (Bottom left pad), etc.. as you would expect it to, but kong is just not being triggered by it.

When I right click and edit the mappings on the available knobs, etc.. in Kong, the XP1 is recognised as soon as I press or move something. But just not on the pad area!!

Any other suggestions? Its probably something really simple ;-)

Cheers

Dan

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Carly(Poohbear)
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02 Jul 2018

Can I ask what surface controller did you add for your XP1 in Reason?

Note: The pads on Kong are set to receive a midi notes and can not be overridden.

When testing use a Thor or Subtractor just in case Reason is receiving different notes from what you are expecting at least you get to hear something.

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DJdp
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04 Jul 2018

Hi Carly,

Right.. I’ve got it working as a keyboard, but the C1 note is three rows up on the XP1, and it works the other way round. So If I hit the top left pad on the XP1, it triggers the bottom left pad on Kong 🙈 Is there anyway I can change this?

Cheers

Dan

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Carly(Poohbear)
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04 Jul 2018

You should be able to change things on your XP1 to assign the correct midi notes to the correct pads.

as you move along the pads are the midi note going up or down?

if they are going down then you might get away with using the RPG-8 (you can transpose midi notes by octaves on the fly) or the player device NoteView.

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Carly(Poohbear)
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04 Jul 2018

https://www.pioneerdj.com/en/support/so ... n/ddj-xp1/

LIST OF MIDI MESSAGES
DDJ-XP1 works with other MIDI-compatible software besides rekordbox, by assigning MIDI message.

Please refer to the list of MIDI message to find mapping values of all buttons and knobs.
To assign MIDI message to all software function, please refer to your manufacturers' software manual.

When using this unit as a controller for operating MIDI-compatible software other than rekordbox, change the setting to use software other than rekordbox at the utility settings.
For details, please refer to the "Using as a controller for other DJ software" within the Operating Instructions.

Please do not run multiple DJ Software on your computer at the same time.
When switching from one DJ software to use another,
please turn the DDJ-XP1 power off and then power back on after software switch has been completed.

For further details of the usage, please refer to the software manufacturers.

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DJdp
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04 Jul 2018

Thanks Carly,

I've already downloaded the Midi message list, check the Utility settings are correct (Which they are) and have just sent a message to Pioneer support to see what the best way is to amend the midi. I will let you know what they come back with..

Really appreciate your help :-D

Cheers

Dan

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DJdp
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13 Jul 2018

Hi,

Pioneer have got back to me and said I can't change the Midi messages unless I use a 'Midi Translator App'. Does anyone have any experience with these? Advise on the best one to use? (Ideally a free one) or Is there any way I can change the midi assign on the Pads in Kong?

Thanks in advance

Dan

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Carly(Poohbear)
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13 Jul 2018

DJdp wrote:
04 Jul 2018
Hi Carly,

Right.. I’ve got it working as a keyboard, but the C1 note is three rows up on the XP1, and it works the other way round. So If I hit the top left pad on the XP1, it triggers the bottom left pad on Kong 🙈 Is there anyway I can change this?

Cheers

Dan
Carly(Poohbear) wrote:
04 Jul 2018

as you move along the pads are the midi note going up or down?

if they are going down then you might get away with using the RPG-8 (you can transpose midi notes by octaves on the fly) or the player device NoteView.
^^^ which way are the notes going on that device? what note is being played when you hit the bottom left of your XP1 and then the bottom right?

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DJdp
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20 Jul 2018

Hi,

Bottom left is C1,
Bottom right is D#1,
Top left is C2,
Top right is D#2

Cheers

Dan

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Carly(Poohbear)
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20 Jul 2018

I quite confused now as you just started that C1 is bottom left, but you stated earlier that the C1 note is three rows up, but you also stated that top left trigger bottom left pad on Kong which should be C1..

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DJdp
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26 Jul 2018

Sorry Carly, I am getting myself confused here as well, I missed the - off them... What I meant to type was;

Bottom left is C-1,
Bottom right is D#-1,
Top left is C-2,
Top right is D#-2

This is when the 'HOT CUE' button is highlighted on the XP1,

If I go up a few octaves to where the Pads trigger Kong and where the "BEAT JUMP' button is highlighted, the layout is as follows

Top Row: G#0 / A0 / A#0 / B0 (Which trigger nothing)
2nd Row: C1 / C#1 / D1 / D#1
3rd Row: E1 / F1 / F#1 / G1
Bot Row: G#1 / A1 / A#1 / B1

So the 2rd, 3rd & Bottom rows trigger the Kong but the wrong way around. Kong Needs to be:

Top Row: C2 / C#2 / D2 / D#2 (Which you have to switch to 'SAMPLER' section on the XP1 to trigger)
2nd Row: G#1 / A1 / A#1 / B1
3rd Row: E1 / F1 / F#1 / G1
Bot Row: C1 / C#1 / D1 / D#1

Hope this make more sense now. Or maybe less sense!! haha

Cheers

Dan

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Carly(Poohbear)
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26 Jul 2018

So either find a midi mapper or the other thought I had was build a combinator with 2 kongs and wire the 2 kongs up so that Master Kong Pad 9 points to Slave Kong Pad 1 etc., that way you can load the kong patches on the slave and play them via the master.
Also note to turn off the slave to receive notes from the combinator.

Not sure if this does midi mapping or not MidiPipe https://midipipe.en.softonic.com/mac

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Reasonable man
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26 Jul 2018

I dont know anything about mapping tbf but i was reading something on the prop website yesterday and came across this page https://www.propellerheads.se/blog/rema ... l-drum-kit

It maps a midi pad controller to kongs pads by means of a rake of thors and the progarmmer inside the combinator . It should work for you here too though (im guessing) but i also guess that wrapping kong up i a combi comes with limitations .
Anyway there's a downlaod link to the combi in the article.

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