My Evolver arrives tomorrow via UPS - my first hardware synth.

I've also got an Edirol PCR-800 MIDI keyboard to control it. Although I've managed to "master" MIDI Learn with my software synths, an advance peek at the DSI evolver manual leaves me baffled on how best to create a controller map for the Evolver.

My first (and easiest) option seems to be MIDI CC. Q - If, for example, I map MIDI CC 52 (Low Pass Filter Frequency) to a knob, do I specify a Min/Max value of 0-164?

However, an introductory reading of the manual suggests that SysEx Program Parameters is Evolver's preferred means of communication. The Edirol editor allows me to enter a message length of up to 24 Bytes, and I think that Program Parameter changes require 18 Bytes including the F0 and F7 wrappers, so I'm good there. The editor expects a Data Type, and I'm thinking that the Data Type is DT4 for the "vvvv" values on page 47, and that the editor's MIN/MAX values correspond to the LSB/MSB.

So how far off am I??? Anyone own an Edirol PCR controller, and have a controller map for the Evolver or helpful advice to share?

Thank you.

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"F0 01 20 01 01 01 00 DT 1N F7"

The first 10 bytes follow the manual for Sysex Program Parameters; the next four specify Parameter 16 ("00010000"); the DT represents the insertion point for the PCR to send the actual value, and the "1N" tells the PCR to specify the current MIDI channel number (I think). With regard to the DT special character, I've specified a Data Type of DT3: 7-bit/7-bit (LSB/MSB). The F7 is the standard message ending.

The result? When I turn the knob, one of the oscillators goes slightly out of tune. So, I think I missed the filter cutoff frequency and happened across an oscillator slop parameter instead.

I don't know if this has to do with my own misunderstanding of a "nibble", MIDI data packing, or whatever. I have no idea what I did wrong, and have little idea of what I'm doing.

Any help would be appreciated - perhaps using the filter cutoff frequency as an example. My expectations are dimmed based on some googling. In the meantime, I've mapped by favorite parameters to MIDI CC's. I'd like to do much more though.

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F0 01 20 01 01 10 00 00 F7

where the "10" represents parameter 16. I had it as "01". I'll give that a shot.

Cubase SX3 also offers a "working with System Exclusive messages" section in their MIDI Devices and Features manual. I might give that a read.

[ January 31, 2008: Message edited by: BKTormey ]

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