I’ve been reading the various posts on using MT to adapt a Hammond XK2 for drawbar control of software organs hoping I could use mine with Arturia V Collection B-3 and Vox organs. So far using MT trial I’ve had no luck.
I’ve downloaded the XK2 project file from the link above and watched the videos but I think I’m missing something getting this set up. This is probably the kind of remedial post the moderators of this forum dread, but I may need a bit of hand-holding here to get started. the XK-2 is running into a MOTU Fastlane MIDI/USB converter (Port A). I’m on an M2 Mac running Sonoma.
I’ve got the Fastlane and MT checked in the Arturia MIDI settings. From there I’m lost.
I’m confused about the correct routing but did this:
I’d buy the full version in a heartbeat if I could just match up those drawbars to the virtual drawbars. Any guidance to get me going here will be appreciated.
Please enable the log window and check the MIDI IN Block
Them move one drawbar at a time from All they way closed to all the way open. Then if you can copy and paste the results into a file and annotate which drawbar you moved for each set of MIDI messages, then I should be able to help. My guess is it is sending SysEX message like my SK2 does but probably a different format.
I have that XK2 project file loaded in the trial version of MT (that was the post I linked to in my original post). Attached are the drawbar settings from the MT log window, moving from fully in to fully out.
Some of the XK2 controls can be assigned to control functions on the Arturia (mod wheel for Leslie brake; leslie speed switch; reverb knob can be assigned to volume on the VST). But most of them are like the drawbars and can’t be learned by the Arturia.
(Attachment XK2 Drawbars MT log window.pages is missing)
OK, based on the last post, I put something together that you should be able to use.
I use CC 63-72 for upper drawbars (skipping 64 because Arturia doesn’t allow that one).
I use CC 73-81 for lower drawbars.
I use CC 82-83 for pedal drawbars
Since the XK2 only has on set of drawbars, I use a Note on Note 80 MIDI CH 1 to cycle through which ones you are controlling.
The first preset handles the switching of drawbars.
You may need to change the incoming trigger to the MIDI event you want to use to switch presets.
The second preset handles the upper
The third preset handles the lower
The fourth preset handles the 2 pedal drawbars.
I have my controller (not an XK2) set for the alias for the XK2 and I use Bome MIDI Translator 2 Virtual out to go to the B-3V Application. You will need to adjust your devices as appropriate.
The input setting of B-3V are set for BMT 2 to match that of my output setting of MT Pro.
The audio MIDI settings screen above is available from the left menu area of the application.
Clicking the right cog icon gets you to the drawbar settings. I had to use MIDI learn to set this up. Your configuration may be different so you may need to re-learn them off of your drawbars. Just be sure you are selecting the correct Bome Preset as you do MIDI learn.
Steve – Thank you for this. I think I need to back up a few steps to get this started. I’m clearly missing a step (or two) here. I know the XK2 is sending MIDI to MT but MT isn’t sending anything to the Arturia B3.
First, I can’t find this window in MT. Can you guide me to it?
Second, I downloaded and opened the mtpro preset file you exported and I assume it went where it was supposed to go but not sure. Was I supposed to drag and drop it somewhere within MT instead? (Had no luck when I tried that.)
This is how I have my MIDI input/outputs set. Do I need to make connections in the MIDI Router as well?
And this is my main MT window when I start it up. Even though I opened your preset, it doesn’t show any of the settings (drawbar select switch, upper drawbars, etc.) from the window you copied in the previous post.
In my case I used Bome MIDI Translator 2 Virtual Out. In the Aruturia B3-V2 stand alone application it will be seen as ‘BMT 2’ probably. It is Bome’s exposed short name.
The file I exported was for Arturia not MT Pro and it was the CC numbers that I indicated after doing MIDI learn.
Assuming your XK2 is connected to Fastlane Port A, all you should need is to select Hammond XK2 for input which is an alias that points to Fastlane Port a.
For output, use ‘Application’ and set it up in the prior dialog to point to Bome MIDI Translator 1 Virtual Out. So you essentially need just one box checked for input and 1 checked for output.
No just check Bome MIDI Translator 1. That is were we are sending this to in from MT Pro in the step above.
You can use these setting if you do not import the arturia preset file I sent you. But if you do you will have t go to Bome MIDI Translator Pro rules in translators 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 and adjust the CC number to align with what you have in B3-V2. I think there is a menu there that you can import the settings I sent you after unzipping it. What I sent you, however will only have drawbar settings so you may need to MIDI learn more stuff in B3-V2.
Here are the rules in question as an example for translator 1.0 where uu is the drawbar number and tt is the CC number assigned.
// Set CC Number
if uu==0 then tt=63
if uu==1 then tt=65
if uu==2 then tt=66
if uu==3 then tt=67
if uu==4 then tt=68
if uu==5 then tt=69
if uu==6 then tt=70
if uu==7 then tt=71
if uu==8 then tt=72
Oh I may have posted the wrong version. I’m posting the right one here.
If I can’t figure out a way to import your drawbar preset file and need to do it manually, am I on the right track here (I entered the values from your previous post for drawbar 1):
Then I purchased and downloaded the full version and now something is weird. When I reopened the patch, the drawbars were no longer working so I figured I needed to relearn them in Arturia B3. But there’s no response in learn mode. I tried both sets of drawbars in Arturia and neither could learn this time.
I’ve got MT selected in Arturia audio MIDI settings:
Ha! I was just about to hit send on a reply that I had figured that out. I had pressed the Edit switch on the Hammond and it was blocking everything.
Thanks for your patience!
I do have a couple more questions about changing the various buttons on the Hammond to simple on/off toggle switches that the Arturia can recognize. I’m attaching a pdf of the MIDI data from all the controls on the XK2 (except drawbars). Can these be translated into common toggle or momentary buttons and, if so, where would I start? XK2 MIDI Data to Bome MT.pdf (164.1 KB)
This is so great to be able to use this 25-year-old organ with modern sounds.
Yes, it looks like buttons 1-9 call up program changes on your Arturia which will call up their presets (not your organ presets). The other parameters are NRPN messages that if you want to use in Arturia, we would need to convert them to something else like CC’s to that the B3-V2 would understand. I would look at things like Rotary Fast/Slow. Percussion On,Soft,Hard,2nd and 3rd. and maybe a few others. The list of parameters send by the XK-2 are here on page 112.
We would need translators for NRPN to CC conversion.
Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care
Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz
Well I know you didn’t ask but I think this will help you.
Here is what I did:
I modified the project file so that you should be able to change your drawbars by selecting them on your organ itself. No other button. I found out that uppers are CC80, Lowers are CC81 and Pedals are CC82. However I maintain the mapping I sent earlier so they all use different CC numbers. I combined all drawbars into the first preset.
I create a second preset for other NRPNs for NRPN to CC Mapping
Rotary Fast/Slow
Rotary Stop/Run
Vibrato/Chorus - This was tricky because there are actually 2 NRPN’s that control this
Percussion 2nd/3rd - Using your percussion 2nd On/Off switch
Percussion On/Off There is actually no control on the XK2 to do this so it will be your Percussion 3rd switch
Percussion Soft
Percussion Decay Fast/Slow
Overdrive level (They call it Preamp Drive)
I then did MIDI learn on Master Volume, and Expression. These are actually MIDI Thru because the XK2 uses CC7 and CC11 natively. No translators were needed for this.
I couldn’t figure out what to map to the Arturia Vibrato Upper and Vibrato Lower switches.
Hmm. Tried the new project and config files but I don’t get any response when I select the lower drawbars on the Hammond. Same with the percussion switches on the hammond. I can’t assign them.
But that’s no big deal. Being able to control the upper manual drawbars, Leslie speed, volume and overdrive from the Hammond is a tremendous plus. I can use my Korg NanoKontrol to assign quick access for things like percussion, chorus/vib, Leslie brake, etc.
OK, yes I had no way to test it because I don’t have an XK2. I had to go off of the documentation. You shouldn’t have had to learn anything since I provided a config file you could import. But then again, I’m just going off of the NRPN data for most of the stuff. It looks like stuff that used to be assigned is no longer assigned.
Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care
Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz
I looked at your log file and figured out why lower and pedal were not playing. Evidently your organ sends lower messages on MIDI CH2 and pedal on MIDI CH 3. I’ve updated the incoming channel on translators 0.1 and 0.2 accordingly.
