Using multiple Akai APC Minis with grandMA2

Hey guys! I’m new to Bome and fairly new to midi. I want to midi map multiple Akai APC Minis to grandMA2 to control lights. I am able to connect one APC Mini to grandMA2 and map it using Bome but if I try to map a second one grandMA2 will think that fader 1 on the second controller, for example, is fader 1 on the first controller and vice versa. I need them to be mapped independently. As of right now I believe I’m sending the same exact midi message from both faders despite having the channel of the second APC Mini changed to channel 2 instead of channel 1 like the first APC Mini. Can someone help me get this working properly?

Hi and welcome to the Bome community!

The below project file should do what you need. In order to reduce the number of translators, I use raw MIDI and rules to cover all 3 byte message type.

There are 4 presets each routing to and from different devices.

The translator in the first preset handles sending from your first APC-MINI to GrandMA1. Faders are converted to notes in the upper range because GrandMA2 does not understand CC messages. No other conversion.

The translator in the second preset handles sending from yoursecond APC-MINI to GrandMA1. Again faders are converted to notes in the upper range No other conversion. In addition we convert all MIDI CH 1 message to MIDI CH 2.

The third and forth presets to the reverse conversion and also block CC messages as I found sending CC messages to an APC-MINI can actually crash the device.

I set up aliases for everything as this makes a project file more portal and easier to manager.

You can learn about aliases from this tutorial.

Also device routing is handled at the preset level. You can learn about this from this tutorial.

Note, the APC-MINI’s might assign themselves differently each time they are plugged in. You can either physically move them to the position you want or use MIDI alias assignment to reassign them.

Here is how my aliases are assigned. Yours may
image

be different. Just Make sure GrandMA 2 has the correct virtual port selected.
2-APC-MINI-GMA2.bmtp (2.5 KB)

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Thanks Steve!

This project you created got me up and running quick and the video tutorials were also very informative. Thanks for the warm welcome.

Next, I want to be able to midi map the buttons on my two APC-MINIs so that each APC-MINI still works independently. I noticed that the buttons section of the two APC Minis are separate inputs from the faders on Midi Translator Pro. They’re called APC Mini MK2 2 and APC Mini MK2 4. I now understand how to the route these and give them aliases, but I don’t understand the byte messages you created and how to create byte messages that will allow me to use the buttons. Could you help me get that up and running as well?

  • Keenan

Hi,
All MIDI notes on APCMINI-2 will come across as the same note number as APC-MINI-1 but on MIDI CH 2 instead of MIDI CH 1. You should be able to just press the buttons or move the faders and learn them in GMA2.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

They are working now thanks again!

Glad to have been of help!

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Hey Steve, it seems the buttons on APCMINI-2 are still showing up as Channel 1 instead of Channel 2. The only thing different about my project is the input and output for APCMINI-1 are ‘APCmini mk 2 1’, and my input and output for APCMINI-2 are ‘APCmini mk 2 3’. I just redownloaded the project you gave me to make sure I didn’t accidentally change anything.

Hi,
Could you show me a screen shot of your inputs and outputs as well as a screen shot of your aliases?

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

The APC MINI MK2 has two ports per device. The first port is the standard port and the second port if for Note Mode only. So if you have 2 APC MINI MK2’s you will have 4 total ports. You should only use the first port of each device. That is the reason I wanted to look at your inputs. I want to see how the APC MINI is report port numbers to your OS.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Hmm. Here are a couple screenshots of my inputs and outputs.

You need to delete all MIDI routes. We are handling all routing in translators.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Ok, the MIDI routes are deleted but I’m still having the same issues with
the buttons on both boards still doing the same thing.

OK sorry, I’m not sure how it got messed up but this version should work.

2-APC-MINI-GMA2.bmtp (2.3 KB)

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care


Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz

Weird, I’m not sure what changed but it does work! Thank you Steve!