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2010-12-27 by thorkvande
Hi there, My first post I think in this group. I have a Minimoog D with MIDI kit built in under the keyboard. The kit seems to receive MIDI messages ok, but it need to be calibrated, in a way, because it plays way off key... Does anyone have any experience with this? Merry Christmas! Thor
2010-12-27 by PeWe
Hi there,
My first post I think in this group. I have a Minimoog D with MIDI kit built in under the keyboard.
The kit seems to receive MIDI messages ok, but it need to be calibrated, in a way, because it plays way off key...
Does anyone have any experience with this?
Merry Christmas!
Thor
2010-12-28 by thorkvande
2010-12-28 by PeWe
Hi PeWe,
thanks for your reply! I posted some pictures on the group site today, hope you can find them, and maybe help identify what MIDI kit is installed. Cant see any writing on it apart from the ICs.
I totally agree that it is most important to have the mini in playable condition as it is now, gorgeous instrument btw!
I have in collaboration with a tech managed to get this one in good playable condition, so now Im just fooling around to see if I can get the MIDI part working as well, just to work with sequencers and such. (I dont have an external CV generator/converter, Motu Volta or such unfortunately...)
I was hoping that it would be possible to adjust the CV output from the midi kit separately from internal pots, please look at the pictures. This could make it play in tune from internal keyboard and MIDI!?!
I tried to give the pictures self explanatory names, and here are some of my findings.
Any further advice greatly appreciated, please excuse any errors in the description as I am very fresh to the D, and have no experience with other Ds to compare with...
- After being employed, MIDI outrules internal keyboard CV leaving it to work in gate only mode, ie playing last received midi note on all keys. A power flick restores "normal" mode.
- There are two MIDI DIN plugs but only "in" seems operational, the other one is not receiving or sending messages AFAIK.
- Mod wheel controls filter freq. There may be other MIDI controls available, I didnt really dig in...
- No velocity response.
- There are two added flip switches on the back, they simply attenuate/boost output level and filter freq. Next to these is a dented (about 32 steps) wheel, thought it had to do with MIDI functions (select channel) but I cant seem to figure out its use.
All the best!
Thor
2010-12-30 by Malte Rogacki
After looking at the pics I don't believe the basic portion of the interface is DIY. The PCB looks like an industrial design to me (very dense traces). Theory: The core of the interface is universal and the added PCB with the pots is used to accomodate different synths (there might be another PCB for the Odyssey, Pro One...). As far as the functionality or lack thereof goes: I seem to recall that some (most?) of the interfaces for the Mini required that a key is pressed (or even pinned?) on the Mini's keyboard (the highest? the lowest? can't recall).
2010-12-30 by thorkvande
--- In vintagesynthrepair@yahoogroups.com, Malte Rogacki <gacki@...> wrote: > > After looking at the pics I don't believe the basic portion of the > interface is DIY. The PCB looks like an industrial design to me (very dense > traces). > > Theory: The core of the interface is universal and the added PCB with the > pots is used to accomodate different synths (there might be another PCB for > the Odyssey, Pro One...). > > As far as the functionality or lack thereof goes: I seem to recall that > some (most?) of the interfaces for the Mini required that a key is pressed > (or even pinned?) on the Mini's keyboard (the highest? the lowest? can't > recall). > Hey, thanks for your reply! This would be my theory too. So if I managed to name the different pots, I should be able to calibrate it to the current settings of the Mini. Just to clarify; the MIDI kit itself works, although it plays about a semitone off, and the octaves (ie high and low range) are not in tune. Thor
2010-12-30 by GB
----- Original Message -----From: Malte RogackiSent: Thursday, December 30, 2010 12:36 AMSubject: Re: [vintagesynthrepair] Minimoog D with MIDI modAfter looking at the pics I don't believe the basic portion of the
interface is DIY. The PCB looks like an industrial design to me (very dense
traces).
Theory: The core of the interface is universal and the added PCB with the
pots is used to accomodate different synths (there might be another PCB for
the Odyssey, Pro One...).
As far as the functionality or lack thereof goes: I seem to recall that
some (most?) of the interfaces for the Mini required that a key is pressed
(or even pinned?) on the Mini's keyboard (the highest? the lowest? can't
recall).
2010-12-30 by PeWe
Hey,
Just to clarify; the MIDI kit itself works, although it plays about a semitone off, and the octaves (ie high and low range) are not in tune.
Thor
2010-12-31 by thorkvande
Hey, Thanks for knowledgeable replies! Just to clarify as well, the mini in question works well and is calibrated, ie plays in tune. I have some experience in restoring and adjusting rhodes, wurlitzers and clavinets, and used to calibrate my old Korgs every now and then. In terms of disconnecting the MIDI board, however, I dont feel competent enough to start soldering in there. And there's no need to, as the mini works fine!?! Anyway, you may be right, it would be worth it to get a CV system, the expert sleepers or Motu ones look interesting. I was just curios if anyone had a similar mini-MIDI mod, and knew the functionality. I think it is possible to calibrate the MIDI section separately, and thus have both MIDI and keyboard section in working condition. The MIDI on the mini is of course secondary, I just have a slight brain damage that means I get pleasure from restoring old electric instruments, with or without mods... Maybe if Im presented with lots of extra time I'll sit down and solve the riddle. Would have to be next year! Happy 2011 everyone! Thor --- In vintagesynthrepair@yahoogroups.com, PeWe <ha-pewe@...> wrote:
> > > A offset of a semitone is weird. > Normally, w/ the Minimmog D there´s a CV offset of a 4th (5 semitones) > anyway if triggered over MIDI. > That´s why 0 volts (lowest key on a Mini) is a F and over MIDI it´s a > C,- and that has to be compensated anyway. > So,- if it´s a semitone only, maybe there´s a trimmer on the circuit > board on your MIDI interface which isn´t adjusted right or it´s a > malfunction. > If the octaves in hi and lo ranges are not in tune, that´s the octave > and hi scaling of the MOOG. > Only if you´re sure your Minimoog is prefectly calibrated, you´re able > to find out what doesn´t work w/ the MIDI interface. > > B.t.w., I don´t have to play/press a key on the Mini´s keyboard 1st and > before I can play w/ MIDI,- and my MPU-101 is a very early (but great) > MIDI>CV interface. > It all depends on how it´s modded inside the Minimoog. > With my Mini, I can toggle between the always connected MIDI>CV > interface and the internal keyboard on the fly,- a toggle switch > replaced the [DECAY] ft.-switch connector in the left hand controller > unit and there are no offsets at all. > There are also additional trimmers on a small circuit board inside my > Mini compensating tuning/scaling differences across the keyboard vs MIDI>CV. > It´s all doable ... > > What I wanted to say in my former posts is: > Before you spend countless hrs. to refurbish a unknown MIDI>CV interface > inside your Mini,- throw it out and rewire the connections inside the > Mini to make it work as it should. > Buy or borrow (for testing) a cheap and eventually used single channel > MIDI>CV interface which works,- there are DIY solutions or some Kenton, > Doepfer, Philip Rees or whatever, and connect it to the jacks the Mini > already offers, then see what happens. > Most of these interfaces compensate the CV offset already and offer a > Gate-Out to MOOG Switch Trigger cable connection. > > > Am 30.12.2010 14:20, schrieb thorkvande: > > > > > > > > > > > > Hey, > > > > Just to clarify; the MIDI kit itself works, although it plays about a > > semitone off, and the octaves (ie high and low range) are not in tune. > > > > Thor > > > > > > > > >
2010-12-31 by PeWe
O.k.Hey,
Thanks for knowledgeable replies!
Just to clarify as well, the mini in question works well and is calibrated, ie plays in tune.
Well,- before you solder inside, you trely ave to know what to do and how.
I have some experience in restoring and adjusting rhodes, wurlitzers and clavinets, and used to calibrate my old Korgs every now and then.
In terms of disconnecting the MIDI board, however, I dont feel competent enough to start soldering in there. And there's no need to, as the mini works fine!?!
Just to make it clear, you have a CV system already !
Anyway, you may be right, it would be worth it to get a CV system, the expert sleepers or Motu ones look interesting. I was just curios if anyone had a similar mini-MIDI mod, and knew the functionality. I think it is possible to calibrate the MIDI section separately, and thus have both MIDI and keyboard section in working condition.
Well, the easiest to restorate vintage instruments are these without mods.
The MIDI on the mini is of course secondary, I just have a slight brain damage that means I get pleasure from restoring old electric instruments, with or without mods... Maybe if Im presented with lots of extra time I'll sit down and solve the riddle. Would have to be next year!
ditto
Happy 2011 everyone!
P.
Thor