OB6 PolyChain External Keyboard Question

[johngalex]

Hi all- just purchased my OB6 and am loving it! I am thinking about adding an OB6 module to get 12 voices, but have a question on using PolyChain with an external keyboard.

I've tested using MidiOx to view the midi output of the OB6 in PolyChain mode while playing from an external keyboard.  The "round robin" note on/off seems to work fine, but Mod Wheel, Pitch bend, sustain, aftertouch, etc. are not passed on through the Midi Out port. This would make using an external keyboard in PolyChain mode basically useless.

Has anyone using PolyChain experience this? Is there a setting that I am missing? 

John

 

[johngalex]

I've sent an email to DSI support about this.  I will let you know what I hear.  Seems like an oversight from their side and I hope that they will fix this in a future release...

John

[johngalex]

Hi All - here is the response that I received from DSI - I am hoping that they will fix this in a future release:


"Hi John,

Thank you for the additional information regarding your testing. I've just confirmed that the OB-6 keyboard does not forward MIDI controller data to the MIDI output port when the synth is set to have Poly Chain active.

I will add this behavior to our list of items to consider for implementation in a future OS version. I, however, have no information regarding when an updated OS would become available.

I hope this helps! If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask."

[AlainHubert]

My question is this: I have an OB6 desktop version that I control with a MIDI controller, if I want to add a second OB6 desktop and polychain them, will the mod wheel and pitch bend wheel data be transmitted to the second unit in Polychain mode ?

[johngalex]

My question is this: I have an OB6 desktop version that I control with a MIDI controller, if I want to add a second OB6 desktop and polychain them, will the mod wheel and pitch bend wheel data be transmitted to the second unit in Polychain mode ?

I've got good news for you - Yes!

It took me a while to convince DSI there was an issue.  They were testing with an OB6 module and everything was working fine.  It was only when they finally tested with the keyboard version that they were able to reproduce the issue.  Not sure why they would have designed it differently.

[AlainHubert]

That's good to know. Thanks Johngalex !
If I'm not mistaken, the PolyChain mode came later on. The OB6 keyboard was produced first. They probably hadn't figured on the PolyChain mode thing when writing the firmware for the keyboard version... But I'm sure that they'll add the missing code to send mod wheel and pitch bend wheel data in a future firmware revision.

[johngalex]

But I'm sure that they'll add the missing code to send mod wheel and pitch bend wheel data in a future firmware revision.

I hope so. For now, I am just enjoying my OB6. It sounds so great, and brings a smile to my face every time I play it...

John

[mmpro1]

The other issue that I reported that hasn’t been remedied is that program changes are not passed through when using an external keyboard, so you always have to go and select the program on the second device manually. Which brings me to the other questionable design choice for polychain-that you have to duplicate every patch you might want to use in polychain mode, instead of the second unit just getting a sysex dump for the program from the first.

[johngalex]

Good to know. Apparently they are only passing note on / note off overflow events.

I hope they fix these issues soon.  I play my OB6 from my Midiboard and it is wonderful with Poly AT!  I will add an OB6 Module as soon as they remedy these issues...

[shmuelyosef]

The "round robin" note on/off seems to work fine, but Mod Wheel, Pitch bend, sustain, aftertouch, etc. are not passed on through the Midi Out port.

John

I have done this, but I used the MIDI THRU output. I think that MIDI OUT only sends the CCs that originate inside the OB-6...I will try to check this later.

[eisblau]

Do you guys have a guide or manual addendum how to set up poly chain on 2 OB6 modules?

All I can find is manual 1.0 for the keyboard and it does not mention poly chain.

[eisblau]

I've got good news for you - Yes!

It took me a while to convince DSI there was an issue.  They were testing with an OB6 module and everything was working fine.  It was only when they finally tested with the keyboard version that they were able to reproduce the issue.  Not sure why they would have designed it differently.

And I‘ve got bad news for you, guys. It doesn‘t work with an external MIDI keyboard (in my case a Prophet Rev2 16) as well.

Pitchband and modwheel data is not forwarded to the slave, even with 2 OB6 modules poly chained. Very annoying.

I hope this will get fixed soon, because voices are located randomly round robin style - sometimes wheels work (if master voices played), sometimes they don‘t work at all (if slave voices being played).

[Shaw]

Does anyone know if Modwheel / Pitchwheel / Aftertouch would work if NOT polychaining?  i.e. just using an OB-6 keyboard to control an OB-6 module?   Thinking of stacking the two — like the A/B layers of the Prophet 12 or Rev 2.

[Quatschmacher]

But I'm sure that they'll add the missing code to send mod wheel and pitch bend wheel data in a future firmware revision.

I hope so. For now, I am just enjoying my OB6. It sounds so great, and brings a smile to my face every time I play it...

John

Until they do, couldn’t you have your external controller keyboard control the module and then have that polychained to the keyboard? That way (as has been pointed out) the data will be passed from the OB-6 module to the OB-6 keyboard.

Edit - after reading a couple of posts under yours, perhaps this won’t work either.