For previous builds with V4.5 firmware go here

MIDI-Retrofit is an 8-channel MIDI-to-Trigger unit suitable for use with a variety of drum machines including the SDS range from Simmons for which it was originally designed.

Each of the TRIGGER outputs has velocity control and can be assigned to a specific MIDI Note and Channel using the `LEARN’ mode.

The first time you use the MIDI-Retrofit-8 you will need to determine some option settings based on the instrument that you are going to control:-

You will also need to ASSIGN a MIDI Channel and MIDI Note to each TRIGGER output. The unit is factory set to the following MIDI Channel/Note settings:-

To define your own specific requirements you will need to go through the LEARN Mode.

LEARN MODE

LEARN MODE lets you assign different notes and channels to each TRIGGER. You could, for example, have four triggers on channel 10, two more on channel 11, one on channel 15 and one on channel 2.

In normal practise the MIDI Channel would be kept the same for all triggers.

To enter the LEARN MODE, hold down the LEARN button until all the LED’s come on and then release before the LED cycle pattern completes. The LED for the first channel to be set will flash once every second, indicating that it is waiting for a note to be assigned to trigger it. Once received it will trigger its output, and then flash the next LED showing that it is waiting for the next trigger assignment.

Repeat for all remaining triggers, you must assign all 8 TRIGGER outputs after which the settings will be stored in memory for future recall.

If you do not complete all 8 assignments within a given time, the unit will exit LEARN MODE and restore the original settings that existed when you entered LEARN MODE.

The status (User Assigned or Factory Default) of the Trigger Assignments is indicated each time the module is powered up and after various events occur during normal operation:-

If in the User Assigned mode the LEDs will cycle from LED 1 through to LED 8 and back again
If in Factory Default mode the LEDs will cycle from the centre (LED4 and LED 5) to the ends (LED1 and LED 8) and back again

The assignment of MIDI Channel and MIDI Note for the TRIGGERS can also be done using a MIDI SYSEX message.

Assign Factory Defaults

If you need to reset the MIDI Note and MIDI Channel assignments to their factory defaults, press and hold the LEARN button, continue holding while the MIDI-Retrofit-8 cycles through its LED pattern, continue holding for a further 2 seconds (around 10 seconds in total), the unit should now automatically load the factory defaults. Release the button, observe the LED cycle which should now reflect the Factory Default mode as shown above.

Programming LEARN via MIDI

From V4.3 onwards it is now possible to define the MIDI Channel and MIDI Note values for the TRIGGERS using a SYSEX message:-

1) Set Channel/Note

Send -

F0 00 20 69 02 00 1c 1n 2c 2n 3c 3n … 7c 7n 8c 8n F7 (31 bytes)

where:- xc = MIDI Channel for TRIGGER x (values = 0 to 7 in hexadecimal)

xn = MIDI Note for TRIGGER x (values = 0 to 127 in hexadecimal)

Data for all 8 TRIGGERS must be sent with each having 3 bytes of data (c/n)

2) Request Channel/Note

Send -

F0 00 20 69 02 01 F7 (7 bytes)

Response -

F0 00 20 69 02 11 1c 1n 2c 2n 3c 3n … 7c 7n 8c 8n F7 (31 bytes)

where:- xc = MIDI Channel for TRIGGER x (values = 0 to 7 in hexadecimal)

xn = MIDI Note for TRIGGER x (values = 0 to 127 in hexadecimal)

Data for all 8 TRIGGERS will be received with each having 3 bytes of data (c/n).

Firmware Version

From V4.6 onwards, the current firmware revision is indicated by the LEDs at power on. All the LEDs from 1 to the major-revision number will be illuminated for ~1.5 seconds followed by all the LEDs from 1 to the minor-revision will be illuminated for ~1.5 seconds. For the current revision this means that the first 4x LEDs wil be turned on for ~1.5 seconds followed by a short blank pause and then the first 6x LEDs will be turned on for ~1.5 seconds.