Open source just means that theoretically any user could modify the code theirs runs. Otherwise my impression is without Grid / Arc it’s pretty comparable to other Midi-to-CV modules
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Ansible is certainly useful as MIDI-to-CV converter even without a grid or arc. It’s feature set isn’t trying to compete with larger dedicated MIDI-to-CV modules so as long as your need fit with what is there you should be good.
The biggest thing to keep in mind is that the ansible hardware operates as a USB host (type A connector) so it isn’t possible to plug a computer/tablet directly into the ansible USB port and have it show up as a MIDI interface (like a USB device, type B connector). Typical usage is directly connecting small USB keyboards or MIDI interfaces to then connect to other gear with MIDI din ports.
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continuing the multi-channel ansible midi conversation from the op-z thread…
the problem to solve is how to customize midi channel allocation on the module without needing to hardcode values in the firmware or use teletype.
i see that the front panel buttons all have assignments - but it looks like pressing key 1 + key 2 at the same time is available?
perhaps if you press key 1 + 2 at the same time ansible jumps in to midi channel learn mode
then you play a note from your device and whatever channel it sends from gets linked to the first cv/gate pair on ansible. if you are in two or four voice mode then ansible will continue to wait for the next note/midi channel.
after each channel has been set ansible stops listening and goes back to normal operation.
key 2 + preset can then be used to save the config to memory.
eh??
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This would work I assume? - it’s come up elsewhere in the monome threads http://compasflamenco.com/midi-c-3/midi-usbusb-p-4.html
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I also wanna show my desire to have Ansible be able to handle four MIDI tracks
sorry i was incorrect when i said it didn’t have this mode. the current version does. it’s hardcoded to respond to midi channels 1-4.
i just tested it with the op-z and it works 
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Oh wow, thanks!! This changes a lot for me, prolly gonna pick an OP-Z soon! Thanks for testing that!!
Has anybody used a nakedboards MC-8 with Ansible MIDI mode? I am wondering if it would be simple to map the 8 faders to the 8 outputs on Ansible.
four of the outputs on Ansible are gates!
ah, darn. I guess I’m wondering now if they are capable of being CV outs and I could roll my own firmware. Probably should just get a faderbank, lol.
I tried sending a sequence from my Korg SQ-1 into Ansible over USB.
Very interesting.
The SQ-1 has some settings where it sends two separate MIDI tracks on adjacent channels.
The Ansible seemed to interpret this by reproducing one MIDI channel from the top two cv/tr outputs and the other MIDI channel from the bottom two outputs.
If I was reading the behavior correctly…
Has anyone else tried this?
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That sounds strange/weird/curious. I don’t remember implementing that as a mode but obviously my memory has faded since I forgot that a 4 channel mode had been implemented.
Looking at the source code we have four “MIDI/voice” modes (separate from the “MIDI/arp” modes), specifically:
- POLY - omni channel, choosing which CV/TR pair to use per note in a strictly circular allocation (working through CV/TR pair1, then 2, then 3, then 4, then back to pair1)
- MONO - omni channel monophonic voice allocation
- MULTI - 4 channel mode, each CV/TR pair corresponds to a one of MIDI channels 1-4
- FIXED - omni channel, mapping of CC’s to outputs which can be learned.
In all but the MULTI mode the MIDI channel information associated with each incoming event is completely ignored - like the “omni” found in many/most synths.
Best I can tell the ansible documentation for the various MIDI modes is complete.
No. The TR outputs are really trigger/gate only - they are driven via GPIO pins on the microcontroller, not connected to DACs like the CV outputs.
This is what I use and it works fine with Ansible from Norns
This gives me an interesting idea. There’s an iPad app called Fugue Machine which has the potential to output its four related tracks on separate midi channels. This would be really cool in Multi mode on Ansible!
If you have an iPad and don’t know about this app, it’s well worth checking out!
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just wanted to update anyone thinking about using ansible with op-z (@amandwato) that i’m experiencing held / stuck notes pretty frequently. not sure if this is a bug with ansible or op-z. i have a suspicion it might be that i need to set my op-z track to monophonic? maybe overlapping notes are freaking out ansible? i haven’t had time to do thorough troubleshooting. i’m running ansible in 4 channel MULTI mode.
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I tried this tonight and the iPad didn’t send any recognizable midi to Ansible, which was depressing… I had the iPad plugged into Ansible using a standard usb lightning cable. I wonder if that was wrong…
Has anyone got Ansible to recognize midi from an iOS device over usb?
I don’t know why it wouldn’t work, I’ve gotten it to take midi from a microbrute and also from a Korg SQ-1 sequencer…
It’s possible that both the iPad and Ansible are trying to act as a USB host in this situation? I don’t know much beyond that, though, since I haven’t really tried MIDI with iOS at all.
As @alanza suggested this won’t work without another something in the middle such as this:
In every USB connection one piece of equipment plays the role of HOST and the other plays the role of DEVICE. Most USB midi equipment such as the SQ-1 and probably the OP-Z only have the hardware and software needed to act as a DEVICE. Ansible and basically any computer can only operate as a HOST. Phones and tablets are different in that they usually support USB OTG (on the go) which allows them to to switch roles. When something like the iPad is connected I believe it will switch into device mode but when ansible asks it “what kind of device are you” iOS doesn’t respond with “I am a standard MIDI device”. What the above gadget or one of the iConnectivity MIDI interfaces do is let both ansible and the iPad act as HOSTs by telling them both that they are connected to a MIDI device and the bridging the MIDI traffic.
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Looks like I need one of those!
The Fugue Machine iPad app should totally rock Ansible! Four playheads traversing the same field of notes in a related but not slavish way… independent midi channels for each voice if you want…
Keep us updated if you’re able or not to get fugue machine to work with ansible!