Norns: alternative grids

Scrypt · 2021-02-04T03:27:18.804Z

Discovering the norns after working with the Zoia for a few years, I’ve finally learned what this quirky, welcoming forum is really about. I’ve lurked here for ages without knowing. Now I’m awaiting a Shield and a few cases and wondering if any of the many gridded controllers that have perhaps copied the grid can be used in its place. Said grid looks to be out of stock at monome, so I’m wondering about alternatives (Launchpads being an obvious but not exclusive example).

I’m one of those old-school foonts with a composition degree who is still addicted to music paper, so I’m excited to inject as much chance into through-composed tracks as my feeble psyche can tolerate.

(It’s a tad humbling to introduce myself in the wake of Mr. Devine, whose work I’ve savored for over a decade!)

atlas · 2021-02-04T03:30:01.760Z

you’re in luck. there’s an exact thread for just that! Norns: alternative grids - #384 by Cubeinthebox

Scrypt · 2021-02-04T03:32:26.891Z

Thanks so much for the link!

atlas · 2021-02-04T03:35:45.017Z

no problem. it is also worth looking at this thread: DIY monome compatible grid w/ Adafruit NeoTrellis. this is sort of the ‘shield’ version of the grid. HOWEVER afaik you have to souce everything yourself. I built one with no issues with some diy experience. It is obviously not as nice as an actual grid, but it can get pretty damn close. Including a case, mine cost around 180 usd.

Scrypt · 2021-02-04T04:18:41.879Z

atlas:

It is obviously not as nice as an actual grid, but it can get pretty damn close.

Thanks again.

I find the DIY version of the grid to be beautiful and the work that went into designing and building it inspiring. I suck desiccated gnu forelegs when it comes to realizing projects like that (let alone the scripting), but perhaps reading about it will bring me closer to action.

I admire that laser-cut acrylic case. I’d love to see a translucent version; perhaps I will later in the thread.

MentalSandal · 2021-02-04T08:32:12.256Z

@Cubeinthebox Not sure if you saw my post, but I got the Launchpad Pro mk3 running with midi grid.

You need to edit supported_devices.lua and paste the following line (after line 6)
{ midi_base_name= 'launchpad pro mk3', device_type='launchpad_promk3' },

Then duplicate launchpad_minimk3.lua (in the devices folder) and rename it launchpad_promk3.lua
You can open it and replace line 41 with launchpad.device_name = 'launchpad_promk3'

Now all you need to do is add local grid = include "midigrid/lib/midigrid" to your scripts, and set your Launchpad to programmer mode.
I tested it on Awake, Arcologies, mlr64, Zellen and a few other scripts.

Hope that’ll help!

Cubeinthebox · 2021-02-04T12:12:22.177Z

I did not, this thread has got a lot of launchpad mk3 going on in it! Thank you, @MentalSandal I’ll be trying this later today!

MentalSandal:

You need to edit supported_devices.lua and paste the following line (after line 6)
{ midi_base_name= 'launchpad pro mk3', device_type='launchpad_promk3' },

How did you settle on the name launchpad pro mk3 vs the reported names like Launchpad Pro MK3 1?

MentalSandal · 2021-02-04T16:57:50.054Z

Great question, the honest answer is : purely out of luck!
I read that the Mini mk3 was showing up as Launchpad Mini MK3 1, so I tried the same name formatting, since both devices have a similar note/CC layout.

Now a better answer would be :
When you look at supported_devices.lua, line 33 :

github.com

jaggednz/midigrid/blob/6be89d4d8319daa2bf22f62d856322799089479c/lib/supported_devices.lua#L33


  --'launchpad mini %d'
  for _,device_def in pairs(supported_devices.midi_devices) do
    if sysex_ident_resp and device_def.sysex_ident then
      --TODO use General Sysex ident call to try and ID device
    end
    -- Fall back to midi name matching
    if string.lower(midi_device.name) == device_def.midi_base_name then return device_def.device_type end
    -- Deal with any appended suffixes
    -- Warning! could cause issues if a new version of a device named "[device_name] 2"
    if string.lower(midi_device.name):find(device_def.midi_base_name .. ' %d') then return device_def.device_type end
  end
  return nil
end
return supported_devices

midi_device.name contains ‘Launchpad Pro MK3 1’ because of a midi.devices() query in midigrid.lua . See this doc for more info
So this line is converting our string to lowercase, and if ‘launchpad pro mk3 1’ matches one of the midi_base_name values plus any digit (because of %d), then it returns device_type .

This is why this extra line comes in handy :
{ midi_base_name= 'launchpad pro mk3', device_type='launchpad_promk3' },

As you can see, it’s essentially saying : “if the device shows up as ‘Launchpad Pro Mk3 1’, let’s reference it as launchpad_promk3 from now on.”

A least that’s how I understand it, @JaggedNZ or anyone, do let me know if I’m talking rubbish!

Hope that will help!

Cubeinthebox · 2021-02-04T17:30:01.666Z

Thank you, logically that all makes sense and thank you for the additional references! I’m going to take a look at some of the studies to get some more bearing on the scripts that norns utilizes.

MentalSandal:

Now all you need to do is add local grid = include "midigrid/lib/midigrid" to your scripts, and set your Launchpad to programmer mode.

Would this be in the opening of a script where it details pulling a grid or other midi info?

JaggedNZ · 2021-02-04T18:07:46.138Z

I’ll try fold these changes back into the code when I get a chance.

Cubeinthebox · 2021-02-04T22:31:00.390Z

I’ve gotten awake and a couple of the other scripts you mentioned working correctly with the LPPmk3, well as much as I can tell with some that I need to read more into! Thank you for the help!!

delineator · 2021-02-06T13:44:08.659Z

JaggedNZ:

Yeah, looks like most people are jumping on my branch and I’m the most active dev at the moment … I’ve also managed to get in a state where merging the original code makes a mess. (More on this below)

@JaggedNZ I’ve tested the master branch of your repo with two LP mini Mk3. Also with an older LP mini, and an APC mini.

I’ve created a PR on your repo with a fix for two LP mini Mk3 setup.

I copied log output into the PR so you can see what the change does.

I haven’t started looking at any sysex changes to the code yet to set an LP mini Mk3 into programmer mode automatically.

github.com/jaggednz/midigrid

Fix two LP Mk3 device setup for 128 grid - to jaggednz/midigrid fork

jaggednz:master ← robmckinnon:jaggednz-fork-lpmk3

opened 01:35PM - 06 Feb 21 UTC

robmckinnon

+27 -10

Fix two LP Mk3 device setup for 128 grid. Without this change log is: ``` … finding device: 2 with name Launchpad Mini MK3 1 finding device: 3 with name Launchpad Mini MK3 2 Dev3 FD launchpad_minimk3 finding device: 4 with name Launchpad Mini MK3 1 2 finding device: 5 with name Launchpad Mini MK3 2 2 Dev5 FD launchpad_minimk3 mounted_devices 5 launchpad_minimk3 3 launchpad_minimk3 ``` With this change log is: ``` finding device: 2 with name Launchpad Mini MK3 1 finding device: 3 with name Launchpad Mini MK3 2 Dev3 FD launchpad_minimk3 finding device: 4 with name Launchpad Mini MK3 1 2 finding device: 5 with name Launchpad Mini MK3 2 2 Dev5 FD launchpad_minimk3_128 mounted_devices 5 launchpad_minimk3_128 3 launchpad_minimk3 ``` Also tested this change with LP Mk2 and APC mini. It did not effect the loading behaviour of these devices. Added comments to code explaining LP MIDI device names.

bharris22 · 2021-02-07T21:54:26.926Z

JaggedNZ:

Plug in one device ONLY and go to
SYSTEM > DEVICES > MIDI
And tell us exactly what you see, capitalisation matters.

I’m expecting “launchpad mk2” and not sure for the mini?

Edit: Then plug in both devices and see if the names have changed? (This should only happen if they both have the same device name)

Tell me both device names and you should be able to use them both as a 128.

OK - here is what I see:

For the Launchpad Mini Mk2 (when plugged in separately): Launchpad Mini
For the Launchpad Mk2 (when plugged in separately): Launchpad MK2

No change when both are plugged in at the same time :).

Thanks again!

delineator · 2021-02-08T17:49:59.100Z

bharris22:

For the Launchpad Mini Mk2 (when plugged in separately): Launchpad Mini

Note: You can optionally set a hardware ID to a value in the range 1-16 on older launchpad mini models. This ID gets appended to the midi device name.

For example, when you have set the hardware ID to 4 then this appears as midi_device.name: Launchpad Mini 4

I’ve added code to match on that in the PR JaggedNZ’s merged to the master branch of jaggednz/midigrid:

 if string.lower(midi_device.name):find 'launchpad mini %d' then
    return 'launchpad'

bharris22 · 2021-02-08T18:04:38.259Z

Interesting - thanks!

Do you know if the same applies to the Launchpad Mk2? As I mentioned, I currently have both a Mini Mk2 and a standard Mk2, and am debating whether to buy an additional mini or standard to give me a consistent grid of 128 pads. I am leaning toward a second standard Mk2 (the lights are nicer), but want to make sure that the Norns can see both of the standard devices and that midigrid can be edited to run them as a single set of 128 pads (as I understand has been done for the Mini Mk3).

JaggedNZ · 2021-02-08T20:29:11.322Z

@delineator btw your PR is merged but I have not tested on my setup. Not sure if launchpad mini mk1 devices are working, I will try test and update here in the next few days.

I think I have the launchpad mk1 and mk2 all mixed up, it looks like the implementations are almost identical, potentially only the device name is slightly different. I think I should be able to cover launchpad mk1, mini mk1, mk2 and mini mk2 with the same configuration.
I just need to tweak the supported device list slightly and we should be good.

@bharris22 pick what you think works for you best, support is based of what devices people have to test with …and I have two lp mini mk1’s (At least I think they are mk1’s )

Ps. Allergy shots suck

bharris22 · 2021-02-08T20:47:38.552Z

Excellent - thanks @JaggedNZ ! Hope to have a second Mk2 on the way shortly :).

JaggedNZ · 2021-02-08T21:26:34.995Z

Have you had any issues with random led lights? This can easily be seen on awake at high BPM, but might only be a mk1 issue (suspect Linux driver issue)

bharris22 · 2021-02-08T21:52:37.822Z

Hi @JaggedNZ - if this is a question for me, I have not yet tried using my Mk2 with Norns at all yet. I will try to install minigrid this week and let you know. Do I need to wait for you to make any adjustments to the code first based upon the device ID I posted? Once I get the second Mk2 and identify its device ID, then the code can be added for the two Launchpad Mk2 setup (i.e., 128 pads), correct?

Sorry again for the questions and imprecise terminology - still very new to this.

Thanks as always!

JaggedNZ · 2021-02-08T22:35:12.254Z

Ugh sorry I’m beginning to realise how much the notation LP model naming is a complete mess …

It looks like the launchpad MK2 is similar feature wise to the launchpad mini MK3. The launchpad mini mk1 & 2 should work about the same?!?

I will advise when I think I have something that should work. Shouldn’t take much work luckily.