HARDWARE SYNTHESIZER AS MIDI CONTROLLER

1 Remote control

You don‘t have a specialized MIDI controller, but you do have a hardware synthesizer whose interface is bursting with knobs? All devices whose knobs output MIDI data can also be used to remotely control plug-ins. The most common representatives include Korg microKorg, Minilogue, Monologue and Prologue, various current synthesizers from Moog and Novation as well as the Access Virus series.

2 Integration

In the following, we would like to use the Access Virus TI2 as a MIDI controller to control the u-he Tyrell synthesizer plug-in. However, you can also use another suitable hardware synth instead. First, load Tyrell as a VST instrument in your DAW. The Virus TI2 can also be integrated via USB MIDI, but the most stable way is to use the MIDI inputs and outputs.

3 MIDI input

Now you have to define the MIDI input for the Tyrell in the DAW. In this case, this is the MIDI port of the audio/MIDI interface to which you have connected your hardware synthesizer. Load a percussive synth sound like Unobass-1 NF into Tyrell. Now it‘s time to make the controller assignments you want. Conveniently, Tyrell comes with a MIDI learn function.

4 Learn function

If this is possible, you can assign the plug-in parameters to corresponding controllers of the hardware synthesizer. For example, like Tyrell, the Virus TI2 has ADSR envelopes for gain and filter frequency. First, right-click on the cut control and then on MIDI Learn. Then move the knob on your hardware that you want to use to control the filter frequency.

5 Assignment

With the Virus series, the cutoff control (MIDI-CC40) is a good choice for this. Tyrell stores this assignment and you can influence the filter frequency with your hardware. In this way, you can also assign other frequently used controls of the plug-in to the controls of your hardware synth. The assignments are saved permanently and thus remain in place for other projects.

6 MIDI settings

As with some other hardware synthesizers (e.g. Korg microKorg, Waldorf Blofeld and Novation Bass Station), the flexible arpeggiator of the Virus series can also be used to control plug-ins. To do this, press the synthesizer‘s config button and switch to the MIDI 2/3 page, where you set arp note send to on. For MIDI clock, select the sync to external option.

7 Arpeggiator tricks

Now the arpeggiator should be synchronized to the DAW tempo. To do this, we set up the DAW so that the audio/MIDI interface to which the hardware synthesizer is connected receives the MIDI clock from the DAW. Also create a new MIDI track and select the MIDI port used as the output. To avoid MIDI feedback, we disable the MIDI input of the track.

8 Experiments

On this track, program the notes or chords from which you want to create an arpeggio. Now you can experiment with the arpeggiator settings of your hardware synth, such as the playback direction and note length, the octave range, and the pattern. The great thing is that you can also record the arpeggiator‘s MIDI data. To do this, switch to the instrument track with the Tyrell.

9 Customize the arpeggio

Then activate the recording function of your DAW. If latencies occur during recording, you can compensate for them by quantizing the resulting MIDI notes. You can then adjust the notes as you like. Things really come alive when you control Tyrell‘s settings with your hardware synth‘s knobs while the arpeggio is playing.