Desperate for help with pedalboard changes via MIDI

[Jon_Grant]

Please help me!

I have tried everything I can think of, but can find no way of changing pedalboards via MIDI PC messages.

I was originally trying to use a type-A DIN adapter (tried 3 different brands, all of which work with other gear), then I tried using a Kenton MIDI Host mk2 via the Dwarf’s USB. I have not been able to get the Dwarf to respond at all.

I’ve tried different MIDI channels, different cables, and even different MIDI Controllers, with no luck. I realize that I have to disconnect from the WebGUI first.

If there is a topic here, or instructions in a manual somewhere, I can’t find it.

I am running the most recent firmware/OS.

I just be doing something tragically wrong, but this is driving me crazy.

I humbly request that some good person here help me by either:

A) pointing me to where the detailed instructions are, and/or
B) testing to see if they can get their Dwarf to change patches (pedalboards) via MIDI PC messages.

I love the weird and wonderful sounds I am getting out of the Dwarf, but am considering covering it in tuna pate and feeding it to my cats! (Kidding, although it is frustrating to fail with such a simple task.)

I am far from a guitar gear newbie, and have never had this kind of difficulty before. I’m wondering whether I’m missing something, or if maybe my unit is defective.

HELP!!!

Thanks in advance!

[plutek]

hi @Jon_Grant !

have you set your MIDI channel for pedalboard changes, as per here?:

Dwarf Device Settings: MIDI

…haven’t done this myself yet, but i’ll test it tomorrow and report back…

[Jon_Grant]

I have done that, and experimented with bank changes, etc.

There must be something that my slightly thick Scottish skull hasn’t comprehended yet.

If you have the time to test your setup, I would be extremely grateful!

Thanks so much!

[plutek]

…and, just checking to be thorough , you’ve used the MIDI Display plugin (beta) to check that appropriate MIDI data is coming in to the Dwarf?..

[SamIAm]

The plugin mentioned by @plutek is

Vallsv - MIDI display

Hi, Here is a plugin to display MIDI messages. [image] If i am not wrong there was nothing to do that, or i spend my time for nothing . Anyway, that could be useful if you want to route things you don’t know. Only the last message is displayed, there is no history or what. And it is supposed to display everything, except the system message content. Here is the repo: https://github.com/vallsv/midi-display.lv2

can be found in the beta plugin store.

[plutek]

hi @Jon_Grant !

alright!

i set an incoming MIDI device to toggle between these 2 messages, each time i push one of its buttons:

1. MIDI channel 1, Program Change 1
2. MIDI channel 1, Program Change 2

then i made a new pedalboard, containing only the MIDI Display plugin and connected the MIDI input to it. this plugin confirms receiving PC 1 and PC 2, alternating with each button press on the MIDI controller. N.B. MIDI channel numbers are 0-indexed in the MIDI Display plugin, so the first field (showing MIDI channel) shows 0!

then i went into Dwarf settings and set the MIDI channel for PC messages for pedalboard change to 1.

at that point, when i disconnect the browser GUI USB cable, the Dwarf does indeed toggle between the 2nd and 3rd pedalboards saved in its library of pedalboards - pedalboard numbering is 0-indexed, so this is correct.

i hope this gives you some clues about troubleshooting your situation! do write back to let us know how it goes!

[Jon_Grant]

Thank you everyone!!! It was the VERY useful MIDI Display app, along with your very patient suggestions, that finally helped me to figure out how to get the whole patch change thing to work. It was the MIDI channel being zero indexed that confused me. Not since programming MIDI commands in hexadecimal code have I been stumped with this sort of thing.

Thanks again! You guys saved me from seemingly endless frustration.

Cheers!

[plutek]

@Jon_Grant woohoo!

happy to help!