HX FX control Kemper Player via Midi issues

[aldomontoya]

I just picked up a Kemper Player to play with and want to control it via midi from my HX FX. 
I’ve got a USB B to USB A cable to link them but just can’t seem to get it to do anything. I’ve checked the USB MIDI into my PC and it seems to be send commands fine over MIDI. 
 

Settings on HX are:

Command: Midi CC

Midi Ch: 1 or Base

CC# 53 (to select slot 4 for this test)

Value: 1

 

This does nothing...

 

any ideas to try? I also want to ultimately link the tap tempo but for now just changing rigs would do!

 

Thank you. 

[rd2rk]

You need to route the USB MIDI output from your HXFX to the Kemper USB using either a MIDI utility such as MIDIOX or a DAW.

[aldomontoya]

Thanks. So there’s no chance to send it direct? I’ve seen the midi to usb cables which may be another option but seems with HX using midi over usb it could/should work, want it on my pedalboard. 

[rd2rk]

The Kemper Player manual says this:

 

USB Ports (19) Use the USB type A port to connect USB flash drives for PROFILER backups and operating system updates. Please consult the chapter Updates, Backups and Sharing Sounds for details. For KEMPER Rig Manager™, USB audio and USB MIDI connect the USB type B port of the PROFILER Player to either a USB type A port or a USB type C port on the PC.

 

✓The USB type A port can also be used to connect an universal MIDI foot controller or any other MIDI device with standard MIDI sockets via a USB MIDI adapter. Be aware, that there might be limitations since these adapters often don’t support SysEx messages

 

The bolded part seems to be saying that it can act as a MIDI HOST, so you can use one of these:

 

Amazon.com: iConnectivity mio 1-in 1-out USB to MIDI Interface for Mac and PC : iConnectivity: Musical Instruments

 

There's cheaper ones, but I know that these support sysex because I use one for that purpose.

[aldomontoya]

Thank you. Yes that was my next option, was just hoping for the more direct usb to usb!

 

thanks for the help, I’ll report back once I know what I’m doing. 

[aldomontoya]

I've had some success with the midi to din adapter, but still having issues (probably with my brain) in getting rigs to load correctly.

 

For my mild OCD I always have my clean in Bank 1 Rig 1, and move onwards from there for Crunch, Lead etc in Rig 2 etc.

 

For some reason, with these settings I can only move through Bank 10...

 

Command: BankPC

Midi CH: 1/Base

CC00: Off

CC32: Off

Prog: 5 (Bank 10 Rig 4) or 4 (Bank 10 Rig 3)

 

If I increase the value of Prog - it always simply moves through Bank 10 only in a never-ending loop. I've also tried different CC values other than "Off" without any change. Even if I start in a different Bank, it always move to Bank 10.

 

Any ideas? Thanks!

[aldomontoya]

Right, an update...that I don't fully understand. Having tested sending PC from my PC and seeing it working correctly, I went with hit and miss stuff on my HX.

 

In short, it's all working amazingly, by simply changing the Midi Channel to "2", so on the HX it looks like this:

 

Command: BankPC

Midi CH: 2

CC00: Off

CC32: Off

Prog: as per table, e.g. 0 = Bank 1, Rig 1, and 5 = Bank 2, Rig 2 and so on

 

Attached a lookup table to help anyone if it helps, and if someone can improve my understanding to tell me why this works and other channels don't, please do!

[rd2rk]

The Kemper Player Manual says this:

 

"Rig Change
The PROFILER Player storage offers ten banks with five Rigs each - fifty Rigs overall. These can be loaded via MIDI program changes # 1-50 respectively."

 

That would seem to me to mean that:

Bank1 = MIDI PC# 1-5

Bank2 = MIDI PC# 6-10

Bank3 = MIDI PC# 11-15

etc.

 

So, the easiest way would be to set Global Settings>MIDI/Tempo>MIDI PC Send = MIDI or MIDI+USB.

Your first 50 presets should then call the 50 Rigs in the player, assuming that the Player translates PC#0 to PC#1 (most MIDI devices will do that).

Otherwise, you'll need to disable that Global setting and set an Instant Command in CommandCenter to send the proper PC#.

 

The manual also says:

 

"The Player is compatible with universal MIDI foot controllers, which were designed for the KEMPER PROFILER use its “relative” method based on CC# 47-54 to load sounds. This includes the application of the global parameter Bank Load which can be found in System Settings."

 

I think that this passage is referring to devices such as the FCB1010 with the UNO4Kemper chip or the Eureka chip designed for Kemper. It would probably be better understood like this:

 

"The Player is compatible with universal MIDI foot controllers which were designed for the KEMPER PROFILER and use its “relative” method based on CC# 47-54 to load sounds. This includes the application of the global parameter Bank Load which can be found in System Settings."

 

In any case, based entirely on my reading of the section in the Kemper Profiler (NOT Player) manual on the "relative" method referenced above, it seems that this would be a two part operation. I would try the following:

 

Disable the aforementioned Global MIDI Send function.

 

Use CC#47 - a value of 0-9 selects one of your 10 banks, then use CC#50-54 to load one of the Rigs in that bank.

OR

Use CC#47 to select the Bank, then use CC#48 - value 0 steps one Rig up, value 1 steps five Rigs up, value 2 steps to first Rig of next higher bank of five.

OR

Use CC#47 to select the Bank, then use CC#49 - value 0 steps one Rig up, value 1 steps five Rigs up, value 2 steps to last Rig of next lower bank of five.

 

CC#50-54 value 0-4 should load a specific Rig in whichever bank you're in.

 

Again, all of the above is pure speculation based on reading the KPA Manual.

Try it and let me know if any of it works.

 

[rd2rk]

You posted that table while I was typing.

My guess would be that it works because your Player is set to receive on Channel 2, or, it's set to OMNI and prefers Ch2.

MIDI can be weird like that.

My Catalyst Amp can be set to receive on any channel, but only works consistently on Ch1.

I had an amp sim which could be set to OMNI, but would only work consistently when set to a specific channel. Any channel.

Go figure!

[aldomontoya]

Thanks for the extra info. I’ll try the CC method too just for interest, but glad I’ve solved it. TBH the Player is on its first release and is doing a damn good job OOTB - their forums do suggest currently it’s in Omni mode and channels will be in a future update but this works for now!

[Maikusan]

I still have the same Issue. I analyzed the Midi Messages because I made it work with the morningstar midi usb.

It looks the same check out this log:

 

18:47:29.659    From HX Effects    Program    2    1 (doesn't work)

18:33:30.313    From Morningstar MC6 Pro Port 1    Program    2    1 (works)

 

With the morningstar it works fine but with the HX effect it doesn't

if you have any idea what it could be let me know.

 

 

[rd2rk]

On 6/15/2024 at 10:53 AM, Maikusan said:

I still have the same Issue. I analyzed the Midi Messages because I made it work with the morningstar midi usb.

It looks the same check out this log:

 

18:47:29.659    From HX Effects    Program    2    1 (doesn't work)

18:33:30.313    From Morningstar MC6 Pro Port 1    Program    2    1 (works)

 

With the morningstar it works fine but with the HX effect it doesn't

if you have any idea what it could be let me know.

 

 

 

How are you connecting the HXFX?

The MC6 can act as a HOST, but the HXFX cannot.

 

"The Player supports MIDI over USB as client (USB B socket) as well as host (USB A socket). You could feed MIDI from your DAW into its USB B socket via the same cable used for USB Audio and Rig Manager for Windows® and macOS®. The Player can also be connected to devices with classical 5-pin sockets like any universal MIDI controller via an USB MIDI interface. Simply connect the interface to your MIDI controller’s MIDI output and the Player’s USB A port. Some MIDI controllers, for example Uno4Kemper, support the KEMPER bi-directional MIDI protocol, which requires the MIDI OUT jack of the interface connected to their MIDI input."

 

If I'm reading this correctly, with the HXFX connected from its USB B Port to the Player's USB A Port it SHOULD work, but if not, you might try using a cable like this:

 

Amazon.com: TENINYU USB to MIDI Cable Converter 2 in 1 PC to Synthesizer Music Studio Keyboard Interface Wire Plug Controller Adapter Cord 16 Channels Supports Computer Laptop Windows and Mac : Musical Instruments