In this video Jonathan has the Mandala connected to his computer with a USB cable and it is triggering Ableton Live while he plays the SPD-SX as its own separate instrument. The result is that you hear the audio from the two instruments (Ableton Live and the SPD-SX) at the same time. If you instead want to trigger the SPD-SX directly with the Mandala you would connect a 5-pin MIDI cable from the Mandala to the SPD-SX MIDI In port and power the Mandala with a USB power supply.

Ableton 12.1 is at fault. Fix one thing then break another.Going back to 12.05

@@jmaz1100 If you use the V3 Utility app to set your Mandalas to transmit on separate MIDI channels then in Ableton 12.1 you can set each track setting to: MIDI From = All Ins Channel = (channel of the Mandala you want) Monitor = In and that will keep your pads separate from each other. Give that a shot if you want to stick with 12.1.

@@TheMellowYellowDrummer Set the MIDI In Port of each of your Logic tracks to be a different Mandala. Check p.11 of the V3 manual for other info about keeping multiple Mandalas from triggering the same sounds.

Pre-orders were open from Jan-Mar and we are now in the middle of fulfilling those orders. There is no decision yet regarding an additional production run.

@@MandalaDrum understood. thanks for your time.

@@TheathrillExperianceThe V3 Utility is optional. You don’t ever need to open it no matter how many Mandalas are connected to your computer. If you do want to use the V3 Utility though it will recognize all Mandalas that are connected. You can click on its Device menu in the upper right and choose any connected Mandala and the screen will automatically show you all the settings in the one that is chosen.

The sample you’re triggering needs to be a looped sample in order for it to be holdable. For slide to change the sound of a sample you’re holding you’ll need to either set slide to be pitch bend in the V3 Utility or apply the slide CC number to a parameter in the Modulation Slots tab in Battery.

@@OrdinaryAverageGuy-z6w You would connect the audio output from your PC to an amplifier. The 5-pin MIDI port on the V3 is for connecting to a piece of hardware (synthesizer, sampler, etc.) when you want to trigger something instead of a computer/device.

If you’re running Battery as a standalone go to File>Audio and MIDI Settings… then click on MIDI and set Mandala_V3 to ‘ON’ as an Input. The rest is in the tutorial video, but it’s not a Battery tutorial it’s a V3 tutorial.

Also, Windows doesn’t allow connected MIDI controllers to communicate with two programs at once, including the optional V3 Utility, so only run one at a time.

First go to Device Manager in Windows and make sure Mandala_V3 shows up under ‘Sound, video & game controllers’ when you plug it in. Then go to utility.mandalaV3.com in Chrome or Edge and hit the V3 and you should see it light up on the screen. The Utility app isn’t required but it’s a good way to monitor your pad. Next you need to open any audio software you’re already familiar with and trigger it by drumming on the Mandala just like you would trigger it with a keyboard.

@MandalaDrum I got that far. I can't get any audio out of it at all in Cubase. Is there a software or plug-in that has different sounds to use?

⁠​⁠@@HawkFightTalkOk that means your Mandala is working. That’s a good first step. Next open a synth plugin on a track in Cubase like I do with Alchemy in Logic in the tutorial video. You’ll need to be familiar with whatever software you want to trigger. There are a lot of tutorial videos about the stock plugins that come with Cubase. With the Mandala you’ll be triggering those plugins with notes and continuous controllers by playing with sticks instead of banging on keys and moving mod wheels and faders on a keyboard.

Also, Windows only allows one program at a time to talk to a connected MIDI controller, so keep that in mind no matter what gear you’re using. In your case, close the V3 Utility before you open Cubase.

​@MandalaDrum ok so I am getting sound and able to record. But I am not able to trigger the function where I place the stick and drag it to shift the sound. It is reading it, but not replicating it in the audio. What setting changes this? In the video, he triggers it inside alchemy without changing anything.

You can connect the Mandala V3 to a USB C port. A powered hub is only necessary if you don’t have enough available USB ports on your computer.

In Battery you need to turn on MIDI devices you want to control it with. Go to File>Audio and MIDI Settings… and in the MIDI tab there you need to turn the Mandala to ‘On’. For general connection steps you can watch the Mandala V3 Unboxing and Setup Tutorial video on the Mandala Drum KZbin channel too. There’s also Battery info in that video.

@@MandalaDrum Thank you for the quick reply! I tried all that, no dice... but I don't think it's a Mandala issue. I think it's my installation of Battery.

@@reactdave1800To verify your Mandala connection go to Audio MIDI Setup on your Mac and make sure you see Mandala_V3 in the MIDI Studio window there. To monitor Mandala output you can go to utility.mandalaV3.com in Chrome and you’ll see Mandala_V3 in the Device window there and see your hits light up on the pad graphic.

All Mandala surfaces (v1, v2, mk2.9, and V3) operate off of spiral patterned analog membrane switches that can register one strike at a time. You can flam in order to get two simultaneous surface hits but you can’t strike at the same time. That’s what the rims are for on the V3. They enable simultaneous strikes between surface and rims and between rims and rims.

@@MandalaDrum Okay, that makes sense! Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing a setting. I actually design and fabricate membrane switches with graphic overlays- if you ever need to prototype anything with a flat panel keypad or backlighting, let me know! Thanks again

Yes we began sending out small groups of customized emails starting the week of July 15th to get final purchases rolling smoothly and to verify our testing, packing, and shipping process. We’ve been ramping up steadily since then and larger email group mailouts (including your personal purchase link email) will be sent soon. Keep in mind the shipping process will be ongoing until completion of all shipping estimated at about the end of August.

@@MandalaDrum Cool, no problem. I'm pumped.. No way I'm missing out on this. Thanks!

I ordered 3/8/24, got my email link today, 9/26/24, so if you haven’t gotten it yet, it’s coming!!!

Just uploaded a tutorial video for the V3. It's on the Mandala Drum KZbin channel if you're interested!

@@MandalaDrum Thank you!!!