Dreadbox Typhon: How To Use External Midi [Typhon Mastery Course]

[@horsezanthus5040]

I have a Digitakt and I’m just about to get the Typhon. Been watching these videos and instantly subbed. Thank you 🙏

[@jamesorvis_mixhackers]

Welcome to the channel mate! Typhon is a little beast eh! Course and preset pack for it is now available, Digitakt course is coming after the Syntakt course :)

[@audian666]

same boat, have takt & tone, was looking for some analogue power, i'll get a Typhon around Black Friday :D

[@thearcade3065]

Hi, This is a great video ! At the end, is it possible to save this setup as a midi track preset ? And then recall it on any project ? Thanks

[@jamesorvis_mixhackers]

Unfortunately it’s a copy and paste job. I really wish midi tracks could be saved as patches and each knob could be labelled too that would be amazing

[@thearcade3065]

@@jamesorvis_mixhackers Damn … that should be implemented maybe in a firmware update..

[@jamesorvis_mixhackers]

One can hope eh! I cant see why it couldn't be done!

[@andremmmmm2445]

So glad I found your channel! - I am using Digitone to sequence the Typhone so sam(ish) setup. also using Keytstep to play (KS>DS>Typhon). Can't get the ModWheel, Pitchbend or aftertouch to transmit to the Typhon.....any suggestions? - thanks for the video, very helpfull!

[@jamesorvis_mixhackers]

Welcome aboard! Yeah I’m not sure what’s happening there, Typhon should be picking up cc from mod wheel and pitch. Have you gone into all the settings such as midi channel and also enabled the Typhon to recieve cc? Also check what midi channel the Keystep is transmitting on. The other thing is connections, have u tried patching the key step straight into Typhon to test? To get key step direct to Typhon it would need to go to midi thru as the midi will stop at the digitone

[@andremmmmm2445]

Thanks for your reply @@jamesorvis_mixhackers . KS works fine connected directly to Typhon. KS also works fin (PB and MW) when controling DT sounds directly. Also, MW encoder in DT (midi mode) does work on the Typhon....but when in Midi mod, its like the KS MW and PB do not get through the DT to reach the Typhon. Playing notes works great. So all midi channels are ok......Anyways, must be some obscure setting somewhere in the DT....Will keep looking....Thanks!

[@jamesorvis_mixhackers]

I think a Kenton midi thru or midi merge box is what you need. I use these in my rig. I use midi merge for sending PC4 and Digitakt into the Syntakt input port. And I use a midi thru to send Digitakt output to 4 synths and a Sourcr Audio EQ2. You could use either, what you need to plug the key step into one of these boxes then send one out to Digitone and one to Typhon. If you also want a signal to reach Typhon from digitone then I would go for the midi merge. Like this: Key step midi out > Midi Merge Input 1 Digitone Midi Out > Midi Merge Input 2 Midi Merge out 1 > Typhon midi Merge out 2 > Digitone There may be some midi loop conflict there so you would need to figure out midi channel setup.

[@jamesorvis_mixhackers]

I’m just thinking off top of my mind but also have y tried using midi thru? Key step > digitone In Digitone thru > Typhon This would allow keystep to control both Typhon and digitone. The problem here would be that digitone would no longer control Typhon so… This could be solution: Keystep > digitone In Digitone Out > Kenton Merge input 1 Digitone Thru > Kenton Merge Input 2 Kenton Merge out 1 > Typhon Input I actually think that is the solution 💪

[@jpjameson]

Mine arrives today. Great video and exactly how I plan to use it. I also want to see what function I can pull out of it with the Electra one programmable midi controller.

[@jamesorvis_mixhackers]

Glad it was helpful! How you finding it?

[@walrtbstudios5430]

Got a pair of Typhons, but it has never occurred to me to play either from keyboard. I still have no idea how to do it mind- midi is a totally closed book to me, and cc instructions might as well be in Sanskrit- but this has encouraged me to look at the manual again.

[@jamesorvis_mixhackers]

I used to feel this way about midi but it’s a really simple protocol. Once you pick it up you will realise how easy it is to program. There’s 16 channels, you can change a machine to be on one of those channels. Each channel has 128 cc messages usually labelled 0-127 (just to be more confusing) 😂 Those cc messages have a range of 128 (or 0-127 to be confusing again!). That’s the range or incremental steps. So when you turn a knob controlling say the filter it’s broken down into 128 steps of motion. Let’s put that into context. If I want to control a filter of a synth, I need to make sure the synth is on a channel of choice let’s say 1. I then need to make sure the keyboard is also sending midi data out on channel 1. Straight away I should be able to play the synth using keys and mod wheel, pitch wheel should also work. To affect the filter I need the correct midi cc number from the manual, let’s say it’s 14. So I then need to make sure the knob ok the keyboard sends midi cc message 14, which can be done using a software editor, bare in mind not all controllers and keyboards have an editor to change mappings, but most modern ones do. That’s pretty much it for basics, once you’ve done that a few times it becomes the easiest thing to mess around with.

[@walrtbstudios5430]

@@jamesorvis_mixhackers A very comprehensive and useful response- thank you! I have Novation Launchkey and Launchpad, and have got no use out of the latter at all- every manufacturer and their manuals seem to assume that users know all about midi, but I have never come across a midi 101 tutorial on any platform. Every piece of gear I own is set to midi channel 1 (by default I think); the one synth I bought that wasn’t never did work for me, and I sold it on “for parts/not working”. Cv and gate I get, and I have a cv/gate to midi converter so that the modular can play a Typhon, but as I wrote above it would never have occurred to me to play it with a keyboard.

[@dannystephenson4957]

Can you transpose the sequence via a midi keyboard?

[@jamesorvis_mixhackers]

You can yes! I’ve done this via Digitakt keyboard before

[@devonhansen7705]

if you activate legato on the Typhon, can you program note glides on the Syntakt by parameter locking the note length?

[@SeenfromSpace]

Can I ask about using T’s sequencer and step mod when clocking from an ipad sequencer that’s driving other instruments? It’s not working as I’d expect! I can sequence notes and CC from the iPad but only by losing a load of valuable onboard functionality. When I set master clock to “external” and modulator synch to BPM: * the onboard sequencer won’t run, neither independently nor when the external sequencer (Korg Gadget, iOS) is running. * the step modulator won’t run. Behaving as it does, the only option I can think of is to use Typhon as the master clock. That would be not convenient at all! Many thanks if you can advise!

[@DENISDNSM]

Nice ideas but please do you know How is it possible to sens midi pc from ST to Typhon in order to change thé program of thé Typhon in thé same Time you change pattern on thé ST ?

[@jamesorvis_mixhackers]

Hey, yeah you need to make sure the Typhon is on same midi channel and in the settings you set it to be able to receive PC. On a Syntakt midi track set it up same midi channel, enable the program change pots for program change and bank. Choose the bank and program change number. Make sure you have a trick on sequencer of set a trigless trig on the first step to initiate the program change message. You will need to go between two patterns to test it changing back and forth. Also make sure your Syntakt settings are good, midi channels, clock send, cc send, transport send, PC send etc

[@alandunphy6746]

Awesome tutorial man. Regretting not buying one of these at Synthfest 😞

[@jamesorvis_mixhackers]

Thanks mate, yeah they are great! Come up on ebay often

[@ippeiegi]

Thank you so much❤

[@jamesorvis_mixhackers]

You're welcome 😊

[@Powhart]

My Heart just broke a little when You used Analog Channel as a Midi one...

[@jamesorvis_mixhackers]

Haha!! Yeah I agree! In my full live rig I don’t do this at all, my Digitakt is the external synth sequencer for all synths. Syntakt has full reign with all 12 tracks

[@Powhart]

@@jamesorvis_mixhackers I'm thinking about getting Digitakt as well :) My Syntakt feels lonely