How to use The Novation Circuit Tracks with External Hardware

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Ok so a non subscriber pointed out that I made a couple errors in my description of the Circuit Tracks' capabilities.. First Drums are on channel 10 (by default though you can config them I will make a video describing that) and they are triggered with C-3,D-3,E-3, and F-3 for the channels 5,6,7,8 respectfully. Also apparently the inputs are 1 and 2 and both are mono so you can run audio into the Circuit Tracks if you would like for 2 mono audio devices. Sorry for any confusion this may have caused... If you have any other questions feel free to hit me up. I apparently confused the couple Circuit Devices I have (Tracks an Rhythm). I have a Rhythm video coming soon.

[@RaquelFoster]

The Tracks can easily be set to have two MIDI outputs instead of an out and a thru. Page 107 in the manual. And it looks like you already noticed the audio inputs are for the MIDI 1 and 2 external device tracks. That’s why the plugs are labeled 1 and 2 instead of L and R. They can be independently panned, independently sidechained, and independently have delay/reverb applied. By default they are both panned to the center. That’s page 90 of the manual.

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Thanks Raquel! Yeah pretty interesting actually - reading the manual?? You do realize I’m a guy right lol 😂 just kidding - so many manuals so little time eh? But thanks for that. Hey would you consider subbing I just checked out your channel - good stuff. I’d love to keep in touch!!

[@akzeone]

Fantastic! As intend to enter the realm of eurorack, i was looking for some explanations about how to use my CT as a sequecer for modules and my Roland T8 😁

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Oh wow euro rack, that’s a beast I don’t dare tangle with lol not in physical form anyway I’ve played with some virtual stuff. I think if I started buying rack gear, I would quickly be divorced lol. But are you thinking of using the CT with Mitty to control your devices, or are you planning on using CV to control your devices? I know most of your stuff does use CVs. I’m asking because - the CT has a sync out, so it can be used to “drive” you euro rack and provide a clock, but it can’t send CV data like varied voltage levels to change pitch or send “signals” over CV - just clock start/stop/timing. If you want to use it to play notes on a euro rack rig, you’ll need a MIDI to CV converter like is ( www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwimupfm9YyGAxU_bUcBHTm4Bz8YABALGgJxdQ&gclid=CjwKCAjwl4yyBhAgEiwADSEjeDOPvlSuuaVWv-HkRaRbV2xbBaZlj5NSnixJXh-qaNNC5Y5oWc2x7BoCNg0QAvD_BwE&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESVeD20Tw5n_CXKLmaGdaqI2rKbZCskeMdX0rghsE9SOrGFvW53cyO99RlcdsDXgtjXorcRO51KdETG5bVN9i_uuRcy8VZP2zPyDCAPrB6orCSca1Nz2s&sig=AOD64_0Dlb2oye4r8wyemFYy1BFicq5lEQ&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwjWh5Hm9YyGAxVylYkEHVtFB6IQwg8oAHoECAIQDA&adurl=) of course using the CT you also have the 4 tracks of sample playback and 2 FM synths, so it is still a cool device if you are just using it for sync and using it as a “module” within you new ER setup. Now the T8 (the cool little 808 drum machine) does support sync in and out - so it should be able to (without midi) connect and receive timing from the CT. If you want to “program” the T8 from the CT, however, you’re going to want to use midi ( which can also send and receive timing). The”sync ports” are not full featured CV - so that said and knowing it only send start/stop/clock - if you use that method you will be programming your rhythm on the T8 using the T8 and just receiving timing from the CT. If that is what you’re looking for then 👍👍👏👏let’s go!! You’ve got it - otherwise midi is a more robust (and complex) communication protocol and might serve you better in this case. I really hope that helps and that I didn’t go off the deep end on you. Let me know if I can help you out anymore. Have a great day and please don’t forget to like and subscribe.

[@akzeone]

Very helpful, thank you so much for your explanations. Yeah i already use the sync out with my t8. Just start/stop/clock as you said. But that's already a great deal not to have to try to push 2 buttons exactly at the same time. 😂 I'm gathering all the knowledge i can before building my eurorack.

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

@akzeone nice!! I wish you luck with the EuroRack build. If I were younger, single, and had more time I would definitely be looking at EuroRack stuff… However I’m no single, time is tight and, well I just do t have the patience to connect all those wires for one patch lol. It is super powerful and that it is soooo infinite!! It’s crazy!!! I’ll just keep messing with Cherry Audio’s Voltage ;). If you haven’t subbed please do and keep me up to date with your progress!

[@bdxfhsf]

Nice.. Thanks for that although audio goes low at 1:30 ish. Still got what I needed from the video and love the Crave ;) Would Circuit Rhythm do the same thing, no?

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Hey Benson I’m glad it helped. I put that together for you sorry about the audio not sure why that happened. But yes it should be the same - I will swap out the devices and make a separate video for you.

[@bdxfhsf]

@@Cap10NRGMusic Well thank you again, it really is a useful playable hub device, it's great. I bet ya can't wait for the Texture Lab to come.. 2nd June for Andertons here in the UK

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

@@bdxfhsf Oh nice - I was checking on that and have not heard anything yet. Is it supposed to ship on the 2nd or arrive?

[@bdxfhsf]

@@Cap10NRGMusic "More stock due on Fri 2nd Jun 2023" So to arrive and ship I guess.. As soon as they get stuff in and is on order it usually goes out the same day.. Big Up!

[@ryanstevens3822]

wait wiat wait, i can get four volcas on my circuit tracks if i lose the CT synths???? you are blowing my mind

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Actually, one more thing… You can actually layer that synth if you want that way you can technically create a layer of synthesis that comes from the circuit tracks, and a layer of synthesis that comes and compliments from another device on the same channel, and play them together to create a richer performance voice🤯

[@ryanstevens3822]

i guess there's still just two audio ins thou.... where in the manual does it show how to control more stuff tho? i was stuck forever realizing i needed midi channel 3+4 originalyl hahja im a totally newbie @@Cap10NRGMusic

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

@ryanstevens3822 hey Ryan I’m happy to help you out with that man there’s some stuff you need to do to make it work… Like you might want to get yourself a small mixer off Amazon I’ve found four channel mono mixers for like $20… You might even be able to use a split cable though that method gives you less control. I’ll put something together for you so you can see what I’m talking about like I’ll get a video together for you. I have an appointment tonight but I will take care of it shortly so you can see what I’m talking about

[@ryanstevens3822]

yeah ive got a mixer, ill hit the books some more @@Cap10NRGMusic

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Hey there - I finally got this video together for you! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWTam6mMj7qFo6M Please let me know if it helps you out! Share it withi your friends and I will hopefully see you in the comments! :D

[@Vernalobos]

I’m hoping you maybe able to help me out. I have a Roland S-1 synth. I have run my midi out cable from back of CT to midi in of the S-1. I have set the S-1 to be on midi channel 3 to align with CT. I have then run audio out from S-1 into first audio in on back of CT. When I try to use the CT to trigger the S-1 nothing happens. The pads don’t play anything. If I play live on the S-1 the sound comes through the CT but at a very low level compared to the track volumes on the CT synth for instance. Even cranking up the volume on the S-1 and the mixer on the CT does not make the S-1 volume equal to stuff on the CT. What’s going wrong here?

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Hey there, sounds like you have a mini channel situation. Make sure that the Roland device is configured to the same channel you’re transmitting from. I am not familiar with that device, but chances are default to channel one what I would do is test go to the first synthesizer on your circuit tracks, turn down the volume on the circuit tracks, and then try playing the synthesizer to see if it triggers the Roland synth. if it does… It means the Roland is receiving on channel one, you’ll need to go into the Roland menu somewhere and tell it on channel 3 or four for it to work with the circuit tracks. When you do midi channel 3 is the first external out, and mid channel 4 is the second channel out.

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Oh, as far as the level goes… Try adjusting the mixer if if you need help with that, let me know

[@dvnc-music]

Great tutorial 🔥 I have a question can you record a sequence from an external synth and loop it and then record another from the same synth and loop it on top of the first and and so on?

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Well not exactly - I get what you’re asking but this is not a loop recorded though you can have multiple midi channels that play back. You might like the SMPLTREK that does work like that sort of - I can show you that if you’re interested. If you want you can do that without other hardware using a multitrack recorder software if you don’t mind using a PC/Mac using Audacity.

[@axbxrx0]

I just got a "Behringer Pro Vs Mini" I'm using midi 2 on the tracks to send midi to my Behringer. Everything works fine except when I change the project on circuit it changes the patch on the Behringer. Have you encountered this problem before

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Yes, I believe there’s a setting to. I’ll have to look what it is. I’m not at the device right now, but I think there’s a setting to disable receive patches or receive patch changes.

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

OK, so I’ve got some really not awesome news… I haven’t tried the circuit yet as far as this goes in there might be a way to tell it not to send program changes, but they does not appear to be a way to get the pro vs mini to ignore program changes… I know you could do this with a software filter between the two like if I were using CUBASE, I can stop them from getting through, but the machine itself does not have a way to stop it. Fear not I am looking into what I can do about it and I definitely will contactBehringer to request that that be added. Crazy that it’s not already there.

[@synthsoniq]

@@Cap10NRGMusic I really like your channel! I was going to comment above just saying I enjoy your informative videos, but I saw this question here and since I had just been looking at the MIDI implementation on the Circuit Tracks anyway, I knew the answer. Yes, on the Circuit Tracks you can turn off Program Change messages individually for each channel, while still keeping the regular note on / off data going out to the synth. You'll see info on how to do it in the diagram on the bottom of Page 102 in the manual.

[@donovaneyre]

Hey you ever have an issue where the crave only plays every other note the circuit tracks sends? E.g in keyboard mode on CT you hit a pad and it plays a note, you hit it again and nothing, you hit it a third time and it does play. Can't figure out what I'm missing here. Thank you!

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Wow, that’s curious. I have no idea. I’ve never had mine play. Every other note I can’t even think of what that might be. I guess I’d ask first is it precise like that like every other note exactly? I mean there’s no gate, so it’s not a gate there are no effects really built into this device, so I am kind of at a loss. If it’s skipping nose here and there it could be a bunch of different things from a bad cable to, a faulty controller or possibly a faulty board in the crave. But I really am not positive. I’d have to do some digging if you want I’ll take a look and see what I can find.

[@donovaneyre]

@@Cap10NRGMusicthanks for the quick response! I figured it out after like an hour - had to disable the poly voice option in the Behringer software

[@liuchaquan]

I feel like I'm missing something really obvious. I can hook up and sequence my Microkorg on one of the midi channels, but once I unplug the midi, the notes are not there anymore. The steps are still in the pattern, but the sound doesn't get recorded in? Do I always have to have the external synth hooked up to play its sounds, or can that get recorded into the Circuit Tracks somehow? (I feel the Circuit Rhythm might be better for accomplishing this? idk)

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

So you’re saying that once you unplug the synthesizer, you can no longer hear it. That’s correct yes midi controls your synthesizer and the notes are playing through it. The rhythm does not record either. It will sample if you’d like, but it does not record the audio into the device. Neither of these devices directly record, audio per se. They can both use pre-recorded samples, and the circuit rhythm can record its own samples. But the circuit tracks does not record at all. That way it only records notes in a sequence. If that makes sense, I can explain that more in another video, if you’d like, but basically, when you control a synthesizer with midi, the synthesizer is what is making the noise… If you have a device like a Sonicware SMPLTrek or AKAI Force or MPC you can record audio as either samples or as a track.

[@liuchaquan]

@@Cap10NRGMusic ok, thanks for confirming. As a follow up, I did sample an arpeggiated chord from my Microkorg into the Circuit Rhythm (and somehow along the way I got that arpeggiated chord from my Microkorg to sound like a guitar riff with a wah pedal... somehow!). I guess I'm going to have to shift my focus into being ready to record these sessions as I might not be able to get that particular "lightning in a bottle" configuration again. I just recently purchased Ableton, so I'll be eventually learning to use that to record my sessions with my various boxes... (trying to import my Circuit Tracks projects into Ableton right now! lol)

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Do you have a mixer? If not, you might want to get one and run everything into the mixer and then to a recording device. You can purchase something like a field recorder or something that has input on it and record all the time. I know that sounds ridiculous but I can’t even tell you how many things have, for lack of a better word, escaped because I was not recording. It kind of sucks to lose something like that I know. But if you’re recording, you can at least go back to the recording and edit it out. Grab what you wanted. If you have an old computer, what you can do is set up audacity on it. I think it has a loop record where you can set like a 40 minute loop or 30 minute loop and it will record and then record again and then again destructively removing the old loop but at the same time giving you that buffer to experiment. I’ll have to look to see if that actually is there or if that’s just something I’m remembering wrong, that might be a whole video right there.😁

[@DavidCastro-c2l]

Having trouble connecting tracks with my Smpltrek. I want to use the synth on my circuit tracks with smpltrek.

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Hey there - I can help you out with that. I would want to try it out before I tell you how to do it, but I have a pretty good idea of how to do it.

[@DavidCastro-c2l]

@@Cap10NRGMusic I appreciate you. I think I kinda figured it out actually. Still a little wonky tho.(after track 5 on the smpltrek it wouldn't receive midi from the circuit) I'll mess with it some more tomorrow. Thanks.

[@fuguroo]

Correction: The 4 drum tracks do not send on MIDI channel 5,6,7,8. They all send out on MIDI channel 10 and each only sends out one MIDI note number. Regarding your mono audio outs from your two synths it would be better to run the Model D mono out into one of the Circuit Tracks audio inputs, and then take one of the two leads from the split outs of the Crave into the other audio input on the Circuit Tracks. You don't need to use the stereo output of the Crave since it's mono anyways. Just use one side of the split. Doing it this way you would have audio control of both synths running through your Circuit Tracks.

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

Hello @EZ Meditation - apparently I am slightly confusing the Circuit Tracks and Circuit Rhythm. The jacks on the back do appear to be 2 MONO channels - not one stereo channel as it is on the Rhythm. I do have both devices and apparently confused that with the Circuit Rhythm as well as the drum channel are all on 10 and triggered with C3 for channel 5, D3 for channel 6, E3 fir channel 7, and F3 for channel 8. Sorry for the confusion - I'm only human hahaha (well mostly lol).

[@fuguroo]

@@Cap10NRGMusic No problem. Just trying to help so that others out there will have the correct information to work with. I have my Circuit Tracks connected to a Korg Volca FM2 and a Roland AIRA S-1. That is truly a great combination! Another pro tip. The Circuit Tracks mono inputs are unbalanced. You can insert a TRS plug and the "ring" remains floating and not connected to anything. Because of this you can use a 1/8 TRS to 1/4 TRS cable and only half of the stereo signal (tip) coming out of your synths stereo output will be connected to the Circuit Tracks mono input. So you now have mono to mono with one simple cable. No splitter needed.

[@DomikDomik]

Hello. I have a bit of a struggle here. Every time I start my Circuit Tracks it automatically starts Crave's sequencer. How can I prevent that? I just want to use Crave as additional synth.

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

So you just want to be able to play the crave from the circuit tracks, but not kick off the sequence on the crave?

[@DomikDomik]

@@Cap10NRGMusic Yes. Exactly.

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

OK here we go. What do you want to do is get yourself a copy of synth tribe, version 2.61 or whatever the most recent version is from behringer. When you open it with your Krave plugged into your computer, you will see a menu that says Mini clock out, clock sores, a sign value, and the one you’re looking for is right under assigned value called sequence or auto sync turn that to deactivated and then if you press play on your circuit tracks, it will not automatically sync up the sequencer. And you will still be able to send patterns to it from the circuit tracks or play it manually.

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

By the way, sorry for the delay, I had other obligations, but I got you!

[@DomikDomik]

@@Cap10NRGMusic thank you very much! I will now know what to do.

[@hpjackson1]

When i plugged in my crave i wasn't able to use the chromatic keyboard, midi is in the correct plug aswell as receiving master clock to the crave. It just wont allow me to control notes via the circuit tracks helpppp

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

If I were to guess it’s probably a mid channel scenario. Be sure that you have the MIDI channel on your crave set to either three or four, which ever of the channels you want to use off of the circuit tracks. It’s one of those two channel 3 or channel 4. You set the channel on your crave using the DIP switches on the back there’s some little white switches that look like light switches… Sorry if I’m describing this in a way that seems like you’ve never seen these before but I’m not sure if you have lol so I apologize. I know I hate it when they start troubleshooting my machine like, did you turn it off and on lol, anyway, those switches need to be set a particular way you’ll need to consult the manual if you don’t have it go to beringer.com and look at it and they’ll show you how to channel 1 through 16 using the switches on the back. If I’m right and remembering and I think I am is one and that’s all the switches off 16 is 15 and that is all the switches on that would make channel 3 be the second switch from the right on and channel 4 would be, the last two switches up so the last two switches on the right up and everything else down. Try that and let me know if it works if it does awesome don’t forget to like and subscribe.

[@hpjackson1]

@@Cap10NRGMusic yep worked mate thanks.

[@hpjackson1]

@@Cap10NRGMusic have you come across a system package that links up craves' parameters? Or do I have to map the CC's and create my own sys file and load to CT?

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

@@hpjackson1 I haven’t seen one. I actually haven’t been able to send much in the way of ccs to the crave. Straight MIDI notes as far as my experience with it. I generally wind up manually tweaking knobs

[@Cap10NRGMusic]

@hpjackson1 very happy to help!!