HI I am trying to use the Super knob automation wit ha cc value of 95 to then assign that in my DAW (ableton) to affect a vst plugin parameter - essentially making the montage act as an external modulation source. For some reason I can physically turn the super knob and it will affect the destination parameter on the the plugin but having the superknob motion sequence does not do it. Is there something I'm missing?

Hi, thanks for the question...

What you state sounds absolutely correct. A MIDI Controller must physically be moved to generate the Control Change message that it is assigned to send. You know this... every MIDI Controller works like that, it is the physical movement that generates the data (the MIDI message).

Automating the Super Knob movement will address the internal MONTAGE via directly assigned parameter destinations. You will notice the destinations are a wide variety of internal parameter locations (well over 200 such potential parameter destinations to select from)... The “magic” of the Super Knob is reserved for internal synth and any data entering the Motion Control Synthesis Engine via the A/D Input.

It’s initially a bit of a head-scratchers, but true nonetheless:
Motion Sequences that automate the Super Knob cannot be recorded as event data Out via MIDI — because no controllers are physically moved...therefore, no MIDI messages are generated by it. A Motion Sequence can be setup to ‘run’ whenever triggered (by a note-on, by an Arp, by an external a Beat, or just run freely).

This is a new concept for many, but to understand what a MONTAGE Motion Sequence is, we usually start with the similarity to an Arpeggio. When you think of an Arpeggio and an Arpeggiator, you think of a device that can playback music phrases in response to trigger notes that are input, and are used to shape the musical phrase that is output.

If you imagine an Arpeggio Phrase that contains no note data... only controller movement messages... you begin to understand what a Motion Sequence is... It is an Arpeggio without notes, just parameter change messages.

Therefore, the Motion Sequence makes no sound — they must be applied to something that is sounding. Say you record the Pan position change of a Part, left-right-left, and turn that into an Arp Phrase. You only hear it as it modifies the current sound being played. If you stop playing the Pan data cannot be detected. Say you record the FC7 doing Expression, loud-soft-loud, and turn that into an Arp Phrase. You only hear it as it modifies the current sound being played. You will also find Control Arps that bend pitch, and that open and close Filter Cutoff and change the amount of Resonance.... but they make no sound on their own... they are Modulators only.

Now, take that concept... Arp Phrases that contains no notes, only cc10, cc11, cc71, cc74 and PB messages... and expand it beyond just that handful of dedicated cc messages, to include MONTAGE’s unprecedented 251 potential assignable parameter destinations! And you begin to understand what a Motion Sequence is... its programmable “automation” of the synthesizer’s internal parameters.

It is any of these parameter destinations within the synth architecture being moved by an automated phrase. It is applied to the current sound. When you create a Super Knob Auto Motion Sequence, it is a clock-able/trigger-able series of movements, that gets applied to the current sound as it plays, or plays back.

When you record yourself playing, you must record the Note-Ons to which the MSeq will be applied. On playback, you will hear what you played directly, but the Motion Sequence automation must be triggered “live”. It will be applied to the current sound.

The Super Knob Auto MS leaves no MIDI footprints... it is a set of parameter movements, that can be triggered, when you want to play it back.

Final Word:
There are some things you can do with your MONTAGE that cannot be documented in MIDI by events... They occur in real time. Super Knob Auto Motion Sequences are one of them. To have them repeated, you must playback the data they are assigned to manipulate. In other words, say you have an Auto Super Knob movement that is sweeping pitch on some Parts, opening filters on others, closing filters on some, panning support sounds across the field, and fading up the strings in a 24 measure cycle... when documenting your composition to a DAW (or performing it), you would playback your MIDI Tracks, the data will trigger the Super Knob Auto Motion Sequence and it will be happening in real time as you listen.

Remember, it can be scores and scores of parameters being adjusted. MIDI does not provide near enough cc messages for the 251 potential parameter destinations... besides you’d choke the data stream with cc messages. Super Knob Auto Motion Sequences are unique, and do not leave any MIDI “footprints”.

If you can return the audio of your external synth to the MONTAGE A/D Input, then, and only then, can you apply Super Knob automation to an external device.

ok I get it now. somehow I got to find a way to figure out something Im trying to do. Ill keep experimenting.

If you can accomplish your goal by automating cc values, you can create pretty much whatever you need with a user Arpeggio.

Create a MIDI Track that is a recording of the movement you want. Convert it to an Arpeggio in the MONTAGE using Convert Type = Normal. You can then assign that Arpeggio to control your external synth.

Controller Arps must be assigned using KEY MODE = Direct, this allows the tone generator to be triggered directly, and the controller data to be applied. An Arpeggio Phrase can output MIDI “footprints”, it can set to play one shot, or it can be looped, it can sync’d to tempo.

Thanks for that tip. How do I use the controller arpeggio to assign the midi cc value I am going for?

You can record whatever you need directly to the MONTAGE sequencer or use you favorite DAW to draw the controller movement you want.
You want a MIDI Track containing just the controller data. Use convert type = normal convert the data to a User Arp
When applying this Arp to a Part set the Part “Arpeggio” > “Common” > Key Mode = direct

See this thread: Control Arps