Behringer K2 OSC calibration

Behringer has the habit of disappearing downloads, so a  quick and dirty screenshot from a Scribd document.

Let the K2 warm up before doing this.

https://www.scribd.com/document/998358128/Behringer-K2-Calibrate-BE-P0DN7-K-2-VCO-Calibration

Updating Behringer Neutron Firmware - Using a Mac is easier

 

The Neutron has an array of deeper settings accessible by various button presses. These are also accessible by using the appropriate app.

But, as the title of this post refers to, it requires an updated firmware greater than v2.

I spent a number of hours trying to convince Windows to work, but ultimately failed and switched to a Mac, which worked first try.

If you do try Windows there are a few things -

MSVCP140.dll VCRUNTIME140.dll errors because you need to install Microsoft Visual C++

The 2.0.3 Firmware update is the same as the 2.0.2 but also supports later MacOS.

The Boot button is a recessed button at the back, requires a paper clip or similar to press. Pressing this while powering the unit on, will put the Neutron into Firmware Update mode.

The Zadig USB driver (linked in the Troubleshooting section of firmware release notes - https://zadig.akeo.ie/

Firmware installer stalls at 3% is apparently another USB issue, I did not solve it, but someone did by using a cheap USB hub. It's also useful that this does not effect the Neutron at all so it should be OK to restart the Neutron.

Google drive folder containing a collection of Behringer Neutron software, firmware, manuals, etc. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mUeBCpUOgYDygU0XWG-w49r1Im_5w3CA?usp=drive_link

references

https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/comments/q7dfil/behringer_neutron_firmware_update_procedure_is

Pitch CV as a v-trigger sync signal

For no real reason  I occasionally consider using CV for other purposes, todays goal is to use pitch CV to emulate a V-Trigger pulse clock signal.

If V-Trigger uses a voltage transition between 0V and 5V.

While Oxi One sequencer using V/Oct CV range, 0V is C2, 5V is C7.

> Sequence a simple pitch sequence between those two  notes.

Select a mono track on the Oxi One,
set CV settings for track to ouput pitch v/oct,
connect cable between CV out on Oxi and SYNC in on device.

Oxi One - Setting the CV out as V/Oct, and using the Major scale for simplicity.
Other devices - using 1 PPS for simplicity.

This of course worked*, so I decided to go a bit further and explore workable pitch ranges for the transition to work.

If C2 - C7 works, would C3 - G4 work?
What range of pitches would satisfy required levels for triggering?

This was done by modifying the simple melodic sequence (C2, C7) to discover the transition pitch between the sync working/not working.

Raise the lower pitch until it stops working, lower to working pitch
Lower the upper pitch until it stops working, raise to working pitch
**Confirm lower pitch,
Reset lower pitch to C2, confirm upper pitch.

Table shows working ranges,
pitches below the down column, and above the up column.

I found two types of responses.
The first responds when the pulse changes around a central value - the values below show the smallest difference that would work.
The second responds to a change of a certain value but with no fixed centre - the values below show the smallest difference at either extreme.

                                                range in pitch,              

Arturia Beatstep Pro                C3/B3

Behringer TD3                        C3/D4

Behringer RD8                        C3/A3

Behringer Crave                      A3/B3           

Roland TR-06                         A2/B2

Second Type 

Korg Monotribe                     C-1/D-1    and     A6/B6

Sonicware XFM                     C-1/E-1    and      G6/B6

*With caveats for timing, 1PPS was the simplest to work with.
The end device tempo of is based on the Oxi sequencer timing and any device scaling settings. Sequencer settings also determine pitch at 0V.

**Added the confirm step to allow for devices such as the Sonicware XFM which does not have set pitch points, any interval of at least 4 semitones seems to work.

OXI ONE MKII - a begginers journey

 PART 1 . 

I  spent at least 10 minutes trying to work out how to turn it on,

no success.

quick google and i found the mkii quick start guide (1), it did not help

so i spent another while staring at the buttons looking for anything that might indicate it being on/off.

..

..

..

eventually i went back to the tiny led nubbin on the side, i had previously pressed it with no success, i guess i didnt press it hard enough :(

here is an infographic i prepared for this post.

excellent work!

funnily enough while typing this post i found the mkI quick guide. it was annoyingly clear and helpful.

1. https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/680a6ddb0ecd7b4735da6c64/6811e7528488edb1c2c936d7_OXI%20ONE%20MKII%20-%20Quick%20Guide.pdf.pdf

BEHRINGER CRAVE MIDI CC

Inputs? taken from Perplexity so it might be ...

CC 1: Modulation wheel (default assign)

CC 2: Breath Control

CC 4: Foot Controller

CC 7: Volume

CC 13: Effect Controller 2 (often used for effect parameter)

CC 51: ADSR Attack control

CC 52: ADSR Decay control

CC 53: ADSR Sustain control

CC 74: Sound Controller 5 (controls VCF cutoff frequency)

CC 84: Portamento CC Control (controls amount of portamento/glide)

UNFORTUNATELY #51 IS ALSO THE TRANSPORT PLAY CONTROLLER!

--


 Assignable output 

10 MIDI Velocity

11 MIDI Channel Pressure

12 MIDI Pitch Bend

13 MIDI CC1

14 MIDI CC2

15 MIDI CC4

16 MIDI CC7

Roland VS-890 digital audio workstation meets a Compact Flash card.

 

Meet my slightly run down Roland VS-890. Has some scratchy pots and a whiney 2GB HD but I kind of use it as a 6 channel mixer with onboard effects.

Whiney hard drive is bad news, I tried simply removing it but it does not boot past loading screen so Compact Flash time!

Ordered some CF to IDE, and SD to CF adaptors.

Pulled out the hard drive in it's fancy caddy.

First attempt was using the Panasonic 2GB SD card

BUT IT FAILED!

As did all subsequent trials with the variety of SD cards and 2 types of SD to CF.

Fortunately I have 2 real CF cards.

SUCCESS!

The machine booted successfully and formatted each of the two 128mb CF cards.

I will now look around for 2GB or 4GB cards to try.

--

As a bonus, the 128MB Digitech card is from a JamMan so i had the opportunity to test the SD to CF adaptors.

Unsuccessfully :(
The JamMan would attempt to format all efforts, but would then reject the cards.

However the Akai 128MB card came from an MPC 500, which is very  happy to read the SD to CF converters.

So for the present, the Roland has a 128MB storage, the JamMan the original 128MB card, and the MPC 500 a 2GB SD card.

NOTES AND LINKS :

After this I discovered the 1GB Transcend SD seems to be dead (also another one of the above pictured, but I cant recall which).

Others have used a similar looking CF Adapter (the red one above), with a a Transcend SDHC 4GB card.

https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.php?p=12796262&postcount=9

Another page detailing more extensive testing of various cards and adapters

https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=76871
http://web.archive.org/web/20250815105944/https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=76871

And another coming up with a method to format cards using macos
https://www.xavierriley.co.uk/posts/2023/01/reviving-a-roland-vs880-with-an-sd-card

http://web.archive.org/web/20231210164004/https://www.xavierriley.co.uk/posts/2023/01/reviving-a-roland-vs880-with-an-sd-card

3x Behringer Neutrons - what do I do with them?

So I figured I need to explore modular synthesis a little.

Buy 24 eurorack modules? or buy 3x Behringer Neutrons?

I followed the second path and am now trying to expand my knowledge ...

EXPLORATIONS

After some thinking about the sound ideas outlined further below makes me aware of how i dont understand the relative voltages,
LFO             -5v to 5v
LFO UNI      0v to 5v
ENV              0v to 9v

VCA CV        -9v to 9v
ATT1 CV        -5v to 5v

_+_+_+_
Patch test, compare the LFO outputs vs the ENV outputs on the VCA CV, and the ATT1 CV.

How does the LFO work as a VCA modulator?

How does a slow square LFO against constant ENV values compare on OSC pitch

Ideas.

Slew as a third envelope - ASR
TRIGGER > SLEW IN . SLEW OUT > ATT 1 CV 

SLEW rate for attack/decay time, or via ATT2 for height.

ENV out            0V to 9V
SLEW out           -9.5V to 9.5V
ATT1 CV in    voltage range -5V to 5V . excess V will be truncated.

Multiple Stages by using Pitch - constant AR time.

BSP pitch out          0V to 10V
Neutron Pitch out     0V to 5V

each OSC with their own ENV 

OSC1 > VCA
ENV1 preconfigured
VCA > ATT2 for volume reduction?
ATT2 > SUM1

OSC2 > ATT1 IN
ENV2 > ATT1 CV
ATT1 > SUM1

SUM1 > VCF
VCF is output
VCF > DELAY IN

problem with ENV2 output 0 to 9V, ATT1 CV input -5 to 5V. so VCA needs to be attenuated? or how to gain ATT1?

how about using pitch to generate 5V, first add the inverted to the envelope to move into range -5V to 4V, then add 5V to ATT1 .. oh wait, that would truncate the OSC output in the negative range ..

LFO to mix between OSC - imagining CV input to the OSC MIX knob

1) use LFO on VCA for OSC1 and inverted LFO on ATT1 for OSC2 - no GATE envelope? maybe use env2 on filter?
....
OSC1 > VCA
OSC2 > ATT1
LFO UNI > MULT

MULT1 > VCA CV
MULT2 > INVERT >ATT1 CV

VCA > ATT2
ATT1 + ATT2 > SUM1
SUM1 > VCF IN
VCF1 is output, run through DELAY to get main output.

again ATT1 range will be half so, something needs to go through ATT2, could be OSC1, or ENV1, or VCA

2) or can I phase invert for silence? invert OSC MIX then run through ATT1 and sum with OSC1

OSC MIX > INVERT
INVERT > ATT1 IN
LFO  > ATT1 CV

OSC 1 + ATT1 > SUM1
SUM1 > VCF

.. if 2 works, then could also use ENV2 to control the mix

The Dilemna of Ignorance - too much music gear with deep editing ....

22 July 2025.

I spent years making music primarily using Ableton Live, sequencing, virtual synths and effects, editing and production. 2010 https://soundcloud.com/the-infinite-i/cheese-cat-and-fish-mouse_its

Occasionally recording accoustic guitar. 2009 https://soundcloud.com/the-infinite-i/capitol-no-1-air

Then at some point, started picking up some minor bits of music hardware over time. (Elektron MachineDrum, Alesis Multimix for i/o, Korg Monotribe, Arturia Minibrute)

I was tired of mouse clicking, but the new gear was still all hooked up to Live, then recorded into Live, then produced in Live. The MachineDrum has it's own well powered sequencer but the Monotribe is best sequenced externally aka Live, and there is only so much you can do with the Minibrute arpeggiator (although you can change that to a basic step sequencer).

Recorded with live tweaking and minimal computer sequencing into Live, then chopped and lightly produced in Live. 2013 https://soundcloud.com/lightwell_the_path/dandelion-tops Monotribe, MachineDrum.

Then with overdubs of the Monotribe. 2013 https://soundcloud.com/lightwell_the_path/striped-pinny Monotribe, MachineDrum.

Sequencing 2 hardware synths at a time!!! but still relying on Live. 2021 https://soundcloud.com/the-infinite-i/sets/work-a-day Monotribe, MiniBrute, MachineDrum.

Since that slow start, I have accumulated a possibly excessive amount of hardware, and now I am in the opposing dilemna? Too much gear.

How is too much gear a problem?

Two major reasons, both aspects of familiarity - firstly, familiarity with the sound output - how it sounds, secondly, familiarity with the interface - how to get those sounds. And of course the issue with how much room do you have to set up the gear?!?!

Familiarity was simpler in the good old days, the Monotribe is a monosynth with clearly labelled knobs, but gear now has depths beyond the depths beyond the depths, the MPC Live keeps changing it's it's gui interface :P

One can acheive familiarity with use, and it helps to to approach any hardware with vision of what to achieve. How do I get a sound, sequence a loop, etc.

As an example, using three synths the goal was to run the short arpeggiator/sequence memory with no syncing between devices. 2021 https://soundcloud.com/the-infinite-i/sets/new-ambiences. Behringer MS-1, Korg Monotribe, Arturia Minibrute

That approach was useful in other instances. 2024 https://soundcloud.com/the-infinite-i/ste-001-stupid-name. Roland boutiques JP08, JX03, Korg Monologue.

As my gear accumulation continued this approach was slightly pushed, with adding drum machines - in this case the Behringer RD8 was synced with the JP08, the JX03 was unsynced, and the monologue was played real time. 2024 https://soundcloud.com/the-infinite-i/ste-003.

Around this time I ran out of room on Soundcloud .. but hopefully you get the gist, connecting an array of fairly simple straightforward gear, working from recent memory and expanding the palette of sounds and ideas.

As I mentioned, accumulating gear ... those tracks only feature SOME of the gear, I have added and subtracted a lot over the last few years, seeking for gear I can really work with and appreciate.

Of the above, I did subtract the Korg Monologue - it was amazing, but I yearned for it to be better .. I found it incredibly expressive, and polyphonic would be amazing, but perhaps mostly it was the keyboard - pointless (unlike the MiniBrute which has a fantastic keyboard). At some point I really hope to come across a Minilogue, while different, I hope it retains enough of the expressive similarities to really make it worthwhile.

Always I took the approach, buy cheap second hand, then it's not a huge issue to sell - Roland JU06, Arturia Microbrute, Behringer Wasp, RD6 .. plenty more has come and gone ..

Anyway, cough, back to the subject at hand, how to familiarise oneself with a piece of musical gear. The answer for the more simple gear is somewhat straightforward - use it, but what about a recent MPC? or Elektron Digitone?

This entry has been a basic introduction to my thoughts, with all good will I hope to continue my explorations of deep interfaces and map out basic ideas and outcomes.

Gear I need to and would deeply love to extend my working knowledge over the next while includes, the MPC Live, Elektron Analog4 and Digitone, E-MU Mo'Phatt, a bank of 3x Behringer Neutrons, along with under utilised Novations ZeRO SL Mk II, Arturia Beatstep Pro. There is more but it will be simpler to mention them should my adventures get that far.

Sept 2023. This appears to be similar vintage to the STE-003 track above, the setup changed kind of regularly at that point as I was trying to familiarise myself with a few new additions.
Far Left, the edge of the Roland Gaia SH-01, not really my cup of tea so it came and went ... the filter was a bit meh, keyboard was slightly too short, each knob served multiple purposes but had no pickup option, arpeggiator was just weird, hidden options with obscure button presses - but it was fun to play with for a while, 3 osc with individual LFO's and filters, mostly good FX.
Bottom, Korg Monologue, had to go too limited for it's amazing sound, not enough knobs!
MPC Live, still trying to gel with this - need to set up some goals and work through it, I want to use it as a sequencer and drum source mostly, possibly run a usb mixer through it for processing?

Alesis MultiMix, needs a clean but great reverb (which doesnt get recorded?!?!), also FireWire so superseded.

Middle, Arturia Beatstep Pro, need to explore Projects more, set up knobs for CC and SysEx? Also drum polyrhthyms. Currently using it with the Behringer Neutrons for pitch and triggers.

Behringer RD-8, it's great.

Elektron Model Cycles, has some amazing potential but hopefully superseded by the Digitone.

Top, Use Audio Plugiator, some weird old virtual synth, need to explore more with an external controller for CC but doesnt like certain MIDI messages with confuse it to heck.

meeblip Triode, not getting enough love, I also have a Geode which would be great to put together. Only has Midi input, and 3.5mm output so kind of annoying.

Behringer TD3, really need to play with it's sequencer more as I keep forgetting how to do it.

Using a recent MPC for MIDI thru.

The current MPC stable (MPC One, Live, KEY 61, X) is an amazing box but the OS is somewhat inscrutable and clunky? Perhaps spending hours and hours trying to use it will fix this problem!

I want to use a single midi controller keyboard to control multiple seperate outboard synths and/or internal plugins? So how do I configure it to easily control any specific device?

In this brief guide I will assume some basic knowledge, I will also be taking random  but approrpiate screenshots from the internets and the manual, so while they should demonstrate appropriate knowledge they may also be slightly off.

Start with an easy setup featuring 2 external synths.

MIDI controller keyboard > MPC MIDI In 1

MPC MIDI OUT A > MIDI synth 1

MPC MIDI OUT B > MIDI synth 2

First need to setup a MIDI track so select a MIDI track, then press the MIDI plug button to set this to use send MIDI (use this even when using USB devices).

   

Set MIDI Channel and MIDI Output Port appropriately.

Now, if you're keyboard is configured correctly :) you should be able to play the external synth.

Next, make a second track configured to Synth 2.

This is only the basic configuration, either synth will NOT play unless you have currently selected the track. 

So we need to set them to a MIDI THRU scenario.

Open the MIDI channel strip by tapping on the eye icon near top left of the track page, then select the track view.

We need to configure 5 options here. MIDI INPUT and CHANNEL, MIDI OUTPUT and CHANNEL,  Input Monitor (see below).

MIDI INPUT will match the controller physical input, but the CHANNEL should match the Synth assigned to this track.

MIDI OUTPUT will match the Synth MIDI plug and channel.

Input Monitor in this pic is currently set to AUTO, set this to MERGE (see image below below for description of each state).

OK, that's pretty much it. Now by changing MIDI Channel on the controller you can control either of the two synths.

The process will work with more outboard gear as long as the correct Output Port and Channel is selected.

If you use the same Channel on two different Output Ports, both synths will play at the same time.

GG

thanks to -

https://www.mpc-tutor.com/mpc-midi-tutorial-connecting-midi-controllers/

 I'm a professional it's all ok. ---

I am currently building up a small music setup featuring the Elektron Machinedrum (MD), Arturia Minibrute (MB), E-MU Mo'Phatt (MP).

Mixer is a PreSonus StudioLive 16.0.2 USB connected to a 2009 iMac(*) running Ableton Live.

Also because this is new, I have no idea of the limitations of the StudioLive over USB, so using an Edirol FA-101 for Midi.

My initial thoughts for setup are -

imac >usb studiolive

imac >firewire fa-101 midi >mo'phatt thru >machinedrum out >minibrute

This will enable sequencing the MP from the iMac, syncing the MD while sequencing internally and ALSO sequencing the MB.

I have spent more than a few hours using the MD, but honestly, there are still many dark corners mostly undisturbed, so today is the day to find out IF my memory is correct and explore using the MD to sequence an external synth.

As I seem to recall there is a MIDI machine which certainly sounds promising, but I have never used it - is it appropriate? and how do I set MIDI output channel on the MD?

Now all the gear is setup, time to try and make synth noises by using the MD.

Firstly, try matching midi channels - the MB is set to channel#9 so setting the MD base channel #9-13. Now each drumpad plays a note on the synth, great work!

Ok, let's just jump in and set track 12 to a MIDI machine.

Now looking at the machine edit pages, can see all the good stuff, note number, velocity etc. following pages sending CC etc, this all looks promising but ... no sound from the MB!?

Either the pads are not sending midi notes or the channel is different ... guess i'm going to have to open the manual after all.

Aha! page A-12, "There are 16 MIDI machines in total, each connected to the corresponding MIDI channel." Makes perfect sense, maybe if i'd spent more time staring at the MD!

Set the MIDI machine to match the channel number and success! Mission succesful! 

Ok, now i've spent a few minutes playing with it, the MB is not the most MIDI happy synth and has very limited CC useability. Mod Wheel, Pitch Bend, but After Touch seems interesting to explore.

With this minimal setup, the StudioLive supplies basic FX, now I'm wondering how the StudioLive responds to MIDI.

GG

Some time ago I collected a few firewire devices to use with a 2011 MacBook Pro The MacBook is dead but my unconscious connection with firewire is still alive, hence a 2009 iMac with native firewire.

hello visual asp3cts

http://www.henrygwiazda.com

http://www.mjleach.com/EastmanScores.htm

perspectives in chaos

Tom Johnson

http://www.tom.johnson.org/
www.kalvos.org

mathematical minimalism
___________________

John Zorn

set of rules/ game
evolving rule sets over time - through usage
defines authentic works as those conducted by him - related to Cobra

George Lewis "compose through behaviours and potentials"

Ikue Mori - laptop musician

La Monte Young

Michael Harrison

Pierre Henry



structure of sound :?

PLOGUE FUN

I got inspired to try a couple of things in plogue. These are more in the line of signal processing rather than composing_ but they do give rise to dramatic results !!!

My first idea was to break an incoming audio signal up into dynamic ranges, for each cycle that is. So different sections of the same cycle can be routed differently :)
I have really only tried this with bit and sample rate modification.



It does work well though !! Interesting results with sample rate, a lower rate for the lower thresholds, moving up to a higher rate for the higher..


The next, was to replicate a complex wave with a sine wave :)
The idea was to use zero crossings as points to determine the freq of the sine wave. This itself has been not particularly succesful - this may because Plogue does not do good maths :(

the idea is, when the wave crosses zero, the accum will split out the length of samples since last crossing - this gets converted into the freq of the lower oscillator.
The delay line is to make sure the freq's exist for appropriate lengths - this bit is wrong - needs more work !!

The next part of this one, is to get some sort of average amplitude for individual cycles.