Have you always wanted to be able to rock all your different guitar tones on stage without having to resort to tap dancing on your pedal board as you try and switch between sounds on the fly? If so, MIDI – or Musical Instrument Digital Interface, to use its full name – could be the way forward. Here, we use the GrandMeister 36 as an example of the possibilities MIDI offers you as a live player.
MIDI was originally invented by synthesizer companies for keyboard players, and it changed the way music is produced dramatically. It’s mainly used to send note messages that trigger sounds from another instrument – in most cases, on stage and in the studio, from a keyboard or sequencer to a sampler or sound generator.
Another great feature of MIDI is the opportunity to switch sounds by the use of so-called program changes, which is the main feature for guitar players. At a touch of a button, you can change the channel of the amp and the effects program on your external effects device simultaneously. For many guitarists, MIDI put an end to dancing on several stomp boxes to switch from your rhythm to your solo sound – and vice versa.
The Hughes & Kettner FSM 432 MK III MIDI Board is ideal for controlling the MIDI functions on your amp.
Part 1: Let´s start with the basics – direct access to all switching functions
Switching presets is only half of the story, though. You can even access every single switching function within a preset with the help of so-called MIDI continuous controllers. A continuous controller (CC) is a MIDI message that can transmit 128 different values (from 0 to 127). There are 128 different continuous controllers available (#001 to #128).
Some of them are standard, like CC #007, which always controls Volume on any MIDI device, or CC #001, which always controls the level of modulation.
Each function on the GrandMeister 36 is assigned to a dedicated MIDI CC#. MIDI foot controllers like the Hughes & Kettner FSM 432 MK III, the Rocktron All Access, Custom Audio Electronics RS-5, or any sequencing software like Apple Logic, Steinberg Cubase or Pro Tools are examples of products that will allow you to directly access the GrandMeister 36’s various functions.
This is for you if you want to be in a preset, but directly switch your Boost, Delay, Modulation FX or Power Soak settings in and out without changing presets. That means that, if you want to switch to 1 Watt for a rhythm part without leaving your preset, you can do it! The many possibilities are yours to explore.
Here’s another example. On CC# 031, you can select the channel. The GrandMeister 36 has four channels, so the range of available values (128) have to be divided by 4 to get the range of values for each channel. Therefore, values from 0 to 31 will give you the ability to directly access the Clean Channel at any time; the Crunch Channel is on 32-63, Lead 64-95, and Ultra 96-127. You can use any value within each range to get what you want – for example, value 20 on CC#31 will switch to CLEAN, while 100 will switch to ULTRA.
CC# 052, meanwhile, gives you direct access to the switching the Modulation FX on or off. With on/off switches, 128 has to get divided by 2, meaning that values from 0-63 will switch the FX on, and values from 64 to 127 will switch them off. Check out the chart further down the page for complete CC#s for switching the GrandMeister 36’s various functions.
Whatever your MIDI controller looks like, it can be an indispensable tool in your music making processes.
Part 2: Creative expression for experts – real-time control
What about changing your sound in real time, just like turning a knob, but without touching any knob with your hands?
This is a feature that keyboard players use very often. With a MIDI expression foot pedal, you can add a string pad sound while playing a piano sound, or change the filter cutoff of a synth sound, or adjust the speed of a chorus effect on your Fender Rhodes sound while you play with both hands.
But how can a real analogue tube guitar amp benefit from that, and how does it work?
Well, the GrandMeister 36’s Smart Rotary Controls not only allow you to recall any position stored in a preset, but you can even tweak and control your tone in real-time by connecting a standard expression pedal to the controller input (1/4” jack) of any MIDI pedal that offers assignable pedals. This works for any of the controls, not just Volume.
Imagine being able to control your Gain level with a pedal for violin effects instead of turning the volume pot on your guitar. Or, instead of switching from a scooped tone with no mids to a biting lead tone, being able to morph your sound while playing by bringing in more mids whenever you like!
It’s important to note that, while recording, you can store all MIDI values in the song itself; or even change controller values (programmed or on the fly) while you’re tracking. You can increase the Gain with an expression pedal while you play, or even program a mids EQ sweep into your digital audio workstation!
One thing’s for sure: making full use of your MIDI opportunities will open up a whole new world of creative expression for you on stage – and in the studio too.
In the short video below, we demonstrate how you can control the amount of reverb in your guitar tone using nothing more than the sweep of your footswitch!
Back to the GrandMeister 36, though. To make full use of the Hughes & Kettner FSM 432 MK III MIDI board’s controller functions, two controller inputs are on offer. You can connect expression pedals or single footswitches to these two 6.3 mm (1/4″) jack plugs, and you can use both to assign additional control functions for the GrandMeister 36. This means that all of the amp’s programmable functions can be remote controlled.
In practice, the controller numbers can be assigned to the two inputs (Control 1 and Control 2), and the parameters of the assigned functions can now be controlled via external expression pedals or footswitches connected to these inputs. For instance, you could control the reverb of the amp’s FX module using an expression pedal (like we do in the short video clip above, in fact). You can also switch the noise gate on and off with an external footswitch or change the amount of gain while playing – and, crucially, without having to take your hands off your guitar!
Connecting expression pedals and additional footswitches to a MIDI board like the FSM 432 MK III can bring you many additional tonal benefits, both live and in the studio!
Perhaps the most useful functions for live guitarists, though, are being able to remote control the Boost (without changing presets) using a footswitch, as well as controlling Volume with an expression pedal. As you can see in the chart below, assigning controller number 07 to one of the control inputs and connecting an expression pedal lets you remote control the volume. The switching function of the Boost can be remote controlled, by assigning controller number 64 to the other control input and connecting a footswitch to it.
Heads-up: Generally, all functions can be controlled with an expression pedal and/or a footswitch. The control type of each function determines which one of the two makes more sense to use. Continuous functions, or functions with a control range of more than two sectors, are predestined for the use of an expression pedal.
For simple switching functions (that is, those with two sectors: on/off) it makes more sense to use a footswitch. If you assign a controller number with more than two sectors to a footswitch, then you can only switch between the first and the last sector. If you use an expression pedal, the control range of the pedal will be divided in equal parts by the number of sectors of the assigned function.
For example, if you assign controller number 31 (which looks after channel switching, and has 4 sectors) to a footswitch, you can only switch between the first sector (which is the Clean channel) and the last sector (the Ultra channel). Using an expression pedal, you can switch between all four channels, with each channel occupying a quarter of the pedal’s control range.
A rear view of the Hughes & Kettner FSM 432 MK III MIDI Board. Note the ports for MIDI In and Out on the right, and the Control 1 and 2 inputs (on the left), which let you connect additional controllers like expression pedals.
Assigning controller numbers with the FSM 432 MK III MIDI board
The assignation of functions (controller numbers) to the two control inputs works as follows:
• Control 1:
To access the edit mode, press and hold the buttons Tap and D simultaneously until the display shows the controller number and the dot behind the second digit starts flashing. You can now change the controller numbers using the Up/Down buttons. Store the selected controller number by pressing D. The dot stops flashing, and the footswitch returns to normal mode.
• Control 2:
Press and hold Tap and C until the display shows the controller number and the dot behind the first digit starts flashing, then release them. Then, change and select your preferred settings using the same method as with Control 1 above. Finally, store and exit with button C. Simple!
Part 3: Switching Functions and Ranges
Channels: CC# 0-31
Values for Clean Channel: 00-31
Values for Crunch Channel: 32-63
Values for Lead Channel: 64-95
Values for Ultra Channel: 96-127
Effects:
Mod-FX On-Off: CC# 52
Values: 0-63 Off – 64-127 On
Delay On-Off: CC# 63
Values: 0-64 Off – 64-127 On
Reverb On-Off: CC# 54:
Values: 0-63 Off – 64-127 On
Hint: Mod-FX, Delay, and Reverb must be programmed into your original preset in order to switch on/off.
FX Loop On-Off: CC# 55
Values: 0-63 Off – 64-127 On
Noise Gate On-Off CC# 63
Values: 0-63 Off – 64-127 On
Boost On-Off: CC# 64
Values: 0-64 Off – 64-127 On
Power Soak: CC 30#
Silent Recording Values: 0-25
1 Watt values: 26-51
5 Watt values: 52-77
18 Watt values 78-101
36 Watt values 102-127
Hint: You can choose any value within the required range. For example: 10 for Silent Recording, 30 for 1 Watt, 60 for 5 Watt, 90 for 18 Watt and 120 for 36 Watt.
Here’s a handy graphic representation of all the GrandMeister’s MIDI switching functions and ranges.
Controller Functions
1 Modulation Intensity
4 Delay Time, 10ms steps (double steps), 5ms to 1360ms
7 Volume (soft*)
20 Gain (soft*)
21 Bass
22 Mids
23 Treble
24 Resonance
25 Presence
26 Modulation speed (always for the active modulation effect, 64 steps)
27 Delay feedback
28 Delay volume
29 Reverb volume
30 Power Soak switching (5 sectors)
56 Gain (hard)
57 Volume (hard)
*Heads-up: “Soft” for controller numbers 07 (Volume) and 20 (Gain) refers to the softening of the change in value once you move the expression pedal. This helps to avoid abrupt volume changes in case of a remarkably large difference between the value of the controlled parameter stored in the preset and the expression pedal’s starting position. However, should you choose to use such abrupt volume changes, e.g. as a stylistic device, you can do so by assigning controller numbers 56 (Gain) and 75 (Volume) instead. These are referred to as “hard”.
Hopefully this guide has opened your eyes to some of the possibilities MIDI can give you as a live guitar player. For those guitarists brave enough to use it – and we know it’s a big step into the unknown for many! – it’s a wonderful system that can really expand your sonic horizons when you rock on stage or in the studio.
If you have any questions, though, feel free to give us a shout! We’ll try and answer them as best we can.
First published: July 03 2014. Most recent update: October 09 2015.
Leave a comment
I’m trying to control GM Deluxe 40 with a Boss ES-8. All good. PC and CC MIDI commands seem to work fine when chaining MIDI devices with GM Deluxe 40.
One thing I can’t get working is using the Boss ES-8 Editor app on PC. I know it works fine, as without the GM Deluxe 40 in the chain everything works well. As soon as I add it in the chain the ES-8 Editor cannot communicate.
It appears the GM Deluxe 40 is passing through PC and CC MIDI commands, but is blocking the System Exclusive MIDI commands.
Anyone if there is a configuration or solution to this, other than putting a MIDI Thru box into the chain?
Regards and Thanks in advance,
Richard
Hi Richard,
You’re absolutely right: the GM40’s Out/Thru is not a true MIDI thru: actually, it blocks MIDI sysex information.
Why does it do this? Well, this is the only way it’s possible to use apps and editors in combination with standard MIDI interfaces. Apps and editors need a bi-directional MIDI communication, and the app and editors send MIDI Sys Ex to the amp and receive standard PC and CC commands from the amp. Only in this way can you avoid a so-called “MIDI loop”, otherwise any command would lead to a “MIDI crash” as it would go round and round again until you interrupt the MIDI chain.
So a MIDI Thru box is the solution!
All the best,
Team H&K
My little problem : I am using the FSM432 midi input port to send PC with preset number to a GM40 & BS200 chained on midi after the FSM.
When I select a new preset by this way, without pressing any FSM button, the amps correctly load the preset, but the FSM 432 display does not follow and keeps displaying a channel/bank no more synchronized with the amps.
Is there a midi message which could allow keeping this display in synch with what is on the amp ?
It is interesting to keep the FSM in the midi loop because it allows ‘local’ changes only dedicated to the amps, but if its display is not synchronized, we loose all the benefit.
Thanks for Help
Thanks
Hi Christian, we asked our MIDI guy about this and he said: “There is something missing. What does Christian use to send program changes?”
So let us know and we’ll forward that on and try to find out!
Team H&K
Hi,
Do you have any suggestions for footswitches that is know to work on the FSM432 or at least the exact requirements. I tried a blackstar mono footswitch and it did not work. I tried an old Marshall one and again it didn’t work. I tried a mates sterio victory switch and it did work. I’m now confused…
Cheers
Hi Huw,
That’s odd, because every standard latching footswitch should work there, as stated in the FSM manual. Which exact Blackstar model was it?
But anyway, the key thing is ‘latching’. Any decent, standard latching footswitch will do the job. You can’t go wrong with an H&K FS-1 there, for example.
Cheers, and hope that helps 🙂
Team H&K in Germany
Hi ,i just got Swithcblade in mint condition…but.”problems:
1.on clean ch. eq knobs making some strange “digital” noise,like telephone dialing.(i can send you video somehow)
2.amp dont whant to save my preset.I do everything right.But wont save it.
i contact few techs and they say that see something like that first time in their life.
plz help
Hi Marko. Hmm, that is very strange! Please send the video and all the information directly to our service team – they’re on service(at)musicandsales.com – and hopefully they can help you out!
I don´t get at all the midi traffic. im trying to get fcb1010 to work with the grandmeister40 but when you look at the midi monitor on the application the grandmeister sends out hex or some shit and i don´t know how to make any sense of it. and i don´t have a sligtest idea what to input into the command line in the programming software of the fcb. Tried to use some of the values above but i don´t know. nothing happens.
There is PC1/PC2/PC3/PC4/PC5/ CC1: / On/Off CC2: / On/Off / note / and expression panel values to fill…
Hi J. What exactly are you trying to do? Let us know your exact setup and what you want to achieve, and we’ll see if we can help you out further 🙂
Team H&K
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I would think a helpful and in-depth instructional YouTube video that H&K publishes would be worth its weight in gold. It would SHOW us vs. TELL us, and for those new to MIDI would remove so much of the hesitation and confusion around it all. H&K would likely even see increased sales of its MIDI equipment. I would say that could become a quick and powerful win-win.
We’ll see if we can get something sorted out in that regard then 🙂
Team H&K
Hi,
Thanks for this article, it’s a must read!
I’d like to switch between preset sound with a midi signal.
For example I’d like to assign to the button fs6 the sound from the preset 47. Is there a midi signal which can do that ?
Regards,
Thanks ebel, glad you enjoyed the article!
And yes, you can do this! Simply select preset 47, then hit STORE on the GrandMeister (STORE lights up), then press the button fs6, and STORE will turn off to confirm that the settings of preset 47 are now copied to the preset that is recalled by pressing fs6, and overwrite the previous settings.
Please note: if you do not want to copy/overwrite the preset settings but recall the preset 47 with fs6, then you have to “tell” the fs6 to send program change number 47. But this is something your MIDI board or controller has to do – the GrandMeister simply reacts on program changes sent to it. So if the fs6 means it recalls preset 6, but you want 47, there is a feature called MIDI mapping. Please refer to the manual of your MIDI board if it can do that. Or at least check if the buttons on your board can send independent MIDI program changes. Often it is the case, that 1 sends 1, 6 sends 6, and so on. But it works as well, just be aware, that preset 47 within the GrandMeister will then be stored on preset 6 and overwrite the previous settings of preset 6…
Hope that helps 🙂
Team H&K
no entendi nada, yo quiero saber si puedo mediante un software de edicion musical, via midi agregarle sonidos o modificarlos en el pedal con los del software y luego grabarlos en el mismo para despues usarlos en forma independiente con el pedal, y no entiendo como los 16 canales midi de mi pod se activan despues para utilizar estos supuestamente grabados via midi de forma independiente.
Please write us in English or German Guillermo, as we don’t speak Spanish, sorry!
Team H&K
Is there a list of which 3rd party midi footswitch controllers are compatible with the tap tempo feature of the Grandmeister Deluxe 40? The manual says that only a few are capable but I’d love to know which ones. Thanks!
Hi there Adam! There’s no list unfortunately. Well, there is, but it’s currently a list of one 😉 The only one we’ve personally actually tested that does that is the Behringer FCB1010, which allows you to set minimum and maximum times for the delay (from 80 to 1400 ms for GrandMeister). Hope this helpful 🙂
Team H&K
Thank you,
I tried with an M-Audio Uno MIDI interface, and it’s working now.
Best regards,
Victor
There we go, that’S great news! Now, you can focus again on the most important thing: playing guitar and making music 🙂 Enjoy!
Team H&K
can I use a ART-X15 ultrafoot which has two CC’s on it plus a bypass to control parameters such as delay time delay volume and boost on and off and if so how do I assign the CC’s and program it in the Grandmeister 40d and will this be global or do I have to program it into each patch
Hi Joetherea. Hmm, you’ll need to ask ART about this. We’re not sure exactly what that bit of kit can do 😉
You need to address the following:
Cc#004 Delay Time
Cc#028 Delay Volume
Cc#064 Boost on/off
GrandMeister Deluxe 40 (and the GrandMeister 36 too!) alway reacts on all cc numbers – the amp is the sender that has to be programmed.
So again, you’ll need to ask ART about this. Please let us know when you find out, as we’re interested to hear if it’ll work 🙂
All the best,
Team H&K
Hi there,
So I tried a different power supply (12V 500mA) ; still nothing shows up on the output console.
FSM works properly (even the programmable channel 1 and 2 switches for remote amp control), still my MIDI USB interface won’t monitor anything OUT when I press the FSM buttons.
I’m starting thinking this might be (the interface) cause of the problem. Strange thing anyway since I can use the Ctrl Windows software to edit the GM36 library through this MIDI USB interface (a bit buggy though).
I may try another MIDI USB interface… Is there a better brand known to work well with the FSM+GM36 for Windows ?
Thanks,
Victor
Hi Victor,
Hmm, we’d recommend asking the GM36 Windows app developer directly about that. You can contact him via the App download page. We’re not sure if he has a list of supported devices, but he’ll surely be able to tell you what he uses, and that should definitely work for you too! We’re fairly sure at this point that it’s the interface that’s causing you issues – everything else seems to be working just as it should…
Good luck,
Team H&K
Thank you for helping me out.
Has you proposed, I have connected the FSM to the GrandMeister MIDI In, and then the MIDI Out of the GrandMeister to my USB Interface. Good news is : this way I do monitor midi signals.
“There is no need to connect the MIDI In of the FSM by the way, this can cause a MIDI Loop and result in a total failure. So this could be what’s causing you the issues!”
I tried to connect only the MIDI Out of the FSM to the MIDI In interface, with a 9V power supply. The FSM seems to be correcty powered because the led are acting normally and the FSM responds normally too, but no MIDI signals are passing trough the MIDI interface, on any channel.
Could it be the power supply ? The output current is 9V 1.3A
If you have any idea on how to use only the FSM and the midi interface (not the GrandMeister), I would be glad to know.
Thank you,
Victor
Hi Victor. Hmm, it could be – be we recommend also asking Prodipe is there’s anything they would recommend here. It sounds like all is good with the FSM. Sure, try another power supply too and see if that helps…
Good luck, and let us know the progress of your search 🙂
Team H&K
Nice article,
I am a HK GM36 + FSM432 mkIII user for a couple of years now. I have been using it for private rehearsal, recording sessions and gigs, and I must say I do like it a lot, especially for its bunch of features (thanks to a great user’s manual).
Currently I struggle to get the FSM432 alone work with my PC trough midi-usb interface (not using the amp). I want to use it as a midi controller for a 3rd party VST software. Basically, I am monitoring input/output midi signals but see nothing when pressing buttons of the FSM432.
* The FSM432 is powered by a dedicated 9V power supply
* The midi interface is the prodipe midi usb 1i1o which works (successfully tested for amp remote control)
* Midi out of the FSM plugged into Midi in of the prodipe interface
* Midi in of the FSM plugged into Midi out of the prodipe interface
* Prodipe interface connected via USB to Windows
* Monitoring with a 3rd party software (which sees input/output data from other midi devices)
My question is : is there something to configure on the FSM to get a readable midi output ? (the FSM works properly when connected to the amp).
Hope you can help me,
Thanks.
Hi Victor, and thanks for your message – we’re glad you’re liking the amp!
Now, about your questions… The good news is, the FSM is working properly when connected to the amp – so that’s a good start. To check if the power supply is sufficient, try connecting the FSM to the GrandMeister MIDI In, and then the MIDI Out of the GrandMeister to your USB Interface.
There is no need to connect the MIDI In of the FSM by the way, this can cause a MIDI Loop and result in a total failure. So this could be what’s causing you the issues!
The only thing to set is the MIDI Channel of the FSM, but the software should be able to recognize any channel. The factory setting is Channel 1.
Hope that helps – try this out and let us know!
All the best,
Team H&K in Germany
Hey, i recently bought a Helix rack with its floor control (Helix control) to have a MIDI setup.
I have a question : is it possible to create 4 differents clean presets (or more for different guitar ) and assign each of them to a specific program change change ?
I wanna have differents presets channel for each of my guitars. Each will have a different EQ to fit my taste
Hi Claude, we took a look in the Helix Rack manual and this should be absolutely possible! That rack can do a lot 😉 If you still have some issues programming it for yourself though, just contact Line 6 directly and they’ll help you out 🙂
Very helpful article thanks 🙂
I have the Boss ES 8 connected via midi with the grandmeister 36. Everything seems to work but is there a way to save my presets with different sounds?
For example I want my Lead sound to have more gain than my rhythm sound. But when I’m try to save one setting it changes the amount of gain for all patches.
Is there a way to change settings for each patch in my boss switcher without affecting the others?
Looking forward to hear from you!
Florian
Hi Florian! Hmm, we’ve not used the ES-8, but in theory what you’re doing should be saveable, no problem. We take it you’ve tried saving sounds in the normal way using the amp and then trying to save to your chosen patch in the ES-8? Each preset should be distinct, and when you save one it should not overwrite the others.
One thing: it might be good to ask Boss themselves what they would recommend here. Some of their gear does not always have great compatibility with our stuff, so you never know!
Both the Zoom FPM02 and the Yamaha FC7 are TRS type with the potentiometer wiper connected to the ring. So, I wonder if a Roland EV-5, which has the TIP connected to the wiper, will work?
Hi Tom. Yep, we moderate for a reason, so no worries there 🙂 Sure, the EV-5 will work just fine (just like the FC-7, in fact) when hooked up to the FSD-432 🙂
Hi,
I would like to use the FSM432 midi board to change the presets of my Strymon effect pedals simultane with the presets of mij grandmeister .
It’s the first time i’d like to use midi and don’t Fins the answers on the internet.
Could you please help me to find the soluton? (If there is one;-))
Thx ,Filip
Hi Filip! Hmm, hopefully this is possible, but first, what’s your Strymon pedal? Does it have full MIDI capability? Let us know and then we’ll try and give you a better answer 🙂
hi,
i have the grandmeister 36, the midi footswitch and a digitech whammy v pedal.
i was wondering if I could add a whammy effect, for instance an octave down, to a preset on my midi footswitch, so that when I call the preset it will include the octave effect. If this is feasible, how can I do it?
thanks i advance,
vangelis
Hi Vangelis. Hmm, theoretically this should work, although we’ve not tried this exact thing.
Try going from the GM36’s MIDI Out/Thru to the Whammy’ MIDI Input, and from the FSM footswitch’s MIDI Out to the GM36’s MIDI In. Theoretically now you should be able to build presets as normal, but also using the Whammy. If you’Re having problems with the Whammy and connecting it, consult the Whammy manual here for their MIDI help: http://rdn.harmanpro.com/product_documents/documents/982_1340215173/Whammy_Manual_5021752-A_original.pdf
If you’re still having problems here it’d be then the case of you contacting Whammy to ask if their pedals work with our amps 😉
And, if it doesn’t, there is one other work around – you just connect the Whammy through the GM36’s FX Loop. Have the Ocatve Down effect and the pedal on at all times, and just build your presets so the effect is onbly on when necessary (by building presets either with the FX Loop activated or deactivated).
Hope this helps, and let us know how it works out 🙂
How can I use the FSM 432 to access 128 presets on the tubemiester deluxe 40 and drive associated presets on the TC Nova System. So far , using the Nova system I can only access ~ 16 if I use it directly
Hi Dave, please give us a bit more detail. What’s your exact setup, are you using the FSM-432 in preset mode, etc… Give us all the info and maybe then we can give a proper answer. Don’t worry though, this should be not too hard a problem to solve 🙂
Good afternoon H&K,
I own GM36, I have the same question as listed below here. I’m getting the Strymon Big Sky and Timeline, both MIDI connectable. Can you offer a bit more info on the setup of this? What is involved in MIDI configuration. Thanks in advance!
————————————————————————————————
I like the HK pedal alot, but I also want to use it in conjunction w/ my strymon pedals…what is the correct way to midi up with those too?
Thanks!!
Skip…(in Texas)
Hi Skip, depends on which Strymon pedals you have! But if they’re the MIDI-connectable ones, just go from the MIDI Out of the FSM footswitch into the MIDI in of the Strymon pedal… Normal pedals you can just use as normal! Hope this is useful, but if you’Ve got any more specific questions then just let us know!
Hi Tony! Yep, we saw you askewd on FB too, and here’s our answer:
Strymon pedals have MIDI connections, so they can be controlled by the FSM. You can connect the FSM MIDI out to the GrandMeister MIDI in as usual, then use the MIDI out of the GrandMeister to connect it the MIDI in of the first Strymon Pedal, and the the MIDI out of that to the MIDI in of the second… All devices in the MIDI chain will react if they are all set to the same MIDI channel.
So the anser: no, not directly to the FSM, but to the GrandMeister! Then you can call up presets on the pedals using the FSM… Hope this helps! And also… we just love the Big Sky, enjoy it!
No, it’s the TUBEMEISTER 36 that I have got. There is no midi through. So would I be able to achieve the changes starting with the fcb out/thru to effects rack in. Rack out/thru to tubemeister in?
Damn, you’re right! Sorry about that 😉 A whole long detailed answer about the wrong amp 😉
OK, so it’ll still work with TubeMeister 36, sure! Just go from the MIDI out/thru of the effects rack to the TM36 MIDI in. And then you don’t need to worry about MIDI channels, etc. 🙂
Thank you so much! I guess a further question for this is regarding the expression pedals that I would plan to connect to the FSM Mk III. Do you think it is possible to control parameters of the TC with these or would it just be limited to the parameters of the GM36?
I have a lot of questions regarding this and other processors that I could possibly integrate with this amp. Is there a H&K support line that I could call here in the states? That really would be helpful.
Btw, I just upgraded to the GM Deluxe 40! It should be here soon!
Hi again Ron! Hmm, that’s one thing we’ve yet to try 😉 For program changes, sure, but for expression pedals stuff it’d be more difficult because the GM would always react in some way (like for volume changes, etc.). It could make more sense, if you want to do more control of the TC in this way, to switch to the floor-based version of the TC unit, and control the GM fropm there too. But try it out and let us know, as we’re interested to hear your experiences there!
Hmm, you can try calling our USA distributors, Yorkville, to ask about this stuff in more detail. They’re on +1 7162972920. We also have an email for our main German techs here, if you want it: service@musicandsales.com – they speak good English!
That’s great news, soon you’ll be enjoying new Deluxe tones too! We hope your new amp does the business for you. Actually, the first north American shipment arrived at the weekend, so it won’t be too long before they make it out into the world 🙂 It’s exciting times to be a guitar player, that’s for sure.
Can I connect the GM36 to a TC Electronic G Major via MIDI Out and use the FSM432 pedalboard to switch both amp patches and fx patches?
Or do I have to buy a 3rd party MIDI controller to connect to the fx unit MIDI In and then MIDI Out to the GM36.
Thank you.
Hi Ron, you certainly can! The GrandMeister offers a MIDI OUT/THRU, which means that incoming messages go out. All you need to do is this: connect the TC G Major MIDI IN to the MIDI OUT/THRU of the GrandMeister. When the FSM 432 sends a program change, both the GrandMeister and the G Major will recall the presets assigned to that program. That’s it, enjoy 🙂
Hi. I’ve just bought the tubemeister 36 and I’ve got a behringer fcb1010. This is working fine, but I would like to get rid of the extra stomp box effects as the fcb1010 is massive and get maybe a rocktronix xpression or similar. Would the fcb1010 be able to control both, the multi effects and take advantage of the midi stages of the tubemeister all at once? Or does the lack of a midi out/thru prevent this? Thanks.
Hi Ash, you’ll be pleased to know this is entirely possible – because GrandMeister offers a MIDI OUT/THRU, so incoming messages do go out.
This is what you’ll need to do: connect the effects processor’s MIDI IN to the MIDI OUT/THRU of the GrandMeister. When the FCB1010 sends a program change, both the GrandMeister and the effects processor will recall the presets assigned to that program. Note: if you want to use real-time controls as well for the effects processor, it will help to set separate MIDI channels for the GrandMeister and the effects processor and disable MIDI omni mode on both the GrandMeister and the effects processor (you can learn how to do this in the GrandMeister manual if it’s something you’re unfamiliar with – there’s a free PDF download of it on our site).
The FCB1010 can send on different channels. If you just want to switch programs, no change is needed. This will work instantly.
Hope this helps 🙂
Hello! This post has been very helpful, thanks. I’m having an issue and wonder if there’s something that can be done. I’m using about 60 different presets with the midi board and am having to change the power soak for each one individually before many of the gigs I play to match the need of the venue. Is there a way to do a global change to the power soak setting for all my midi presets?
Hi David, and we’re happy you enjoyed the blog and found it useful. Good question, but unfortunately at the moment there’s no sneaky way around this – the only real way to do it is to create presets at each power soak level! We’re sorry it’s not simpler, but rest assured it’s something we’re aware of (other people have brought it to our attention) and we may find a solution in the future 🙂
(By the way, there is one little dirty cheat you can use to go from a power level to silent mode – just pull out the speaker cable. The amp automatically switches to silent recording mode if you do that. But this is possibly not useful for you, unless you’re one of those guitarists who is happy to go silent onstage!)
I like the HK pedal alot, but I also want to use it in conjunction w/ my strymon pedals…what is the correct way to midi up with those too?
Thanks!!
Skip…(in Texas)
Hi Skip, depends on which Strymon pedals you have! But if they’re the MIDI-connectable ones, just go from the MIDI Out of the FSM footswitch into the MIDI in of the Strymon pedal… Normal pedals you can just use as normal! Hope this is useful, but if you’Ve got any more specific questions then just let us know!
Hi there – great article!
I am considering buying a Grandmeister 36/FSM432 and 2×12 cab!
I am completely new to midi so my question is, would the FSM432 midi board allow me to simultaneously change the settings on the amp, whilst also changing patches on my Eventide Pitchfactor? So basically, I can change both units with the push of 1 footswitch so I’m not having to stomp on lots of switches at the same time when gigging?
If this is possible – is there any advice or links you can send me on how to set this up at all?
Really appreciate your help with this – I’m keen to buy the H&K gear if it will do what I need it to
Thanks again!
Steve
Hi Steve, and thanks for the kind words. The simple answer to your question is… yes! You can use the two together, no problem. There’s plenty of good documentation on the Pitchfactor page that should help you here too: https://www.eventideaudio.com/products/stompboxes/pitch-delay/pitchfactor
Have a read through, and have a play with the kit when you get it. Then, if you have any more specific queries we could maybe help with in more detail, just give us another shout!
It`s working just fine now. I actually used an M-Audio midiman and it couldn`t have been easier.
And for whatever these details can help, here`s the setup: My six string and 7 string guitars sound completely different. Different woods, different pickups, different all together. I (and this is the short version) have a Behringer FCB1010 running the GM36 and my Eventide H9. Bank 1, presets 1 – 10 are for the six string, with it`s own EQ and gain requirements. Bank 2 1 – 10 is EQ`d and set up for the 7 string. The easiest way to tell both the amp and the H9 to be on the same page was to set up the preset list on the H9 to correspond with the preset on the GM36. They both get the same command and both switch at the same time. I use the left CC pedal for global volume control on the amp and the right CC pedal for various things on the H9 like whammy style functions (set up to broadcast on it`s own channel so the amp doesn`t even have to encounter it to ignore it). I am a TOTAL midi novice and this whole things was super easy to set up.
Glad it’s working out well, and thanks for the detailed explanation of your setup! Hopefully this can help convince others who are a little apprenehsive about MIDI that it’s actually not all that difficult once you take the plunge. Enjoy your rig, and let us know if there’s ever anything else we can help with…
Scratch that previous comment. I guess the download was bad on the Toshiba because I got it again and it fired up this time. Now to get home and figure out how to actually connect it. (I`m guessing the midi port on my Audiobox USB can act as the communicating device here?)
Hi Jeff, good to hear back that it was working this time. We were just in the process of trying to figure out your last message and what might have happened 😉 Normally these things should be fairly simple, but with the Android app and the desktop editors (which are unofficial, third party, and not designed by us) we would’ve probably ended up suggesting you contacted the developers directly anyway. Their details are always easy to find on their respective websites. Yep, the Audiobox should do the job nicely… Let us know how you get on now!
I keep reading about an android and a PC control app. I have tried four very common Android devices and two different windows laptops and none of them are “compatible” with it. The app won`t even install. Three Samsung android phones and an LG, a windows 7 Dell and a windows 8 Toshiba. I do not own an Apple device and would prefer not to purchase one. All I want to do is set up the presets to correspond with my FCB1010 (which I`ve already done with my eventide H9). I`m sure I could do it manually but that would be laborious. Am I doing something wrong or is there some kind of secret handshake that gets me into the club of PC/Android users able to adjust their GM36?
I have a Randall RF4 controlling my Tubemeister 36 head. It stores and changes everything fine, but there is a 1/2 sec delay between changing which is really annoying. If I turn OMNI off on the amp will that fix it?
Hi Hayden. Hmm, if the Randall sends on all channels, the GrandMeister switches 16 times… so it might help. Just give it a try and see! 🙂
If it’s Sysex commands, it looks like either the Event Processor reacts, or, more likely, the Obey 40 DMX controller does. When I program the Event Processor to block unrecognized commands, all is well.
There is no mention of Sysex in the Obey manual, so presumably, it is effectively Always ON. It’s too bad there’s no way to turn off those commands in the Grandmeister output, but at least I know now what it’s doing and can plan accordingly.
Thanks for your help!
Joe
Hi Joe, glad to be of service and now at least you know what’s going on and can plan round the limitations of the gear! You really flexed our MIDI brain muscles with this one 😉
Flummoxed? Yeah, me too. In the short term. I have added some programming to my MIDI Solutions Event Processor to strip out ANYTHING that I haven’t specifically programmed a response to. It works, but it’s managing the symptoms, not solving the problem. So I’m keenly interested in what you find out.
Thanks!
Joe
Hi Joe, good timing! OK, so we tested this out, and the amp behaves properly. If OMNI is set to off, the amp does not add any program changes or a reset to messages, it just passes the incoming message to the out/thru.
But: if you send a command to the amp at the same time, it creates a special sysex command. Normally, any other devices should not react on those commands – that’s why it’s called sysex (system exclusive message). Those messages are needed for the app and the WMI-1 wireless interface. If the DMX controller reacts on the sysex messages of the GrandMeister, please check if the DMX controller allows you to “ignore sysex”. Most devices offer an enable/disable sysex option. Sysex commands are not assigned to a MIDI channel, so that can be the only reason why the DMX controller reacts on commands sent on a different MIDI channel.
At least, we sure hope so! Give that a go and we reckon all should be well…
The amp is in non-OMNI mode. The issue seems to be it’s sending an extra command at the end of the string it passes if and only if I include a command to the amp. So, if I send a PC-03 on Channel 16 (“set amp to Program 3”) and I send PC-05 on Channel 1 (“Set DMX controller to scene 5”), The THRU passes the PC-05 on Channel 1 and then appends either a PC-01 or a RESET on ALL channels. If I send only a PC-05 (or any other command) on Channel 1 (i.e., nothing to the amp on channel 16, only a command to the DMX lighting on channel 1), the command is passed with no modification, and the lighting system responds exactly as expected.
So it appears the problem only happens if I send a command to the amp IN ADDITION TO the DMX-directed command.
Thoughts?
Joe
Hi Joe, this has flummoxed us a little bit. We’ve passed your messages on to our resident MIDI expert and let’s see what he comes up with… He’s going to try and rebuild your setup here and see what happens, and how this can be solved! So we’re trying 😉
Love my Grandmeister!
I’m pushing the MIDI to the limit using a Digitech PMC-10 (full MIDI implementation, multiple MIDI strings capable of 16 commands per string). I’m consolidating my “weekend warrior” band’s setup by running the lights with the same pedal that drives my GM. For each GM patch change on Channel 16, I’ve added a control string on Channel 1 for the lighting system.
Here’s my problem: When I only send commands on Channel 1, everything works as expected: The lights respond, the GM does not; however, if I send a lighting command (Ch 1) and a GM command (CH16) the GM appears to add a RESET command at the end of the string it passes to the THRU on ALL channels, so the lights flash to the right scene and then reset immediately to the first scene in the chain. This only happens if I send a command to the GM on it’s channel.
In other words, the GM is acting like an OUT, not a THRU.
When I take the GM out of the equation, the lights work fine, with no additional reset. So my question is this: How do I get the GM to pass my control strings EXACTLY as I have programmed them? I need it to be a THRU, not an OUT.
Thanks!
Joe
Hi Joe, try setting the GrandMeister OMNI mode to off. If OMNI is on, the GrandMeister reacts to all channels, as well to channel 1. If OMNI is off, it only reacts on channel 16 and ignores all other channels, so channel 1 should not be affected…
Ok mate thanks anyway I’ll just get a tap tempo for the bigsky
OK, no worries, and happy playing!
Hi I got this amp a week ago and I’m really enjoying it sounds great I also own a strymon big sky is there any way to link them up so the delay tempo is passed on to the big sky it has midi in and also 1/4 inch jak for tap tempo cheers
Hi Luke, we already replied to you in the other thread! Here’s the answer copied again:
“Hi Luke. No, unfortunately not, but with an expression pedal you CAN send values for time.
But remember: time is a relative, not an absolute value. The values in between 1 and 128 (or 0 and 127) just divide the maximum delay time by 128. That means with one device a value of 64 could mean 500 milliseconds, on the next device it could mean 800 milliseconds, and so on…”
I’ve had my GranMeister for about 2 months now and I am very impressed! I’ve been playing for over 25 years and I’ve owned lots of boutique amps (Mesa, VHT, Tone King, Bad Cat, etc.) but the GM is just as toneful as any of them and much more versatile. I’m very fickle when it comes to amps and I’ve eBayed far more amps than I’ve kept, but the GM is definitely a keeper…if I can solve this problem.
Currently I play in a 90’s alternative cover band and I just gigged it for the first time. The amp had been on and idling for maybe a half hour and when I switched it off standby and started sound checking there was a bad modulation / chorus-y type of sound that you could hear on every patch. It sounded a bit like a chorus effect with the modulation turned too high and made everything sound slightly out of tune. Understand that many of those patches did not have ANY fx programmed into them.
I went into fx mode on a few of the patches, turned the fx intensity all the way off and saved the patches. The bad modulation sound was still there. I tried everything – turning the amp off and letting it cool for a while, creating new patches from scratch, etc. but nothing got rid of that nasty modulation sound. Unfortunately I had no choice but to play the entire gig with the amp sounding that bad. What a nightmare!
The next day when I fired up the amp at home, the modulation was gone! It sounded perfect for a week, but it came back at our next rehearsal. So it’s been intermittent since then and since I don’t know what’s causing it or when it’ll kick in, the amp is basically unusable.
I submitted a tech support request to H&K via their website, but I’ve heard nothing back for several weeks.
Has anyone else had this problem or ever heard of it?
Hi Kevin. Thanks for the question, and apologies for the delay – we’ve been away at the musikmesse show this past week and have just seen this. We’ve passed your message on to our tech expert, and will let you know what he advises!
Hi again Kevin. OK, so try this:
– If backup is possible: Backup your presets with the app or editors for mac/win and do a factory reset. If not, go to the next step…
– Disconnect everything except your guitar and cab, make sure that guitar and gutar cable is ok.
– Still modulation?
– If yes, disconnect cab and check Red Box out. Still modulation? If not, the speaker is broken.
– If the Red Box Signal is modulated as well, check the signal of the SEND. It is before the internal FX loop. If that signal is ok, the preamp is fine, and the FX-module may be broken. If that signal is modulated, something is really wrong with your guitar, cable, or there is interference in the room. The preamp cannot cause a modulation effect.
Hope this helps you find the cause of the issue, but let us know if you have more questions!
Using either MIDI channels or an expression pedal can I control any of the TUBEMEISTER 36 master volumes via MIDI? I don’t mean switching power soak. That does not give enough volume control. Again, I am referring to the Tubemeister 36, not the Grandmeister.
Thanks
Hi Sid, the TubeMeister does not feature smart rotary controls, but you can simply use a passive volume pedal in the FX loop to get round this.
What about the POD 1? Can I use it as a Midi controller?
By the way, the GM36 is great. I love mine. It improved my creativity.
Hmm, yes, and thanks a lot! Glad you’re making the most of it.
Hello,
I wonder how to connect Grandmeister into iPad via Line6 Sonic Port VX. I just bought midi-jack cables and tried to intuitively connect them, but it didn’t work. The app is constantly connecting to the amp, as if it didn’t see it. Please help me with the issue.
Hi Vatis. You need to connect both, in and out, then it should work, and the app for the Sonic Port must be installed. If it does not work, check if the Sonic Port or its app filters sys ex, sys ex must be enabled.
“At first, we hesitated to develop a wireless MIDI interface ourselves, because the technology was completely new to us. But, after a year of waiting for a solution from other manufacturers, we decided to do it on our own, enabling us to perfectly match the needs of Hughes & Kettner players: no battery, latency-free, and the option to include your MIDI foot controller in your setup!”
Heroes.
Ha ha, we thought you might like this!
Hello and thanks for the reply,
I am using a Ground Control Pro and I think you are right, it must be filtering the messages. I actually tried using a Midi Merger box and that seems to be working perfectly.
Just played live with the amp this weekend. It was awesome. Best sounding amp I’ve ever had!
Thanks again,
Jim
OK, good to know Jim, and glad the amp’s living up to your expectations! Happy playing…
Hi, having some midi issues. I’m running the Grandmeister 36 controlled by the Pod HD500 as a midi controller, overall works great however each time i make changes on the fly to my live sound (this could be reduce the bass on stage or volume changes) when i re-save the preset it always resets my modulation intensity to zero each time. The only way around it is too make sure the modulation is switched on each time i make changes and hit save. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Dave. There’s actually nothing wrong here – when you switch modulation off before storing the presets, it is automatically set to 0 (0 intensity = off, there is no “real off”).
Here’s a workaround: if you switch modulation with the HD500, you just have to send an intensity value (#CC 001) instead of the on/off value (#CC 052). Via #CC 001 a value of 0 means off, and then you can switch it back again to any value you wants. Fully on means 127, half means 64, and so on…
Why is there an on/off? Well, while you’re in a preset with modulation on, you can switch modulation on/off via #CC 052, the amp will remember the value for “on”, but when you store while it is off, the value is overwritten to 0.
Hope that’s not too complicated 🙂
Ya beauties!
Hopefully it can be an ‘always-on/always plugged in device’ also!
Yay! More news at Musikmesse 😉
Good afternoon,
what about a pedal like this:
Ernie Ball VP JR. Passive Volume Pedal
Thank you
Tony
Hi Tony. No, you’d need an expression pedal like the Yamaha FC7…
Hi again,
Just to add a bit to my last message. I’ve noticed that when hooked up as described:
1. Connect the MIDI out of the footboard to the MIDI in of the amp.
2. Connect the MIDI out of the amp to the MIDI in of the iRig MIDI.
3. Connect the MIDI out of the iRig MIDI to the MIDI in of the footboard.
When I change the preset on the iPad it does indeed change the preset on the amp (and sends my Ground Control to some weird location) but at least it’s sending info from the iPad to the amp – and the GCP is working as well.
What isn’t working is when I’m in a preset and I want to tweak the settings of that preset… like change the delay settings or the power soak, etc…. those things don’t seem to get transmitted from the iPad to the amp.
I did check the GCP to be sure the Midi in was set to receive messages…..
Just wanted to clarify my last post…. thanks in advance for any help!
Jim
Hi Jim, and thanks for the questions. OK, so we’d like you to try connecting the iRig to the amp directly via MIDI IN and OUT. Then we’ll know if the iRig is working or not.
Next, a question: what footswitch do you use? If not ehz original H&K FSM 432 Mk III, your other board may possibly be one that filters MIDI Sys Ex information. Some boards do this, but Sys Ex (which means means “System Exclusive” Message, by the way) is needed here. In most boards, you can enable/disable Sys Ex…
Hope this helps, and let us know if there’s anything more you need!
Hi Folks,
I just got the GM36 and absolutely love it! I’m having one problem with connecting both a midi foot controller and the ipad. I read hear to set it up this way:
1. Connect the MIDI out of the footboard to the MIDI in of the amp.
2. Connect the MIDI out of the amp to the MIDI in of the iRig MIDI.
3. Connect the MIDI out of the iRig MIDI to the MIDI in of the footboard.
When I do this (or any other configuration so far) I can’t get the iPad to control anything. It receives the signals from the foot controller and the amp but if I tweak something in the iPad app it doesn’t send it to the amp.
Can this be accomplished? FYI I’m using VooDoo Labs Ground Control Pro as my controller. Thanks in advance!
Hi, I normally play guitar at home and like to be 10-15 feet away from the amp and cap most of the time and I dislike wires, so I’m in search of a wireless solution.
I’m trying to make the Quicco MI.1 wireless Core MIDI device work with the Grandmeister. The Grandmeister’s MIDI OUT pin 4 doesn’t seem to provide +5V as per the MIDI standard, so I’m working on an adapter to use the +20V from MIDI IN and voltage regulate it down to +5V. I hope this works…
In the GrandMeister Remote app, I was hoping to see configuration options for Core MIDI but I can’t find any. Is no Core MIDI configuration necessary?
Hi Alex, and thanks for your message. In our view, the Quicco MI.1 is not the best solution. It works with bluetooth, which means latency, and it does not offer the possibility to integrate the MIDI footswitch into the setup because MIDI IN and OUT are blocked.
All we can say at this point is: have a look at the Hughes & Kettner news we reveal at the upcoming Musikmesse… there will be a perfect wireless solution, latency free, no battery needed, and with the option to include a MIDI board into the setup! 😉
Thanks for the quick response. Just to clarify, I would be connecting the output of the UX-16 to the input of the MKIII, but the input of the UX-16 would come from the output of the GM36. Am I thinking right?
Thanks again.
That’s it Clinton, yes!
Just got a GM36 and FSM-432 MKIII last week. Love it! I’m totally new to MIDI and would like to use the new Desktop Remote software on my Windows 7 laptop. A few questions:
1. Do you recommend the Yamaha UX-16 as a MIDI interface, or is there something better?
2. Would I connect the MIDI out from the UX-16 into the MIDI in of the MKIII?
3. Does the MIDI in of the UX-16 need to be connected anywhere? Maybe to the MIDI out of the GM36?
Thanks!
Hi Clinton, glad you’re liking your GrandMeister,and welcome to the world of MIDI! In answer to your questions, yes – the Yamaha UX-16 works perfectly with the GM36, and yes, you will need to connect it both ways – In and Out, as you suggest. Hope this helps, and enjoy! Oh, and if you have any more questions, just shoot any time… 🙂
unfortunately it’s calculated on Grand Maister(..switcblade ecc). so if you use it to tap tempo on TC Elec for example it doesn’t work. It send a note every 2 step, so you have always an half tempo on G major (system)
Hmm, OK – did you ask TC about this specific problem?
Please tell me you’re still planning on releasing a wireless device (ideally Bluetooth) for the MIDI connectivity of the iPad app to the GM36 — this is the only thing missing from this amp! — it’s so frustrating unplugging and re-plugging in the cables each time a change has to be made (and then switching back to my MIDI setup…!)
If Line6 can do it (and have done!) with their AmpliFi range then H&K should be able to!!!
Hi Neville. Yep, it’s still in the planning, but as you can imagine, it’s something of a challenge 😉 We’ll get it spot-on soon, and then you’ll be first to hear about it here! In the meantime, please bear with us…
Hello,
i saw that Yamaha FC7 works fine with FSM 432. But is it possible tu use Roland EV-5 expression pedal to control Volume, gain, and all parameters described in the manual ?
I tried but it doesn’t work.
Thanks
Hi Pascal. Unfortunately, the Boss and Roland stuff does not work properly with our gear. Boss/Roland write it in their manuals, that their stuff only works with their own product range. Sorry about that!
Hi Pascal. Unfortunately Boss/Roland pedals generally only work with other Boss/Roland equipment. We’re sorry about that, but that’s just the way they design their stuff (and it’s even written in their manuals). The Yamaha FC7 will do the job perfectly though…
Awesome! Why don’t H&K just make the iOS app into an OSX application too ? :/
Would likely be handy…!
Is it NAMM or Musikmesse where (and when?!) the wireless MIDI announcement is going to be made? 😛
Perhaps I should have mentioned that the rack the GM sits on is a vented shelf … 😀
I have put smaller feet on the amp so that (hopefully) they reduce any vibrations – thought the metal sides of the amp are in contact with my vented shelf so perhaps they are obsolete anyway :/ !
I also purchased a rack fan unit with 4 fans in (though I point this at the top of the GM36 head to cool the heat sinking chassis…)
Could you explain a bit more the relationship between information stored for each channel, when the FSM-432 MK III is in Stompbox mode, and the presets saved in Preset mode? Where are stompbox vales stored?
Is there a way to combine stompbox mode (on the FSM) with program changes (e.g., from another midi controller, even another FSM)?
Cheers,
Pierre
So, the Stomp Box presets are 4 extra presets, not accessible via MIDI. It is simply the values that are stored when you select a channel with a chickenhead…
thanks good information
No problem, glad to be able to help out!
Okay I thought about this today and while it may not be possible I figured I would ask. So New Years Wish list: A Windows 7/8 editor to save, configure, and see the 128 presets for the GrandMeister-36 which I have and love so much. Any plans for such a software editor…if you guys did have such an editor would it be like using the Apple iPad but instead just with the iRig MIDI-2 connected from the Head to the PC (Head is mainly used in the studio).
Other option: So if H&K does not develop a software editor for Windows assuming the iRig MIDI-2 would work in connecting the head to the Windows machine (may be totally wrong about this), I know I could set up a virtual box on my Windows machine and have Android OS run on it (http://www.fixedbyvonnie.com/2014/02/install-android-4-4-kitkat-windows-using-virtualbox/). Then download the Android editor for the GrandMeister-36 from Google Play and then connect the iRig MIDI-2 from Head to PC in order to save, configure, and see the 128 presets for the GrandMeister-36.
Any ideas if this might work? Thank You
Hi Stephen. The Android and iPad Apps don’t work with Windows/Mac. But any MIDI sequencer software like Cubase or Logic can controls the GrandMeister: if you use MIDI #CC you can not only switch values, but even control them in real time. To manage your presets with Windows/Mac, a French third party company is working on an editor that will work as a standalone software and as a plugin. The release is planned for NAMM (i.e. January 22nd), but you can already download a beta version here: http://ctrlr.org/hughes-kettner-grandmeister-36
Hope this helps!
I used the iRig 2 with my GrandMeister… All seems to work as expected with the iPad app.
PJ
Hi PJ. OK, so recalling a patch will override the switch. This is a known issue with MIDI. A MIDI slave cannot “read out” the settings of an external controller, and a controller normally only sends values when the values change – but there are controllers that continuously send the latest value. So it is possible, but tricky and expensive…
Please ignore my comment on midi in the manual … I see the table. The added info in the blog would be a useful addition to the manual though. Cheers, pj
This was most useful. The midi implementation specs should be included in the owner’s manual — I was looking for this and was puzzled it could be found nowhere. Perhaps in the on-line pdf version in an appendix.
I have a question: suppose one were to use a simple resistor voltage splitter and a 5-position switch, one should be able to control the power soak setting via CC 30. Would this setting “stick,” once set, or would recalling a patch override the controller (say, on Controller 1)? (Until the value on the controller changed, I presume?)
PJ
Great article – the GrandMeister is an amazing amp!
Thanks Brian, and we agree on both counts 😉
Is it 100% required to keep (the) rubber feet on the GM36 ? (ie. for vibrational reduction)
As if I were to remove them I would be able to get more into my rack unit 🙂 (the side plates – with the handles) would be in contact with a 19″ metal rack shelf (and I have the GM36 strapped down secure) – any safety/operation issues here?)
Cheers
Ah, see our other post – don’t remove the feet would be our advise: the PowerSoak is on the bottom and the bottom plate needs some cooling as well…
I’m reposting this question in case you missed it the first time. I’m using a voodoo lab ground control for midi changes. It works great. However, when I use cc#7 to control the volume of GM36 the value is always 0-127. It makes the GM36 go to full volume. For example I have the preset volume set to 74, when I use the volume pedal it will goto 127. Is there a way to limit that upper value in GM36 to go to 0-74 instead of 0-127?
Hi Jeff. We didn’t miss it, but we had certainly forgotten to press our tech expert to answer you! 😉 Sorry about that. We’ve pushed him again, and will let you know ASAP!
Hi again Jeff. OK, so the answer is: No, the pedal always represents the knob itself, so if you turn the pedal fully up, it is like turning the volume knob fully up. What you’re actually looking to control here is the Master (not the channel volume), and unfortunately this is not possible. In your case, it’d be better to run an analog volume pedal in the FX loop. Hope this helps…
That MIDI application is finally working for me 😀 now I’m actually getting to grips with MIDI! So pass on the thanks for that too…!
Having issues with transferring presets to the amp at times……. keep getting the error message ‘Timeout: Memory transfer timed out.’ (only option is to press ‘ok’) and keep trying over and over to send these new wonderous presets to the amp but it continually times out :S
Hmm, curious. We asked our tech expert about this, and he said:
“”Time Out” means that the connection to the amp failed. So Neville needs to make sure that both MIDI in and out is connected, and that the app for the MIDI interface is really installed and running. Without the app (like a driver for the hardware), the iPad can only send MIDI data out, but for the backup and transfer function, you need a bi-directional data connection. It looks like the MIDI in does not work properly. As always, more an issue of the manufacturer of the the MIDI interface than an issue of the GM36!”
So, if you’Re still experiencing these problems, try asking the guys at TC – they’ll know their product more than we do, and hopefully can help! It sounds like the GrandMeister’s doing its job OK, but something with the G System is awry…
Thank You
It sure is a great time to be a guitarist with so much innovation:)
Thanks Stephen – agreed 100%!
Hi H& K I brought the GrandMeister-36 about a month ago (love it great product) and have been looking to simplify my rig. I found a looper, MIDI controller and multi-effects unit (Axe-FX8) the other day and wanted to know if you think it would interface well with my new Amp head. The multi-effects unit information sheet states (FX8 can control or respond to other MIDI gear in your rig with MIDI IN and OUT/THRU ports.) So my question is this FX8 unit able to switch the patches in the GrandMeister-36 head unit since I believe it can do PC and CC changes?
Link to FX8 info sheet: http://shop.fractalaudio.com/FX8_Multi_Effects_Pedalboard_p/fas-007.htm
Hi Stephen, and thanks for your question. The simple answer is… yes! Actually, MIDI is a standard, so when MIDI is written on an itme, as it is ours (we have to pay an annual license fee for this!) it means that it will “understand” other MIDI equipment and react on standard commands. So there you go – this will be no problem at all for you. Have fun!
Great, a faulty manual! Haha, what do I win?!
Right, so managed to map MIDI from the G Sys to the GM36… I used the iPad app to make a bunch of sounds then transferred these to the amp. Then I mapped the switches on the G System to each of these sounds (81-128).
So the GM36 is working all good 😀 just a couple issues with the G System now!
One more thing, when your experts mentioned using the G System as the controller and the GM36 & Digitech Whammy as slaves – what MIDI configuration would I put these units in ? Like I said there is no MIDI out on the whammy so obviously this would be the last unit in the chain, but what is the order?
You win our respect for being an early believer 😉
But seriously, only the very first few GMs went out with the manual faults before they were noticed. You’re one of a select bunch…
We’ve had to ask again about the MIDI configuration again, and we’ll let you know…
OK, so here’s the answer on the order:
G-System (master) MIDI out into the MIDI in of the GM36 (slave 1)
GM36 MIDI out/thru to the Whammy (slave 2) MIDI in.
The GM36 will route every command that it receives from the MIDI in to the MIDI out/thru.
Give it a try! 😉
Well the amp seems to be responding to MIDI messages via channel 2, so that has worked 😀
However, still not sure on where the amp is storing each of these sounds I’m crafting (without the iPad connected) eg. dist, clean w/chrous, dist w/reverb and delay…
What if I wish to use the Program Map? Do I need to first dictate the sounds, save them in the iPad app then transfer these to the amp – then how would I go about telling the G Sys to call up individual sounds (saves changing all the pots to program a new MIDI patch each time…)
I’m using a voodoo lab ground control for midi changes. It works great. However, when I use cc#7 to control volume the value is always 0-127. It makes the GM36 go to full volume. Is there a way to limit that value in GM36 to go to 0-74 instead of 0-127?
Also, I’ve just attempted to turn Omni OFF and select channel 2 for MIDI on the GM36.
HOWEVER, there were no flashing lights (Noise Gate & FX loop) as per the manual – so I have no idea if it has worked?!
The store button lights up but that’s it… (have used the +/-1 to select the Lead channel LED (binary as channel 2 MIDI) and then held Noise Gate & FX loop simultaneously for 3 seconds once again – still no flashing) All whilst the Play/Standby switch is set to Standby…
Aha, our expert colleague says:
“Congrats to Neville, he has one of the first GrandMeister amps … with the wrong manual! There is not much difference, just that the buttons won´t flash and that you need to press and hold the STORE button to save settings. Here is the corrected version:
—–
8.1 Setting MIDI channels and switching
Omni On/Off
Flip the Play/Standby switch to Standby. Now press and hold Noise Gate
and FX-Loop simultaneously for three seconds. The Store button will light
up. This assigns special programming functions to the following LEDs and
buttons:
• FX-Access: lights up to indicate GrandMeister 36 is configured to receive
incoming program changes via all MIDI channels (Omni On, default). If
the LED is not illuminated, the amp receives messages via the selected
channel only (Omni Off). To change the Omni mode, just press the FX
Access button.
• Noise Gate now serves as a +1/up button, FX Loop now serves as a -1/
down button. Use those buttons to change the MIDI channel.
• When configuring MIDI channels, the four Channel LEDs serve to
indicate the MIDI channels. Consult the table below for the MIDI channel
assignments. They show what in tech-speak is called binary code:
MIDI Channel Clean Crunch Lead Ultra
Press and hold the Store button for more than three seconds to save the
settings and quit MIDI setup mode. The amp is back in normal
operating mode.”
This should do the trick 😉
I thought as much… However, then I thought the FSM432mkiii utilises banks and may have taken this MSB approach; so just wanted to check!
…In that case, when I load up a sound on my GM36 (eg. clean w/chrous) and hit ‘STORE’ – where does it store it?! If I don’t have my iPad connected for example I have no choice over where it is stored and then furthermore if I then plug in the G system, how will it know how to recall it?
Must I have the G System plugged in to the GM36 at all times for programming presets on the amp via MIDI to recall later-on from the foot controller?
What if I bring the iPad app into the mix?! (would it be G Sys MIDI Out > MIDI In on interface > MIDI In on GM36 > MIDI In on the Digitech Whammy (which doesn’t have a ‘MIDI Out’ – how is the circuit completed? or is it not necessary in this instance?)
OK, some more answers here (finally!):
With the App: if the chickenhead of he app is in position “AMP” it will store in the amp, in position “APP” it will store in the app.
Waith the Amp and Midiboatrd: You can either overwrite a preset or select a new memory slot, see below. A new memory slot can be selected by the FSM, any other MIDI equipment
Here is how it works:
2.4 Programming a preset
Storing settings by overwriting the currently selected preset
An easy way to store edited settings is to simply overwrite the most recently
selected preset. To do this, press and hold the Store button for about two
seconds until its light flashes briefly and then extinguishes. The Channel
LED (see chapter 3) also flashes to confirm the write operation. Release the
Store button, and your settings will be stored.
Storing settings by selecting a new memory slot
If you do not wish to overwrite the current preset, you can easily select a
new memory slot instead. In this case, rather than holding the Store button
down for two seconds, press it briefly and then release it. Its light stays
on to signify that GrandMeister 36 is primed and ready to receive a MIDI
program change to define a memory slot.
• From the FSM-432: Select a MIDI bank from 1 to 32 on the FSM-432. The
bank number in the display flashes to signify that the FSM-432 is waiting
for input via one of the four preset buttons A to D. Then engage preset
button A, B, C, or D. The display stops flashing, the light on the Store
button extinguishes, and the preset is stored.
• From any other MIDI device: as soon a program change is sent, the
preset will be stored and can be recalled just by sending that program
change again.
If you want to select a new memory slot, then you will need the G-System or the App (ore any other Midi equipment) connected to select a new memory slot (by transmitting a program change).
About bringing the iPad into the mix: Not really necessary, and the fact that the Whammy does not feature a Midi Out makes it impossible.
Furthermore, would I be best off setting the GM36 to listen for MIDI via channel 2 (as per the manual) and in the near future (when I am ready to implement the digitech whammy into the mix) setting the digitech to listen for MIDI instruction via channel 3 (leaving channel 1 free for any other device I may wish to add in future…)?? Think I’m starting to get it!
Hi Neville. Right, the GM36 does not react on MSB commands (it stands for Most Significant Byte, by the way). MSB bank select is if you have syntehsozers with more than 128 sounds. These devices come with 128 sounds per bank, and with MSB bank select there are 128×128 = 16,384 sounds accessible via MIDI! This may be crucial for synth wizards, but for guitar players it’s way too much 😉 So don’t concern yourself with MSB, as we guitarists only need the one bank, not 128.
MIDI mapping is actually a completely different thing – you can use maps with or without bank select. Mapping allows you to recall one and the same preset for different programs. So yes, use this feature, as it’s your friend!
And yes, use Channel 2 for the GM36 and 3 for the Whammy, then it can’t go wrong. In theory, at least 😉 But don’t forget to set the OMNI Mode to “Off” on the GrandMeister!
Ok. First step: getting the GM36 to work how I would like via MIDI from the G system… To clarify, as is my understanding; the GM36 does not utilise MSB, correct?
Instead, I have to use a MIDI program map on the G system?
Immense! I will try that as soon as my new MIDI cables arrive!
What about presets I have made in a library on the iPad app – would I transfer the preset/library to the GM36 then somehow recall these using the G system (I don’t have the FSM432 mkiii Footswitch to test recalling presets made using the app…)
Awesome! And yes, you’ll have to try that. There should be some way around it, so if it doesn’t work when you try it, come back to us and we’ll have a think about a workaround 😉
Any joy with that? 🙂
So my TC Electronic G System arrives tomorrow 😀 and I’m wondering how to hook this up to the GM36 to control it via MIDI (AND have control over my digitech whammy via MIDI simultaneously…is this possible?! – would I go to the GM36 via a 5pin then to the whammy via another 5pin then back to the Gsystem with another 5pin and assign certain CC commands to a switch to change a GM36 preset and whammy function such as 2oct up simultaneously??)
(I’m going to run the 4 cable method through the GM’s series FX loop 🙂 just wondering about MIDI programming…)
Thanks in advance for this extremely confusing venture!
Hi Neville. Sorry for the lack of reply, we’ve just been a bit snowed in (with work, not snow!). NAMM SHow coming soon, you know, new things… 😉
Anyway, you have flummoxed us simple Blog folk with this one, so we’ve passed it on to the tech heavies in their development dungeon. We’ll let you know what they recommend 😉
Hi again Neville. OK, so here goes:
Easy (apparently!): The G-System will be the “Master”, Whammy and GrandMeister will be the “Slave”. Connect the MIDI out of the G System to the MIDI in of the GrandMeister, and the MIDI out/thru of the GrandMeister to the MIDI in of the Whammy.
All you have to do is programm ALL(!) devices, not only the GrandMeister. The GrandMeister does not memorize settings on the G System or the Whammy. This means that you must select your desired effects program on the G System, let’s say a delay, then store this to a prest in the G System, let’s say preset 4. Then, do your settinmgs on the GrandMeister, let’s say Clean Channel with Chorus and FX Loop on (for the delay on the G System). Then hit STORE, press “4” on the G System, and then every time you select program 4 on the G System, the GrandMeister will recall that setting. Same with the Whammy…
Boom! Hope that helps…
OK I resolved the T-100 sending expression requests and that entire matter is resolved.
NOW my final problem is that I cannot make program changes on the amp and use the ‘store’ button then step on the GT-100 to save the patch same as you would using the H&K midi controller.
It changes patches OK but will not allow to store.
If I program the amp patches with the H&K controller THEN use the T-100 it skips the lead channel and goes straight to ultra.
Can you help here?
Thank you.
Tony Lopez
Hi Tony. OK, so the H&K MIDI controller (FSM 432) works the same as all MIDI controllers. Please make sure that the GT-100 and your Amp use the same MIDI channel! That is crucial.
The factory setting of all Hughes & Kettner amps is Channel 1, and OMNI Mode is on (i.e. receives on all channels). If the amp does not react properly, please set OMNI to “Off” (so it receives on only one dedicated channel) and set the GT-100 to channel 1 as well. Then try to hit STORE (which will light up), send the program change on the GT-100, and then the STORE button should turn off. This means that the preset is stored.
Please note: if you use the wrong MIDI channel, the store process may well work but the GT-100 will recall the wrong preset – you won’t hear what you have stored. So using the right channel is really crucial! See the manual for how to change settings: hughes-and-kettner.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/BDA_Grandmeister_36_1_3_web.pdf
Hope this helps, and now you’re good to go with everything!
They are indeed! … I am trying! I’ve already saved ‘Rhythym Crunch’ to preset 128 just getting to grips with it – this is why I went with GM rather than AxeFX – for the simplest programming! (though it’s still in the same library as the factory presets 🙁 gotta try to work out how to turn it into a new library as per that video with the libraries ‘top 40’ / ‘my sounds 2014’ without erasing anything!)
What I was also getting at was, companies like TC Electronics get artists/pros in to sculpt “toneprints” for their compatible pedals… Perhaps you could consider inviting pros to create some presets/libraries even! (For example, Josh from StoneSour must have tweaked some settings a bit for his tutorial – I’m wondering if he’d be willing to share those tones…?
Those tones from that video were pretty sweet, guessing that was just for advertising purposes? (was still great that you made them available though)… A social tone sharing zone is an awesome idea, perhaps you could audition the tones from the site before having to go through the process of downloading them? Though you may need to, to get the full effect / sound / feel of the tone – but just as an idea… Look forward to that!
We really want to get the artists thing going, yes – we just need a few more cool artists playing GrandMeister first! 😉 We will get there though, and we’re really hopeful we can get a site up where everyone’s sharing with everyone.
We will ask our Artist chap if we can get hold of Josh’s tones for you…
Hi,
Is there a chart/table for SysEx messages that GM 36 sends? I’m trying to make a remote control app for REAPER DAW (it would be a JSFX plug-in).
I made some testing. When pressing the power soak buttons, I saw these SysEx messages in REAPER’s “received MIDI messages” -log:
Power soak 0w
F0 00 20 44 00 10 00 06 00 04 1E 00 00 18 F7
Power soak 1w
F0 00 20 44 00 10 00 06 00 04 1E 00 20 38 F7
Power soak 5w
F0 00 20 44 00 10 00 06 00 04 1E 00 40 58 F7
Power soak 18w
F0 00 20 44 00 10 00 06 00 04 1E 00 5F 47 F7
Power soak off
F0 00 20 44 00 10 00 06 00 04 1E 00 7F 67 F7
Turning the “Presence knob” sends these SysEx messages (here are just 3 different positions – I guess there are 128 positions)
Presence 0% (min)
F0 00 20 44 00 10 00 06 00 04 19 00 00 1F F7
Presence (next step from min position)
F0 00 20 44 00 10 00 06 00 04 19 00 04 1B F7
Presence 100% (max)
F0 00 20 44 00 10 00 06 00 04 19 01 7F 61 F7
Sending CC messages to the amp (from the JSFX) seems to work, but I would need a chart so that I could understand the SysEx data that the amp sends. Then I could update the sliders/knobs to the right values in my app when f.ex. turning the knobs on the amp.
Thank you!
Awesome. The only library I’ve found so far is the 1 on the blog with the Coldplay lead & Tele crunch…got anymore?!
We’re still working on that social solution where players can share. Until now, though, you’ll need to create your own library 😉 The presets that come wiht the amp are a good place to start!
(“Hi Neville,
if you already have created your own presets on zhe amp, you should backup your presets to the app first. Then you can use the share function of the library to backup the wherever you want 🙂
Hope this helps”)
Also, I want to start creating an array of band tones/live tones/practice tones in sections within the app library… How would I go about doing this? And then how do i transfer them to the GM36 for practice/gigging use (and how many will it store?!)
Cheeeeers
Hi Neville. If you press the Info button (upper left) the Help Screen will open, and it explains how backup and transfer works, and how to store single presets from the app memory to the amp.
The logic behind it is very simple, like with all apps that manage files, like pictures, PDFs or keynote files:
– create a backup, and you will find your backup in the library (find that in upper right of the screen)
– you can manage as many files in the library as you want
– you can share a library, for example send it by email to your adress and store it permanently on your computer (you see the standard share icon at the bottom)
– you can import libraries just by clicking it in your browser or in an email attachment: it will be loaded in the app library – see here: http://hughes-and-kettner.com/presets/Attachment-1.gm36memory
– to listen to and use presets from an imported or backup library, just select the library (the chickenhead must be set to “App”, see help screen)
– more info in this blog: http://hughes-and-kettner.com/new-grandmeister-36-ipad-app/
Phew! 😉
How do I create presets in the GM36 amp ? :S and how do I back those up to the amp…? Finally got some MIDI cables and have the amp connected to the app 😀
H&K you have been very helpful and I am grateful especially for phrasing the question to Boss exactly as you have for me – cheers!
No problem Tony, and hope you get your sound sorted! Have fun… 😉
ok, tnx so muche, all works fine now. Got a maybe stupid question, if you can reply here. in Switchblade the out “2 x 16 Ω / 1 x 8 Ω” is serial or parallel? I’ve got two 1×12 cabs with 8ohm speaker and I usually connect this two cabs to the two out 2 x 16 Ω / 1 x 8 Ω…
That’s good to know! OK, so the impedance thing: since the impedance is halved for parallel connections, two equal 8-ohm impedances goes to 4 ohms. So you need to connect your two speakers together, and then use the 4 Ohm output on the Switchblade. So basically: connect the Switchblade to the first cab using the 4 Ohm out, and then connect the two speakers.
Hope this helps, and we did do a blog about impedance issues, which also has more information on the subject. You can find that here: hughes-and-kettner.com/ohm-cooking-101-understanding-amps-speakers-and-impedance/
Is the TC Electronics G System compatible with the GM36? (As it has MIDI compatibility – and a screen!!) may prefer this option over getting a tuner+looper+other midi footswitch (are there any other “all-in-one” units you could recommend that would control the GM36 and has a screen?? Would the screen be able to display names for presets I create using the app?) cheers
Hmm, the screen of the GC will not display preset names, because names are not transmitted via MIDI control changes. But of course you can rename a preset in the GC or the app so that they have the same name! So that’s a bit of a workaround for you 😉
Is that because of the limitations of ipad connectivity ie. Lightning connection? Or just the app will flat-out not function with a USB interface? – Because there is an Apple USB to Lightning camera adapter kit you can purchase which apparently allows connection of USB devices to ipad (devices that require more voltage need to be powered accordingly, externally, otherwise it apparently produces an error message of ‘insufficient power’) ie. an audio interface (my 18i20 externally powered obviously) connected by usb to this camera adapter kit to the lightning in of the ipad… And MIDI to/from the 18i20
Hi Neville,
iOS offers CoreMidi for Apps, which is what we (and everybody else) use. The app for the interface is the key to routing the CoreMidi Data to a physical IN/OUT. Theoretically the Camera-Kit would be supported as well, but all USB-Interfaces that need drivers won’t work with it, as you would need an extra App (like the one for the iRig Midi).
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-use-coremidi-for-music-production-on-an-ipad-or-iphone-ios/
We know that with some USB-Interaces, the MIDI IN works fine (remote control of the iPad), but not the MIDI OUT. Please ask Focusrite, as they’ll know best! 😉
Thanks so much for the reply.
It clears up much confusion regarding the tap tempo via midi.
Mark
No problem Mark, and just let us know if there’s anything else we can help with!
Ah OK thank you. The problem is I need the GT-100 to act both as a wah and volume pedal. This means I would lose the volume function altogether.
Any other way around it?
Thx for your prompt reply.
Tony
Hi Tony – you’ve stumped us now! 😉
This is a question Boss will have to answer for you, as we’re not experts at their pedals, only our own amps! What we do know is that you can asssign what the GT-100 expression pedal does with presets: like Volume only, Wah only, Volume + Wah…, etc. You’d just need to tell the GT-100 not to send Volume information by MIDI, only to the internal presets of the GT-100, if that makes sense.
It’s a big manual, the GT-100’s, and we had a quick look but couldn’t find then exact info on how to do this. The best thing to do would be to email or call Roland and ask them: “how can I deactivate the controller data that is sent to the MIDI out by the internal pedal?” Hopefully they can help where we couldn’t! 😉
Thanks.
Will the iPad app and GM36 connect (and function) through my audio interface; a Focusrite 18i20… This has a MIDI IN & OUT… ??
Hi Neville,
yes and no. Yes, it will work with a GrandMeister, no, it won´t work with the App. USB-Interfaces are not supported. But it will work with any MIDI interface for iPad, just connect the MIDI out of the 18i20 to the input of the MIDI interface for the iPad, and the MIDI out of that interface to the input of the FSM (or into the GrandMeister if you do not want the FSM in the MIDI chain)
Best regards
bought online…
yeah, in standard mode the tab switch has the controller set to 4. when pressed it send a midi signal every two pression, so to have 50 bpm on g major I have to tab at 100bpm with my foot. If I turn in SB mode, the tab gets controller 53 and works perfectly (assigning to g major the 53 as tap note). so there’s no way to program the tab button? even using an external switch ( in control 2 in) I’ve got a problem: it send a midi note both when I press and I release..pretty strange.
Hi Pietro,
if Controller 53 works with the GMajor, you can connect an external single footswitch to one of the controller inputs and assign congtroller 53. Please note: if you want to send tap or midi notes, you will need an unlatching footswitch. If you use latching footswitch, this will creat a MIDI event when pressed and released. Unlatching switches send only on event.
Hope this helps,
best regards
Great review!
I have a question – how do you disable the volume expression parameters on the GM36? The reason I ask is that I am usin a Boss GT-100 for a controller and its wah. WHen I use the wah the volume changes on the GM36 as well!
Is there away to et by this?
Thank you
Tony Lopez
Hi Tony,
yes there is. You just have to disable the volume control in the Boss GT-100. It is explained in the manual of the GT-100. You can assign internal controllers and external controllers, just set the external control to “off”.
Best regards
I just received my Grandmeister 36.
I have a Roloand FC-300 Midi foot controller.
I have all functions working, except, how do I assign a footswitch on the Roland to control the Tap Tempo delay of the Grandmeister 36?
Thanks for any help!
Mark
Hi Mark,
unfortunately, TAP is not a standard MIDI message (like volume). All other parameters are standard. With volume “0” always means “no volume”, “127” always means “full volume”. With TAP, it makes no sense to have “no time” and “full time”, so the GrandMeister needs a real dealy time information that is calculated by the board, the GrandMeister itself cannot calculate. There are MIDI boards that allow to enter values: minumum time is 51ms and maximum time is 1360ms. Then the board can calculate the right value.
Please ask Roland if this is possible.
Best regards
Unfortunately no.. I use tap to control delay time on G Major, serial to Switchblade. The tap switch assigned to controller 4 only send midi signal every two press. It’s a big problem.
Hmm, that’s not right. Every two taps? Try taking it to the store where you got it, and certainly they should be able to help…
HI, just a question: is it possible to assign a different controller number to Tap switch? (for ex the no 1 instead the 4)
Hi Pietro, and thanks for your question. Unfortunately, this is not possible. However,if you use the FSM-432 MKIII, you can use a single footswitch connected to the controller Input and assign it with any controller number you want… Hope that helps!
Awesome, is phantom power required at all in the setup I described? (Will the FSM 432 mkiii run off of phantom power? (I saw it had a PSU socket on the back between expression pedal sockets…) And if so, does the entire chain of MIDI cables then need to be the 7pin type to carry phantom power around the circuit or just the ‘MIDI out’ cable going TO the footswitch?)
Is there somewhere I can download the GM36 manual in .pdf format?
Hi Neville. Only the cable that goes from the MIDI IN (not Out) to the foostwitch. You can easily see where to use a 7-pin cable, as all other sockets are 5-pin. The FSM-432 does not transfer phantom power to other devices. Here’s some tips from the GrandMeister manual:
7 MIDI In: MIDI In is a 7-pin interface, you can connect a standard 5-pin MIDI cable. The two additional terminals serve to supply phantom power to the Hughes & Kettner FSM 432 MIDI board.
Heads Up: The FSM-432 comes with a 7-pin MIDI cable. You do not need a power source for the FSM-432 because phantom power is provided.
If you wish to use a 5-pin MIDI cable, you will however need a wall wart. For such cases, the FSM-432 provides an innovative mains port that
accepts any AC or DC adapter rated for 9 to 15 volts.
8 MIDI Out/Thru: MIDI Out/Thru forwards signals patched into MIDI In to other devices. You can connect any external MIDI-enabled signal
processor that you wish to switch synchronously with GrandMeister 36.
Here’s the link to the GM36 manual on our site (it’s available as a download on the product page – it’s the same thing with all our products, by the way): http://hughes-and-kettner.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2014/03/BDA_Grandmeister_36_1_3_web.pdf
Hope this all helps!
Which MIDI cables do I need to purchase (5-pin or 7-pin) ? And do they need to be DIN midi cables? :/ cheers
Hi Neville. The GrandMeister works with both, although 7-pin will be phantom powered. See the MIDI chapter in the GM36 manual for more on that. Any type of MIDI cable will do the job!
Hello, I have a TubeMeister 36 and have been contemplating using its MIDI capability with Ableton Live 9 via a USB interface and after reading this, I was wondering if the channels listed above would be the same for the TM36 (with the omission of the channels for the controls which the TM36 does not have) as those of the GM36 ?
Hi Nick. No, unfortunately not: this only works with the GrandMeister, not the TubeMeister. Sorry about that!
Great! So it would appear a MIDI ‘thru’ won’t be required whatsoever then…? What is the reason for MIDI thru?
Would the Griffin StudioConnect not work then?? :S even though it too is a MIDI interface… Trying to conserve as much £ as possible and don’t want to have to buy am iRig, 30-pin to lightning adapter AND cables, especially when the iRig2 is available… Plus that Griffin unit has 1/4″ capabilities to!
Hmm, we’ve not checked the Griffin out, but as we use core MIDI (the MIDI Standard for iPad), it should work without problem.
A ‘Thru’ is needed to route Signals from MIDI In to the next device; Out normally sends only commands generated in the device itself. GrandMeister has a built-in MIDI Merger that mixes ghe signals from the In to the commands from the amp, and that’s why the connector on the amp is called OutThru.
Ok new problem… On the cusp of purchasing the FSM mk3 Footswitch and a MIDI interface to connect the GM36 to my iPad Air for the app use.
Footswitch is obvious which to get (the mk3)
But what should I go for in the way of connecting the GM36 to the iPad in way of MIDI…? (I want to have the GM36 connected to the iPad AND the Footswitch AND POTENTIALLY Logic Pro X on my iMac AT THE SAME TIME… Would this require a ‘MIDI thru’ on a MIDI interface anywhere or does it only need a MIDI IN/OUT ie. just connect all hardware by a circuit via in’s & out’s?) Is there a diagram anywhere of how to connect all this stuff up?
Basically could I fet away with purchasing something like this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GRIFFIN-TECHNOLOGY-STUDIO-CONNECT-AUDIO-GUITAR-MIDI-INTERFACE-FOR-iPAD-30-PIN-/321436749415?pt=AU_Pro_Audio&hash=item4ad71f8e67
Because then I have the MIDI flexibility (only in/out no ‘thru’ on this) as well as a 1/4″ connection to use my guitar with other apps such as GarageBand (and saves me buying multiple connection kits!!)
Hi Neville. As you maybe know, we recommend the iK Multimedia iRig MIDI (available as a 30-pin connector as well) as a great MIDI interface to iPad. And this is what we’d recommend you do:
1. Connect the MIDI out of the footboard to the MIDI in of the amp.
2. Connect the MIDI out of the amp to the MIDI in of the iRig MIDI.
3. Connect the MIDI out of the iRig MIDI to the MIDI in of the footboard.
If you want to integrate Logic into that system, you need to connect the MIDI interface for Logic in between the MIDI out of the iRig MIDI and the MIDI in of the footboard.
Phew! Hope that helps 😉
Why isn’t it possible to read out the parameters of the amp?
It seems to be one-direction midi between controller and amp???
It’s a great thing but this a serieus a problem to let the controller follow the parameters of the amp.
Grtz
Hi Ludo. It is possible to read out the parameters, but you will need a bidireectional MIDI connection to do so. To get that, just connect the MIDI out of the GrandMeister to the MIDI in of your controller. Hopefully that should help…
Nope, I haven’t created any presets yet… I haven’t even purchased the IK irig2 MIDI kit yet…
But I am just wondering if when I do get it, do I need/should I back up the GM36 factory presets to icloud/email before I start creating my own and transferring them to/from the app/amp.
Cheers.
Yes, you should, just hit the “BACKUP” button in the app. Best regards
It’s the floor board one. Basically, I strip the whole chain off (no effect, no amp). Global setting using 1-8 mode. Then assign midi CC to the foot switches.
Still, can’t get the tap light to work with HK tap tempo.
Hi Jon. It won’t work, unfortunately, as it looks like the Pod does not feature the options like the Behringer.
It’s a logic problem: MIDI offers values from 1 to 128 to control relative functions – e.g. gain 1 is minimum, 64 is 50%, 128 is maxiumum. But delay time is not relative, it is am absolute value (expressed in milliseconds). So the controller needs a feature to define minimum and maximum time, otherwise values will always be wrong. In this case, the FSM knows the values, and the Behringer can learn values.
We’d recommend you contact Line 6 to see if there is an option to enter values for minimum and maximum time in the Pod. Then, finally you might have your answer 😉
I recently received a H&K ACCESS (yes, I know it is probably quite archaic), that did not come with any type of MIDI controller. What can I use? I also noticed that MANY of the presets have no volume to them. Is it possible they are written to work only with the use of a MIDI control? I dont want to get into troubleshooting too much here, I am mainly interested in what I can use for a controller. I have NO prior experience with MIDI. Thanks.
Hi Dave,
congrats, hope it is in mint condition!
The Access works with any Midi Controller, see documentation here: http://87.106.71.220/oma/huke/manual/ACCESSV20.pdf
If really have no experienece with Midi, this blog post will help. Different amp, but same concept: http://hughes-and-kettner.com/128-ways-midi-will-change-your-life-as-a-live-guitarist/
If there is no volume at all, please check if the FX loop is active, depending on the settings it will interrupt the signal flow and the amp stays quite if there is no FX device connected 🙂
Hope this helps
Great, thanks! So when I have first connected the GM36 app to the iPad what is the first thing I should do… ? Are there presets (factory ones) already present on the GM36 that I should back-up to icloud/dropbox/email/iMac etc.? Cheers for all the help!
Hi Neville,
if you already have created your own presets on zhe amp, you should backup your presets to the app first. Then you can use the share function of the library to backup the wherever you want 🙂
Hope this helps
In what way are you using the HD500 to control the GM36?! …Intrigued…
Also, is the HD500 the floor or rack one?
The Pod HD is abailable as rack and floor model: http://line6.com/podhd/
Just connect it with a standard midi cable to the midi in of zhe GrandMeister. The Grandmeister will react to program changes, you just have to make sure that the midi channel of the GrandMeister and the Pod is the same, factory setting is channel 1. And you can find a list of controller numbers for each knob and switch of the GrandMeister in the manual, how to assigns and adress those controllers, please see manual of the Pod. We know from users that it wotks pretty god, you can gor example assign volume or gain of the GrandMeister to the pedal of the Pod.
Hope this helps
Yes I have tried it but nothing works so I map the expression pedal to a delay time (CC4)for now. try to understand how the behringer work at the same time. Does it requires CC / CC toggle / note change in order to send out the right data value?
I’ve been using POD HD500 as a midi controller for Grandmeister. Everything works beautifully, except how to get the tap tempo to work. Is it even possible? I tried reading the Behringer manual but they are far too different to the POD
http://line6.com/data/6/0a06434dc1a55085c5d6532bf/application/pdf/POD%20HD500%20Advanced%20Guide%20v2.10%20-%20English%20(%20Rev%20A%20).pdf
Greatest Amp ever played by the way 🙂
Hey Jon, thanks for the praise! Did you try the POD HD500 manual MIDI/Tempo section (go to the MIDI/Tempo options, Page 6 2.10)?: line6.com/data/6/0a06434dc1a55085c5d6532bf/application/pdf/POD HD500 Advanced Guide v2.10 – English ( Rev A ).pdf
Does the IK MIDI iRig2 work with the GM36 & iPad app? And is there a process you should go through before connecting the 2? Eg. Backing up factory presets of the amp and/or app to Dropbox? How would this be achieved?
Hi Neville – good questions! OK, so we haven’t tested iRig 2 yet, but the ‘old’ iRig MIDI works perfectly, so our guess is that it will work. To connect the 2, install both apps: the GM36 Remote and the app that belongs to the iRig. Otherwise, the GM36 Remote app will not recognize the iRig. It should ask for it automatically when you connect the iRig for the first time. Once the app and iRig are running, then you can backup files to Dropbox. Hope that helps, and let us know how you get on!
Just purchased the GrandMeister 36. Wonderful amp! Just one quick question about the FSM, which I didn’t see in the manuals (or did I totally miss it?): Is the tap tempo calculated and translated into a midi controller 4 value by the FSM 432 MK III, or is it sending a midi message for each tap (e.g. Note On or similar?) to the Grandmeister?
Hi, I recently purchased a Grandmiester 36 with an FSM-432 MKIII which I love. I am still quite new to midi but have the main basics of the operation of the amp and its parameters using the MKIII and expression pedal but i have a few questions.
1. Can I only assign one function to an expression pedal per bank or is it possible to assign a different function of the expression pedal or switch to each patch on a bank?? I am only asking because as far as I can tell, I can only assign one function to controller one and two per bank. Am I missing something?
2. Can I use the MKIII to operate other midi devices such as a decibel 11 loop expander while switching channels on the amp. Or changing patches with an eventide h9 at the same time as switching channels via midi connection?
In the grandmeister manual It dose say “you can connect any enabled midi signal processors that you wish to switch synchronously with the grandmeister” written under the header midi out/thru. What I’m not clear on is whether the signals/program changes are forwarded from the grandmeister or to the grandmiester from an external midi enabled device?? I am so confused!
Hi Joe,
OK, so here’s some answers for you:
1. No, you’re not missing anything. You can only assign one: the function has to be selected in the footswitch. It is not stored in the amp.
2. Sure, just connect the OUT of the GrandMeister to the IN of the Eventide. Then it receives all commands as well. Just be aware, that MIDI does not just switch channels of the amp, it switches presets, and the channel is part of the preset. That means, if you use a Clean channel on preset 1, 5 and 17, and you always want the eventide to add the same effect to the Clean channel, you need to store that effect on preset 1, 5 and 17 on the eventide as well. Not sure if it can do MIDI mapping, but this is something that Eventide can answer better than us 🙂
Just let them know, that the GrandMeister will send program changes from 1 to 128 … ah, and please make sure that the Eventide is set to MIDI channel 1! (or change the GrandMeister and FSM accordingly)
Hopefully this has helped a bit, but let us know if there’s anything else we can do – always more than happy to help!
Any updates on a preset sharing utility? I’d love to see what others have done with setting up their GM’s for specific songs/bands/functions.
Keith
PS – I’m using the FSM432 for simple setups and a Rocktron MIDI Raider for complex needs. It would be useful to have a forum available to share and learn how others have set their systems up.
Hi Keith, it’s an idea that we’ve been looking at, and hopefully we’ll have news on it soon. A community would definitely be the way forward for sharing presets and tips!
Great article – I met Dennis at a Guitar show in the US and he walked me through some of this a few months ago. Is there a way you could organize this information into a PDF document or update the manual with this information.
Keith
Great! Thanks.
I’m in the process of ordering mine now…
How do you connect the grand sister up to Logic to control these MIDI changes?
And when is the wireless interface likely to be available to purchase?
Cheers.
Hi Neville,
The GrandMeister complies with the standard MIDI protocol, so any MIDI interface can be used to connect it to any MIDI hard- or software. There are different interfaces available to use with logic. You can use standard USB interfaces, or an audio interface that supports midi. If you only want to control MIDI, we suggest a USB interface from a major brand like YAMAHA: http://eu.yamahamusicsoft.com/en/product/1013803 In general, it is more important to make sure that the interface is compatible to your OSX version.
For the Wifi-Interface, there is no release date annouced yet, certification is in progress, so “later this year” would be the right answer.
Best regards
ps: How to connect your Grand Sister to logic is a good question, we have not been aware that a brain-to-MIDI interface for human remote control even exists 😉
Can you advise how to set delay tap tempo with a midi controller such as a FCB1010 ?
Hi Dave,
If you’ve got the FCB1010, just refer to the manual. Page 10, article 2.6 – Tap-Tempo Function – covers it nice and thoroughly: http://www.behringer.com/assets/fcb1010_p0089_m_en.pdf
Saves us writing it out again 😉
Then if you need the values for the GrandMeister, that’s in our manual too!
Hope that helps, and good luck!
I wish it was just slightly easier to manipulate MIDI parameters… For example, via an ipad – rather than holding down buttons D and E until LED 7 flashes for 0.579 seconds and release after you hear a knock at the door – considering the GM 36 already has ipad compatability, it’s a shame there isn’t a MIDI edit options within the app!
This amp is so great though I will be purchasing one hopefully within the week… Just a couple questions:
1) how are they doing with the wireless/Bluetooth MIDI module (to connect to ipad app) and when will it be released, and
2) how do you integrate this MIDI control within Logic Pro X (like the stonesour guitarist does in the demo video on YouTube to switch from a clean to solo tone for example…) a YouTube tutorial video here would be extremely helpful 😉
Hi Neville, with the app, there is no need to edit control settings, every control has its decicated knob or switch. On the footswitch, there are only 7 switches, but changing from preset mode to assign mode is just holding 2 switches – very easy.
The wireless interface is in progress, but not finished, the prototype we showed at Musik Messe is now working properly, but certification has to be done.
To change presets like Josh Rand does it with Logig, you just have to send a program change at a defined locator point. You can record program changes or create it with the MIDI event editor. To control all parameters like volume or gain in real time, have a look into the MIDI draw functions, this is an amazing tool. Just google for MIDI draw (or for Hyper Draw as it was called in Logic 9).
Hope this helps, best regards
Sounds good how much do they cost though?
Hi Louis, please ask your local dealer or check a national online store. Best regards
Great information, thanks H&K!
Do you have a list of preferred/recommended tested expression pedals that work with the GrandMeister36? Specially for controlling the Volume and/or Gain (Soft) smoothly. I tried an M-Audio and did not work very well.
Thanks!
Hi Sergio, we achieved best results wih the Yamaha FC7. Best regards