I am attempting to use the MC8 to do a few things with the Boss SDE-3000D (Ch 1), DD-500 (Ch 2), and GT-1000 Core (Ch 3).
Midi wiring is as follows: MC8 Out → SDE-3000D In, SDE-3000 Out → DD-500 In, DD-500 Out → GT-1000 In.
The main page (A-H) will be used for 8 CC messages (CC #1-8) to toggle FX1-3 on/off, compressor on/off, chorus on/off, master delay on/off, loop 2 on/off, and a patch volume boost for leads. I can take a screenshot of the assigns later when I get a chance.
I’ve just had it set to turn on/off FX1 to test, but I am getting nothing thus far. I am curious if it is because of the Tx/transmit setting on the devices. What should these be set to? Or is that not the issue?
Hi, if you want to control anything via cc on a boss device, you have to set the assignes to momentary.
Tx channel should be Rx. Thus allowing midi through messages to be send on the channel they have been recieved on.
The GT is straight forward when it comes to cc messages. Value 0 for ‘off’ messages value 127 for ‘on’ messages.
However the DD can be tricky. Depends on the footswitch mode how you have to set up cc messages.
If you run the pedal in simul mode you have to send two messages at once to perform a single action.
What works: MC8 → GT-1000 Core (using toggle, NOT momentary).
What doesn’t work: Daisy chaining Midi from SDE-3000 → DD-500 → GT-1000 Core. This will not work whatsoever, at all, even when setting Tx to Rx. Just refuses to work. Absolutely agitating.
So now, either my 5 ft Boss midi cable doesn’t work, or just doesn’t work with the MC8. I think, frankly, the solution is to get a refund for the MC8, revert my pedalboard back to how it was, and just leave it at that. Pain in the ass doesn’t scratch the surface.
Bummer, midi can be difficult. It’s a 50 year old protocol. Not exactly plug and play.
The MC works fine with Boss pedals.
It’s hard to say what causes the issue. Might be the cable or a wrong setting or just the programming.
If you willing to put a little more time in we might find a solution.
I own a GT and a DD, did struggle with the DD at first but now everything works fine.
First I’d double check if the 5 pin is oriented correctly.
Try to send a multichannel pc message from the MC on all channels, see if the patches change on the boss pedals.
If not, try to send a pc message from the GT to the other pedals. To rule out an issue with the MC.
I assume you are using the roland b- midi adapter? You can use a simple audio trs cable to connect the GT to the SD. That way you can rule out a faulty cable.
I’m not sure how the midi cable can be oriented incorrectly, as there is a notch on the jack. I don’t have the midi cables to do the rest of that unfortunately. I have them zipped in under the pedalboard, which is making this frustrating endeavor even more fun. The cables should be type A, but what do I know. Prior to this, my 5 ft cable worked fine.
Well, tried other cables now to just the SDE-3000D by itself, to just the GT-1000 Core by itself, and neither work. I’m chalking this up to the Morningstar being DOA and will get a refund. Now I will be finding another midi solution, and do not have much confidence in the other Morningstar MC8 that I own. 50% success rate is abysmal and this has been a waste of my time, effort, and money.
Solution/Tl;dr: The Morningstar MC8 is most likely DOA, and I do not recommend Morningstar products. I’m sure this will get deleted and I’ll get banned, but I now have two Morningstar MC8s, one I need to try and get a refund for, and a second one that, yeah it currently works, but I have zero confidence in long term.
Your problem has nothing to do with the MC8 or MIDI. It has to do with the fact that you do not understand how your gear is designed to work. The Morningstar is not DOA. Your issue is knowledge. I hate to be frank, but unfortunately solutions require knowledge. If you want to acquire knowledge it will require attention and time but the result of this will be success.