MM5 signal (data) flow chain

Practical front panel

The handy front panel fixtures are used to access the set-up Program menu as well as in the normal Play mode.

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In Play mode, the alphanumeric display normally proclaims the name and number of the current Bank. When you push one of the buttons, it briefly displays the type of command programmed into the corresponding Switch. When you are using the Program menu, the display shows the menu elements, options and values.

The display also features six status indicators.

The leftmost four square red push-buttons on the front panel are attached to the Switches that instigate most MM5 functions. You can program these Switches to generate a whole range of MIDI commands, and to turn on and off any of the special MIDI Effects. In Play mode, the Switches are velocity sensitive. This means that when you program them to send a note or a chord, the faster you press the Switch button, the louder the notes will sound. Switch velocity can also be used to vary quantities other than volume. The buttons have different functions when you are in the Program menu: Switch 1 is the Select button, Switch 2 is the Cancel button, Switch 3 is the Next button and Switch 4 is the Previous button. The last two functions are duplicated on the rotary encoder that is the Level control.

The rightmost of the five buttons is marked Bank and Exit. In Play mode, each time you push this button, the system steps to the next of the sixteen pre-programmed Banks in succession. Holding down this button for more than one second will reverse the step direction. You can edit the Bank names from the Program menu. When you are in the Program menu, this same button lets you Exit back to Play mode.

When in Play mode, you reach the Program menu by holding down the Bank button, and then pushing the Select (Switch 1) button.

To the right of the LED display window is a rotary control knob, marked Previous/Next and Level. In Play mode, the Level control acts as a real time variable controller. This means for example, that you can use it to control volume or modulation depth. Up to four controller numbers can be used simultaneously, on any four channels. When you turn the Level control, the display shows its new value. You can also use the Level control to control some of the special effects. You may also twiddle this knob in order to select entries in the Program menu.

Rear panel wonderland

A compartment is provided for a PP3 battery (not supplied). An alkaline battery will give a life of about ten hours of continuous use. There is a power save feature which can be set to greatly extend this life. Set-up data is retained even when the battery is not installed.

As an alternative to a battery, you can connect an external dc power supply by way of a 3.5mm jack socket. This power inlet requires eight to twelve volts at 100mA, with the tip positive. The lovely Philip Rees AAC5 is configured specially for the job.

There is a power on/off slide-switch, and there are three MIDI ports - IN, THRU and OUT.

At the right hand end of the back panel there are two quarter-inch jack sockets. These are the External controller inputs (EXT1 and EXT2). You can connect these sockets to ordinary unpowered volume pedals to give two real time controllers. The MM5 automatically calibrates itself to the range of each pedal.

Applications

In the MIDI-guitar based set-up above the MM5 adds convenient auto-accompaniment and patch changing for the sound module; it also lets a foot-pedal operate as, for example, the Mod Wheel control for the module. The MM5 also sends Program change messages to control the reverb unit as required. Furthermore the MM5 can issue MIDI SRT commands to stop, start and synchronise the drum machine.

The most basic bidirectional hook-up for a single synth is shown above. This arrangement is suitable for showing off many of the demo programs.

The simple effects rack set-up above is suitable for running some of the demo programs. A guitarist using the MM5 to his effects rack would use an arrangement like this.

Helpful demo programs

The MM5 comes pre-programmed with some demonstration settings. These can illustrate the use of the MM5 to control synths and digital effects racks. You can overwrite the demo programs when you require.

The demo in Bank 1 is named CTLS, and the Switches contain useful Control Change messages that will be transmitted on channel one, when you press the buttons.

Demonstration Bank 2 is named PRGS, and the Switches contain MIDI Program Change messages. When pressed, these should cause the currently selected patch on channel one to change. This is a popular use for the MM5.

Another useful demonstration named SQNC is loaded into Bank 3. The Switches are programmed to control a sequencer or other device synchronised to external MIDI clocks.

In Bank 4, FX demonstrates some of the MIDI Effects. The effects showcased here are a keyboard split, a modulated controller, chord arpeggiation and echoed notes.

CHRD is the Bank 5 demo. In this case the Switches are programmed with a simple chord Sequence and some more Effects.

In Bank 6, CONF demonstrates the use of Multi-Sequences to set up a chain of configurations. Messages for several instruments can go out simultaneously with each button press.

Straightforward programming

You can program the MM5 to generate almost any MIDI message, and to process such MIDI messages, plus those received at its MIDI In port, to create some great effects - all at the touch of a foot switch.

To navigate around the Program menu you use the Previous/Next rotary knob (Level control) or the Previous and Next buttons along with the Select and Cancel buttons.

The easy programming method involves assigning MIDI messages or Effects to specific Switches in specific Banks. There are sixteen Banks, each of which has four Switches.

If you wish to assign to a single Switch to more than one message or Effect item, you should assign the Items to a Sequence using the Sequence menu branch. The Sequence is assigned by number to the Switch from the Effects menu branch via `[BANK##]-[SWTCH]-[FX ]-[SEQUEN]'. You will note without surprise that you cannot assign a sequence to a sequence slot. There is, however, the [MULTI ] sequence option to let you sequence through sequences.

Sensible menu structure

The elegant and comprehensive menu structure is summarised in the Program menu tree. The rest of this documentation is a fairly detailed description of the elements of the Program Menu.

The menu tree is organised into four main branches.

You use the `Bank##' branch to program the sixteen Banks of Switches. Also, you can name any of the Banks and copy from one Bank to another.

You use the `Sequen' branch to set up any of the sixteen Sequences. Each Sequence can have up to sixteen MIDI message or Effects Items, subject to an overall limit of sixty-eight Items shared among the sixteen Sequences.

From the `Extern' branch, you can assign the External controllers EXT1 and EXT2 and the Level control to send their values on any MIDI Controller number on any MIDI channel.

The `System' branch deals with things like the display brightness, power save options, and set-up loading and saving.

Programming a Bank

[BANK##]-[SWTCH#]-[####  ]

This is how you program any of the four Switches within a Bank.

First you choose which Bank you want to program, between one and sixteen.

Next you select the Switch (within the chosen Bank) that you wish to program.

Then you decide whether you intend to program the Switch with one of the special Effects from the Effects branch of the menu, or a standard MIDI message from the MIDI message branch.

[BANK##]-[NAME  ]-[  ####]

For mental convenience, you can bestow upon a Bank any name up to four characters long. The name will be displayed along with the Bank number whenever you use the Bank button to select it.

[BANK##]-[COPY  ]-[TO  ##]

You employ this command to copy the Switch programs and name from one Bank to another.

Programming a Sequence

A Sequence is a set of one or more MIDI message or Effects commands that you want to send either step by step, or all at once. With some exceptions, you can program anything into a Sequence Item that you can into a Switch. This is a very powerful feature.

[SEQUEN]-[NMBR##]-[ITEM##]-[####  ]

First you choose the Sequence by number.

Next you select the Item (within the chosen Sequence) that you wish to program.

Then you program the Sequence Item; the huge Effects and MIDI message menu branches appear again as sub-branches here,as you may see in the Program menu tree.

When using chord or note sequences in step mode, smooth legato changes can be achieved by selecting HOLD for each CHORD or NOTE item.

[SEQUEN]-[NMBR##]-[##### ]-[SURE #]

This lets you save or erase the Sequences you have created.

[SEQUEN]-[MEM ##]

This handy little function displays the total number of unused sequence items.

The Effects menu branch

The Effects branch of the menu is a treasure chest of special effects like arpeggiation and note echo, plus useful functions like muting and Sequence assignment.

You can assign most Effects to a Switch or a Sequence item, so this branch occurs twice in the Program menu tree.

The scintillating choice `BLANK' gives a null Item or Switch assignment.

[CHORD ]-[######]-[OCTV #]-[INVR #]-[VEL###]-[CHAN##]-[HOLD #]

The comprehensive chord function lets you select from any root note over a five octave range and no less than sixteen chord types (MAJ, MIN, DIM, AUG, SUS2, SUS4, 6, MIN6, 7, MAJ7, MIN7, 7-5, 7+5, DIM7, 7-9, 9) with a further choice of three or four inversions for each type. You can, of course, assign the chord to any Sequence Item or foot Switch.

[MODLTR]-[CTLR##]-[SPD###]-[DEP###]-[CNTR #]-[CHAN##]

The excellent modulator allows you to wobble the Controller value of any MIDI Controller continuously.

When assigned to a foot Switch, the modulator Effect `toggles' on or off alternately when you push the button. You can assign modulator Effects to as many Switches or Sequence Items as you wish. In Play mode, however, only the one modulator operator, the most recently triggered, can be active at any time.

[ARPEGG]-[TYPE #]-[LENG #]-[SOLO #]-[SPD###]-[CHAN##]-[OUT ##]

An arpeggio is a chord spread out in time so that the notes are heard one after the other. The arpeggio speed may take a fixed value from 100 through to 580, or one of the variable sources. The variable sources are the External controller inputs, and the Level control. You can assign as many arpeggiator operators as you wish when programming. However, in Play mode only the single most recently selected arpeggio will be active.

You can decide the style of arpeggio that you wish to hear. The choice is from one to eight. The first four are ascending, the second four are descending.

You can choose the pattern length that you wish to be used as a building block for the arpeggio style. You can choose either three, four, five, or seven.

[ECHO  ]-[DCY###]-[DLY###]-[CHAN##]-[OUT ##]

The echo feature allows you to create entertaining echo effects on MIDI notes.

Although there is no limit to how many echo Effects you can assign, only the single most recently triggered one will be active in Play mode. The echo feature is eight-note polyphonic, with most recent note priority.

[SPLIT ]-[NT  ##]-[OCTV##]-[WDTH##]-[CHAN##]-[OUT ##]

The split function allows you to divide a keyboard into two or more zones, and assign a MIDI channel for each. This means that you can play different sounds on different parts of the keyboard if you have a multi-timbral set-up.

In Play mode, up to four keyboard splits can be active at any one time. If you try to activate a fifth one the command will be ignored. If you apply all four splits to a single channel you can partition the keyboard five ways - the four redirected zones, plus the original one.

[MAP   ]-[CNTRLR]-[FRM###]-[TO ###]-[CHAN##]

This mapping function allows you to transform a Controller number. For example, you could make your synth modulation wheel (Controller number 1) control main volume (Controller number 7). Although there is no limit to how many of Controller number maps you can assign, no more than four can be simultaneously active in Play mode. If you try to activate a fifth the command will be ignored.

[MAP   ]-[PROGRM]-[FRM###]-[TO ###]-[CHAN##]

This frequently-needed mapping function allows you to substitute one Program number for another, so that you could make the strings patch selection the same on two synths, even though the native Program numbers were different. Although there is no limit to how many Program number maps you can assign, no more than four can be simultaneously active in Play mode.

[MAP   ]-[COMPRS]-[MIN###]-[MAX###]-[CHAN##]

This allows you to map note velocities to new values, and so change the sensitivity (velocity range) of your keyboard or other controller instrument. In the case of compression, all Note On velocities in the range 1 to 127 will be squeezed (offset and scaled to fit) into the new range, between defined minimum and maximum values.

[MAP   ]-[EXPAND]-[MIN###]-[MAX###]-[CHAN##]

This useful feature is similar to the compression feature above. It allows you to transform note velocities and so change the sensitivity of your keyboard. All Note On velocities between the defined minimum and maximum values will be stretched to the full range 1 to 127.

Although there is no limit to how many velocity expansion maps you can assign, only the single most recently triggered one will be active in Play mode.

[TRNSPS]-[ST ###]-[CHAN##]-[OUT ##]-[HOLD #]

This nifty transpose function allows you to transform the MIDI channel and/or keyed pitch of any notes played on a particular MIDI channel. The transpose feature can also act as a channel shift facility, as all Channel Voice and Channel Mode messages received on the specified channel will also be moved to the selected channel.

Up to four of these versatile transpose operators can be simultaneously active in Play mode. If you try to activate a fifth, the command will be ignored.

[MUTE  ]-[######]-[CHAN##] 

This lets you mute any channel message type, or all channel messages, on a particular channel. In Play mode up to eight mute operators may be active at any time, if you try to trigger a ninth, the command will be ignored.

[MUTE  ]-[SYSTEM]-[######]

This facility allows you to mute particular System Common or System Real Time messages.

[SEQUEN]-[SINGLE]-[STEP #]-[NMBR##]

This Sequence function enables you to assign a single Sequence (composed using the Sequence menu branch) to a particular foot Switch. It is impossible to allocate a Sequence as an Item within another Sequence, so this option appears in the Bank Switch section, but does not appear in the Sequence Item menu.

The Sequence may be played stepped, when each press of the foot switch will step to the next Item of the Sequence in turn. The Sequence will return to its start after it has reached the last Item. This is useful for stepping through a series of chords, notes, or program changes for example. On the other hand, if you go for unstepped, then all the Items in a Sequence are put out every time you press the button. You should find this useful for sending program changes to several MIDI devices with one button press. More complex requirements may be met by using the Multi-Sequence option.

[SEQUEN]-[MULTI ]-[DIR ##]-[1ST ##]-[LAST##]

This special Sequence function adds yet more operational flexibility to the multi-talented MM5. It allows you to step through a series of Sequences, sending one entire Sequence per button push. You may find this useful for storing configurations for several MIDI devices and conveniently stepping through them with single Switch presses.

The MIDI message menu branch

[MIDI  ]-[######]....

This big and important menu branch lets you choose from all MIDI message types. Most of these can be assigned to a Switch or a Sequence, so the branch appears twice in the Program menu. Please refer to the Program menu tree chart.

Because of the way the MM5 stores messages, System Exclusive messages can only be programmed as Sequences. The maximum possible length of a SysEx message built into a single Sequence is thirty-three bytes. A longer message could be accomodated by use of a Multi-Sequence.

The External controller menu branch

[EXTERN]-[#### #]-[CTL###]-[RNGE #]-[CNTR #]-[CHAN##]

The External controllers allow you to control the performance parameters of your synth or other MIDI equipment in real time, for example pitchbend, volume or reverb depth. These messages are instigated by movement of the appropriate real-time variable source.

There are three real time variable sources, EXT1, EXT2, and the Level control. Each of these can drive up to four destinations simultaneously. The destinations can be any Controller number or the Pitchbend wheel with a lavish choice of ranges and offsets.

The System menu branch

[SYSTEM]-[######]

This branch of the menu allows you to change system parameters, access the MIDI monitor, or load, save and initialise MM5 set-up data.

[DSPLAY]-[BRIGHT]-[VAL  #]

This sets the brightness of the display.

[DSPLAY]-[BLINK ]-[RATE #]

This lets you set the blink rate for parameters that can be changed in the Program menu.

[DSPLAY]-[PWRSAV]-[TIME##]

This is how you enable the power save facility.

[RESPON]-[VAL  #]

This allows you to adjust the velocity sensitivity of the switches when playing notes or chords.

[MERGE ]-[   ###]

This enables data received on the MIDI In port.

[VIEW  ]-[######]

This handy MIDI monitor function permits you to inspect the last sixty-four bytes received by the MM5 MIDI In port.

[CHANNL]-[CHAN## ]

The MM5 will send and receive its SysEx memory dumps on this device channel.

[PROGRM]-[##### ]-[SURE #]

This enables you to re-initialise the non-volatile memory of the MM5. You can also load and save the MM5 set-ups to and from an external MIDI device via System Exclusive messages.

[DIAGS ]-[   ###]

This enables the display of error messages.

Program menu tree

Below, please find the Program menu tree which is in the form of pre-formatted text, and has several links to the above text. The use of pre-formatted text gives good browser compatibility, but has meant that characters have had to be used to draw the tree. Here is a key which may make it more understandable:

Notice that the [FX ] and [MIDI ] branches occur twice in the overall tree.

 [ MENU ]
 >[BANK##]v[SWTCH#]v[FX    ]v[CHORD ]-[######]-[OCTV #]-[INVR #]-[VEL###]-[CHAN##]-[HOLD #]
 |        |        |        >[MODLTR]-[CTLR##]-[SPD###]-[DEP###]-[CNTR #]-[CHAN##]
 |        |        |        >[ARPEGG]-[TYPE #]-[LENG #]-[SOLO #]-[SPD###]-[CHAN##]-[OUT ##]
 |        |        |        >[ECHO  ]-[DCY###]-[DLY###]-[CHAN##]-[OUT ##]
 |        |        |        >[SPLIT ]-[NT  ##]-[OCTV##]-[WDTH##]-[CHAN##]-[OUT ##]
 |        |        |        >[MAP   ]v[CNTRLR]-[FRM###]-[TO ###]-[CHAN##]
 |        |        |        |        >[PROGRM]-[FRM###]-[TO ###]-[CHAN##]
 |        |        |        |        >[COMPRS]-[MIN###]-[MAX###]-[CHAN##]
 |        |        |        |        \[EXPAND]-[MIN###]-[MAX###]-[CHAN##]
 |        |        |        >[TRNSPS]-[ST ###]-[CHAN##]-[OUT ##]-[HOLD #]
 |        |        |        >[MUTE  ]v[CHANNL]-[CHAN##]
 |        |        |        |        >[NT OFF]-[CHAN##]
 |        |        |        |        >[NT ON ]-[CHAN##]
 |        |        |        |        >[POLYAT]-[CHAN##]
 |        |        |        |        >[CNTRLR]-[CHAN##]
 |        |        |        |        >[PROG  ]-[CHAN##]
 |        |        |        |        >[CHANAT]-[CHAN##]
 |        |        |        |        >[PITCH ]-[CHAN##]
 |        |        |        |        \[SYSTEM]-[######]
 |        |        |        >[SEQUEN]v[SINGLE]-[STEP #]-[NMBR##]
 |        |        |        |        \[MULTI ]-[DIR ##]-&#0911ST ##]-[LAST##]
 |        |        |        \[BLANK ]
 |        |        \[MIDI  ]v[NOTE  ]-[NT  ##]-[OCTV##]-[VEL###]-[CHAN##]-[HOLD #]
 |        |                 >[POLYAT]-[NT  ##]-[OCTV##]-[AT ###]-[CHAN##]
 |        |                 >[CNTRLR]-[CTL###]-[VAL###]-[CHAN##]-[TOGL #]
 |        |                 >[PROGRM]-[PRG###]-[CHAN##]
 |        |                 >[CHANAT]-[AT ###]-[CHAN##]
 |        |                 >[PITCH ]-[CHAN##]-[TOGL #]-[ #####]
 |        |                 >[SONGPT]-[ #####]
 |        |                 >[SONGNO]-[NUM###]
 |        |                 >[TUNERQ]
 |        |                 >[CLOCK ]-[TPO###]
 |        |                 >[START ]
 |        |                 >[CONT  ]
 |        |                 >[STOP  ]
 |        |                 \[RESET ]
 |        >[NAME  ]-[  ####]
 |        \[COPY  ]-[TO  ##]
 >[SEQUEN]v[MEM ##]
 |        \[NMBR##]v[ITEM##]v[FX    ]v[CHORD ]....
 |                 |        |        >[MODLTR]....
 |                 |        |        >[ARPEGG]....
 |                 |        |        >[ECHO  ]....
 |                 |        |        >[SPLIT ]....
 |                 |        |        >[MAP   ]....
 |                 |        |        >[TRNSPS]....
 |                 |        |        >[MUTE  ]....
 |                 |        |        \[BLANK ]
 |                 |        \[MIDI  ]v[NOTE  ]....
 |                 |                 >[POLYAT]....
 |                 |                 >[CNTRLR]....
 |                 |                 >[PROGRM]....
 |                 |                 >[CHANAT]....
 |                 |                 >[PITCH ]....
 |                 |                 >[SONGPT]....
 |                 |                 >[SONGNO]....
 |                 |                 >[TUNERQ]
 |                 |                 >[CLOCK ]....
 |                 |                 >[START ]
 |                 |                 >[CONT  ]
 |                 |                 >[STOP  ]
 |                 |                 >[RESET ]
 |                 |                 >[SYSEX ]-[ID ###]
 |                 |                 \[DATA  ]-[D1 ###]-[D2 ###]-[EOX  #]
 |                 >[SAVE  ]-[SURE #]
 |                 \[ERASE ]-[SURE #]
 >[EXTERN]v[EXT1 #]-[CTL###]-[RNGE #]-[CNTR #]-[CHAN##]
 |        >[EXT2 #]
 |        \[LEVEL#]
 \[SYSTEM]v[DSPLAY]v[BRIGHT]-[VAL  #]
         |        >[BLINK ]-[RATE #]
         |        \[PWRSAV]-[TIME##]
         >[RESPON]-[VAL  #]
         >[MERGE ]-[   ###]
         >[VIEW  ]-[######]
         >[CHANNL]-[CHAN##]
         >[PROGRM]v[LOAD  ]-[SURE #]
         |        >[DUMP  ]-[SURE #]
         |        >[DEMO  ]-[SURE #]
         |        \[ERASE ]-[SURE #]
         \[DIAGS ]-[   ###] 

The funny characters in the chart are explained in a key.

MM5 Specifications

Dimensions: 355mm x 160mm x 50mm (excluding knob)

Weight: 2.0kg

Power supply: Battery PP3 alkaline (6LR22) or external DC source (8V to 12V at 100mA)

Connectivity: 2 External “volume” pedals 100kohm variable resistance (2 terminal); MIDI In, MIDI Thru and MIDI Out.

Display: 6 character, 14 segment alphanumeric 13mm LED

Program (set-up) memory: EEPROM

Capacity: 16 Banks of four Switches (velocity sensitive); 16 Sequences: max 16 Items per Sequence: Total number of Sequence Items 68 plus system parameters

Effects operators (in Play mode): 1 modulator, 1 arpeggiator, 1 echo operator (8-note poly), 4 controller number maps, 4 program number maps, 4 transposition operators, 4 keyboard split zones, 1 compression velocity map, 1 expansion velocity map, 8 mute operators.

til Phillip Rees hovedside

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