# MIDI with Ion



## bane (Oct 14, 2010)

Hi everyone!

I had some quick beginner questions regarding MIDI show control and I was hoping that someone here could help me get me started on the right path. 

MIDI is a new concept to me. Although I understand what it is capable of, I am not quite sure how to execute it. We have an ETC Ion at the place where I work, and I am trying to see what are the tools/software I need to use to make a show using MIDI happen. I understand that Qlab is a software for something like this. However, I don't own a mac and am preferably looking for PC options. 

Here are two of the questions I was hoping to get answered:

- I have seen one lighting designer use an audio capture device to interact with an ETC Express to run MIDI time events. If I am using an Ion do I need a device like that to interact with my PC or is Ion capable of interacting with my PC directly?

- What's a good sound playback software that is capable of MIDI that can be used with the Ion? I have seen Soundforge for Express used in the past for these purposes, but I am not sure if it is recommended for the Ion too.

I have never had any formal training in lighting design or operations. So chances are I might not have been very clear with my questions. If that is the case please do let me know and I'll try my best to clarify them!

Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated!!

- bane


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## sk8rsdad (Oct 14, 2010)

You may find some of the answers you seek in ETC's Wiki on MIDI. The articles referenced there make good reading. You need a MIDI output device.

We use QLab so I'm not too familiar with Windows-based playback options. ETC references configuration information for Cubase. I have no idea how well it works for your application nor which package you would need for MSC.

SFX has been referenced in other threads as a viable Windows-based playback sequencing tool.

You might also consider using SMPTE rather than MIDI.


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## derekleffew (Oct 14, 2010)

sk8rsdad said:


> ...You might also consider using SMPTE rather than MIDI.


Except, as was discussed here http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting-electrics/21777-smpte-etc-element.html , Element and Ion can take MTC, MSC, and MIDI notes directly, whereas LTC requires a Net3 Show Control Gateway. Note that Eos requires a Gateway to do any MIDI functions, as well as SMPTE.


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## themuzicman (Oct 14, 2010)

I find midi to be an awesome asset when I have to work with lighting and there are only one of me and many different boards. I program each board to do what I want, and then program QLab to route all of my commands where they need to go via midi. 

Basicallym go into the setup screen of the Ion, and go to "show control" and then "MSC Receive" and "MSC Send" - enable or disable them as needed, if the Ion is controlling an output than you want send enabled. If it's the Ion being controlled you want receive enabelled. 

Unfortunately, I do 90% of my work controlling the Ion from QLab, but I can tell you it is handy to have some option to consolidate your gear and run it all from one playback station. 

My current project is to take a Korg NanoPad and control different attributes of intelligent fixtures through QLab into the Ion, all via Midi.


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## bane (Oct 29, 2010)

I have been trying to sync up my SFX with the Ion. However, I seem to be running into some difficulties. Any help once again would be greatly appreciated.

This is how I have it setup so far. 

For a USB-MIDI adapter I am using the following device. *M-Audio Midisport USB Uno Sound card*. I tried plugging the MIDI input & output ports in the appropriate slots in the Ion. I also switched them around just in case I didn't quite have a grasp on the logic of it all.

As far as my laptop goes, I am using a demo version of SFX 6. (I tried using SoundForge but that didn't prove to be too helpful.) Under Cue List Properties in SFX I ensured that MIDI was patched accordingly so that I was connected to the MIDI adapter. I also ensured that the format was SMPTE30. I then attempted to start the clock, which basically states that it's waiting.

In regards to the Ion, I followed the manual instructions and enabled MSC Receive & also MSC Transmit. The SMPTE Time Code is also enabled. I then created an event 1 with the action linking to cue 1. Under the list menu, I changed the Type to SMPTE (tried MIDI too) and turned on the Internal & External clock. The FPS is set to 30. Status however states that it is waiting for an input. The first time is 00:00:00:00 & the last time is 23:59:59:29. I am not quite sure how to change that. I also have 4 cues built in the cue sheet. 

Am I doing something wrong SFX or Ion wise? Or is my MIDI adapter just the wrong kind?

Again, any help would be greatly appreciated. If I could figure this out, it would help me greatly in a couple of upcoming shows! Thanks guys!!!

Edit: I am guessing it might have to do with the fact that I don't have a MSC Recieve Channel Id & a MSC Transmit Channel Id set up. If that is the case, how do I go about that? Can both the MSC channels in the Ion be the same number? Or do they have to be different? Also, where in SFX do I find/change the device id?


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## HansH (Oct 29, 2010)

bane said:


> For a USB-MIDI adapter I am using the following device. *M-Audio Midisport USB Uno Sound card*. I tried plugging the MIDI input & output ports in the appropriate slots in the Ion. I also switched them around just in case I didn't quite have a grasp on the logic of it all.
> 
> As far as my laptop goes, I am using a demo version of SFX 6. (I tried using SoundForge but that didn't prove to be too helpful.) Under Cue List Properties in SFX I ensured that MIDI was patched accordingly so that I was connected to the MIDI adapter. I also ensured that the format was SMPTE30. I then attempted to start the clock, which basically states that it's waiting.
> 
> ...


 
Sounds like you've got a great start on it. There is one more place you need to check -- go to the shell on the Ion and look at the Settings -> Local I/O tab. This is where you configure the Ion's MIDI ports. The Midi In group should match the ACN MIDI Rx ID that you set up in the Show Settings. (Midi In = ACN Rx / Midi Out = ACN Tx). This tells the console where to send the particular MIDI signal.

You should only need to send MTC, and set the timecode output to MIDI Time Code. 

Let us know how this works for you.

EDIT: The Ion is a receiving device at this time for MTC.... the internal clock is for use when cueing and as a backup to external time code, should it go away at some point. Enabling external time code tells the console to look to its input ports for a time code signal and use that. 

You should use SFX to transmit the MTC to the console, and it will sync when it sees it on the line, if the software is configured properly. According to my research, MTC, like all SysEx messages, requires a Device ID. It should be 127 (or 7F) in SFX so that it goes out as an All Device ID, if you have the option (I believe this might actually be in the standard as 7F).


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## bane (Nov 2, 2010)

Thank you so much for your help Hans!

I still couldn't get SFX to work. I am not completely sure what I missed, but when I switched to Show Cue System, it worked fine. I set up everything as I mentioned in my earlier post, and took your advice and set the Device ID to 127. That was a very useful tip. It would have taken me some more poking around to figure it out otherwise.


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## Rick Clark (Jul 11, 2018)

derekleffew said:


> Except, as was discussed here http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting-electrics/21777-smpte-etc-element.html , Element and Ion can take MTC, MSC, and MIDI notes directly, whereas LTC requires a Net3 Show Control Gateway. Note that Eos requires a Gateway to do any MIDI functions, as well as SMPTE.



Is this still true, requiring a show control gateway to receive LTC via the MIDI portson the ETC ION? I was looking to use this device (https://www.kissboxus.com/product-p/tc2tr.htm)to take the LTC from Abelton and go out MTC from the TC2TR.


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