MIDI EVERYTHING! How I use the Morningstar MC8
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
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Diving into the world of MIDI can be daunting and fraught with strange jargon and high learning curves. Some MIDI controllers place the user on rails, guiding you safely and easily into a world of simple preset recalls. Helpful? Sure. Boundless and rewarding? Not so much. The Morningstar MC8 (and it's smaller, older brother the MC6mkii) shuns that lack of freedom while still offering a clean and straightforward path to implementing just about anything could could think to do with all those smart devices. From recalling presets on individual pedals to MIDI clock across all devices to building an entire Chase Bliss Audio Blooper workstation; the MC8 and the accompanying desktop editor creates one of my favorite UI workflows for crafting my pedalboard into the streamlined spaceship it was always meant to be.
Will this video show you just how I did that? No, actually it won't. But it will show you all the ways I use my MC8, the why's behind it, and hopefully will inspire you to dive into MIDI yourself.
But for real; if you want to know more, hit up Morningstar or throw a question in the comments below and I'll try to answer as best I can.
I didnt expect to find a guitarist on CZcams who plays all the gear I would buy if I had the money.
Amazing! I came for the MC8, but I’m interested in everything. Thx!
The idea of a “Home” bank on your MC8 is absolutely ingenious and inspired. I altered my original plans for using my MC6 and decided a Home bank would be so much better for organizing sounds and live context control. I use a 2 button aux switch to toggle bank page and a dedicated home bank button. Thank you so much!
Oh and all your sounds are absolutely killer!
Yeah the home button just kind of always struck me as the best workflow. Especially because I tend to focus on pedal specific pages rather than a “set list” approach I wanted to be able to minimize taps to get from one pedal’s page to another.
I’m a beginner and barely know how to connect pedals in order and this looks soo confusing yet so amazing!!
Basic order goes guitar>fuzz/overdrive/distortion>modulation effects (chorus, vibrato, flanger, phaser, etc.)>delay>reverb>amp.
The more you play you’ll find there’s no correct order-only what you like. Example: I love chorus before overdrive, but phaser after. I like short delay before overdrive, I like tremolo after reverb. It doesn’t really matter. Just plug and play, see what you like.
@metro It's not that bad once you get the hang of dialing in the MIDI stuff. Also note that you can get one or two good "base sounds" plus a couple effect on/off and jus tgig with that. You don't need maximum complication until you feel you need to push it further. I have a morningstar MC6 + HxStomp + H9 rig that can do almost anything. I usually organize my thinking around a base amp tone + 3 gains levels + two or three effects. Then I have three switches always hot for : mute/tuner, tap tempo and PANIC (go back to a good base tone fast).
I already wanted an MC6.. this video basically showed me I need a MOOD
Cheers!
90% of my content is designed to make you realize you need a MOOD.
Been waiting for this one! Been drooling over the MC8 since it came out!
I love it. When they're finally in stock I recommend checking it out. If you've got the space on a board for it.. Its so nice.
same here. drooling like a baby
Mark Johnston Amazing video and beautiful sounds!! I’m buying an MC6 and I was wondering how you got the BPM to flash and show up on the screen because in all the videos I’ve seen about it they name the foot switch “Tap” but when they tap it you can’t see the exact bpm you’re on. Is this something exclusive to the MC8?
I'm going to get one of these and have every button just do the spatium max setting
Holy cow. I know your board has changed since this, but what a controller. It seems like engineering mind, but it’s actually creative genius the way you’ve built this.
I do all this by hand with Mood and Blooper and my delay + reverb. But the section with mood and blooper is brilliant.
I do earnestly miss this set up. Maybe one of the “Best” boards I’ve built in terms of versatility snd practicality. I should make it again
The melody you played around 3:10 to showcase the plate. Check out Traveller by Manuel Gardner Fernandez, the phrasing and note choice are eerie similar, super fun song to play.
Ive gotta get one of these! Thanks for showcasing it ❤👌
I always check out your videos when I’m researching gear so many thanks for the helpful content. Your creative playing is consistently gorgeous. Any early thoughts on the new Morningstar MC6 Pro? Now with post-Covid gigs happening I need to midi manage all the pandemic pedals that were acquired over the last 3 years.
Great video and impressive setup. I’ve been looking for a midi pedal to control all my chase bliss pedals and the MC8 seems to do everything I need 🙌🏽🙌🏽
Nice trick on the MC8 with Blooper and the Repeats knob setting, will have to try that. Definitely get an expression pedal programmed into this setup, yes being able to use it across different presets is so nice. It opens up Blooper (adjusting modifiers) and Mood (clock and modify) to even more creativity while playing. Nice work!
Custom CC commands assigned to specific types of presses is definitely what made me fall for this thing. In theory I could map a half dozen different clock settings to one switch by just sending different types of press to send different values.
Thank you for an excellent explanation of how to use it.
Your video convinced me to go MC8 ! It’s an incredible tool that really unlock the potential of midi pedals. I have the Mood too but I do however find it very tricky to control with the MC8. I would love a detailed walkthrough of how you set it up !
The workflow for the MOOD is definitely more focused around CC messages. I have a couple PC presets for things like a reverse delay I like. There is way more midi value is changing clock speeds, reversing directions, expression pedal controlling parameters. It’s all pretty straightforward; especially with the Morningstar stuff. Use the midi dictionary in the desktop editor to grab the parameter you want and then select the value you are aiming for. Done.
Thanks for your answer ! CC is indeed the way to go and the midi dictionary makes it sooooo easy ! I’m slowly getting the hang of it, still struggling to go from the left to the right side of the Mood seamlessly but will figure it out eventually. Anyway, thanks again for your inspirational videos and music.
Very informative video, so thanks for posting.
This video is the best! I'm quite new to MIDI and just got the mc8 because I want to be able to control all my Chase Bliss, meris and empress pedals. Your Video helps sooo much. I don't have a clear idea about how to program the mc8 but this really helps. Thanks
Morningstar does a great job of walking through the menu systems and set up on their website.
3-4 different patches of Spatium make the Specular Tempus worth the admission alone :D
After seeing how you used the mc 8 with blooper in particular has nudged me into buy a hologram microcosm as well as a mc 6
These are wise choices. The Morningstar stuff is far and away my favorite MIDI devices. And the Microcosm is just so top tier. I need to make a more focused video on it.
Hey bro, anyway I could get some of your settings for the Enzo? The swells and bass are great. I was contemplating selling the Enzo, but after watching this I'm reconsidering. Great vid bro!
Specifically 7:52; 8:08; 9:24; 12:40 - Honestly even the Whales in Space sound lol - all of the sounds you displayed with the Enzo are amazing. No worries if not, I just thought I would ask. Thanks!
Wow. Just wow!!
Love that video, I've MC6 MKII bought especially for Enzo. Your "whales" arp setting is awsome. Can You share somehow how You set up that setting cause I can't figure out arp :/
Throw an expression pedal on for those clock changes! Or program some osciallations!
This video predates midi CC waveforms as an added feature for the Morningstar stuff
Subscribed! Great video, thanks a bunch!
Thanks so much for this, its inspiring... Quick question, how are you creating all these sub-pages for navigation in the MC8? Are you having the MC8 send a midi message to itself?
Each bank has a 2nd page, double tapping the 2 bottom middle buttons goes to that 2nd page. For all other bank jumps, he's using a 'bank jump' action on press of a button.
This may have been answered below, but how many devices with MIDI can you connect to the MC8? Looks like you had five: Enzo, D1, ST, MOOD, and Blooper? Super new to pedals with MIDI here so apologies for the basic question. This video really got me interested though, just even thinking about setting up song presets. Nice job, and thanks for doing this.
16
@@ryanrowlandson9914 This.
Definitely upgrading my MC6 mkII ! It's super functional, buy yours is really dirty too :D
French Bulldogs do not make for clean pedalboards
@@markjohnstonofficial I know, but you need a can of compressed air 😁
Did anyone catch what the Looper Mode button was actually doing and why that needed to be activated before entering Blooper? Seemed important as he referenced it earlier saying it made CC messages quicker to respond which is good for loopers but not for other things. I just couldn't connect what it was doing exactly and why it was needed.
Mark - love your vids and music! What midi cables are you using on the D1?
Hey man! Love this video it inspired me to finally nut up and Midi up my board and got the mc8! But one other thing in this video that stands out to me is that "faux bass" preset you have for the Enzo. Do you think you could explain how you got that sound?
I believe it is probably utilizing the built in enzo synth to do an octave down effect, essentially pitching down what you are playing by 12 semitones to get a deeper bass like sound under your playing. You could then kill the dry noise to get a “faux” bass. You could do the same thing with the buffered pitch delay on the chase bliss mood. Results may vary, since he is using the iridium and the amp preset will heavily effect the sound. It will sound very synthy given you are using a clean high headroom amp without any drive.
With the MC8, can you change the order of your pedals or are they set to however you place them?
The actual audio signal flow isn’t being affected by the mc8. It only makes parameter changes on specific devices so, no, you can’t use it to change order
@@markjohnstonofficial however I saw a photo of Morningstar of a prototype called ML5X. I think that device is going to add that feature to MC8
awesome, can’t wait to watch! what supplementary midi devices do you use with the MC8?
I often used an Analog Endeavors AUX-3 and a chase bliss audio midi box with the mc6. I use nothing w the 8 because it’s so robust.
@@markjohnstonofficial cool, thanks the response! unrelated, but what KRK monitors are you using?
@@davidhammers9708 ROKIT6
Last question: do you see there being any advantages to the MC6 mkII over the MC8 besides it being more compact?
Any chance you'd share your Specular Tempus Settings used here?
Hey Mark! Love the video but trying to figure out how to engage my Walrus Audio pedals to assign to a channel in the MC8. Can you help with the process on those pedals specifically?
I just got my MC8 and have yet to discover everything.
how do you make that home button ?
is it possible to share your settings ?
thanks !!!
gr,
Jan
first thought: oh man over 30 min....then when watchtin i was like oh man...only 30min....great video, thanks for sharing your insights. I am with you that meris and chase bliss released some pedals that actually doesnt justify the price if you use it without an extension (=midi controller) to really use the pedal expression possibilities. I especially wonder how guitarist use the looper without it (though there is a good video on that by the vintage kings). I love your sounds from the Meris. Can you recommend the specular as a sole reverb, even without using the delays much? Cheers!
Specular Tempus is a GREAT stand alone reverb. Even just for the plate it’s incredible but it stands up to ambient stuff and subtle stuff so well.
Hey Mark! Noticed you've got both the MC6 and MC8. Can you set up the MC6 to work the same way you're doing here with the MC8?
Thanks!
Not OP, but I can answer as I own both. The MC6 can do everything except the following:
1. Output MIDI data directly to TRS devices. You need something like an Empress MIDIbox as a go-between -- this is the big one IMO. I presume they might add these on the MC6 Mk3 eventually.
2. There is no multi-page view within each bank. A bank is a bank and that's it.
Also the MC6 is _way_ smaller, which might be better for some boards. You can't really go wrong with either
@@bensinger6031 how is this to be truth www.morningstarfx.com/mc6-mkii when the mc6-mkii two has an output midi data I/O please explain this Ben
@@dtrelzmusic RE: 1. Ben was referring to the four 1/4 Omni ports on the back of the MC8 - MC8 can send MIDI out thru these four ports whereas on the MC6, the two EXP ports do not support MIDI - they only support external switches and expression pedals. Both devices have standard MIDI out ports.
Ben Singer That TRS thing isn’t really that bad of a thing. You don’t necessarily need a midi box either. Just make a Din to TRS midi cable and that’s it.
MC6 MkII now supports midi out through the expression ports...
Great stuff, thanks, Mark. How would you say this compares with the gigrig G3?
How did you set it up to show the BPM? I have the MC6 and would love to have that setup. Great explanation of everything though. Love your vids and your music!
ok so im completely new to midi and i just got the mc6. How did you set up pages for each pedal? i like how you have mood set up.
I love a Plate Reverb
Cool, this is the way I've been using banks in a Boss ES8 but it has the annoying limitation of not being able to assign PC messages to switches within an ES8 preset.
Seems odd hey..and so something like the Home switch here isn't possible !! I would love the ability to jump to distant banks and then back when building a sound.
This works soooo much better :O
the work around this to have a No-Data preset on#.01 in each bank so I can travel up and down to the Pedal specific and "Set List" banks, make a selection, back to #.01 and so on.
I've been trying to find a controller with more assignable options to add in post ES8. Ideally I'd was looking for something that would open a dedicated page for any given ES8 Preset.
Does the MC8 receive PC messages in this way?
You've got me wondering whether to run the MC8 as Master rather than slave...
Hi Mark! I was just wondering if you had played around with having the iridium before your wet effects? And if you have do you hear a significant difference having it before the wet effects vs. at the end of your board?
Having reverb etc before the Iridium is a very different sound than after for sure just because before it’s all going through the amp sim. It’s very taste based. Having my spring reverb before the Iridium is nice because then it sounds like amp spring reverb. Afterward it sounds like an effect added to a recording of a guitar (which the Iridium kindof simulates with amp, cab, mic)
I’m not Mark and your comment was 10 months ago but just wanted to share my experience haha.
I understand you can make presets, but how is that connected to the pedals? How is it controlling them? And can you control any peal directly from the MC8?
New to midi's. Dumb question. I'm assuming the midi controller can't control the pedals without a midi input (blooper)?
Mark Awesome video so much great tone. Question, to control your chase bliss pedals are you using a TRS cable between the pedals' 1/4" MIDI In and the MC8's 1/4" MIDI Out? Or something a little more sinister? Thanks!
Nope. Just TRS from the controller
Nice thanks!
Great dive into midi boards! Is the preset page and home button a feature only for MC8 or the MC6 as well? I couldn't find those action commands in the manuals online. I'm currently using a SoftStep 2 for midi control of my board but my biggest complaint is the lack of screen, and it's a pain to navigate the preset pages.
Mason, It's not a "feature" of either per se. It's simply preset that calls a defined bank and he named it "home." It can be done exactly the same on either. I have the MC6 and do a similar thing. You can just create a bank (any bank) and set up the presets however you'd like and, on all other banks, you'd have a preset that navigates back to that bank.... Just name those presets "home" on all the banks you set up. Hope that helps.
Nice! Mine is coming in the end of April.. can't wait to dive in. Will check this video again for some ideas regarding the implemantation. Question about Mood/Blooper. Do you have those set before or after the verb/delay - and why if i may ask :)?
On larger boards I put them at the end of the mono signal chain, before stereo wet effects. Here they are the only mono "wet" effects so MOOD comes first because it can be used to build into Blooper more effectively than the other way around and they sit between my dry effects and the stereo wets.
Hello Mark, this is really a great setup. Im trying to replicate your settings for Blooper and Mood. However, I'm running on a problem that I can't get a signal from my MC8 to the blooper. I used the 5pin to TRS and tested TRS from the omniport but still no luck. Are there any settings that I need to do from the dip switches or that's irrelevant. Would want to hear your thoughts?
Did you get this sorted?
Was having the same issue, I posed in the r/blooper subreddit, and a kind person posted the following, hoping it helps you:
"For Blooper to learn the MIDI channel there has to be a MIDI channel active aka sending some sort of channel specific MIDI information during the learning cycle. If no messages are present Blooper will stay to it's previous channel setting which is ch2 for a factory new Blooper. What possibly could go wrong in your case is that the MC8 omniport and TRS cable combination does not provide the signal readable for Blooper. It's easy to troubleshoot that:
remove everything else from you MIDI chain except MC8 and Blooper;
use the first Ring Active setting for MC8 omniport;
find the proper MIDI channel by scanning all the 16 MIDI channels one by one (starting with factory default ch2) and sending a MIDI message that will have visual indication like toggling the Record function with CC#1 value 1 and 0.
If none of the MIDI channels is working you know for sure that Blooper is not getting the proper MIDI messages. In that case use different MC8 port and different (T)RS cable (it's easy to make your own Chase Bliss (T)RS MIDI cable) and repeat the entire procedure. However if one of the MIDI channel will work you can use this for Blooper or try to change it."
@@codismlaraah You absolute star! Thanks so much for sharing that
@@Farold_Haltermeyer
Nice video, do you have also ML5 underneath?
Hi there Mark, absolutely love this. I have just got an MC8 to use with a bunch of my Chase Bliss stuff - did you find that standard TRS cables worked, or did you have to get the Disaster Area style ones? And did you have to do the stuff with the jumpers inside the MC8 too?
You can use standard trs cables if you do the jumper switching. Super easy the longest part is getting the 6 screws out of the bottom of the case.
Great explanation as always! As someone who changes their board frequently, would you recommend this over the mc6? I know the answer to that really depends on a lot of variables, but my end goal is to have a board that has about 6, maybe 7 midi capable pedals. I currently have a 24x16 creation board, so the size of the mc8 concerns me, but I ultimately want the best functionality all around.
so the Nice thing about the MC8 is that you don't need a MIDI box to connect non 5 pin MIDI cables which makes it nice for changing boards. BUT. The MC6 is easier to fit on a variety of builds (the size different is stark) and you can always "expand" it. I used to use a 3 button AUX switch to add more presets to each page of the MC6. Useful, even if it doesn't do anything to add screen space (which is a thing I love about the 8)
@@markjohnstonofficial what kind of aux switch do you use?
I need help getting up the MC8 learning curve. The Morningstar Forum is okay but not great. Do you do any outside (paid) advisory?
Can you recommend a tutorial on how to learn the programming in morningstar editor? Ie turn on off functions for pedals, saving presets. Etc…
What’s your brainstorm/planning method for arranging these banks and presets? Do you map it out paper first and then execute the plan on the Morningstar once it’s all thought out?
I was using the the MC6 for awhile before this where I got a handle on how I wanted everything laid out. It basically started w knowing what I wanted the first page to look like and then building on that.
Just got one of these. Still trying to get blooper midi channel switched to 5 and set up. Any tips? I tried what it said on chase bliss site but still not responding. My strymon stuff was easy to set up.
I just bought the mc6 to use with my meris mercury 7.do I just use trs to midi cables to connect it?
Hi. Do you use trs-trs cables for the chase bliss pedals. Or the ts-trs?
Out of curiosity how is it that your MOOD doesn't start going bonkers when you send MIDI Clock info? Mine won't work properly when I send MIDI Clock Tap info out and I can't figure out a way to bypass it.
For long term imo u need a gigrig g3
Video is over a year old and I’m still pretty happy w all things Morningstar.
Great video! What MIDI cables are you using on the D1 Mako? They look really low profile.
The MIDI cables are rockboard, I believe. They're fantastic. Low profile and super easy to fit anywhere.
@@markjohnstonofficial Awesome thanks!
Great video, thank you!
Just a question. For connecting different type of trs midi pedals (meris or cba here) does the mc8 allow you to assign if it is sent on the tip or the ring of the cable? Or do you have special cables for that? Hope it makes sense.
the short reply is - RTFM!... the long reply is "By default, the MIDI out is configured to send MIDI via TRS, where the MIDI signal is sent on the Tip and 3.3v power is sent on the Ring. However, devices such as Chase Bliss uses a different configuration, where the MIDI signal is received at the Ring and the Tip is left floating. The MC8 can accommodate this, but this requires removing the back plate of the MC8 and
removing the bottom jumper then Shifting the top jumper to the left"
morningstarengineering.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/MMS/pages/171802626/MC8+v3.7#Connecting-TRS-MIDI-Devices
Are you running stereo? I’m assuming you’re using the iridium as your amp?
Just found the Morningstar mc8. Are you familiar w the Futurist midi controller coming out this month by Matthews Effects? Thoughts re comparisons, etc?
I saw the futurist in person at NAMM at the start of this year. I like the look of it, I like how full featured it is. I think that if I was choosing between something like the Morningstar mc3 and the futurist it would be close but the mc8 is so robust and has such a great layout that I take it every time. If space if you’re main issue it might be more worth the conversation though.
@@markjohnstonofficial I can’t confirm in my reading if the 4 outputs on the mc8 will assign tap tempo (they mention expression pedals, etc). Do you know? If I can assign an external tap switch, I’m down!
This video is great! But i keep wiping my laptop screen to try and clean off the hair and lint off the Morning Star.
Clean pedals are overrated.
Is there a way to get your d-1 presets?
If you had to pick between your first mc8 or a second h9 which would you get first
I mean... they’re entirely ENTIRELY different pieces of gear. Do you need a midi controller? Morningstar. Do you need another multi effect? H9.
Hello! Which pedalboard did you use for all that pedals?
Temple boards
Hello! So the Specular have trails between presets?
Not on all presets. Certain ones, yes. But not across the board.
Everything here on the board is MIDI ? Even the ENZO ?
Everything expect the drives (and tuner obviously)
Can you access the pre-made midi presets on h9, or lets say meris pedals in particular with the morningstar? Or do you have to purchase the meris i/o midi box as well?
Somehow I'm answering Mark's questions. Lol. The IO box is simply a way to convert the connector type from standard DIN Midi to TRS phone jacks. Nothin magical. If you make your own cables or get adapters, you don't need the I/O box.
wow.........
lol one person disliked this....smh