SysEx Explained

Evolution UC-33 Advanced User Guide

A list of NRPN’s will always be given in the User Manual of a device that receives NRPN messages. It is always necessary that the NRPN MSB and LSB are sent together. Both will

be specified in the device’s manual. You may find the manufacturer’s have only specified the numbers in Hexadecimal format. In this case, use Appendix C of the manual to translate the value to Decimal.

The UC-33 makes the process of transmitting NRPN’s easy. All you need is to enter the appropriate NRPN LSB by pressing the LSB/DATA button twice, enter the NRPN MSB by pressing the MSB/DATA button twice, and as you move the UC-33 controller, an appropriate NRPN message will be sent out. Assign NRPN coarse to make big sweeps, or NRPN fine to make slight adjustments.

System Exclusive (SysEx) messages were defined in the MIDI specification to allow individual devices to have individual control via MIDI. The format of SysEx messages allows for virtually any function to be performed via MIDI – so long as the receiving device

is able to translate the message, and act accordingly. This allows devices to send audio sample memory data, controller settings, and much more. It also allows the controllers of

one device to be controlled by another.

It is not possible to program your own specified SysEx message into the UC-33. However, there are some useful SysEx messages pre-programmed into the UC-33, that can be accessed by assigning the appropriate MIDI CC to a controller (see Appendix B).

It should be noted that a SysEx message is not transmitted on any specified channel. All SysEx messages contain a device ID, that is used to single out devices to respond to the SysEx message. All other devices are ignored. If you are using a SysEx message on the UC-33, the global channel is ignored. When you press CHANNEL, instead of entering a channel for the controller, you will be enter a device ID instead. This is

indicated by the fact that the CC symbol will not be showing.

Device ID’s run from 00 to 127. 127 is the default device number setting on the UC-33. This setting transmits the SysEx message to all devices.

Although it is not possible to program the controllers of the UC-33 with your own SysEx messages, there are software applications that can receive a MIDI input signal and transmit a different, user specified message. You can program your SysEx messages into the translator software, then translate the incoming data from the UC-33 to your SysEx, depending on the controller you are using.

Evolution UC-33 Advanced User Guide

Setting Toggle Values For The Buttons

The 14 assignable buttons can each be assigned to toggle between two values. You may for instance want to send out value 15 when you first press the button followed by value 74 when you press the button for a second time. This is how you do it:

1.Press the Function button labelled DATA MSB.

2.Type in 15 using the numerical keypad or the +/- keys.

3.Press the Function button labelled DATA LSB.

4.Type in 74 using the numerical keypad or the +/- keys.

If you want the button to send the same value every time you press it, simply type in the same value both times.

RPN/NRPN, GM 1+2 SysEx & Other Messages

As already described, the standard MIDI controller numbers range from 0 to 131. We have extended the list of MIDI cc’s that can be assigned to the controllers of the UC-33 to include RPN/NRPN, MMC and General MIDI 1&2 SysEx messages.

These advanced messages are as easy to program as a regular MIDI cc instruction by

entering values 132 to 152 when programming MIDI cc’s. The charts on page 8 and 9 (or Appendix B) of the full manual show you what numbers correspond to each message.

To program the values required for these advanced messages, the UC-33 requires you to press the PROGRAM, DATA LSB and DATA MSB buttons respectively.

Lets look at a couple of examples to see how this works. Please refer to the chart in Appendix B of the manual so you get to grips with the principle:

Assigning MMC Control To A Button

1.Select the button you want to control the MMC message.

2.Press “ASSIGN” on the UC-33.

3.Type in “149” using the numerical keypad.

This is the number that correspond to the MMC instruction, as per the chart on page 8 and 9.

4.Press “Channel” once.

5.Type in “127”, using the numerical keypad.

This ensures that the message is set to all device ID numbers. For more information about this, please read “About SysEx Messages & Device ID” on page 13.

4.Press the “DATA LSB” button twice.

5.Enter a number from the chart on the next page to select the MMC message you want: