MorningStar MC6 Compact MIDI Controller

Started by Elantric, May 11, 2016, 10:47:10 AM

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Elantric

http://www.morningstarfx.com/








The MC6 was designed to have fully programmable Midi functionalities in a compact size. 30 available banks will give you more than enough space to store all the presets you need. With 6 presets per bank, and each preset capable of sending up to 8 different messages, the MC6 is capable of handling any rig put before it. For each message, select from more than 15 different types for each message and customise each preset the way it suites you best. Choose from standard Midi messages, toggle between different messages or even send different messages depending on how you use the switches...and this is barely the full list of options you can choose from.

Connect an expression pedal into the Expression Inputs to have variable control over CC Values, or add up to 6 additional presets in each bank by connecting external aux controllers instead, or one of each if you need them both!

The USB Midi functions will give you simultaneous control over your computer Midi applications.

Technical Specifications
Enclosure Size: 145mm x 95mm x 45mm
Power: 9-12V DC Center Negative, USB, or 9-12V AC/DC via Midi Pins 6 & 7 (Phantom Power)
Switches: 6 x Soft Touch Switches
Midi Ports: 1 x Midi Send, 1 x Midi Receive/Thru
Expression Inputs: 2
Number of Switches: 6




MorningStar MC6 manual
http://www.morningstarfx.com/#!support/xp3nr

MorningStar MC6 MIDI Editor












http://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/a-few-amplifire-questions-for-you.1702336/#post-21922386

tyzjames wrote>
The MC6 has 2 expression inputs, each of which can accept either a 3 switch aux controller or an expression pedal.

Each preset can send up to 8 different midi messages, and with the new firmware, each preset can be split into two parts. You can send the first part on switch release, and the second part when the switch is held down. Essentially, that's having two different presets in one switch.

Here's how I have mine set up :



EDIT: Just to add, the controller on the right is a simple T, R, T+R aux controller (2 of them in the enclosure), wired with a toggle switch to switch between the expression knobs and the switches.




Elantric


sixeight

I like the size of this thing. But the dual button presses for banks may be tricky. It probably means normal pressing of buttons has a delay, and it is easy to miss and activate the wrong function...

Elantric


stevereel

#4
This looks useful to me, especially the the fact that the led updates to let you know what each button does, as you are changing banks. When you get it, could you let us know if it is readable in direct sunlight? Thanks!

update: I contacted Morningstar on their Facebook page, they said that the led would be visible in sunlight. Ordered mine...

stevereel

#5
My Morningstar MC6 arrived this week, used it on the gig last night.
PROS-
The LED readout is very useful, sort of a poor man's Liquid Foot or RJM Mastermind. Its only one LED, but there are six positions of six characters, each name represents the physical button closest to it.

There are some cool messages available like toggle... you program two program changes (or control change messages), when you step on the button you go call up the first patch, step again and you get the second. There are similar settings for changing messages when you press down, and another when you release.

CONS-
For me at least, the online editor wouldn't work unless I quit any midi software on my laptop, and disconnected all other MIDI devices. So you have to program, hook connect devices and open software, test... then disconnect devices and quit software to edit.
Edit: they messaged me on Facebook that they are working on a new offline editor that will solve these issues.

Advancing through the banks is iffy. You have to hit two buttons at exactly the same time, or it just selects the button you pressed milliseconds ahead of the other one. Would like to see a firmware update that allows two of the external buttons to be used as bank up and down. Edit: there are bank up/down messages available to assign external switches.

My external pedal kept taking over the display menu even when I wasn't touching it. I disconnected it and will send the pedal through my Logidy UMI3 pedal.

Overall, well worth the price, just these few issues which may not affect everyone.

Morningstar

#6
Thanks for the comments and review! :)

Just to share, we have just released an updated firmware that allows you to set a "Switch Sensitivity" setting. The lower the sensitivity, the more accurate it will be to use two switches to change banks.

Also, we have also added an "Expression Sensitivity" setting to allow expression pedals with higher potentiometer values to be used. Expression pedals typicall use 10k pots. Higher values from 50k onwards will cause the read to be jittery. Lowering the sensitivity will fix this.

The MC6 also now accepts incoming PC and CC messages to do certain functions. Users could use an external midi controller to have dedicated bank up/down switches, or preset switches for the extra 6 hidden presets to extend the use of the MC6. It is simple to build with an Arduino Uno or Micro, and we have shared the DIY code on our Github.

Here's mine:


Gearhead

Quote from: Elantric on May 12, 2016, 10:42:45 AM
I'll post a review upon arrival

Have you received yours yet?
Let us know your thoughts.
cheers

Elantric

Yes it arrived , but between Day gig work , and band gigs and assisting girlfriend after cateract surgery it's not been fired up yet

Cant remember a busier summer


whippinpost91850

Hey Steve, Hope all went well with your girlfriends Cataract surgery! I had my left eye done on Wednesday and what a big difference. Did she go with the multi-focal lens or will she still have to wear readers

stevereel

I've been using one for a few months.

Pro: The display is great.  Very readable on stage, even in sunlight. Changes with each bank. Lots of message types, including toggle, which means you press a button and you get the first patch, press again and you get a different patch.

I have an expression pedal and a 3 button switch hooked to the expression inputs. I have the 3 buttons set for bank up, bank down, and modulation.

There have been several firmware updates and a new pc/mac based editor. Haven't had time to try that yet.

Con: The inly thing I don't like is that the buttons are too close together. It is easy to hit two buttons at the same time, and this puts it into edit mode. If it happens at a gig, the fastest fix is to unplug the USB (which supplies the power) and plug it back in, rebooting the pedal.

majorana

Hi &stevereel,

I'm also a very happy new user for my mobile rig. I'm going to post a full review soon but in meantime I've been working through my issues and suggestions with their incredibly responsive team. I've also talked to them about button combos. For you there is good news. Download and install firmware 2.4beta. It moves the bank edit sequence of C+D to B+D, which should be harder for you to hit by accident. My idea was use only diagonal switch combos for edit features as you never want these live. And for my application I wanted to use the *adjacent* switch combos for triggering the hidden presets. In your case if you leave them blank and hit adjacent switches by accident then nothing will happen. This has allowed me to trigger up to 11 stomp toggles all from a single bank page. In your case you can have 6 single-button triggers plus 6 long-press single-button triggers on each bank page without worrying about accidental double switch combos.

Elantric

#13
QuoteCon: The inly thing I don't like is that the buttons are too close together. It is easy to hit two buttons at the same time, and this puts it into edit mode. If it happens at a gig, the fastest fix is to unplug the USB (which supplies the power) and plug it back in, rebooting the pedal.

There is an old "fix" trick for high density foot switches as found on the MorningStar MC6:




you can use a wrench and lower the 4 foot switches on the corners, and leave the middle 2 foot switches at the tall stock height.

this allows a better target for  the middle switches to respond , and avoid accidental unintended double adjacent switch presses   


Paul Rivera used this strategy in the PMP/RRD Buf V design below

batman

I'm having some issues with a Morningstar MC-6, Boss GP-10 and the Axe-FX. My setup is:

  • MC-6 into a Midi Solutions Quadra Thru (a midi splitter)
  • One output of the QT into a Boss GP-10
  • Another output of the QT to my Axe-FX
  • Axe-FX midi out/thru back into the MC-6 (for the tuner)
I'm using a Primova Sound MIDX-10 to control the GP-10 as it doesn't have midi ports. It works fine usually (including with my RJM Mastermind controller).

Midi thru on the Axe-FX and MC-6 are off. The Axe-FX midi control works fine, including the tuner. However, when the Axe-FX is on I can't get the GP-10 to acknowledge midi commands from the MC-6:

  • If the Axe-FX is off (but midi still plugged in) the GP-10 works fine
  • If the Axe-FX is on the GP-10 doesn't respond to midi messages (but the Axe-FX does). I haven't touched any of the midi cables)
  • If I turn off the Axe-FX the GP-10 still doesn't work but if I turn the GP-10 off and on it's fine.
Any thoughts?

sixeight

Are the axe fx and the GP10 on different MIDI channel?

The GP10 has to be on channel 1 (firmware bug). Try the axe fx on Channel 7 (guitar to midi may take up to 6 channels)

batman

It seems to be working intermittently.  Changing the midi channel of the Axe-FX doesn't seem to do anything either way.
There's been a bit of a discussion here if anyone is interested:
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/mc-6-issues-with-axe-fx-mark-ii-and-boss-gp-10.123432/

chlorinemist

Had my MC6 for about a year. First got it to control a pair of gibson echoplexes to much success. Provided everything I needed and saved a ton of space. Very fast to edit and program. The software offers extremely comprehensive control functionality, and yet still manages to be simple to use and unintimidating. The software has been upgraded heavily since I first got my MC6 and is very well written.

Currently I have 7 banks of commands for my Looperlative LP1, a bank of bypass switches for all my rack gear, a bank of Ableton Live commands and triggers, a tap tempo bank, and several program change banks with preset shortcuts for my Eventide H8000, Lexicon PCM80, Mesa Triaxis, Spicetone 6Appeal, and Source Reflex expression pedal. All works marvelously.

I avoided the two button bank-switching issue by assigning the Bank Up/Down functions to two of the buttons on an auxiliary 3 button switch. Easy peasy

carlb

#18
Found the Morningstar MC6, it's a great MIDI footcontroller. To program it, plug it into a laptop via USB; a web interface is the very intuitive editor for it.

After editing the pedal output and labels, disconnect the laptop and hook the MC6 up to the MIDX-20 midi-hub, then the MIDX-20 to the GP-10. It then sends MIDI change commands (or any MIDI commands that I previously setup in the editor) over USB to the GP-10.

The MC6 then works great to make effects changes mid-song, within a patch. It's all modifiable on a per-patch basis, and it's even labeled in back-lit LCD next to each switch.

In the picture, I have the top three switches setup to change among three modeled-pickups (Rhythm, Middle, Lead). The bottom switches toggle chorus, reverb, and  boost effects for soloing.

The below are effects I could use for most patches at a jazz gig. It's uses one bank of the 30 that the MC6 has.


MC6 foot controller for guitar rig by Carl B, on Flickr

I'll use the MIDI-Mouse to zip up and down through GP-10 patches (which are "banks" to the MC6) and/or just the patch select knob on the GP-10. Either can/does generate MIDI patch/program change commands which the other will pick-up on. So I can have up to 30 GP-10 patches that are coordinated with a dedicated bank from the MC6.

This is just one approach to setting up and using the MC6, but I think it will work very well for me.
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker

abhijitnath

Quote from: Elantric on May 11, 2016, 10:47:10 AM
http://www.morningstarfx.com/








The MC6 was designed to have fully programmable Midi functionalities in a compact size. 30 available banks will give you more than enough space to store all the presets you need. With 6 presets per bank, and each preset capable of sending up to 8 different messages, the MC6 is capable of handling any rig put before it. For each message, select from more than 15 different types for each message and customise each preset the way it suites you best. Choose from standard Midi messages, toggle between different messages or even send different messages depending on how you use the switches...and this is barely the full list of options you can choose from.

Connect an expression pedal into the Expression Inputs to have variable control over CC Values, or add up to 6 additional presets in each bank by connecting external aux controllers instead, or one of each if you need them both!

The USB Midi functions will give you simultaneous control over your computer Midi applications.

Technical Specifications
Enclosure Size: 145mm x 95mm x 45mm
Power: 9-12V DC Center Negative, USB, or 9-12V AC/DC via Midi Pins 6 & 7 (Phantom Power)
Switches: 6 x Soft Touch Switches
Midi Ports: 1 x Midi Send, 1 x Midi Receive/Thru
Expression Inputs: 2
Number of Switches: 6




MorningStar MC6 manual
http://www.morningstarfx.com/#!support/xp3nr

MorningStar MC6 MIDI Editor












http://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/a-few-amplifire-questions-for-you.1702336/#post-21922386

tyzjames wrote>
The MC6 has 2 expression inputs, each of which can accept either a 3 switch aux controller or an expression pedal.

Each preset can send up to 8 different midi messages, and with the new firmware, each preset can be split into two parts. You can send the first part on switch release, and the second part when the switch is held down. Essentially, that's having two different presets in one switch.

Here's how I have mine set up :



EDIT: Just to add, the controller on the right is a simple T, R, T+R aux controller (2 of them in the enclosure), wired with a toggle switch to switch between the expression knobs and the switches.





Could you share a link to the enclosure in the picture where you have the auxillary buttons hooked up? Thanks!

admin

https://www.morningstarfx.com/single-post/2018/02/20/MC6-Production-Update

MC6 Production Update
February 20, 2018

|

James

We are excited to announce that we are currently working on the next iteration of the well-loved MC6 Midi Controller. The current controller was designed in the late 2015, and many software features have been added on since its birth. The size of the compiled code is close to out-growing the current micro-controller storage limit, and the memory-size is limiting the possibility of any further improvements we wanted to implement. Hence, we have decided to look forward and work on a new design for the MC6.






Software

The MKII firmware was re-designed from ground up to build in new functionalities into the core. One new feature we are excited about is that the MC6 MKII will have an event-based programming logic, where you can assign Midi messages to action events such as Press, Release, Long Press, Long Press Release, Double Tap and so on.. There will be so many possibilities you can do with one switch. With each preset containing 16 messages, 12 presets per bank, and a total of 30 banks, we are certain that the MC6 MKII can hold up against larger and more expensive controllers in the market.


The editing functions on the MKII was also completely redesigned. No longer will you have to look up what each parameter does. Each type of midi message will have a specific editing interface displayed for it, making programming on the device itself even simpler than before. The web and desktop editor will also be revamped with usability in mind.



We added a dedicated toggle name, which you can program if you want your short name to change according to your preset toggle position.



Hardware

With all these software improvements, there needed to be an improvement in hardware as well. We chose a more powerful micro-controller for this, with increases in speed as well as storage space. We also increased the memory size to store more data to support the new features.



The enclosure will be built with an anodised aluminium sheet, similar to the ML5 Loop Switcher.
https://www.morningstarfx.com/ml5


The size of the MC6 enclosure remains the same for its length and breadth, except a couple of millimetres shorter in height. Holding both the MC6 and MC6 MKII in both hands, the MKII definitely feels less bulky and more sleek. We decided (and managed) to also squeeze in a larger 24x2 LCD such that each preset can have a 8 character short name (we'll leave the spaces between preset names to you to decide), and a 24 character full name and bank name.



Current status

We are in the final phase of testing the device and ironing out any bugs in the firmware. We will be working on getting the circuit-boards produced once the Lunar New Year holidays are over, and hoping to start assembling and putting them up for sale around the end of March. We'll have more updates in the coming weeks.


Before we end here, we would like to extend a big Thank You(!!) to everyone who have supported us by giving feedback or purchased our products. We are certain that they will continue to serve you well in the years to come.


Keep making awesome music!

The Morningstar Engineering Team


carlb

The original is a great, compact, easy to program pedal with patch-specific labels.

I have it powered by USB cable to the MIDX-20, no extra power connection needed.

Perfect.
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker

sixeight

If I hadn't built the VController, I probably would have bought one too. Great pedal. Still following the development of this product.

Morningstar


carlb

#24
The MC6 MKII arrived, and after a few answered questions (thanks James), it's setup just like I want.

It's a great MIDI footswitch, perfect size and features for me. Along with a MIDX-20, I use it to control my GP-10 (I gig that at an "edit height," not on the floor).

Compared to the original MC6, the MK II is less bulky (great), and has: more characters for each switch in the display (allows better mnemonic labels); screen protector built-in; allows you to choose different toggle on/off labels versus FLASHING when toggled on (which was a distracting); and has extra functionality available for the footswitches (e.g. short/long presses and multi-presses).

Between the GP-10, MIDX-20 and MC6, I have six independent EXP1/EXP2 inputs. That's enough for multiple expression pedals and dedicated function footswitches for whatever I want to do. Which is great because my GP-10 is off-the-floor.

I may setup a "four-by" foot-switch box for immediately choosing among my four most-used patches ...
ES Les Paul, internal Roland GK
Boss SY-1000, Valeton Coral Amp pedal
Morningstar MC8 & MC6
QSC CP8 powered speaker